Program Associates

Job Description

What is Community Empowerment Lab? We, at Community Empowerment Lab, love to watch our people write their own stories \u2013 stories of success and challenges, stories of connecting with communities, of serving mothers and children. Stories of serving our nation. So, who are we exactly? We are a Not-for-Profit Research Organization working on the frontiers of maternal and neonatal health, serving some of the most vulnerable through innovations and leveraging cutting-edge scientific approaches in public health. We are driven by scientific evidence, national priority, and global public health challenges! Our mission revolves around empowering communities by providing them with evidence-based solutions to address their needs, thereby bridging the gap between communities and scientific knowledge. We adopt a grounds-up approach, engaging with communities to understand their requirements and co-designing solutions with scientific rigor. These solutions undergo trials and implementation research to ensure efficacy. The insights gained are then scaled up to influence state, national, and global policies and practices. Our focus lies at the intersection of newborn survival and maternal health, health system strengthening, and early childhood development, aligning all our initiatives to tackle both local and global challenges faced by newborns and mothers. We are the Collaborative Centre of Excellence for Indian Council of Medical Research, joining hands with several scientific research organizations across India to address numerous national priorities and build a future scientific workforce for the country! We are also an ICMR - Centre for Advanced Research for Neonatal and Maternal Health working on solutioning newborn survival. In Uttar Pradesh, we support the UP National Health Mission as a newborn survival specialist through UP TSU (Uttar Pradesh Technical Support Unit). For more information, please visit our website https://celworld.org/ Who are we looking for? CEL is looking for a dynamic Program Associates who will play a key role in supporting the planning, implementation, and monitoring of development projects. They will coordinate activities, liaise with stakeholders, manage documentation, and ensure the efficient execution of project tasks to achieve program objectives. Requirements Key Responsibilities: To support Program Lead in various program-related coordination activities. Conduct reviews at program sites, assess gaps if any, in resources and inform Program Lead Ensure timelines are adhered to and outcomes are as scheduled. Project management: e.g. timetable and meeting project milestones. Participate regularly in group meetings and prepare and deliver presentations to the project team, internal and external stakeholders, or funders. Drafting letters and communication. Support efforts to reach out to stakeholders. Assist the team by undertaking interdisciplinary collaborations and preparing a comprehensive analysis of the work done to inform all stakeholders. Support the research team in analyzing data from in-depth interviews with key academics, government officials, community members, researchers, front-line health workers, community at the national, state, and district levels for the case studies. Validate and systematically arrange the data collected, its cleaning, storage, and analysis within the project timelines. Set monthly goals to improve the skills and achieve within the line without affecting study responsibilities. Assist in the execution of project activities as per work plans and timelines. Support in coordinating with field teams, government agencies, NGOs, and community stakeholders. Ensure compliance with donor and organizational requirements. Collect and analyze project data, ensuring proper documentation and reporting. Support in developing progress reports, case studies, and impact assessments. Assist in organizing field visits and stakeholder meetings for project reviews. Maintain project files, correspondence, and records for audit and reporting purposes. Support budget tracking and expense monitoring in coordination with the finance team. Assist in procurement processes, including vendor coordination and logistics. Draft reports, presentations, and briefing notes for internal and external stakeholders. Assist in developing project-related content for newsletters, social media, and publications. Facilitate workshops, training sessions, and stakeholder meetings. Qualification, Experience and Skills Bachelor\u2019s/master\u2019s degree in social work, Development Studies, Public Policy, or a related field. Experience: Minimum 2-5 years in project coordination/implementation in the development sector. Strong understanding of community development, livelihood programs, public health, education, or related fields . Excellent report writing, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills . Proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and data analysis tools. Ability to work independently and as part of a team in challenging field conditions . Knowledge of government policies, donor-funded projects, and local governance frameworks is an advantage. Application Procedure: If you find this opportunity aligning with your skills and passion, we welcome you to apply by following these steps: Interested candidates are requested to click on the \u201c I\u2019m Interested \u201d button below and complete the corresponding form. Fill the form it is mandatory, no candidature will be accepted if form is not filled. Craft a brief yet impactful cover letter, around 500 words, that details your motivation for applying, your interest in Maternal and Newborn Health, and your enthusiasm for contributing to the work of Community Empowerment Lab. Attach your updated resume with a recent photograph. We kindly request that you include your current and expected salary details, along with your anticipated start date, in your cover letter .