The City Data and Analytics Platform (CDAP) is a flagship initiative that enables governments to access, integrate, and use data for better decision-making, planning, and monitoring across urban departments and cities.
The State Program Manager (CDAP) will lead Janaagraha s engagement with state governments to build partnerships, enable adoption of CDAP, and promote a culture of data-driven decision-making.
This role is not primarily technical but strategic and relationship-focused, requiring the ability to navigate complex institutional settings, build consensus across government departments, and coordinate with Janaagraha s internal data, research, and technology teams to ensure successful implementation.
The position is ideal for someone who combines strong government engagement skills, program management experience, and an understanding of how data systems can improve urban governance. This position reports to the Director Research, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (RMEL).
KEY RESPONSIBILITES
State Government Engagement and Relationship Management
- Lead engagement with state and city-level departments and stakeholders such as Urban Development, Housing, Finance, and other govt. entities related to Infrastructure and Services in cities, to onboard them onto CDAP.
- Build and sustain strategic relationships with senior officials, technical teams, and knowledge partners within the state ecosystem.
- Communicate the value proposition of CDAP through meetings, presentations, and demonstrations tailored to state priorities.
- Identify and cultivate champions within the government to institutionalise data-driven decision-making.
Program Management and Coordination
- Manage end-to-end planning and execution of CDAP implementation across partner states, including timelines, deliverables, and reporting.
- Coordinate internally with Janaagraha s data science, technology, and policy teams to ensure alignment between technical work and state needs.
- Support creation of MoUs, project charters, and workplans with states to formalise engagements.
- Track progress, identify risks, and proactively address challenges to ensure smooth delivery.
Driving Data Use and Decision-Making
- Encourage and support states in identifying use cases and analytical needs where CDAP can inform decisions.
- Work with technical teams to translate government data requirements into analytical outputs, dashboards, and decision-support tools.
- Facilitate workshops and training sessions to strengthen the capacity of state and city officials to interpret and apply data insights.
- Showcase success stories and case studies demonstrating impact of data use on governance outcomes.
Partnership Development and Advocacy
- Represent Janaagraha and CDAP at city, state and national forums, workshops, and consultations.
- Liaise with donor agencies, technical partners, and other ecosystem actors to align state-level data initiatives.
- Contribute to policy notes, presentations, and communications materials to advocate for institutionalising data systems across cities and states.
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
- Master s degree in Public Policy, Urban Governance, Management, Economics, or related fields.
- 15 years overall experience with 5 8 years of professional experience in government engagement, public sector program management, or related roles.
- Demonstrated experience working with or within state or central government systems, preferably in urban development, data, or digital governance domains.
- Familiarity with government data systems, government missions, e.g. Smart Cities Mission, and digital governance frameworks.
- Experience managing multi-stakeholder programs involving government, private sector, and non-profits.
- Understanding of data-driven governance and decision-support tools (non-technical familiarity).
KEY COMPETENCIES
- Excellent relationship management and negotiation skills.
- Ability to navigate bureaucratic systems with diplomacy and persistence.
- Strong program management and coordination abilities.
- Strategic mindset with the ability to connect data capabilities to governance outcomes.
- Comfort working across multi-disciplinary teams and adapting to dynamic contexts.
