Job Title:

Project Specialist

Function:

Bharti Institute of Public Policy (BIPP)

Reports to:

Lead, Community Enterprises

Location:

Patna, Bihar

Reportees to Position:

NA

Band:

FT

About the INFUSION Project

The needle on nutrition in India has proven hard to move. Three factors have risen to the top for consideration. One, a focus on production and consumption of cereals is insufficient to meet the challenge; the focus must move to nutrient-dense foods (NDFs), such as fruits, vegetables, and animal-source foods. Two, in the context where most food is purchased from markets, government support towards market-based approaches should be enhanced. Three, digital technology, which has transformed lives across the country, must be brought to bear on the problem.

Among Indian states, Bihar has performed much better than average on improvement in nutrition outcomes, based on data from National Family Health Surveys. Indian Food Systems for Improved Nutrition - INFUSION (www.infusionproject.org) is a 5-year collaborative research project that explores ways in which rural communities in Bihar can gain better access to nutrient-dense foods such as vegetables, milk, and eggs, through improved functioning of food markets. ISB is a collaborator in INFUSION and is seeking to appoint a Project Specialist in Bihar focused on field activities for a period of 2 years with possibility of extension.

Job Purpose

ISB, in association with The University of Sheffield (TUoS), UK and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) is setting up a Research Project Unit to support agriculture-nutrition policy convergence in the state of Bihar, where government stakeholders of both agriculture and nutrition identify synergies, collaborate and work together, at the level of both policy design and programs, towards improving nutrition outcomes amongst low income populations in underserved districts by building improving accessibility, availability and affordability of NDFs amongst this target segment, with a focus on Nutrient-dense foods, and emphasis on market-based approaches.

The Project Specialist will play a critical role for the success of the research project and field operations of INFUSION. She/he will be responsible for the operations and facilitation of the field research activities, coordination and conversion to impactful knowledge and communication outcomes.

Job Outline

This position is expected to start in mid-May 2024. Starting in early June, the INFUSION project will commence field activities in Bihar. We are seeking to appoint a resource person who will facilitate the field research and other activities on a day-to-day basis. The position will be based in Patna, with significant travel to Samastipur, Bhojpur and other pilot/intervention areas. The appointed person will work closely with Sanjeev Kumar Kaushal, who will have overall charge of coordination of field activities.

The Project Specialist will have the following roles and responsibilities:

• Plan field activities with the INFUSION team. INFUSION will be undertaking multiple streams of fieldwork in Bihar, and so there will be a need to coordinate field plans across these different streams.
• Contribute to field team discussions around how to operationalize field research plans in a multistakeholder environment.
• Make advance arrangements for field visits as needed, e.g. making arrangements with Bihar Rural Livelihoods Promotion Society - JEEViKA project management units, government departments, implementation partners and the community members and their social institutions.
• Help organize the logistics for the field activities, including transport, accommodation, etc.
• Accompany field teams to the field on a selected basis, contributing as a resource person on such visits.
• Follow-up on field visits as needed, e.g. if a follow-up visit to a community is needed after the original team has departed.
• Contribute to writing field reports and summaries.
• Assist the project Lead with any other aspects, as needed/assigned.

Job Specification

Knowledge / Education

Specific Skills

Desirable Experience

• Graduate / Postgraduate in management, economics or other social sciences.

• Experience of working in development, rural management, and social impact sector preferably around agriculture, nutrition, gender, livelihoods and sustainability goals.
• Demonstrated ability to support field operations, coordination and day to day execution of state level programmes and projects involving multiple stakeholders and regions.
• Ability to constructively engage with the community members anchoring interactions and knowledge sharing with community leaders, health workers, resource persons, and other stakeholders.
• Skills in working with data systems will be an added advantage.

3-7 years

Job Interface/Relationships

Internal

External

• BIPP and other departments within ISB
• Researchers from The University of Sheffield, UK, and London School of Health and Tropical Medicine, UK

• BRLPS/JEEViKA
• MSC & other project implementation partners
• Government departments & organizations

S.No

Key Responsibilities

% Time Spent

1.

Planning and making necessary arrangements for the field research activities with needful travel, logistics and accommodation plans

25%

2.

Meeting/coordinating with JEEViKA field functionaries, conducting community outreach, and facilitating interactions and discussions

25%

3.

Accompanying research team as a resource person and supporting with information dissemination, knowledge sharing and feedback collection

25%

4.

Organising collaborative events, trainings, workshops and contributing writing reports, summaries and minutes

25%

Total Time Spent on All Responsibilities

100%

How to apply

ISB is committed to diversity at the workplace, and strongly encourages applications from women and minority candidates.

Send your application through this link here. Upload your updated CV and a cover letter (no more than 500 words) discussing your motivation and why do you think you are a good fit for this position.

Please note: We will accept applications through the link above ONLY. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Applicants will be contacted only if shortlisted for an interview.

In case of any issues in accessing the application link, please write to hemamani_d@isb.edu with the subject line “Project Specialist – INFUSION - support” for resolution with link access.