About the Position
The National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) invites applications for a Program Manager in its Centre for Economic Growth (CEG). The Program Manager will provide the managerial backbone for the centre. The selected candidate will coordinate operations across research projects, grants, partnerships, events, communications, and internal workflows so that the centre can function effectively from the start. This is a critical role and requires sound judgement, strong organisational skills, and the ability to work smoothly with researchers as well as NCAER’s institutional support teams.
Key Responsibilities:
- Support the Director and research staff in planning and tracking the centre’s annual work program, project milestones, budgets, reporting requirements, and deliverables.
- Coordinate grant administration, including proposal timelines, donor reporting, consultant contracts, procurement requests, and internal compliance processes.
- Manage external engagement logistics for workshops, policy roundtables, advisory meetings, and dissemination events.
- Serve as a central coordination point across researchers, finance, HR, communications, and external partners to ensure smooth execution of centre activities.
- Support communications and outreach, including website content, mailing lists, event material, publication pipelines, and selected donor or partner briefs.
- Maintain organised records on projects, contacts, partnerships, and outputs, and help develop simple management dashboards for the centre.
- Anticipate operational bottlenecks and help build efficient systems appropriate for a start-up research centre within NCAER.
Qualifications, Experience and Skills
- Master’s degree in economics, public policy, management, development studies, business administration, or a related field.
- Typically 5 or more years of relevant experience in program management, research administration, policy organisations, consulting, foundations, or related settings.
- Strong organisational and coordination skills, with the ability to manage multiple work streams and deadlines with limited supervision.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to interact professionally with senior stakeholders.
- Comfort with budgets, reporting processes, event management, and standard office and project-management software.
- A high degree of professional integrity, reliability, and discretion.
Desirable attributes
- Experience in a think tank, university centre, international organisation, or policy advisory setting would be highly desirable.
- An understanding of economics research workflows would be an advantage, though this is not primarily a research position.
Last Date: September 15, 2026. The position will remain open until filled.
Duration of Appointment: Initially for three years, with a provision for renewal.
Compensation: A salary that is commensurate with market and experience of the selected candidate.
Appointment Term
Applicants should submit their application by email to [email protected], with “Program Manager-CEG” in the subject line.
The application should include the following:
- Detailed curriculum vitae, including the names and contact details of three professional references.
- Cover letter describing the candidate’s interest in the position and suitability for the role.
- Copies of, or links to, selected published papers, reports, or writing samples, as relevant to the position.
- Applicants may include a brief note highlighting relevant experience in grants, donor reporting, or institutional coordination.
About NCAER
NCAER is India’s oldest and largest national, non-profit, independent economic research institute. Since 1956, NCAER has contributed high-quality research to shape policy decisions in India. It is among the few think tanks globally that have strong field data collection capabilities for national surveys; and its research covers a spectrum of policy-focused applied research in economics, from macroeconomics to poverty and infrastructure.
NCAER offers a vibrant, dynamic academic environment with both world-class faculty and physical infrastructure. If you’re stuck with a writer’s block, a stroll around our campus might be the antidote. If you want to unwind, there will always be someone willing to play a game of table tennis or badminton.
Join a visionary team that values research excellence, collaboration, and professional growth. NCAER offers a stimulating work environment where your research ideas can make a real difference.
NCAER is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds and experiences.
