About the Capacity Development Programme
IIHS Capacity Development is an education and capacity building programme for urban practitioners spanning disciplines and levels in public, private, academic and civil society sectors. IIHS believes that a city’s transformation rests largely on the collective endeavours of practitioners who confront challenges through an informed, reflexive and creative manner. Through a portfolio of customised and open enrolment capacity development programmes and projects, the Capacity Development team offers institutions and practitioners new frameworks of knowledge, backed by a cohesive package of skills. Our portfolio spans sectors, disciplines and scales of practice and seeks to intervene at three levels:
- Strategic perspectives and orientation of the practitioner to urban challenges;
- Knowledge frameworks employed to appraise such challenges;
- Execution skills to tackle them effectively and sustainably.
About the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM)
Aimed at making urban India free from open defecation and achieving 100% scientific management of municipal solid waste in 4,041 statutory towns in the country, the Swachh Bharat Mission – Urban (SBM-U), was launched on 2nd October 2014. The second phase of SBM-U was launched on 1st October 2021, for a period of 5 years (till October 2026). The vision for SBM-U 2.0 is to achieve “Garbage Free” status for all cities by 2026 and institutionalizing ‘Swachh’ behavior amongst the citizens. SBM–U 2.0 will be implemented by MoHUA through States/ UTs in all statutory towns (as per Census 2011, and to those added subsequently). The Government of India in partnership with States/ UTs and ULBs is committed to make all cities ‘Garbage Free’ under SBM-Urban 2.0 to contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2030, which will ultimately improve the quality of life and ease of living of urban populations, thus leading to urban transformation.
IIHS has established a strong niche in SBM programmes by serving as the Technical Support Unit to the Government of Tamil Nadu under the TNUSSP programme, and by delivering a wide range of capacity-building initiatives across India, collectively reaching over 3 million people. These efforts have made a significant contribution to improved sanitation outcomes and to advancing the transition towards inclusive sanitation.
Job Description
We are seeking a skilled and motivated urban development professional to support the design and delivery of impactful training and knowledge initiatives under the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM). The role will focus on strengthening institutional and community capacities in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and Solid Waste Management (SWM).
The external consultant will contribute to the design and delivery of structured learning programmes, applied research, and stakeholder engagement with Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and other urban stakeholders. The ideal candidate will possess strong sectoral expertise, hands-on experience in urban development projects—particularly under SBM—and will be technically sound in the features, guidelines, and objectives of the Swachh Bharat Mission. Demonstrated strengths in capacity development and programme implementation are essential for this role.
This will be a contractual position for an initial term of 11 months, renewable on mutual consent.
Activities and Tasks
Responsibilities would include, but not be limited to, the following:
- Designing and delivering high-impact capacity-building and training programmes under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) for a diverse range of stakeholders, including government departments, Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), and field functionaries;
- Liaising and coordinating closely with state and local government agencies for planning, approvals, implementation, and review of SBM capacity-building initiatives;
- Leading and supporting the development of SBM-focused training curricula, toolkits, SOPs, and learning materials, tailored to varying institutional and community contexts;
- Facilitating field-based and experiential learning activities, including exposure visits, participatory planning exercises, city diagnostics, and hands-on training sessions;
- Collaborating with internal teams and external experts to integrate cross-cutting themes such as gender equity, social inclusion, digital innovation, climate sustainability, and behaviour change into SBM capacity-building programmes;
- Supporting programme planning, monitoring and evaluation (M&E), reporting, and documentation, including preparation of progress reports, case studies, and knowledge products;
- Providing support to other IIHS functions and initiatives, including academics, research, training, practice, operations, and institutional projects, as required;
- Participating in institution-building activities at IIHS, carry out tasks assigned by the Institute, and undertake travel within or outside the country for IIHS-related work, as required.
Structure and Reporting
The specialist will be an external consultant coordinating with the Senior Lead – Capacity Development at IIHS and will be required to collaborate effectively with a diverse group of internal teams and external individuals/ organisations, and students.
Person Specification
The ideal candidate should have:
- A Post Graduate degree in Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, Urban Planning, Environmental Science, Public Health, Climate Studies, Development Studies, or a related discipline, with strong grounding in urban thematic areas such as Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Solid Waste Management (SWM), climate resilience, and urban/digital governance;
- A minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in capacity development, training delivery, or programme implementation within urban development of SBM-related projects;
- Strong understanding of urban thematic frameworks, SBM strategies, climate resilience approaches, and inclusive, community-based planning and implementation models;
- Prior experience working with Project Management Units (PMUs) or State/ City-level Mission Management Cells (SMMCs/CMMCs); this will be an added advantage;
- Excellent facilitation, communication, and writing skills in English; working knowledge of Tamil is strongly preferred for this role;
- Proven ability to manage multiple priorities, work independently, and effectively coordinate with diverse, multi-disciplinary teams;
- Knowledge and hands-on experience with software tools relevant to urban thematic areas, such as GIS, MIS dashboards, digital planning platforms, or data collection & validation applications;
Desirable Attributes:
- Knowledge of adult learning methodologies and participatory training approaches;
- Experience in developing IEC materials, multimedia training tools, and digital learning content;
- Exposure to both urban development contexts and public service delivery systems;
- The willingness to travel extensively within India for training delivery, stakeholder engagement, and field-based research.
This is a contractual engagement for an initial term of 11 months, renewable on mutual consent. This offer is on an exclusive basis, which implies that other professional assignments (whether compensated or not) that bear a potential conflict of interest with IIHS cannot be undertaken.
The search will remain open until the position is filled.
Location
This position is based in Chennai and may entail travel to other locations in India.
Review and Assessment
The role and performance of the incumbent shall be subject to normal review and assessment systems at IIHS.
Diversity Policy
IIHS is an equal opportunity employer that encourages women, people with disabilities and those from economically and socially excluded communities with the requisite skills and qualifications to apply for positions.
