Career with BRAC International

Founded in Bangladesh in 1972, BRAC is an international development organisation working to address poverty and inequality through evidence-based programmes and social enterprise approaches. Born and led in the Global South, BRAC operates across Asia and Africa. Learn more at www.bracinternational.org.

About UPGI

The Ultra-Poor Graduation Initiative (UPGI) is a flagship programme of BRAC International that partners with governments and other stakeholders to adapt and scale evidence-based Graduation approaches to address extreme poverty. The approach combines productive assets, basic-needs support and ongoing coaching to help households build lasting pathways out of poverty. UPGI supports technical assistance, capacity strengthening and integration of Graduation into existing programmes, with an ambition to help 21 million more people move out of extreme poverty by 2030.

About BRAC International’s Work in India

Under an MoU with the National Rural Livelihoods Promotion Society under India’s Ministry of Rural Development, BRAC International supports economic inclusion and social protection for extremely poor and excluded households, particularly women. Through the Samaveshi Aajeevika Yojana (SAY), BRAC provides technical assistance, convenes stakeholders and supports national- and state-level Project Management Units (PMUs) to strengthen programme design and implementation under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM). The ten allocated states are Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Nagaland, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Uttarakhand.

About the Position

BRAC UPGI seeks a Senior Program Coordinator to provide strategic and operational leadership for state-level implementation of SAY and the Graduation approach. The role will work with SRLMs, government departments, implementation and research partners, and BRAC teams to strengthen programme design, implementation quality, gender inclusion and access to social protection entitlements. The postholder will connect field learning with programme design, support scale-up and cross-state learning, and use evidence to adapt implementation and address challenges.
The role reports to the Senior Program Advisor, works closely with the State PMU and other India team members, and is based at BRAC UPGI’s New Delhi office, with regular travel to partner states and field locations.

Primary Responsibilities

1. State Government Relationship Management and Institutional Strengthening

·   Coordinate with state governments and SRLMs under DAY-NRLM to support SAY implementation and integration with state priorities and thematic areas.

·   Build and maintain relationships with relevant government departments and support SRLMs to co-design, adapt and scale the Graduation/SAY approach.

·   Promote institutional ownership and convergence with government systems to strengthen programme sustainability and reach.

2. Strategic Coordination, Partnerships, Gender and Entitlements

·   Integrate gender considerations into programme design and delivery, strengthening women’s agency, decision-making, access to resources and livelihood opportunities, and participation in community institutions.

·   Identify relevant government schemes and social protection entitlements; coordinate with SRLMs and line departments to improve eligible SAY households’ access.

·   Coordinate implementation and research partners, SRLMs, national and state teams, and BRAC thematic teams to translate programme design into effective field-level action.

·   Provide strategic inputs, track policy developments and align implementation with government priorities, programme standards and timelines.

·   Facilitate cross-state learning exchanges, immersion visits and regular review meetings to share learning, track progress and support course correction.

·   Identify opportunities for convergence and scale-up through NGOs, CSR initiatives and other relevant agencies.

3. Programme Quality and Fidelity to Design

·   Build a shared understanding of the Graduation approach and intervention sequence among programme partners.

·   Develop state-level roadmaps and goals for PMU teams aligned with the overall state strategy.

·   Facilitate programme reviews, analyse state performance data and guide improvements in implementation quality and long-term progress.

·   Anticipate bottlenecks and risks, develop mitigation measures and coordinate with partners to address delays and maintain implementation fidelity.

4. Partner Management and Implementation Support

·   Support partner onboarding and build partner capacity to deliver the programme effectively.

·   Manage partner budgets and deliverables, strengthen communication channels and facilitate coordination among partners and statutory stakeholders.

·   Promote innovative methods, good practices, regular reflection and feedback, and adaptive improvements throughout the programme lifecycle.

5. Knowledge Management, Learning and Evidence

·   Facilitate multi-stakeholder workshops, roundtables and platforms for alignment and knowledge exchange.

·   Represent BRAC International in relevant engagements with government departments, partners and other stakeholders.

·   Document field insights, learning notes and emerging good practices to inform programme design, implementation and scale-up.

6. Safeguarding Responsibilities

·   Promote a safe environment for team members and communities, free from harm, abuse, neglect, harassment and exploitation.

·   Uphold and promote BRAC’s safeguarding policies and standards, and follow established reporting procedures for any reportable incident.

Qualifications

·   Advanced degree in Development Studies, Social Sciences, Sociology, Demography, Public Policy or a related field.

·   At least 10 years of professional experience in programme delivery within the government, development or civil society sector in India.

·   At least 5 years of senior-level engagement and negotiation with government partners, international financial institutions, donors and other development stakeholders, preferably in India or South Asia.

·   Experience in social protection, gender and inclusion, including knowledge of relevant policies, programmes and implementation approaches.

·   Demonstrated partner, stakeholder and programme management experience, including strategic coordination, relationship building and management of competing workstreams.

·   Strong analytical, writing and documentation skills, including developing and reviewing reports, proposals and programme documents.

·   Proactive strategic leadership, sound judgement, strong interpersonal skills, and political and contextual sensitivity; able to work effectively in fast-paced, high-pressure environments.

·   Excellent written and verbal English communication skills, with fluency in Hindi and/or a relevant regional language; strong presentation and representational skills for engaging senior stakeholders.

·   Willingness and ability to travel frequently within India and occasionally internationally.

·   Knowledge of BRAC’s programmes and work in India is an advantage.

Qualified female candidates are encouraged to apply.

How to Apply

BRAC International offers a competitive salary and benefits package. Interested candidates should submit a CV and detailed cover letter through the application link for Senior Program Coordinator (State Coordination, Gender & Entitlements).

Application deadline: 12 November 2026

BRAC International is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults. All employees and volunteers are expected to share this commitment. Recruitment includes reference and background checks, self-disclosure of relevant prior misconduct and criminal records, and assessment of alignment with BRAC’s values, which are incorporated into its Performance Management System.

Only complete applications will be accepted. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted.