Program Associate

WRI India’s Food, Land and Water program aims to inform India’s transition towards sustainable and resilient food and land use systems focusing on developing interdisciplinary nature-based solutions like landscape restoration, sustainable agriculture to mitigate climate impacts, enhance jobs and livelihoods and improve nutritional security. To catalyze systems change with a focus on circular food systems in India, we also focus on developing equitable strategies to reduce food loss and food waste and mitigate climate impacts.  

With broader systems change and food systems perspective, we work with diverse stakeholders like governments, businesses, civil society partners and farmer producer organizations to inform and develop land use strategies based on robust evidence and analysis to build the resilience of local communities to mitigate climate impacts, bridge capacity gaps, monitor progress, and inform a pathway to building a restoration economy for people, nature, and climate. For more details, refer to the webpage6488- Reduce WRI INDIA

Reducing food loss and waste is a key strategy for transforming India’s food system. To support this vision, WRI India is seeking a Project Associate within the Food, Land, and Water program. This role will focus on policy research and impact analysis of food loss and waste, helping to identify policy interventions and assess their socio-economic and environmental effects. The position is ideal for an individual with an interdisciplinary research background, a passion for food sustainability, and strong analytical and communication skills. The position holder must be willing to travel as necessary. 

How your day will unfold: 

• You will be responsible for research, project management, and stakeholder engagement related to food loss and waste policy and impact assessment.
• Research (75%)
• Conduct policy analysis on food loss and waste reduction, identifying gaps, best practices, and opportunities for policy interventions.
• Analyze the effectiveness of existing policies and strategies in addressing FLW and propose evidence-based recommendations.
• Develop a research framework to assess the environmental, economic, and social impacts of FLW across different sectors.
• Identify and evaluate interventions for reducing FLW within supply chains, including their feasibility, scalability, and impact.
• Develop high-quality knowledge products such as reports, policy briefs, and working papers to communicate research findings to diverse stakeholders.
• Project Management (5%)
• Support in planning, coordinating, and managing research initiatives related to FLW.
• Ensure timely documentation and reporting of project activities.
• Coordinate with internal teams to align research objectives with broader program goals.
• Communication and Partnerships (20%)
• Engage with policymakers, industry stakeholders, research institutions, and civil society organizations to drive policy dialogues on FLW.
• Identify and build partnerships to support collaborative research and policy advocacy efforts.
• Facilitate knowledge-sharing events, workshops, and networking opportunities to promote policy solutions.
• Contribute to external communications, including webpage updates, social media content, blogs, and newsletters.

Qualifications and Requirements: 

• Master’s degree in public policy, agriculture, food sustainability, economics, environmental studies, or related disciplines.
• 2-5 years of post-study research experience related to food policy, food supply chains, post-harvest management, and impact analysis.
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently as well as part of an interdisciplinary team
• Strong experience in policy analysis, data interpretation, and qualitative and quantitative research methods.
• Excellent research, writing, and communication skills, with the ability to present complex information clearly.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint is a requirement.•    Experience engaging with policymakers, government agencies, and international organizations on food sustainability
• Knowledge of global and national initiatives on food loss and waste
• Familiarity with impact assessment methodologies and frameworks related to food systems and waste reduction
• Prior experience coordinating multi-stakeholder collaborations and policy advocacy initiatives.

Source: https://jobs.jobvite.com/wri/job/oAaAvfwz