Senior Associate - SF - Livelihood

• Government & Ecosystem Engagement  

• Serve as the day-to-day coordination point for engagements with NSDC, State Skill Development Missions, government departments and ecosystem partners, ensuring timely follow-up, documentation and action tracking.  

• Support the development and execution of state engagement strategies by conducting landscape assessments, identifying opportunities for outcomes-based financing, and preparing tailored engagement approaches for priority states.  

• Develop high-quality briefing notes, presentations, policy analyses and stakeholder materials to support senior leadership engagement with government and strategic partners.  

• Monitor developments across the skilling and public policy landscape, identifying emerging opportunities, reforms and partnerships relevant to the Platform's objectives.  

•  Support the planning and delivery of government consultations, workshops and ecosystem convenings that build awareness and momentum for outcomes-based financing. 

• Programme Design & Technical Support  

• Support the design of outcomes-based programmes for livelihoods outcomes, leveraging and adapting learnings from the Skill Impact Bond and Skills Outcomes Fund for application at the state level, including intervention design, outcomes frameworks, commercial structures and implementation models; ensure proper documentation and collateral development of each of these elements. 

• Conduct technical, financial and policy analysis to support the design of new outcomes-based programmes across skilling and livelihoods. 

• Develop concept notes, business cases, programme design documents, implementation frameworks and technical proposals for governments and funding partners. 

• Support programme design workshops with governments, funders and implementation partners to achieve alignment on key design elements. 

• Coordinate programme design processes by working closely with governments, funders, implementation partners and technical experts to consolidate inputs and drive alignment.  

• Undertake market research, benchmarking and ecosystem analysis to inform programme strategy and identify opportunities for innovation.  

•  Support programme transition from design to implementation by ensuring key design decisions are effectively documented and operationalised. 

• Learning, Evidence & Knowledge  

• Lead the day-to-day implementation of the Platform's learning agenda, working closely with programme teams to systematically capture implementation insights, emerging evidence and best practices from the Skills Outcomes Fund and other outcomes-based financing initiatives.  

• Conduct qualitative and quantitative research, stakeholder interviews and evidence synthesis to distil complex programme experiences into actionable insights for governments, funders and implementation partners.  

• Develop high-quality knowledge products-including implementation guides, playbooks, policy briefs, case studies, learning reports and technical resources-that support the adoption and effective implementation of outcomes-based financing.  

• Partner closely with programme teams, technical experts and external evaluators to identify emerging implementation insights, document innovations and ensure learning is embedded throughout the programme lifecycle. 

• Translate programme learnings into practical recommendations that inform the design of future outcomes-based programmes, ensuring continuous feedback between implementation, evidence generation and programme development.  

• Support the design and implementation of learning activities, including communities of practice, peer learning exchanges, workshops and dissemination events that strengthen ecosystem capacity.  

• Maintain the Platform's knowledge management systems, ensuring evidence, tools and resources are systematically documented, accessible and continuously updated. 

• Programme Management & Platform Operations  

• Coordinate delivery across multiple Platform workstreams, ensuring effective planning and timely delivery against workplans.  

• Develop and maintain project management systems, dashboards and trackers to monitor progress, risks, dependencies and key milestones.  

• Coordinate inputs from internal teams, partners and external stakeholders, ensuring high-quality and timely delivery of Platform activities.  

• Support operational planning as required.  

• Support donor engagement and management through proposal development, reporting and preparation of technical materials for fundraising opportunities. 

Experience & Person Specification  

Essential   

• 5-8 years of professional experience in management consulting, international development, public policy, social finance, government advisory, programme management, or a related field.  

• Demonstrated experience managing complex workstreams involving multiple stakeholders, with the ability to coordinate activities, manage competing priorities and deliver high-quality outputs independently.  

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with experience conducting research, synthesising evidence and translating complex information into clear, actionable recommendations.  

• Experience supporting the design and delivery of programmes, partnerships or strategic initiatives, including developing concept notes, presentations, reports and other technical documentation.  

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to produce high-quality reports, policy briefs, knowledge products and client-facing materials.  

• Experience in financial analysis, programme design or strategy development.  

• Experience engaging with a range of stakeholders, including government, development partners, donors, foundations, CSR partners or private sector organisations.  

• Strong project management and organisational skills, with experience coordinating cross-functional teams and managing multiple concurrent priorities.  

• Demonstrated ability to work independently in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment, while collaborating effectively within multidisciplinary teams.  

Desirable  

• Experience in skilling, livelihoods, workforce development, education or related sectors.  

• Familiarity with outcomes-based financing, blended finance, results-based financing or other innovative financing approaches.  

• Experience developing knowledge products, policy briefs, learning reports or evidence syntheses that have informed programme or policy decisions.  

• Experience organising workshops, consultations or multi-stakeholder convenings. 

Candidates from management consulting, public policy, development finance, international development, government advisory and other strategy-focused roles are encouraged to apply.