Development Manager - FPC

About the Nudge

The/Nudge is an action institute working to build resilient livelihoods and end poverty sustainably in India. Through its Centre for Rural Development, The/Nudge works with women, smallholder farmers, tribal communities and youth on agriculture, livestock-based livelihoods, skilling and economic inclusion, in close partnership with State Rural Livelihood Missions (SRLMs), NRLM, NABARD and state Animal Husbandry Departments.

As part of its livestock livelihoods portfolio, The/Nudge builds cadres of community para-professionals (Pashu Udhyamis) who deliver last-mile animal health, breed improvement and extension services to goat-rearing households

Position Overview

The Development Manager- Goat FPC will drive the end-to-end journey of a goat-rearer collective in an assigned cluster - from mobilising producers, Pashu Udhyamis, promoting and registering the Farmer Producer Company, to nurturing its governance and business operations until it is ready to stand on its own. This is a builder's role: the person will move from being an external promoter to an internal institution-builder, and is expected to transition into the role of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the FPC once it is registered and operationally established.

What will you do?

1. Mobilization of members

• Map goat-rearing households in the assigned cluster and build rapport with the community, Pashu Udhyamis, and existing institutions.
• Mobilize pashu udhyamis and orient them towards collective approach and the benefits they could derive from FPC.
• Sensitize members (Goat rearers and Pashu Udhyamis) on the concept, benefits and obligations of collective ownership through an FPC.

2. FPC Promotion, Incorporation & Registration

• Lead the process of promoting the Farmer Producer Company, including feasibility assessment, business plan development, and shareholder mobilization.
• Coordinate documentation and statutory compliance for incorporation under the Companies Act (Producer Company provisions), including DIN/DSC for directors, MoA/ AoA drafting support, and Registrar of Companies (RoC) filings.
• Liaise with SRLM, NABARD, National Project Management Agency (NPMA)/Cluster Based Business Organization (CBBO) partners and state Animal Husbandry Departments for registration support, equity grant access and credit guarantee linkages.
• Facilitate election/selection of the Board of Directors (BoD) and support first Annual General Meeting (AGM) and statutory formalities.

3. Institutional Nurturing & Governance

• Build the capacity of the Board of Directors and shareholder members on governance, roles and responsibilities, and compliance requirements (AGMs, board meetings, statutory filings, audits).
• Institutionalize systems for membership records, share capital management, and grievance redressal.
• Mentor the BoD towards independent decision-making, gradually transferring operational control from the promoting team to the FPC's own leadership.

4. Business Development & Value Chain Strengthening

• Develop the goat-value-chain business model of the FPC - breed improvement, fodder and feed aggregation, animal health services, insurance, and collective marketing/sale of livestock and by-products.
• Identify and onboard input suppliers, buyers, veterinary and insurance partners, and negotiate favorable terms on behalf of the collective.
• Support the FPC in accessing working capital, equity grants, credit guarantee schemes and other financial instruments available to Producer Companies.

5. Team & Stakeholder Management

• Lead and mentor the cluster's Pashu Udhyamis and Community Resource Persons, aligning their field activities to FPC formation and business milestones.
• Represent the cluster/FPC in meetings with SRLM, District Administration, NABARD, Animal Husbandry Department, and other ecosystem partners.
• Maintain accurate MIS, progress dashboards and donor/program reporting on cluster and FPC-formation milestones.

6. Transition to FPC CEO

• Progressively take on operational and financial responsibilities of the FPC - procurement, sales, cash flow, statutory compliance and staff supervision - in the run-up to formal transition.
• On the FPC's incorporation and readiness (as assessed jointly with The/Nudge and the Board), transition into the role of CEO of the FPC, taking full ownership of its P&L, business strategy and day-to-day operations, while continuing to report to the FPC Board of Directors.

Who are we looking for?

Education

• Graduate/Postgraduate in Agriculture, Veterinary Science, Animal Husbandry, Rural Management, Rural Development, Cooperative Management, Business Administration, or a related field.

Experience

• 5-10 years of field experience in rural livelihoods, agri/livestock value chains, FPO/FPC promotion, cooperative development, or community institution-building.
• Direct, hands-on experience in at least one of: FPO/FPC formation and registration, livestock/goatery-based livelihood program or managing producer collectives/cooperatives.
• Experience working with SHGs, Village Organizations, SRLM/NRLM structures, or similar community institutions is highly preferred.
• Prior exposure to running or managing a business unit, enterprise, or P&L (even at a small scale) is an added advantage, given the eventual CEO transition.

Skills & Attributes

• Strong understanding of Producer Company structure, governance and statutory compliance (or willingness and ability to learn quickly).
• Entrepreneurial mindset - comfortable owning outcomes, taking initiative, and operating with limited hand-holding in a field-based, ambiguous environment.
• Strong community mobilization, facilitation and people-management skills; ability to build trust with rural women-led households.
• Basic financial literacy - budgeting, cash flow, and business planning.
• Willingness to be based in and travel extensively within the assigned rural cluster.
• Proficiency in the local/regional language; working knowledge of Hindi/English for reporting.

What’s in it for you?

• Own your growth: An impact-led learning environment encourages Nudgesters to invest in their learning and capacity building needs through initiatives and policies, including L&D wallet, individual development plan and internal role change opportunities.
• Find your tribe: Our hiring philosophy emphasises intent, attitude, smarts and skills, in that order, to build a cohesive environment for Nudgesters. The organisation is committed to curating people-centric policies, enhancing how employees experience life at The/Nudge.
• Take big bets: Organisational initiatives are intended to facilitate Nudgesters with a view to the big picture, illustrated by our impact across 50000+ households, 15+ governments, 200+ social enterprises and Charcha: India’s largest social sector convening forum.
• Make it happen: A product-based approach in an action-biased environment empowers Nudgesters to implement audacious plans. Driven to fail fast, we endeavour to optimise resources in favour of programs that align with our scale ambition.

We aspire to be an inclusive and diverse organization and encourage qualified individuals irrespective of their religion, caste, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, ethnicity, age, or any other dimension of identity, to apply.