Job Description:
About CEGIS
Centre for Effective Governance of Indian States (CEGIS pronounced See-Jis) aims to improve lives by helping Indian state governments deliver better development outcomes. The four key characteristics of any high-performing organisation are (a) measuring outcomes through reliable, high quality data that enables goal setting and monitoring progress towards these goals; (b) strategic use of personnel competency based hiring and training, skilling, and performance appraisals to determine job assignments, pay, and promotions to achieve the goals above; (c) strategic budgeting where resource allocation is based on evidence and cost-effectiveness; (d) and creating efficient systems to leverage external actors (including for-profit and nonprofit organisations). The Indian state performs weakly on all four fronts above, thus limiting its capacity. CEGIS helps to improve the functioning of the Indian state by focusing on the four principles above.We believe that, (a) by strengthening systems and enhancing the State’s capacity, we will be able to ensure the delivery of better outcomes to Indian citizens.(b) improving the effectiveness of public expenditure is the most optimised way of achieving improved development outcomes at scale, and(c) there is a clear need for an organisation that will systematically support this mission.We work with the State Governments of India to enable a transformative improvement in their functioning in the coming decade. Informed by cutting-edge research and evidence as well as a practical orientation toward implementable ideas, CEGIS provides Indian states with both an analytical roadmap for governance and expenditure reforms as well as strategic implementation support to deliver on this vision.In alignment with our four principles or pillars of change - outcome measurement, personnel management, strategic public finance, states and markets, CEGIS is currently working with the governments of Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Bodoland Territorial Council (Assam), NCT of Delhi and a few Government of India entities across a range of projects and sectors. Through CEGIS’ flagship offering, the KPI (Key Performance Indicators) Survey, we are helping enable one of the state governments we are working with to collect better quality data, make informed, evidence-based decisions, and institutionalise this process of securing periodic citizen-level feedback. We are setting up a Financial Analytics Unit (FAU) to enhance analytical capacity and increase the effectiveness of budgetary allocations of the Finance Department in another state. In alignment with our personnel management workstream, we are also working with the HR/Administrative Reforms & Training Department to set up and institutionalise an in-house Capacity Building Unit (CBU) that aids the adoption of competency-based Learning Management Systems (LMS) and Performance Management Systems (PMS) with a few of these entities. Similarly, to improve the value of public money, we work at the interface of states and markets which encompasses procurement, regulation, and policy formulation. Our solutions are constantly being refined based on real-time feedback and are designed to be customised and replicated across contexts. CEGIS’ Theory of Change (ToC) is an outcome of the extensive work done by Prof. Karthik Muralidharan, the Founder and Scientific Director of CEGIS, in the field of strengthening State capacity. Further details are provided in his book “Accelerating India’s Development: A State-Led Roadmap for India’s Development”.CEGIS Approach and Model of Functioning Our solutions to enhance governance are co-created with state governments in a “state-led” way, where we focus on deep partnerships with states with an iterative cycle of “thinking” and “doing”. We work closely with the Chief Secretary and other top bureaucratic leadership, front-line workers and public officials in Finance, Planning and other line departments, with guidance from the Chief Minister and Finance Minister of the respective states. Today, CEGIS works across 6 Indian states and 15+ projects across 6 sectors - Education, Nutrition, and Local Governance among others. Our team at CEGIS has extensive technical experience: renowned economists, former bureaucrats, consultants, researchers, social entrepreneurs, development sector professionals. We are trained academically in the best institutions in India and abroad across disciplines such as development economics, management, public policy, international development, and the like. We also seek extensive strategic advice from our pool of supportive external experts who further guide us in refining our solutions.
Position Summary
The Program Associate Technology will be responsible for developing and maintaining the front end pieces of our Web, Android and iOS applications. The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of front-end technologies, mobile app development, and some experience with back-end development. A high level of ownership and a genuine interest in the impact sector are essential for this role. Experience in a dynamic startup environment is highly preferred.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and maintain responsive and user-friendly mobile applications for Web, Android and iOS platforms.
- Collaborate with designers to implement visually appealing and intuitive user interfaces.
- Ensure the technical feasibility of UI/UX designs.
- Optimize applications for maximum speed, performance, and scalability.
- Collaborate with backend developers to integrate front-end and back-end components.
- Interface with project teams to understand the user profile and deployment scenarios.
- Write clean, maintainable, and efficient code.
- Participate in code reviews and provide constructive feedback.
- Stay up-to-date with the latest industry trends and technologies in mobile app development.
- Troubleshoot and debug issues across the stack.
- Contribute to all phases of the development lifecycle, from planning and design to deployment and maintenance.
Preferred Candidate Profile:
Qualifications
- Bachelors degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field
- Proven work experience as a Mobile Developer or similar role, ideally in a startup environment.
- Knowledge of JavaScript frameworks such as React, Angular, and Vue
- Experience with JavaScript libraries such as jQuery and Bootstrap
- Proficiency with HTML5, including semantic HTML5 elements
- Experience with cross-browser compatibility testing
- Proficiency in mobile app development for Android (Java/Kotlin) and iOS (Swift/Objective-C).
- Experience with cross-platform frameworks (e.g., React Native, Flutter).
- Basic understanding of back-end technologies (e.g., Node.js, Express, Ruby on Rails, Python/Django,PHP).
- Experience with version control systems (e.g., Git).
Good to have:
- Experience with server-side rendering and front-end performance optimization.
- Knowledge of DevOps practices and cloud services (e.g., AWS, Azure).
- Experience working in an Agile/Scrum development process.
- Contributions to open-source projects or participation in community events.
Skills :
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a keen attention to detail.
- Ability to thrive in a dynamic environment and adapt quickly to changing priorities.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively.
- Ability to manage time effectively and meet deadlines.
- A strong sense of ownership and a passion for public service.
Location and Compensation
- Location: Flexible - Can be in any of these cities in India (NCR, Bengaluru, Chennai or Hyderabad). The role may involve frequent travel to other locations within India.
- Remuneration will be competitive with Indian philanthropy and social sector pay scales and will depend on the candidates experience levels.
Additional Information
- Some travel may be required to meet with project teams across India
The role reports to the Program Manager - Technology
Note: CEGIS has zero tolerance to sexual harassment. We therefore expect each applicant to self-declare related to the same. CEGIS could, if required, initiate a prevention of sexual harassment-based background verification. If an applicant is reported of misconduct, appropriate action that may include employment termination would be taken.
Note: CEGIS has zero tolerance to sexual harassment. We therefore expect each applicant to self-declare related to the same. CEGIS could, if required, initiate a prevention of sexual harassment-based background verification. If an applicant is reported of misconduct, appropriate action that may include employment termination would be taken. Please Click the link for self declaration.
Pre-reads for the application process
Please go through the following materials before sending in your application:
Podcast episodes with Prof. Karthik Muralidharan one each on education and healthcare in India.
You are also encouraged to read more of Prof. Karthik Muralidharans work here.