Job Description:
Job Title
Associate Director- Government Programs
Foundation for Advancing Science and Technology
Background
We live in a world of fast-paced innovation today, driven by exponential progress in science and technology (S&T) and the growth of vibrant ecosystems to commercialize research. India must aspire to be a top 3 S&T Nation, where the first two places are occupied by US and China today. To do so, India needs to be at the forefront of research: the creation of new knowledge (research) and its translation to economic and social goods. This is imperative for long-term industry differentiation and competitiveness, National security, and self-reliance to attain our socio-economic goals.
The time for India to revive its S&T agenda is now or never. We have the economic size, the talent pool, a large market size and a vibrant startup ecosystem to both invest in research and be able to translate S&T knowledge into economic value. For India to be a global leader, exponential S&T growth needs to go hand-in-hand with economic growth and social progress.
While the West has traditionally dominated global S&T, many Asian countries such as Japan, Korea and Taiwan have made rapid progress in the past, and China has dramatically scaled its S&T prowess to become #2 in the world behind USA. Indias Contribution is relatively dwarfed - its high impact research output is ranked 1oth, with US & China being the top 2, no Indian university shows up in top 100 research rankings, with just 1 company in worlds top 50 innovative companies.
Way of Work
The Foundation for Advancing Science and Technology (FAST India) is a non-profit institution of excellence dedicated to catalyse Indias journey to a top 3 S&T Nation. We identify that the major stakeholders for S&T include the government, the research institutions and the industry.
There are systemic challenges with how these actors today work, such as size of ambition, right incentives, resource allocation and efficiency. Our way of working is to identify these challenges, develop and vigorously advocate policy solutions and best practices to address them. We also identify high-leverage projects that can have an outsized impact on the ecosystem, and run programs with stakeholders, where we lend our team of experts, to make sure best practices are used and the program is impactful. At maturity, we see the ecosystem develop the virtuous cycle of research funding, new breakthrough research, translation into economic value, and re-investment. While we build the ecosystem, we also look forward to build a strong narrative of S&T leadership in India and create political salience around it.
In a short period of time, FAST has started engagements with the Office of PSA (Govt of India), Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Capacity Building Commission of India and Banaras Hindu University, among others.
Our projects span easing procurement for scientists, re-envisaging government and industry financing of research, fixing institutional grant management process, shaping sectoral missions, simplifying government procurement etc. Our current body of work includes partnerships with Niti Ayog on driving measures for ease of doing science, initiatives on industry academia collaboration , thought leadership on Research Linked Incentives, and operationalising R&D Hub spoke models to accelerate Indias R&D impact.
At Department of Science and Technology, FAST has co partnered on shaping and operationalising Anusandhaan National Research Fund and Research Development and Innovation Fund FAST has conducted a state of sector report on Industrial R&D benchmarking Indian industry players across six sectors and comparison versus global peers while highlighting opportunities to increase R&D intensity, and patent, publications outcomes.
FASTs current efforts include understanding the R&D landscape of the pharmaceutical sector in India and highlighting opportunities to accelerate innovation through various policy interventions. FAST is leading efforts to increase industry participation in R&D, and finding pathways to improving the research translational effectiveness at our institutions. We have produced multiple succinct policy briefs for the governmental and institutional sector.
We also run Indias largest non-profit science festival in India called the India Science Fest, which has seen an audience of 50,000 people over the last three years. We also support and co-ordinate a Science Book Fellowship to spur public science books in India.
Leadership
FAST India is founded by Varun Aggarwal, who is a successful entrepreneur and researcher, and Ashish Dhawan, a private equity investor turned philanthropist. Varun built and sold Indias largest job assessment company, Aspiring Minds and wrote a book on the science ecosystem of India.
Ashish Dhawan is the chairperson of Ashoka University, a leading liberal arts university in India, and Central Square Foundation, and is passionate about promoting science in India.
FASTs advisory board is chaired by Prof.Tarun Khanna, the Jorge Paulo Lemann Professort at the Harvard Business School. The advisory board includes Prof VijayRaghavan ( Ex Principal Scientific Advisor), Ramesh Mangaleswran ( Ex Mckinsey), Saurabh Srivastava ( Ex Chairman Nasscom ), Dr Soumya Swaminathan(ex World Health Organisation), Dr Ramgopal Rao( Group Vice Chancellor BIT Pilani), Thomas Barlow, Shantanu Rastogi( MD General Atlantic Partners India). FASTs advisory council includes Sanjay Sarma, Dr. Swaminathan Sivaram (IISER), Venkatesh Narayanamurti (Harvard Univ), Kris Gopalakrishnan, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Ajay Mehta, Abhishek Goel, Vijay Chandru (IISc), Samir K. Brahmachari and Gagandeep Kang.
Pre-reading
Varun's talk on his book explaining Indias S&T ecosystem and need
for change.
Keynote Remarks and Panel Discussion at India Science Fest about why India needs to invigorate its S&T ecosystem
Policy and best practices briefs by FAST
Responsibilities
FAST India is looking for a self motivated leader to drive its Government Programs and engagements at a pivotal moment in our growth. This role will be central to advancing Indias position at the forefront of global innovation by sustaining partnerships with government bodies like Niti Aayog, Department of Science and Technology, ANRF etc and supporting the implementation efforts of identified policies and programs. Reporting to the CEO- FAST, and working closely with the FAST leadership team, the candidate would drive implementation of agreed actions, through PMU resources aligned and deployed with the government bodies. Following are the responsibilities of the candidate:
1. Provide Strategic Leadership
The AD Government Programs will identify opportunities and work with the CEO FAST and policy research team to define actions plans aligned with stated government priorities and objectives.
2. Build and Sustain Partnerships
The AD Government Programs will develop a strong partnership with the government organisation.
3. Government Interface
The AD Government Programs would be the primary interface with the government organisations like Niti Aayog, ANRF, State Departments or Line Ministries where the PMU has been deployed.
a) Project and Program Management: The AD Government Programs would develop a clear roadmap for implementation and execution of agreed deliverables with the government. This would include development of project plan/workplans, and KPIs for the agreed scope of work
b) Program Monitoring, Reporting and Control: He/She would develop appropriate metrics, and dashboards and publish periodic reports and updates on the PMU progress, to the FAST and Government team members
c) Opportunity Identification and feedback to shape priorities: He/she would identify additional opportunities through the PMU to help further FASTs goals of increasing R&D impact in the country.
d) Governance and Compliance: The AD Government Programs would ensure adherence to government protocols and legal frameworks
Working closely with FAST Indias leadership, the AD- Government Programs will help expand the organisations capabilities and influence, playing a key role in shaping programs, partnerships, and the narrative that positions FAST India as the go-to institution for enhancing R&D in the country.
Skills and Competencies Required:
1. Ability to build partnerships: Proven record of forging and managing partnerships with government leaders.
2. Ability to understand policy Strategic Acumen and Analytical skills: Understand the national Science and Technology policies, government programs. Should be able to identify and prioritise the opportunities to support the government efforts in line with the national needs and FASTs vision and plans
3. Strategic Acumen and Analytical skills: Should be able to identify and prioritise the opportunities to support the government efforts in line with the national needs and FASTs vision and plans
4. Project Management and Program Execution: Ability to organize team, establish clear work plans, KPIs and metrics. The candidate must be able to actively manage the overall project and PMU deployed to ensure successful completion of agreed deliverables
5. Organisational Leadership: Ability to lead team remotely. Candidate should be able to supervise, and guide remotely deployed PMUs. He/she must be able to develop the team members, and ensure they are well supported through the deployment efforts
6. Stakeholder Liaisoning & Management: Candidate must be able to work with government stakeholders and manage the overall relationship while ensuring team delivers on agreed outcomes. Candidate would show maturity and decision making as needed for the same.
7. Communication: Clear, persuasive communicator in both written and spoken formats.
8. Personal qualities: Mission-driven, result oriented mindset, with high integrity and resilience in complex stakeholder environments.
9. Technical and Digital Acumen: It would be beneficial for candidate to have technical acumen to drive effective use of digitisation tools to make PMU team more productive
Who you are:
1.You are a graduate in STEM, Economics, Management or Public Policy and have a clear passion for science and technology.
2. You bring 10+ years experience in government , academia, corporates or government, working closely with the S&T ecosystem.
3. Youre an inspirational leader with strong strategic and operational skills, able to energize teams and deliver results.
4. You are comfortable with collaborating with multiple stakeholders , and driving alignment.
5. You thrive in building credible and trusted relationships.