Lead - Government Engagement & Advisory

Location: India (Hybrid, with travel across states)
Experience: 15–20+ years
Reports to: Co-CEO
Compensation: Competitive, commensurate with experience

Ek Kutumb is a research organisation working to strengthen the legitimacy and adoption of climate action in India. We conduct deep, values-based research to understand how people think about responsibility, development, fairness, and change — moving beyond surface opinions to uncover enduring value systems that shape behaviour and public acceptance.

We translate this research into human intelligence for institutions — supporting governments and other systems-shaping actors in designing climate policies, programs, and investments that are socially grounded, politically viable, and realistically implementable.

The Lead – Government Engagement & Advisory will anchor Ek Kutumb’s senior engagement with state governments and other institutions that shape policy, capital allocation, and large-scale program design.

This role combines institutional relationship-building with substantive advisory leadership. You will work at the intersection of policy substance and citizen intelligence — integrating Ek Kutumb’s research into high-level decision-making processes, stress-testing institutional assumptions, and strengthening the social and political grounding of climate action across states. As a member of the senior management team, you will help shape Ek Kutumb’s advisory philosophy and long-term institutional trajectory.

1. Government & Institutional Engagement

• Build and sustain trusted relationships with state-level departments, climate cells and senior public officials

• Engage other systems-focused actors influencing policy, investments, and programs

• Position Ek Kutumb as a credible, non-advocacy strategic intelligence partner

• Navigate political and institutional contexts with discretion and maturity

2. Lead 1:1 Advisory Work

• Shape and lead senior-level advisory engagements

• Integrate citizen intelligence into policy design and institutional decision moments

• Strengthen policy grounding, feasibility, and adoption alignment

• Co-develop structured outputs that enhance institutional clarity and implementation realism

3. Build Advisory Capability Across States

• Build and mentor a small advisory team to support multi-state engagements

• Refine Ek Kutumb’s operating model for government and institutional advisory

• Ensure advisory work remains rigorous, politically aware, and grounded in research

• Feed lessons from advisory engagements back into research and strategy

We are seeking a senior professional with 15–20+ years of experience operating within or closely alongside public institutions.

You may have:

• Served in state government (e.g., former IAS or equivalent senior leadership roles)

• Held senior positions in public policy or governance-focused think tanks

• Led public sector advisory engagements within consulting or multilateral institutions

• Worked at the intersection of climate, development, and institutional reform

You bring:

• Deep understanding of how state governments function in practice

• Credibility with senior public officials

• Strong judgement in politically sensitive environments

• Experience shaping policy or institutional decisions at scale

• Ability to build and lead small, high-quality teams

• A serious commitment to strengthening public decision-making in India