People

Working at 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 needs to perform better on all four fronts above, by enhancing its capacity. CEGIS partners with states to improve this capacity by focusing on these four pillars of the State.

Informed by cutting-edge research and evidence as well as a practical orientation toward implementable ideas, CEGIS works with State Governments in India to enable a transformative improvement in their functioning. This vision and Theory of Change (ToC) is an outcome of extensive research done by Prof. Karthik Muralidharan (CEGIS Co-Founder and Scientific Director) and strategic philanthropic support provided by Mr. Ashish Dhawan (CEGIS Co-Founder).

CEGIS’s 3x3 Framework drives systemic change through three key dimensions:

  1. Institutional Strengthening by helping State governments in establishing Financial Analytics Units (FAUs), Data Analytics Units (DAUs), and Human Resource Units (HRUs) to enhance financial planning, data-driven governance, and workforce efficiency; Financial Analytics Units (FAUs)—help governments make data-driven decisions on revenue augmentation, macro-fiscal management, expenditure quality, and enhance fiscal efficiency. Data Analytics Units (DAUs) - analyze programmatic data to generate sharper insights for goal-setting and periodic reviews. These insights are further enhanced by triangulating administrative data with citizen-level inputs from independent surveys and outbound call centers. In Human Resources and administrative reforms, we help states build internal capabilities by setting up Human Resource Units (HRUs)- enabling competency-based Learning Management Systems (LMS) and Performance Management Systems (PMS).

  2. Sectoral Engagement by collaborating with strong partner organizations in our three priority sectors  (Education, Health & Nutrition ) to deepen reforms and build implementation capacity by improving administrative data quality, measuring outcomes and supervision mechanisms.

  3. We engage across all three tiers of government to drive systemic change—advocating with the Government of India (GoI) for policy alignment, strengthening state capacity to implement and scale interventions, and partnering with local/municipal governments to embed and sustain reforms. This integrated model ensures systemic interventions in data and human resource management are effectively conceptualized, implemented, and sustained for long-term impact.

At CEGIS, we collaborate closely with state governments to enhance governance through deep, state-led partnerships. We follow an iterative cycle of “think-demonstrate-document-transfer,” ensuring that solutions are practical, scalable, and effective. We engage with all levels of government right from political and top bureaucratic leadership to the frontline workers.

Our solutions are continuously refined based on real-time feedback, designed for customization, and built to be replicated across different contexts—ensuring sustained impact and long-term governance transformation.

Since its incorporation in 2019, despite the enormous challenges posed by COVID, CEGIS has gained significant momentum in building strong collaborations with the government(s) as a trusted partner who can provide both thought leadership and implementation support on key governance reforms. CEGIS’ position as a non-profit that does not take any funding from the government (other than in-kind contributions of office space/staff) has been a key enabler in earning this trust.

From a small group of founding members, we have grown by leaps and bounds to become a team of 150+ members committed to nation building located across the country. Helmed by a former bureaucrat with invaluable governance experience, state and solution team leads with decades of domain expertise, and enabling functions led by professionals with considerable corporate careers, the team at CEGIS brings together knowledge and experience that spans various sectors - from developmental economics, research, and governance to management consulting and social entrepreneurship. We also explore synergies with other non-government organisations working with government on technical as well as implementation to accelerate impact.

 

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CEGIS is a dynamic organisation that seeks to transform the way public policy is made and implemented in India. Our team comprises individuals who are passionate about making a difference. We believe in working collaboratively with our partners to achieve outcomes that have lasting impact. We place a high value on people skills, recognising that delivering results requires not just technical expertise, but also strong collaboration, communication, and leadership skills.

Our team is dedicated to finding innovative, research-based solutions to complex problems, and we nurture a work environment that inspires intellectual curiosity and encourages learning from the best minds, both internally and externally. Our policies promote a diverse and inclusive work environment. We believe in supporting our staff through professional development opportunities, flexible work arrangements, and other benefits.

Opportunities for continuous learning

Opportunities for continuous learning

Access to MIT X DEDP Courses, STATA, R-Certification

Opportunities for continuous learning

Flexible downtime

Liberal vacation policy

Opportunities for continuous learning

Flexible working hours

Hybrid work policy

Opportunities for continuous learning

Family friendly perks

Parental leave, Health insurance

At CEGIS Foundation, we are committed to building an inclusive environment that practises equity and welcomes diversity  in all its forms. We believe that when we embrace differentiated experiences and unique perspectives, we will create a culture of respect and decency where every individual feels valued and empowered. Together, we aspire to celebrate the visible and invisible qualities that make each of us who we are, and represent the diverse tapestry of humanity.

This statement of intent serves as a manifesto for our DEI journey. We are committed to ongoing action and measurable progress in building a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive organisation.

Current Openings

We are an action-oriented team motivated to bring about tangible change based on evidence. If our mission excites you, we would love for you to be a part of our team.

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Position Summary

As the State Lead for Telangana, you will lead and drive the CEGIS engagement in the state. This will involve directly or indirectly managing all ongoing projects in the state while working with senior Government officials to develop a pipeline of future projects. In doing this, you will interact regularly with senior government officials, researchers and other organizations working in the space. You will be required to build an in-depth understanding of the states major policy developments and priorities.

This role directly reports to the Head of State engagements (South), who comes with substantial experience in government and a proven ability to deliver systemic reform/ programs at scale. You will also be expected to work closely with the founder and Scientific Director (Prof. Karthik Muralidharan) to understand the intellectual vision behind proposed reforms and drive the implementation of the reforms across sectors in Telangana. Finally, you will be expected to work closely with the Vertical Heads and Chief executive officer to support capacity building and organizational development.

Role and Responsibilities

  • Drive CEGISs reform initiatives in Telangana with a strong execution focus. This will involve collaborating with CEGISs functional and sectoral teams (i.e. Outcome Measurement and Nutrition etc.) and drawing on your own knowledge to shape outcomes and create impact at scale.
  • Develop relationships with key officials in Telangana and establish mechanisms for review and institutionalisation of reforms.
  • Source, embed and provide oversight to other key strategic partners for the State. While CEGIS has a small team in Telangana, the extended network team includes government resources in the form of seconded personnel, Fellows available via a GoTS sponsored fellowship program and external partners. As State Lead, you would work with senior state officials to select, embed and ensure alignment and delivery from all the partners under this reform umbrella.
  • Create a culture of impact and enable team building through collaboration and transparency. CEGIS is a young organization. As a startup with a unique goal, managing talent that is energized by contributing to demonstrable impact requires building a culture that is collaborative, inclusive and prioritizes rigour. As State Lead, you will help shape our choices about what we do and how we do it.

Required Qualifications, Skills and Abilities

  • Masters degree or equivalent in relevant fields, including management, economics or public policy from a top global program
  • 10 to 15 years of work experience with managerial responsibilities, demonstrating entrepreneurship, superb project delivery and team leadership
  • Prior exposure to working very closely with senior bureaucrats and designing/implementing large-scale projects is highly desirable
  • Strong interest in improving the functioning of the government combined with interest/experience in using research and evidence to improve policy
  • Excellent problem-solving and strategic thinking skills, ability to analyse complex quantitative and qualitative data, craft possible solutions and recommend actions
  • Excellent writing and communication skills (ability to communicate complex ideas in a meaningful way and across different audiences) in both English and Telugu Ability to build and maintain positive and collaborative relationships both within and outside the organization
  • Ability to set goals and metrics for a team, and manage the team towards delivering those goals
  • Strong planning and organizationalskills, and an ability to be able to set priorities, plan timelines and meet deadlines.

Personal Characteristics and Desired Qualities

  • Ability to align multiple stakeholders and build platforms for collaboration and coordination
  • Passion for working with governments and making Indian states work better Public-spirited and generous temperament
  • Ability to think creatively, willing to take risks to experiment with new ideas and the ability to turn ideas into action
  • Excellent people management skills, with the ability to develop and motivate teams working out of different locations in India towards a common goal
  • High ability to collaborate and actively listen to others, understanding and valuing others views
  • Intellectual curiosity and ability/willingness to constantly learn
  • Operating style suited to working independently and in a small-organization setting, where teamwork and resourcefulness are highly valued

Location and Compensation

Location: The role will be based out of Hyderabad. Travel to other states may be required.

Remuneration will be competitive with Indian philanthropy and social sector pay scales and will depend on the candidates experience levels.

Interested candidates are requested to submit their applications by clicking the apply button below

Note: CEGIS has zero tolerance for 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 for misconduct, appropriate action that may include employment termination would be taken. Please complete the details for self-declaration on the application form.

Pre-reads for the application process

Please go through the following materials before sending in your application:

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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. We believe that well-functioning governments share at least four features with high-performing organisations: (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). At CEGIS, we support the state governments to build these foundations so that they can deliver development outcomes more effectively.

CEGIS works closely with the political and bureaucratic leadership in the states to achieve transformational change. We are currently present in 9 states - Assam, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh. We also partner with union agencies/ministries such as Capacity Building Commission, Ministry of Women & Child Development (MoWCD), Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MoSPI) to provide technical support for strengthening foundational systems and reflect insights from CEGISs work at the state-level into national level initiatives and guidelines. We also collaborate closely with academics and research institutions to ensure our work is grounded in rigorous research and evidence-based practices.

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 think-demonstrate-document-transfer. We work closely with the top bureaucratic leadership, front-line workers and public officials in Finance, Planning, Human Resources and a few other priority line departments. Many of our solutions reflect ideas outlined in our founder Prof. Karthik Muralidharan's book (Accelerating India's Development), and these solutions are constantly being refined based on real-time feedback and are designed to both be customized to the contexts we are working in, and to create templates that can provide the starting point for replication across contexts.

To further explore the mission of CEGIS and the impact we hope to have, please take a look at this video of our CEO, Dr Vijay Pingale.

About the projects in Maharashtra
CEGIS works closely with the Government of Maharashtra to support improvements in governance and service delivery across priority social-sector outcomes. The State Lead will anchor this partnership, working with senior government stakeholders to strengthen data-informed decision-making and execution across key departments. CEGIS supports the state across core social-sector priorities—including health, nutrition, education, and gender—by identifying underperforming geographies, diagnosing root causes through administrative data and field insights, and co-developing actionable, department-ready solutions.

Position Summary

As the State Lead, you will lead and drive the CEGIS engagement in the state of Maharashtra. This will be through a combination of directly leading some projects, and providing support strategic oversight to others, while having an overall picture of the portfolio of projects in the State. You will be ultimately responsible for the success of CEGIS-driven reforms and must ensure seamless team management and coordination with government and external partners. You will interact with senior government officials, researchers, agencies and have a macro-overview of the entire State and will be required to build an in-depth understanding of the states major policy developments and priorities. Over time, you will be expected to achieve a high level of trust and efficacy, and be able to function as an effective advisor to the State Government.

This role directly reports to the Chief Executive Officer, and also works closely with other State / function-heads on solution design, organization building, collaboration with external partners, donor stewardship, etc. You would also work time-to-time with the Chief of Solutions and with the Co-founder and Scientific Director (Prof. Karthik Muralidharan) to understand the intellectual vision behind the proposed reforms and drive the implementation of the reforms across sectors, as well as vertical leads and external partners.

Roles & Responsibilities

Drive the governance reform initiatives with a strong execution focusSolution Leadership and Design

  • Provide overall leadership to execute the strategy for the state, collaborate with the vertical and support teams to embed and scale impactful solutions and provide thought leadership to shape the outcomes where you have sectoral expertise.
  • Be a force multiplier across CEGIS: Partner with other CEGIS verticals and embed State inputs into solution design (ex-ante), implementation (in-flight), and institutionalization (ex-post), aligning with state capacity building and government processes.

Develop relationships with the key officials of the State and set-up mechanisms for review and institutionalization of reforms

  • Pitch CEGIS offerings to State level Stakeholders and influence decision making
  • Identify and devise strategies to capitalize on new opportunities within the state.
  • Build and maintain relationships with local organizations and stakeholders
  • Create opportunities for Project Managers and team members to interact with the principal external stakeholders to create ongoing engagement
  • As a State Lead, work with senior State officials to select, embed, and ensure alignment and delivery from extended network team including Fellows, seconded staff from government and all relevant partners under this reform umbrella.

Manage Partnerships and Relations

  • Institutionalize Partnerships, funding and other advisory support possible in the region in support of program objectives
  • Identify and influence operational partnerships and be the point of contact to maintain the relationships in the region, be it funding partnerships or operational agreements
  • Cultivate relationships and networks with prospective donors and industry experts, sectoral influencers, HNIs, other non-profits & eco-system players through engaging and meaningful communication.
  • Participate in external events, workshops, and conferences to advocate for CEGIS mission and establish new partnership, thereby advocating CEGIS work internally and externally.

Ensure Oversight to Project Portfolio and management

  • Lead in presenting to CEGIS' Investment Committee (Apex Committee) to commence projects, drawing from client interactions and insights, collaboration and effective communication among teams within the office.
  • Provide feedback to ensure that the project portfolio aligns with CEGIS' Theory of Change, ensuring effective delivery that fulfills both client and CEGIS requirements
  • Participate, as required, and help the teams scope and build the solution proposal, ensuring a balance of rigor, feasibility, and cost-effectiveness, aligned to CEGIS ToC.
  • Provide strategic direction to apply technical solutions in innovative ways to address complex departmental / state level requirements.
  • Provide strategic insights into project structure, approach, methodologies, deliverables, and timelines, leveraging support from subject matter experts when necessary.
  • Address and resolve project-related issues, including delays, data requirements, scope changes, administrative and logistical matters, staffing, and more, with both external and internal stakeholders.
  • Review Project OKRs with the Project Leads and presentation of progress to the Management and donors.
  • Create a culture of impact and enable team building through collaboration and transparency

Risk Management & Compliance

  • Ensure compliance with relevant regulatory requirements and internal policies.
  • Mitigate risks associated with client engagements and internal operations.
  • Act decisively in response to crises or unforeseen challenges affecting the office's operations.
  • Local Vendor agreements and payments

Required Qualifications, Skills, and Abilities

Educational Qualification

  • Masters degree or equivalent in relevant fields, including management, economics or public policy – from a top global program. A PhD in a relevant discipline is an advantage but not mandatory.

Professional Experience

  • 13–15 years of work experience with managerial responsibilities, demonstrating entrepreneurship, superb project delivery and team leadership
  • Prior exposure to working very closely with senior bureaucrats and designing/implementing large-scale projects is highly desirable
  • Strong interest in improving the functioning of the government combined with interest/experience in using research and evidence to improve policy
  • Excellent problem-solving and strategic thinking skills, ability to analyse complex quantitative and qualitative data, craft possible solutions and recommend actions
  • Excellent writing and communication skills (ability to communicate complex ideas in a meaningful way and across different audiences) in both English and local language(pref)
  • Ability to build and maintain positive and collaborative relationships both within and outside the organization
  • Ability to set goals and metrics for a team, and manage the team towards delivering those goals
  • Strong planning and organizational skills, and an ability to be able to set priorities, plan timelines and meet deadlines.

Personal characteristics & Interpersonal abilities

  • Ability to align multiple stakeholders and build platforms for collaboration and coordination
  • Passion for working with governments and making Indian states work better
  • Ability to think creatively, willing to take risks to experiment with new ideas and the ability to turn ideas into action
  • Excellent people management skills, with the ability to develop and motivate teams
  • High ability to collaborate and actively listen to others, understanding and valuing others views
  • Intellectual curiosity and ability/willingness to constantly learn
  • Operating style suited to working independently and in a small-organization setting, where teamwork and resourcefulness are highly valued
  • Demonstrated relationship-building ability and management of high-level relationships with partner organizations, ideally based on experience of working with Indian state governments


Location and Compensation

Location: The role will be based out of Mumbai. Travel to other states will be required.

Remuneration will be competitive with Indian philanthropy and social sector pay scales and will depend on the candidate's experience levels.

Interested candidates are requested to submit their applications by clicking the apply button below

Note: CEGIS has zero tolerance for 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 for misconduct, appropriate action that may include employment termination would be taken. Please complete the details for self-declaration on the application form.

Pre-reads

Apply Now Refer this job

General interest applications:  If you are excited about our mission, but don’t see any open roles that are a match for your skills, you can always fill out our General Application Form. We review submissions on a rolling basis and will reach out if we think you might be a good fit. Please note that we cannot respond to all applications. You will hear from us if you are shortlisted for the first level in the screening process.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of caste, creed, race, colour, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, and basis of disability.

FAQ

If your profile matches the current openings, the Talent Acquisition team from CEGIS will connect with you within a week or so. If you do not receive a response to your application, it is likely that there is no obvious fit between your experience and skills and the role for which you applied.

  • Step 1: (After application short-listing) A member of our Talent Acquisition team will schedule an introductory audio or video call to understand your experience, skills, and motivation to work with CEGIS.
  • Step 2: Depending on the role(s) you are interested in, and the open positions we plan to hire for, the talent advisor will take your candidature to the next steps, which include
  • Step 3: Completing a written assignment to assess aptitude for the role and writing skills, as well as an online assessment.
  • Step 4: If you pass the assignment, there will be 1 or 2 rounds of technical interviews with the hiring managers. For senior positions, there may be more than two rounds of interviews.
  • Step 5: The final HR interview helps assess the culture fit and also answer any questions you may have for CEGIS.
  • Step 6: The Talent Acquisition (TA) team informs the selected candidate of the outcome of his/her application. As a next step, the HR team will discuss the compensation for the position, and based on your acceptance, three professional references will be sought.

We usually aim to complete the interview process within a timeframe of 3 to 4 weeks.

You may apply for multiple roles. Your profile will be assessed, and we will take it forward with the role that most closely aligns with your qualifications and the job description.

Yes, when reapplying, be sure to mention the specific role you applied for in the past and the name of the person you spoke with. Also, highlight the additional experiences you've gained since then, and explain how they have shaped you, making you better positioned to apply for the role(s) today.

It depends on the role for which you have applied. In most cases, the technical skills required for a particular role are clearly mentioned in the job descriptions (JDs).

Yes, you can apply if knowledge of statistical/data analysis tools is not a mandatory requirement. However, you must possess excellent data analysis skills and have at least a working knowledge of advanced MS-Excel functionalities.

Some roles, especially in Outcome Measurement, require mandatory knowledge of statistical tools such as STATA and/or R. For generalist roles, such as those in project delivery, you are required to possess analytical skills and have at least a working knowledge of advanced MS-Excel functionalities.

As the titles suggest, a Senior Programme Associate typically has more years of both overall and relevant work experience compared to a Programme Associate. The positioning of the candidate may also depend on the specific skill sets that candidates possess for the particular role.

CEGIS offers competitive salaries as per industry standards. Salary ranges are specific to individual positions and will be discussed during the recruitment process.

In cases where there are multiple locations open, we will assess your profile and try to evaluate you for your desired location.

We offer internship opportunities based on project needs and availability of mentors who can offer guidance during the internship.

To learn more about the type of reforms CEGIS is seeking to implement in states, please go through the following materials before sending in your application:

  1. Concept note on CEGIS
  2. Podcast episodes with Prof. Karthik Muralidharan – one each on education and healthcare in India.
  3. Collection of Prof. Karthik Muralidharan’s work here.
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