Program Associate-Research & Strategy Unit

About The Convergence Foundation

The Convergence Foundation (TCF) is an Indian philanthropic foundation established by Ashish and Manisha Dhawan in April 2021. TCF builds on their legacy of impactful philanthropy, including the founding of transformative institutions like Ashoka University and the Central Square Foundation.

Our mission is clear: to transform the lives of all Indians through rapid, sustained economic growth and inclusive development.

To achieve this, we focus on 3 pillars 1) Direct engines of economic growth that enable job creation, 2) Human capital development through education and employability, and 3) Development Enablers that strengthen the philanthropic ecosystem and improve state capacity.

In each area, TCF works on:

1. Building pioneering institutions to address India's most complex socio-economic challenges.
2. Shaping the larger ecosystem and sharing knowledge, insights and learning with other philanthropists, governments and key stakeholders

We believe that the government is the key actor for system change, and the role of philanthropy and nonprofits is to strategically support the government. The TCF Network includes 20+ organizations all working systemically with the government, committed to addressing specific areas of India's socio-economic development, across our three pillars.

Position Summary and Context:

The Program Associate will support the analytical, research, and coordination needs of the Research & Strategy Unit. The role will involve hands-on support across policy research, data analysis, documentation, and implementation tracking, working closely with the Program Manager and Program Lead.

The Program Associate will contribute to background research for sectoral strategies, help prepare briefing notes and presentations for senior government stakeholders, support monitoring of priority initiatives, and assist in coordinating with departments and partner organizations. This role offers a strong learning opportunity for early-career professionals interested in public policy, governance reform, and state capacity building.

Ideal Candidate Profile:

• 24 years of work experience in policy research, consulting, development sector organizations, or government support roles
• Strong research and analytical skills, including ability to synthesize information from multiple sources
• Comfort working with data, dashboards, and basic analytical tools (Excel, PowerPoint; familiarity with data platforms is a plus)
• High attention to detail and strong documentation skills
• Ability to manage tasks independently while working closely within a team
• Interest in state-level governance, economic development, and public sector reform
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English; Hindi proficiency is an advantage
• Bachelors or Masters degree in economics, public policy, social sciences, management, or a related discipline

Location: Based out of Patna.