Project Manager

Project Manager — CSR & Afforestation
Backyard Botanist · Kolkata, West Bengal · On-site · Full-time · 3–5 years' experience
About us
Backyard Botanist designs and delivers afforestation and ecological restoration projects, working with corporate CSR partners to turn funding commitments into living, measurable green cover.
About the role
We are looking for a Project Manager to own our afforestation projects end to end — from securing the land and the funding to delivering the plantation and reporting impact back to our corporate partners. This is a hands-on role that splits its time between the desk and the field, and it suits someone who is equally comfortable presenting to a CSR head and walking a site with a landowner.
What you'll do
Project management: Plan and deliver afforestation projects end to end — scoping, budgeting, timelines, vendor and nursery coordination, on-ground execution, survival audits and impact reporting.
Fundraising: Build the funding pipeline. Identify and approach corporate CSR teams, foundations and institutional funders; develop proposals and budgets; take mandates from first conversation to signed agreement.
Client management and relationships: Act as the primary point of contact for corporate partners. Manage reporting cycles, site visits, impact documentation and renewals, and grow existing accounts.
Land procurement: Identify, assess and secure suitable land parcels for project sites. Lead negotiations with landowners and liaise with panchayats, municipal bodies, forest department officials and other local stakeholders through due diligence, documentation and approvals.
Stakeholder engagement: Build durable working relationships with government departments, NGO partners, nurseries, contractors and local communities.
Compliance and documentation: Maintain project records, agreements, CSR compliance documentation and reporting in line with partner and statutory requirements.
Travel: 5–10 days a month to project sites and partner meetings.
What we're looking for
3–5 years of experience across CSR project delivery, afforestation, plantation or ecological restoration work.
B.Sc. or M.Sc. in Botany or Forestry.
MBA in Business Development or a comparable management qualification.
A demonstrated track record in fundraising or business development, ideally with corporate CSR budgets.
Working familiarity with land documentation and local government processes in West Bengal is a strong advantage.
Confident written and spoken communication in English and Bengali; Hindi is useful for field work.
Based in Kolkata or willing to relocate, and comfortable with regular field travel.
Why join us
Projects you can stand in. You will see the sites you negotiated, the funding you raised and the saplings you planted become forest — and you will own that work end to end rather than a slice of it.
To apply
Send your CV and a short note on a project you delivered to admin@backyardbotanist.in with the subject line "Project Manager — Kolkata", or apply directly through this listing.
Backyard Botanist is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds.

Work arrangement
No