Lead- Public Policy & Government Engagement

About the Role
Pahle India Foundation (PIF) is looking for a senior professional to lead its public policy and government engagement work from our Mumbai office. This is a senior, stakeholder-facing role responsible for building PIF's relationships with the Government of Maharashtra, urban local bodies and Mumbai's wider policy ecosystem, and for translating PIF's research into policy outcomes and government mandates in the state.
The ideal candidate brings deep experience of Maharashtra's governance and policy processes, a strong network at senior levels of government, and fluency in Marathi.
Key Responsibilities
Government Engagement & Stakeholder Management
Build and maintain working relationships with Ministers, senior bureaucrats and departmental secretaries in the Government of Maharashtra, BMC and other urban local bodies.
Represent PIF in government meetings, consultations, committees and task forces.
Track the state's policy, budget and legislative developments and brief PIF leadership on opportunities and risks.
Policy Research & Advisory
Identify state-level policy priorities where PIF's research can add value, and shape them into research and advisory proposals.
Lead policy papers, briefs, submissions and implementation roadmaps for state departments.
Translate research findings into concise, actionable recommendations for decision-makers.
Partnerships & Mandate Development
Develop a pipeline of government mandates, MoUs and knowledge partnerships in Maharashtra and western India.
Prepare proposals, concept notes and budgets in coordination with PIF verticals and Finance.
Build partnerships with industry bodies, academic institutions, multilaterals and civil society organisations based in Mumbai.
Thought Leadership & Outreach
Convene roundtables, policy dialogues and conferences in Mumbai, in collaboration with the Communications & Partnerships team.
Represent PIF at external forums and engage with media on state policy issues.
Candidate Profile
Education & Experience
Master's degree in Public Policy, Economics, Political Science, Public Administration, Law or a related field; a PhD or published body of policy work is desirable.
15–20 years of relevant work experience in public policy, government relations, policy advisory or development consulting, including at least 10 years in a senior leadership role.
At least 8-10 years of direct engagement with state government departments, preferably the Government of Maharashtra.
Skills & Attributes
Strong spoken and written proficiency in Marathi is strongly preferred, alongside excellent English and working Hindi.
Deep understanding of Maharashtra's governance structures, policy-making processes and political economy.
An established network across Mantralaya, state departments, urban local bodies and Mumbai's policy ecosystem.
Demonstrated record of influencing policy decisions or securing government mandates.
Excellent written communication; able to produce crisp policy briefs and proposals for senior decision-makers.
How to Apply
Interested candidates may apply on Linkedin or share their CV and a brief note of interest to recruitment@pahleindia.org

Work arrangement
No