Program Manager — Youth Initiatives
THE ROLE
The Program Manager – Youth Initiatives is a hands-on program managing role, responsible for planning, running, and continuously improving Nāgrika’s youth-facing programs.
This role is ideal for someone who enjoys execution, coordination, relationship-building, and follow-through, and who is comfortable working in environments with ambiguity, slow feedback loops, and diverse stakeholder expectations. Leadership in this role means end-to-end responsibility and accountability for programs.
WHAT YOU WILL DO
1. Nāgrika Fellowship
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Own the end-to-end execution of the Nāgrika Fellowship: outreach, applications, selection, onboarding, coordination, and ongoing engagement.
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Act as the primary point of contact for fellows, mentors, and internal team members.
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Track participation, outputs, and learning outcomes, and flag issues early.
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Continuously refine program structures based on feedback and on-ground realities.
2. Nāgrika Writing Contest
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Plan and execute annual writing contests, including timelines, outreach, submissions management, and follow-up.
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Coordinate reviews, communication with participants, and publication workflows.
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Ensure strong documentation and visibility of youth voices emerging from the contest.
3. College Engagements, Workshops & Internships
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Plan and deliver workshops (online and offline) in colleges, primarily in small and mid-sized cities.
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Coordinate internships and short-term engagements for students, including onboarding and supervision support.
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Manage logistics, follow-ups, and documentation related to these engagements.
4. Partnerships & Outreach
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Build and maintain working relationships with colleges, youth networks, civil society organisations, and local actors.
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Handle sustained outreach, follow-ups, and coordination—often across long timelines.
5. Program Management & Reporting
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Create and manage workplans, budgets, and timelines for youth initiatives.
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Maintain clear documentation, reports, and internal trackers.
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Identify what is not working and suggest realistic improvements.
6. Content & Communication Support
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Work closely with the communications team to surface stories, insights, and outputs from youth programs.
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Support drafting of basic content (notes, summaries, participant stories); this is not a communications-led role.
WHO WILL THRIVE IN THIS ROLE
The role is a good fit if you
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Enjoy hands-on program execution more than abstract strategy
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Are comfortable following up repeatedly and managing uncertainty
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Can work independently and still stay aligned with a small team
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Care deeply about youth engagement and small-city contexts
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Are organised, patient, and able to hold multiple moving pieces at once
Who This Role May NOT Be Right For
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Those looking primarily for policy research, advocacy, or communications roles
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Those who need highly structured environments or constant supervision
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Those expecting fast, visible impact without long-term relationship-building
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Those seeking a senior management or team-lead position at this stage
Qualifications & Experience
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2–4 years of experience in youth programs, education, community engagement, or similar fields
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Prior experience working with students or young people in urban or semi-urban contexts
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Strong coordination, communication, and documentation skills
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Comfort using basic digital tools (Google Workspace / MS Office, forms, trackers)
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Willingness to travel occasionally for workshops or partnerships