Program Manager- Food Waste
About Us
WRI India, an independent knowledge organisation registered as India Resources Trust, provides objective information and practical proposals to foster environmentally sound and socially equitable development. Through research, analysis, and recommendations, WRI India puts ideas into action to build transformative solutions to protect the earth, promote livelihoods, and enhance human well-being. Know more: wri-india.org
Program Overview
WRI India’s Food, Land and Water program aims to inform India’s transition towards sustainable and resilient food and land use systems focusing on developing interdisciplinary nature-based solutions like sustainable agriculture and landscape restoration to mitigate climate impacts, enhance jobs and livelihoods and improve nutritional security. To catalyse systems change with a focus on circular food systems in India, we also focus on developing equitable strategies to reduce food loss and food waste and mitigate climate impacts.
With broader systems change and food systems perspective, we work with diverse stakeholders like governments, businesses, civil society partners and farmer producer organizations to inform and develop land use strategies based on robust evidence and analysis to build the resilience of local communities to mitigate climate impacts, bridge capacity gaps, monitor progress, and inform a pathway to building a restoration economy for people, nature, and climate. For more details, refer to the webpage - Reduce | WRI INDIA (wri-india.org)
Job Highlight
The Food, Land and Water Program at WRI India is seeking a Program Manager to support its work on food waste. You will contribute to advancing research, partnerships, and implementation across multiple workstreams on food waste, with a strong focus on strategy development, public and private sector engagement, city and national level initiatives. You will play a central role in building and advancing the food waste portfolio through research, partnerships, implementation support, and strategy development.
What You Will Do
I. Research, strategy, and knowledge development (40%)
Duration: 1 year (extendable based on project requirements and performance)
Salary and Benefits: INR 18,00,000 to 24,00,000
Salary shall be commensurate with experience and skills. WRI India offers a generous and comprehensive benefits package.
To Apply: Qualified applicants should apply online at www.wri.org/careers. All applications must be submitted online through this career portal in order to be formally considered. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for interview purpose.
List Of Documents To Be Attached
Qualified applicants should apply online at www.wri.org/careers. All applications must be submitted online through this career portal in order to be formally considered. Only select applicants will be contacted for interview. There will be a writing test conducted with final candidates. Please do not contact program staff directly for this position.
Kindly note that WRI India’s recruitment process does not involve any payment at any stage. Applicants will never be asked to share bank account or financial information as part of the application. All official communication and offer letters are issued only through authorised WRI India email IDs.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) @WRI India
WRI India values and promotes diversity, equity and inclusion across all areas of our work and workforce. Integrating these values into our actions fosters a progressive and collaborative culture and can also enhance our impact. It is our responsibility to create a welcoming working environment for people of diverse cultures, backgrounds and experience to learn together. We are responsible for fostering a safe and inclusive workplace where questions, concerns and information about diversity, equity and inclusion are part of our ongoing dialogue and development.
Learn more about WRI India’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Click Here
People-centric To The Core
We keep our people at the center of everything we do - from a welcoming work environment to benefits and a culture that encourages staff to stay healthy, happy, engaged, and growing.
Some Of The Non-monetary Benefits That Our Staff Get
Health benefits: We cover health insurance for you and your loved ones for up to INR 8 lakhs
Term Insurance: Our term insurance policy covers life coverage of 50 lakhs per staff member
Employee Assistance program: Promoting mental well-being and supporting staff in achieving a satisfying work-life balance
Health & Nutrition: Personalized diet recommendation from a certified dietitian based on the physical health condition and lifestyle
Flexible work schedule: Alternative work arrangements for all who are eligible by nature of their job
Learning culture: Workshops and trainings to empower staff, encourage new learning opportunities
Rest and Recharge weeks: We encourage staff to take time off to rest, rejuvenate, upskill, and pursue their interests.
Our leave policy: Avail personal time off at 36 per year, along with public holidays, maternity, paternity, and adoption leaves.
Click here to know more about our benefits Careers | WRI INDIA (wri-india.org)
Equal employment @WRI India
We believe in equal employment, it is our policy to recruit and provide opportunities for advancement in all job classifications without regard to caste, religion, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, parental status, or disability.
WRI India, an independent knowledge organisation registered as India Resources Trust, provides objective information and practical proposals to foster environmentally sound and socially equitable development. Through research, analysis, and recommendations, WRI India puts ideas into action to build transformative solutions to protect the earth, promote livelihoods, and enhance human well-being. Know more: wri-india.org
Program Overview
WRI India’s Food, Land and Water program aims to inform India’s transition towards sustainable and resilient food and land use systems focusing on developing interdisciplinary nature-based solutions like sustainable agriculture and landscape restoration to mitigate climate impacts, enhance jobs and livelihoods and improve nutritional security. To catalyse systems change with a focus on circular food systems in India, we also focus on developing equitable strategies to reduce food loss and food waste and mitigate climate impacts.
With broader systems change and food systems perspective, we work with diverse stakeholders like governments, businesses, civil society partners and farmer producer organizations to inform and develop land use strategies based on robust evidence and analysis to build the resilience of local communities to mitigate climate impacts, bridge capacity gaps, monitor progress, and inform a pathway to building a restoration economy for people, nature, and climate. For more details, refer to the webpage - Reduce | WRI INDIA (wri-india.org)
Job Highlight
The Food, Land and Water Program at WRI India is seeking a Program Manager to support its work on food waste. You will contribute to advancing research, partnerships, and implementation across multiple workstreams on food waste, with a strong focus on strategy development, public and private sector engagement, city and national level initiatives. You will play a central role in building and advancing the food waste portfolio through research, partnerships, implementation support, and strategy development.
What You Will Do
I. Research, strategy, and knowledge development (40%)
- Lead and contribute to research on food waste generation, management systems, climate impacts, policy frameworks, business models, and implementation opportunities.
- Support the development of WRI India’s food waste strategy by identifying priority areas, emerging opportunities, and pathways for scale.
- Develop analytical frameworks, tools, guidance notes, reports, briefs, and presentations related to food waste and circular food systems.
- Translate research and evidence into practical recommendations for cities, government agencies, businesses, and other stakeholders.
- Track emerging trends, innovations, and policy developments to inform program design and future engagement.
- Engage with city governments, urban local bodies, public agencies, businesses, start-ups, technology providers, and other ecosystem partners working on food waste.
- Build and manage relationships with external stakeholders to support collaboration, knowledge exchange, and joint action.
- Facilitate partnerships between public and private stakeholders to advance practical and scalable food waste solutions.
- Support consultations, workshops, roundtables, and other convenings to strengthen dialogue and stakeholder engagement.
- Represent WRI India in external meetings, discussions, and platforms relevant to food waste and circular economy.
- Support the design and implementation of food waste initiatives.
- Coordinate across internal teams, partners, consultants, and stakeholders to ensure timely execution of activities and deliverables.
- Manage workplans, timelines, partner coordination, and reporting requirements across multiple workstreams.
- Support the uptake and dissemination of tools, methodologies, and knowledge resources among relevant stakeholders.
- Identify implementation challenges and opportunities, and help shape solutions that strengthen on-ground delivery and long-term impact.
- Master’s degree in environmental management, public policy, urban planning, sustainability, waste management, food systems, business, or related disciplines.
- 7-10 years of relevant work experience in food waste, solid waste management, circular economy, urban systems, sustainability, climate, or allied sectors.
- Demonstrated experience working with government stakeholders, especially city-level institutions or public agencies.
- Strong understanding of food waste challenges, waste management systems, circular economy approaches, and implementation realities in India.
- Experience in research, strategy development, and translating evidence into actionable recommendations.
- Ability to engage effectively with diverse stakeholders, including businesses, start-ups, technology providers, public agencies, and knowledge partners.
- Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple workstreams simultaneously and deliver high-quality outputs on time.
- Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint, with the ability to analyze data, build models, and create clear, compelling presentations.
- Experience working on city-level waste management, climate action, or circular economy initiatives.
- Experience working with enterprises, innovators, or start-ups in the waste, climate, or sustainability space.
- Ability to work independently as well as in interdisciplinary teams.
Duration: 1 year (extendable based on project requirements and performance)
Salary and Benefits: INR 18,00,000 to 24,00,000
Salary shall be commensurate with experience and skills. WRI India offers a generous and comprehensive benefits package.
To Apply: Qualified applicants should apply online at www.wri.org/careers. All applications must be submitted online through this career portal in order to be formally considered. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for interview purpose.
List Of Documents To Be Attached
- Cover Letter
- Resume
- Writing Sample
Qualified applicants should apply online at www.wri.org/careers. All applications must be submitted online through this career portal in order to be formally considered. Only select applicants will be contacted for interview. There will be a writing test conducted with final candidates. Please do not contact program staff directly for this position.
Kindly note that WRI India’s recruitment process does not involve any payment at any stage. Applicants will never be asked to share bank account or financial information as part of the application. All official communication and offer letters are issued only through authorised WRI India email IDs.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) @WRI India
WRI India values and promotes diversity, equity and inclusion across all areas of our work and workforce. Integrating these values into our actions fosters a progressive and collaborative culture and can also enhance our impact. It is our responsibility to create a welcoming working environment for people of diverse cultures, backgrounds and experience to learn together. We are responsible for fostering a safe and inclusive workplace where questions, concerns and information about diversity, equity and inclusion are part of our ongoing dialogue and development.
Learn more about WRI India’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Click Here
People-centric To The Core
We keep our people at the center of everything we do - from a welcoming work environment to benefits and a culture that encourages staff to stay healthy, happy, engaged, and growing.
Some Of The Non-monetary Benefits That Our Staff Get
Health benefits: We cover health insurance for you and your loved ones for up to INR 8 lakhs
Term Insurance: Our term insurance policy covers life coverage of 50 lakhs per staff member
Employee Assistance program: Promoting mental well-being and supporting staff in achieving a satisfying work-life balance
Health & Nutrition: Personalized diet recommendation from a certified dietitian based on the physical health condition and lifestyle
Flexible work schedule: Alternative work arrangements for all who are eligible by nature of their job
Learning culture: Workshops and trainings to empower staff, encourage new learning opportunities
Rest and Recharge weeks: We encourage staff to take time off to rest, rejuvenate, upskill, and pursue their interests.
Our leave policy: Avail personal time off at 36 per year, along with public holidays, maternity, paternity, and adoption leaves.
Click here to know more about our benefits Careers | WRI INDIA (wri-india.org)
Equal employment @WRI India
We believe in equal employment, it is our policy to recruit and provide opportunities for advancement in all job classifications without regard to caste, religion, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, parental status, or disability.