Program Lead, InSight, Shillong

Place of Posting - MSRLS, Community & Rural Development Department, Government of Meghalaya, Shillong

About The/Nudge:

The/Nudge is an action institute building resilient livelihoods to alleviate poverty. We work with women, farmers, tribals and youth on rural development, agriculture, skilling and economic inclusion, along with 15+ central and state government partners.

Our economic inclusion journey for 25 million Indians, has reached 10 states with $250M of government funding to cover 1.25M people. Our incubator, accelerator and grand challenges have supported 200+ social entrepreneurs including 17 Forbes 30U30, 3 EarthShot Prize winners, 1 Time Magazine cover and more.

Set up with support from 90+ eminent philanthropists , 40+ corporates and 15+ foundations including Gates, Mackenzie Scott, Vinod Khosla, Nandan Nilekani, Tata Trusts, Skoll, Meta, LinkedIn, HDFC, Mphasis, KPMG and L'Oreal, we are contributing towards a "poverty-free India, within our lifetime".

What are we solving for?

Millions in India experience uncorrected presbyopia, a near-vision impairment affecting one in three people over 30, with cases now appearing as early as 35. Globally, presbyopia is the most common cause of vision impairment, impacting over 800 million people. In India alone, 300 million people live with this condition, contributing to $14 billion in lost productivity each year.

For many, especially in rural communities, clear near vision is essential for work and daily activities. Without access to timely solutions, individuals may face challenges in earning a livelihood. However, studies from Assam and Bangladesh show that a simple intervention—reading glasses—can increase productivity by 34% and boost income by 20%.

Despite the clear benefits, several factors have made it difficult for people to access reading glasses at scale:

With only one trained optometrist per 180,000 people, access to professional eye care remains a challenge in many areas.

Many individuals aren’t aware that their near-vision difficulties can be easily corrected, and some hesitate to wear glasses due to social and cultural perceptions.

Bringing reading glasses to remote and rural areas requires innovative and community-driven approaches to ensure affordability and reach.

Through its InSight program, The/Nudge Institute is collaborating with central and state governments to make India presbyopia-free using a community-led model. 

Position Overview:

The/Nudge is working with the Meghalaya State Rural Livelihoods Society (MSRLS), Government of Meghalaya, to help enable access to affordable near vision glasses by targeting people above the age of 35, mainly in rural areas. As part of this effort, a State Project Management Unit (SPMU) is being set up at MSRLS, Shillong, to help the Government of Meghalaya to design and implement a program for screening & distribution of near vision glasses. This position is for the SPMU at Shillong, MSRLS and will report to the Head of Operations in the program.

At The/Nudge Institute, you will:

• Own the implementation and outcomes of the program
• Provide leadership and managerial support to the field team, mainly to the District and Block professionals. 
• Manage District and Block professionals to ensure quality implementation on the ground through regular meetings and field visits
• Develop process and system for onboarding and capacity building of District and Block professionals.
• Develop process and system for regular monitoring and cont. feedback
• Work closely with The/Nudge’s financial unit to develop budgets and ensure timely and effective of such budgets.
• Work closely with the SRLM in designing and delivering the processes for near vision screening, procurement of glasses, screening, distribution & adoption workflow.  
• Support MSRLS in the research and development of a strategy and program design to target productivity and income enhancement for the individuals above 35 throughscreening & distribution of near vision glasses through the community cadre.
• Support MSRLS in the implementation of projects across selected blocks and districts through a special project based on the strategy and design developed in consultation with key stakeholders
• Support MSRLS to review the progress of the program periodically in order to iterate and scale
• Support the mission on the use of data and technology to ensure continuous flow of data from the field
• Build relationships with key government stakeholders in the State such that the special project is successful
• Build relationships with key government departments and support the successful adoption of strategies targeted at enabling access to affordable near vision glasses. 

The ideal candidate for the role has:

• About 8+ years of experience and is a Postgraduate
• demonstrated a growth mindset - learning/improving constantly
• demonstrated success in starting and leading initiatives, working under uncertainty & able to articulate vision and secure buy-in from stakeholders
• Excellent interpersonal skills and communication skills. Fluent in English & local language
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills
• The ability to collaborate with diverse stakeholder groups in a fast-paced environment
• Set aside personal bias to do what is right for the community
• Experience in designing/managing multi-stakeholder development sector programs designed around (or with) SHGs, Community Institutions and MSRLS
• An openness to travel extensively and live in designated districts/blocks/panchayats as per the needs of the program’s goals
• A passion for serving those in need with humility & sensitivity

We aspire to be an inclusive and diverse organization and encourage qualified individuals irrespective of their religion, caste, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, ethnicity, age, or any other dimension of identity, to apply. Please visit The/Nudge Institute career page to apply online. Knowing English & local language (Garo, Khasi & Jaintia) is a must. Female candidates are encouraged to apply.