Position: Program Manager Program: Government Partnerships (Livelihoods) Location: Shillong, Meghalaya Years of Experience: 6 - 10 years Start Date: Immediate
About SELCO Foundation
SELCO Foundation has been working in Meghalaya over the past few years to strengthen rural livelihoods through the integration of decentralized renewable energy (DRE) in agriculture and allied sectors and rural micro-enterprises. SELCO Foundation’s work in Meghalaya has centered on ecosystem building - engaging state departments, financial institutions, SHG federations, and grassroots organizations to institutionalize climate-inclusive technologies within existing development programs across agriculture and allied sectors, textiles and crafts, micro-enterprises, and built environment.A key approach has been to work with partners to support the state’s rural entrepreneurship and SHG ecosystem - particularly under programs such as PRIME, Meglife, SRLM programs, and other key state-level livelihood interventions.Building on this, SELCO Foundation is now strengthening its work in Meghalaya towards transforming the state’s women-led SHG ecosystem into a climate-responsive, high-income entrepreneurial economy. To effectively anchor this expanded portfolio and work more closely with communities, partners, and government systems, the Foundation is hiring multiple roles across the state to support on-ground implementation, partnership management, and ecosystem development, ensuring that climate-resilient livelihood pathways translate into long-term, irreversible economic mobility for rural households.
Role Overview
The Program Manager- Government Partnerships (Livelihoods) will anchor SELCO Foundation’s on-ground program delivery in Meghalaya, providing strategic and operational leadership to a multi-disciplinary team working across livelihoods, energy access, and enterprise development. The role will be responsible for coordinating with state departments, ecosystem partners, and community institutions to ensure that program goals are translated into effective, timely implementation and measurable outcomes. As the central point of convergence between field execution, partner engagement, and internal program strategy, the Program Manager will play a critical role in driving alignment, strengthening systems for monitoring and learning, and ensuring that SELCO Foundation’s climate-responsive livelihood initiatives scale sustainably across districts.
Key Responsibilities
1. Government & Institutional Engagement
- Build and nurture long-term relationships with key state departments, missions, and programs (e.g., SRLM, PRIME, MegLIFE, Agriculture, Rural Development, Industries)
- Act as the primary interface between SELCO Foundation and government stakeholders at state and district levels
- Identify and unlock convergence opportunities between DRE technologies and existing government schemes
- Support government stakeholders in co-designing scalable, climate-responsive livelihood interventions
- Facilitate policy-level discussions and inputs to integrate energy-livelihood linkages into state priorities
- Track policy developments and proactively align program strategy with emerging government priorities
2. Program Strategy & Convergence
- Translate state-level priorities and schemes into clear, actionable program strategies and pilots
- Design integrated livelihood models combining energy access, enterprise development, and financial inclusion
- Develop district-level and cluster-based scale-up strategies, including phasing and resource planning
- Drive innovation by piloting new business models and technology integrations
- Ensure alignment between SELCO’s broader organizational strategy and Meghalaya portfolio
- Develop roadmaps for district-level scale-up
3. Ecosystem Coordination
- Build and manage partnerships with financial institutions (banks, NBFCs), SHG federations, NGOs, producer collectives, and private sector players
- NGOs, producer collectives, and private sector players · Strengthen the role of community institutions (SHGs, FPOs, collectives) in owning and sustaining interventions
- Facilitate multi-stakeholder platforms, workshops, and roundtables for alignment and knowledge exchange
- Enable access to finance by working with lenders to design appropriate credit products for rural enterprises
- Identify and onboard technology providers and market linkages for livelihood solutions
4. Program Oversight
- Lead and mentor a multi-disciplinary team across livelihoods, energy, and enterprise verticals
- Provide strategic direction and operational guidance to ensure effective program execution
- Ensure timely delivery, quality control, and accountability across all program components
- Establish clear roles, responsibilities, and performance metrics for team members
- Support capacity building of field teams and partners
- Manage budgets, resource allocation, and reporting requirements
5. Monitoring, Learning & Scale
- Establish systems for tracking impact, learning, and adaptive program design
- Document models for replication and policy integration
Qualifications and Skills
- 6–10 years of relevant experience in rural livelihoods, enterprise development, or public systems
- Degree in Management, Rural Development, Agriculture, or related fields
- Demonstrated experience working closely with government programs, missions, or state departments
- Proven track record in program design, implementation, and scaling multi-stakeholder initiatives
- Experience working in or with Northeast India or similar socio-economic contexts is highly desirable
- Prior experience in DRE, climate-resilient livelihoods, or sustainability-focused programs is a strong plus
- Strong communication and stakeholder management skills
Technical & Domain Expertise
- Strong understanding of SHG ecosystems, SRLM structures, and community institutions
- Knowledge of rural enterprise models, value chains, and market linkages
- Familiarity with financial inclusion, credit systems, and enterprise financing mechanisms
- Understanding of decentralized renewable energy (DRE) applications in livelihoods
- Ability to design and evaluate scalable livelihood models and interventions