Job Description

JD: Project Manager (GramShakti Resource Centre Project)

Background/ Context:

Mein Pragati is a two-time National CSR award winning project, which is currently being implemented across 30 districts in Assam and Rajasthan. Through this project, we have created an all-women cadre of Sakhis – an “assisted model” – a pool of trained, all-women community cadre of 5,274 Sakhis working in 5,000+ villages.

Learnings from the Mein Pragati content was encapsulated through bite-sized learning modules, through a multi-lingual Android App-based learning-cum-certification programme called GramShakti.

The App-based certification comprises of 30 hours of both financial modules, practical assignments, customer support – accessible through a mobile app. Available on the Google Play Store. Currently, over 4,800 Sakhis/ community cadre are enrolled on the App

About GramShakti Resource Centres (GSRC) pilot:

The concept of GramShakti Resource Centres (GSRC) is therefore based on the above experience – a tech-savvy assisted resource person (like the Sakhi cadre), accessible on smart phones, to support the rural communities with financial awareness and access to formal banking services and government entitlements to the last mile.

The capacities of the Sakhi and rural community women will be built through a tech-enabled platform like the GramShakti. The model is also expected to help bridge the technological divide towards marginalised communities, in addition to building awareness, creating demand, and facilitating access (as mentioned above).

The project proposes to set up around 30 Gram Shakti Resource Centers (GSRC Sakhis), at a rural (block/ tehsil/ village level) to be managed by high-performing Sakhis (certified, high-performing Sakhis identified by CRISIL Foundation), across rural hinterlands of Assam and Rajasthan.

During the first six months of the project, the high-performing Sakhis (hereafter referred to as GSRC Sakhis) will be groomed by CRISIL Foundation through various capacity building support – to be able to manage these centres; as well as be leveraged to support the existing Sakhi cadre, who are part of the ongoing Mein Pragati programme cohorts

The GSRC Sakhis will also identify, onboard, and train community women within their catchment areas. Both the GSRC Sakhis and existing Sakhi pool will be expected to continue driving outreach and linkages to formal banking services, government schemes through their Basket of Services (BoS) and earn a regular stream of income by way of the convenience fee from the community.

In the second half of the project duration, viability plans would be developed for all centres to ensure sustainability. During this phase, the GSRC Sakhis would also begin mapping the financial resilience of the household they work with. At the same time, the GSRC Sakhis would also be expected to appear for the Common Service Centre (CSC) or Indian Institute if Banking & Finance (IIBF) Bank Correspondent (BC) exam, similar examinations to enable her to get mainstreamed into the financial ecosystem.

The said preparatory and groundwork is expected to be initiated from November 1, 2024, followed by a 1-year implementation period till October 31, 2025 – hence using this one-year period to pilot this hybrid ‘phygital’ model (human + tech platform).

GramShakti Resource Centres will be conceptualized towards promoting the cause of financial inclusion and women empowerment (themes aligned with Schedule VII/section 135 of companies Act 2013 and existing internal CSR policy) through digital platforms and human touch models.

Key stakeholders:

The project will be implemented by CRISIL Foundation, the CSR arm of CRISIL Limited, through its existing on-ground NGO partners (implementing Mein Pragati and GramShakti), namely Rashtriya Gramin Vikas Nidhi (RGVN) in Assam.

The project will be supported by the CSR grants from S&P Capital IQ (India) Private Limited, and a small part supported by way of dedicated, specialised project management unit (PMU), comprising of team members from S&P, CRISIL Foundation and NGOs.

Hence, while all the activities will be implemented by the NGO e.g., hiring of team, remuneration, selection of GSRC and existing Sakhis would involve close supervision and sign offs at CRISIL Foundation.

The Project Manager will be hired by the respective NGOs and will be hired for a contractual period of one year, to be extended basis project requirement and performance.

Expected roles and responsibilities of the Project Manager

Place of posting:

Will be centrally located, basis final locations of the GramShakti Resource Centres

Reporting:

To the NGO Representative/ SPOC

Contracting:

Will be valid for a period of one year, subject to extension basis project requirements and performance

• Overall programme management and accountability:

o Manages and steers the implementation of the project in the designated locations/ villages of Assam– will be the key accountable person/ POC for this project, representing the implementing NGO partner for all key engagements, internal and external.

o Ensures complete operational planning, coordination, monitoring, and oversight of the activities across all programmatic levels

o Will be part of the Programme Management Unit (PMU) comprising of representatives of NGO, CRISIL Foundation and S&P Capital IQ.

• Training and capacity building:

o Identifying and onboarding the GSRC Sakhis, facilitating the training programme with support from CRISIL Foundation; as well as conducting periodic refresher trainings as per requirements

o Facilitates monthly review meetings with the GSRC Sakhis, gauges performance of each GSRC Sakhi, identifies positive learnings, areas of improvements etc.

o Other periodic training-cum-review meetings, calendars for capacity building of GSRC Sakhis as per requirement of the programme

o With support from CRISIL Foundation, undertaking periodic micro-market mapping, demand analysis and BOS analysis – to periodically update and upgrade the services of the GSRC from time to time.

• Guidance to the GSRC Sakhis:

o Manage the GSRC Sakhis towards operationalizing their centres, managing day-to-day tasks, supporting activities, overall implementation of the project, documentation, reporting and other project tasks

o Identify, onboarding and mapping the existing Sakhi cadre pool to each of the GSRC, ensuring their handholding is provided by the GSRC Sakhi as per mandated SOPs

o Identify, onboard, train and certify community women onto the GramShakti App, to build their financial awareness; and in the longer run, enhance their positive financial behaviours.

o Building the household financial resilience component, supporting in certification – i.e., IIBF/ IRDA/ AMFI/ CSC etc.

• Monitoring, supportive supervision, documentation, and coordination:

o Periodically ensuring coordination with the GSRC Sakhis by way of field visits and telephonic assistance for query redressal

o Periodic monitoring visits, handholding, and feedback – field visits, telephonic inputs,

o Managing and liaison with stakeholders – local bank branch, FSPs, SRLM, PRI, BC, other local networks etc – to enable the GSRC Sakhis to enhance their functioning.

o Preparation of monthly, quarterly, and yearly update reports for dissemination; as well as all programme related documentation (case studies, impact stories, best practices etc.)

o Will involve travel to the project locations as per requirements.

• Monitoring of budgets:

o Managing the programmes’ budgets, monitoring expenditure and costs as per budget heads, submission of Utilization Certificates (U/Cs), and related documentation (bank reconciliation statements, budget v/s expenditure etc.).

About Company

Rashtriya Gramin Vikas Nidhi is a non-governmental organization established in 1990. The registration number of the organization is: 205 of 1990-1991?(20-04-1990). The organization is operational in Assam, India. Rashtriya Gramin Vikas Nidhi works in the area of Animal Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries, Animal Welfare, Housing and shelter, Micro Finance (SHGs), Micro Small & Medium Enterprises, New & Renewable Energy, Rural Development & Poverty Alleviation, Urban Development & Poverty Alleviation, Womens Development & Empowerment, etc. The NGO works towards the promotion of sustainable development.

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