Call for Applications | Research Director | Project on Theory and Practice of Social Accountability

NLSIU is looking for an early career scholar, with a strong publication record and professional experience working with government and civil society for the position of ‘Research Director’ for a new project on ‘Theory and Practice of Social Accountability’.

This is a full-time position till 15 February 2026 and may be extended subject to extension of project funds. The position is based in Bengaluru.

About the project

Civil society organizations in India and the government have been pioneers in collaboratively designing and institutionalizing reforms that deepen democratic governance at scale such as proactive disclosure of government information, social audits and decentralized grievance redress systems. These reforms have grounded social accountability practices and procedures within the country and demonstrated possibilities for citizen engagement for the rest of the world. Several challenges have surfaced or become even more entrenched two decades since some of these reforms were introduced. For instance, administrative resistance to sharing information remains high and feedback loops for the data generated by social audit processes remain too weak for meaningful action on findings. New digital technologies have simultaneously opened up and foreclosed accountability in governance. Synergies across judicial, administrative, and political redress structures need to be strengthened. Public involvement and scrutiny of social accountability systems, especially once they are institutionalized, has been declining. Empirical research on social accountability platforms and practices in India which unpacks and addresses these challenges has generally been thin and has not kept pace with legal, institutional, and technological developments. This has created an important opening at the intersection of policy research and practice to build an enabling ecosystem for conceptualizing, demonstrating, and deepening social accountability and audits within India and beyond.

Through the ‘Theory and Practice of Social Accountability’ project, NLSIU seeks to deepen research and documentation of social accountability in India with the aim of producing knowledge, building an evidence base of good practices and informing policy improvements. The project also seeks to advance the practice of social accountability by bringing together actors – in government and civil society– who have a direct stake in strengthening participatory social accountability practices that combine fiscal transparency and citizen oversight. This project has three streams of work:

• Research on social accountability systems and practices
• Developing resources and toolkits
• Consultations and workshops
• Capacity building workshops for social accountability practitioners
• Strengthening public data systems for social accountability

Role description

The research director will have the following responsibilities:

• Develop research plan and strategy in partnership with NLSIU faculty associate and advisory board of researchers and practitioners with expertise in social accountability.
• Lead implementation of all activities including project management, research design, oversight of analytical processes, engagement of internal and external experts, and development of high-quality materials including policy briefs, reports, academic publications, and presentation materials.
• Mentorship of fellows. The research director will be responsible for guiding the work of the fellows to carry out rigorous field and desk-based research. The research director will also organize skills training and provide professional development support when needed.
• Build collaborations with researchers and practitioners working on social accountability initiatives within the country and internationally to strengthen cross-learning across states and global best practices.
• Own, manage, and maintain the organizational activities for the project. This includes acting as the central point-person for all information about ongoing projects and those being developed. It also includes managing and verifying project related payments and expenditures.

Qualifications and skills

The ideal candidate must have the following skills and qualifications:

Essential

• PhD in political science/sociology/public policy/law or a related discipline.
• 13-15 years of experience working on social accountability initiatives with government and civil society organizations.
• Should have proven strong research, writing and analytical skills (publications in refereed journals will be required).
• Strong coordination skills, including the ability to manage multiple tasks and stakeholders concurrently and effectively.
• Willing and able to discuss, brainstorm, and ideate with a range of different stakeholders across government, civil society, and academic institutions.

Desirable

• Ability to be solution-oriented and get a lot done quickly. You will need to translate strategic ideas into immediate action plans and execute multiple work streams simultaneously.
• Capacity to think strategically and weigh in on conceptual and organizational challenges on topics that might not be familiar to you.
• Demonstrated track record as an entrepreneurial self-starter, including comfort with ambiguity and dynamic environments and workflows.
• High level of independence and attention to detail.

How to apply

Please use the Google form available here, and include the following documents:

• An updated CV
• A short statement outlining your interest in working with us and why you would be a good fit for the role (not more than 500 words).
• Two recently published articles or writing samples.
• Details of two referees with contact details.

Short-listed candidates will be invited for an interview round. Due to time constraints, we can unfortunately only contact shortlisted candidates; if you do not hear from us within 15 days, please assume your application was not taken forward.

Candidates from marginalized communities, who have faced social and economic disadvantages are encouraged to apply.

Deadline

The last date for submission of applications is 5:00 pm, May 31st (Friday), 2024.