Policy Analyst in Bengaluru | ATREE

ATREE

The Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) is a non-profit that does careful research to guide how India protects its environment. Its work supports nature conservation along with development that is fair and lasting for people. In the Himalaya, ATREE runs a 10-year strategy called The Himalaya Initiative. It aims for a future where mountain communities, and the people who live downstream, can thrive while the region's rich wildlife and forests are protected. This role sits within ATREE's AMP-Himalaya project under The Himalaya Initiative, which works to protect biodiversity, restore landscapes and improve people's well-being in Sikkim, the Darjeeling hills, Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh.

Role

The Policy Analyst works closely with the Policy Lead to study and improve policies built for mountain areas, covering biodiversity, landscape restoration and the use of natural resources in the Indian Himalayan Region. You will review laws and plans, talk with communities and experts, and help turn what you learn into clear recommendations for state and national governments. You will be part of a team led by the Director of The Himalaya Initiative and will represent ATREE with government departments and partners. You will also work alongside regional teams in the Himalaya and the headquarters team in Bengaluru.

Responsibilities

• Support the Policy Lead in delivering the project's policy work, including reporting on time and tracking progress indicators.
• Review rangeland, forest and agroforestry policies, map the key people in policy-making, and compare existing policies to find gaps, overlaps and the needs of mountain areas across the three landscapes.
• Help develop and advocate for state policy action plans on restoration and agroecology in Sikkim, community conserved areas in Arunachal Pradesh, and rangeland and pastoral governance in Ladakh.
• Conduct focus group discussions, expert interviews and workshops that follow Free, Prior and Informed Consent and give women and marginalised groups an equal voice.
• Identify practices that harm the climate and local ecosystems, and write case studies of mountain models that work well.
• Draft policy recommendations, briefing papers and a final report and toolkit, and present them to a panel of stakeholders for feedback.
• Support training and awareness work for government officials, policymakers and community leaders, and help build a legal and institutional framework for community conserved areas in Arunachal Pradesh.
• Coordinate with the landscape, research, monitoring and communications teams, add to the project's shared digital library of knowledge, and represent ATREE at national and international forums.

Requirements

• A Master's degree in environmental science, social sciences, natural science, ecology, natural resource management, public policy, law or a related field.
• 1 to 2 years of experience in policy work, including some work in mountain regions, and a good grasp of how policy is made in government.
• Understanding of Free, Prior and Informed Consent and of ethical ways of working with Indigenous and local communities, with care for including women and marginalised groups.
• Excellent written and spoken English, with Hindi or a Himalayan regional language as a plus, and willingness to work through local translators where needed.
• Strong analysis, report writing and documentation skills, along with the ability to build relationships and communicate with people at every level.
• Willingness to travel often across project sites in the Himalaya.
• Familiarity with tools like Excel or Kobo Toolbox, mountain and biodiversity policies such as the National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem, and digital documentation platforms is a plus.

Benefits

• Shape real policy for some of India's richest mountain landscapes, working with state and national governments.
• Learn from experienced researchers and policy experts in a team led by the Director of The Himalaya Initiative.
• Work with ATREE's Academy for Conservation Science and Sustainability Studies and with regional teams across the Himalaya.
• Represent ATREE at national and international forums.

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