Research Manager

Purpose

The Research Manager is the operational backbone of Prayoga's research enterprise freeing our scientists to focus entirely on science by owning everything else: administration, procurement, finance, and stakeholder management.

Key Responsibilities

Research Operations

• Own project schedules, milestones, risks and interdependencies across all active programmes
• Run operating rhythms weekly stand-ups, monthly reviews, quarterly Board updates
• Maintain a live project tracker covering status, blockers and spend vs. budget
• Oversee lab operations: instrument calibration, consumables, safety compliance and record-keeping

Resource Planning

• Translate scientific plans into operational plans (people, time, instruments, budget)
• Forecast annual headcount, capex and opex; prepare the research operations budget
• Allocate resources dynamically as projects evolve
• Manage recruitment, onboarding and performance logistics for research staff and interns

Operational Effectiveness

• Continuously improve systems lab booking, sample tracking, expense approvals, publications workflow
• Use technology to enable efficient workflows and processes across the research enterprise
• Define and track operational KPIs (time-to-procure, grant cycle time, lab utilisation)

Funding Agencies

• Primary operational contact for philanthropic, governmental and multilateral funders
• Manage the full grant lifecycle: identifying calls, budget preparation, proposal coordination, reporting, close-out
• Maintain a forward-looking funding pipeline and deadline calendar

Contract Research (Industry)

• Identify and onboard industry partners for contract research consistent with Prayoga's charitable objects
• Lead scope definition, pricing, contracting and delivery management
• Ensure commercial work remains incidental to mission and complies with Sections 2(15), 11(4) and 11(4A) of the Income-tax Act

Vendor Management

• Own the vendor ecosystem: instruments, consumables, analytical services, IT
• Empanel vendors, negotiate rates and SLAs; maintain a preferred-vendor list
• Run end-to-end procurement specifications, quotations, POs, delivery, payment, performance reviews
• Maintain vendor compliance documentation (GST, PAN, TDS, KYC)

Qualifications & Experience

Essential

• Master's in science, engineering or a research-adjacent discipline (or equivalent professional qualification)
• 8+ years of relevant experience, including 4+ years in a research, R&D or lab setting
• Demonstrated management of concurrent projects, budgets and cross-functional stakeholders
• Direct experience in at least one of: grant management, contract research, or lab operations
• Proficiency with project-management and collaboration tools
• Strong familiarity with technology comfortable adopting and championing digital tools across research operations
• Excellent written and spoken English; Kannada/Hindi proficiency a plus

Desirable

• PhD or equivalent research exposure
• Familiarity with Indian grant frameworks (ANRF, DST, DBT, ICSSR) and CSR-funded research
• Working knowledge of Indian tax provisions for charitable trusts (Sections 11, 12A, 80G)

Key Competencies

• Systems thinking sees how parts fit together and where friction accumulates
• Organisational rigour documentation and follow-through on every commitment
• Stakeholder range equally at ease with scientists, donors, vendors and the Executive Chairman
• Commercial judgment negotiates without losing sight of the charitable mandate
• Financial literacy reads a budget, grant report and vendor invoice with equal ease
• Quiet enabler finds satisfaction in making others' work possible
• Integrity absolute reliability with funds, contracts and confidential data

How Success Is Measured

• Measurable reduction in scientist time spent on non-research tasks within 12 months
• Research projects delivered on scope, on time and within budget
• Healthy, multi-year funding pipeline with improving conversion rates
• Reductions in time-to-procure, grant-submission cycle time and open compliance items
• Clean statutory and grant audits; no material findings
• Positive feedback from scientist leads on operational support

What Prayoga Offers

• A mission-driven workplace at the frontier of scientific research, with access to high-end research labs and cutting-edge instrumentation
• Direct collaboration with experienced scientists and policy thinkers, and exposure to India's national scientific research ecosystem
• Genuine scope you will shape the operating system of Prayoga's research enterprise

How to Apply

Send your CV and a one-page cover note to

careers@prayoga.org.in with subject line Research Manager [Your Name].

Please include names and contact details of two professional references. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.