SFG is an expanding organisation and would currently like to welcome applications at the entry level. We would welcome young professionals in research, communications and project management. As a growing organization, at any given time, we have at least one or two immediate vacancies and more in the pipeline.
What are we looking for?
Young researchers and communication officers of Indian nationality with a minimum Master’s degree in any discipline and three years work experience in research, journalism, communications, policy analysis, etc. In the case of exceptional candidates, we may wave the requirement of experience. We place tremendous emphasis on writing skills and examine samples of written products, published or otherwise, prior to calling candidates for interviews. Superb command on English, awareness of current political and economic issues essential while knowledge of more languages is an advantage. Besides competence, we evaluate attitude and value framework of the candidates. SFG is a value driven entity and we want to ensure that all our team members share a certain value premise. The age limit is 30 at the max with preferred age around 25. Strategic Foresight Group is a partner institute of the World Economic Forum providing expertise in geopolitical issues and scenario planning. We have also been a resource for the Indian Parliament’s Standing Committee on External Affairs, Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, King’s College of London University and several other institutions
What does the job entail?
Communication officers work on outreach activities. Researchers work in teams of four or five for each project. Each researcher addresses a particular aspect of the country or the region s/he is assigned. Most of the work is internet-based. The team meets very often, more than once a week, to exchange perspectives from their respective angles and draw conclusions. Researchers are trained in strategic foresight techniques. At the advanced stage of the project, an outer circle of four or five experts is formed with whom the researchers interact. If necessary, the researchers develop e-mail contact with experts in the region of their concern. In the first year, no travel is envisaged. From the second or third year, researchers are encouraged to attend external seminars for input, output or training.
What do we offer?
Besides decent salary, we offer a platform for growth and learning. You will be a part of a dynamic young team that is exploring new approaches to understand the world every day. The learning curve is steep. The atmosphere is very friendly, creative and constructive. Job satisfaction is very high. Moreover, you will be part of a team that is making real change to policies of governments of important countries. In a young age, you will actually make a difference, a measurable one, something to cherish for the rest of your life.
The salaries are comparable to university pay scales but not rigid. The increments are ad hoc, and completely driven by merit and performance. The remuneration is designed for Mumbai residents, and therefore we do not offer any housing assistance. Outstation candidates who want to shift to Mumbai for jobs with us must make their own accommodation arrangements in Western suburbs of Mumbai. Again, we can be little bit flexible if the candidate is outstanding.
What are growth prospects?
This question can be best answered with concrete examples. Ms Ilmas Futehally joined the group when she was 26 with no previous experience in strategic studies or foreign policy. Within a year, she was invited to speak at a conference of senior diplomats and well-known scholars of South Asian security. She was then elected visiting fellow of Stimson Center, Washington DC, and Carnegie Council on Ethics and International Relations, New York. Her recent report Cost of Conflict between India and Pakistan has attracted coverage in editorials and front pages of major newspapers in the two countries. At 33 she became the executive director of the organisation. In the last three years she has met Heads of Government in the Middle East and top leadership in Europe to discuss terrorism.
Ms. Devika Mistry joined the Strategic Foresight Group in 2004 at the age of 23. Over the past two odd years she has co-authored a report on the Cost of Conflict in Sri Lanka. In conjugation with the report she has had the opportunity to travel to Sri Lanka and meet with various important people – including representatives of the government, political parties, think tanks, academia and notables from civil society. She was also joint coordinator for the International Workshop on Global Extremism, Terror and Response Strategies as well, as the Third International Roundtable on Constructing Peace, Deconstructing Terror which took place at the European Parliament in Brussels. Ms. Mistry had the opportunity to travel to Brussels on behalf of the group and help with the organization of the Roundtable. She has also assisted in the revamping and restructuring of the current website and at present manages it.
The above are just examples. Every member of the SFG research team is a success story.
How to apply?
Please send an e-mail explaining why you consider a career with us. Please do not send any writing samples with the first e-mail. If this makes your e-mail heavy, we may delete it without reading it. Please list your articles and books as a part of your CV and send a sample only when requested at a later stage. Please do not hesitate to contact us even if you do not have any previous written product but you believe that you can convince us of your writing potential in the interview. Your e-mail must mention your education, other training, work experience, your own assessment of your strengths and weaknesses, a few lines about your vision of your own future in five years time, your expectations of starting remuneration, and the situation with regards to your accommodation in Mumbai. You must have an Indian passport or permission to work in India – we do not want to go through the process of obtaining it at this stage.
Once we receive your e-mail, we will acknowledge it within 2 working days and advise you if your application can be considered. We may ask you for more details, such as writing samples. If for any reason your profile does not match our immediate requirement, we will let you know right away and keep it in our files for future needs. If we are satisfied with additional details, we will call you for a preliminary interview to test your knowledge of current affairs and your attitudes and value framework. If this goes well, we will call you for one or two more interviews. If you are out of station, we may conduct the preliminary interview on phone. All correspondence should be addressed to the Executive Director.
Email: jobs@strategicforesight.com |
