About the Behavioural Insights Team (BIT)

Behavioural Insights Team (BIT) is a social purpose company. It exists to improve people’s lives and communities. It works in partnership with national, regional and local governments, businesses, foundations and charities, to tackle major policy problems, often through testing and implementing simple yet powerful changes. 

It has about 200 staff based in 8 countries across Europe, the Americas and Asia Pacific, and has run more than 2000 projects to date, including over 1000 randomised controlled trials in over 100 countries. In addition to its own interventions, it openly shares expertise and helps others build capacity and skills to apply behavioural science for social good.

Job Information:

• Location: New Delhi, India
• Type: Full time, Fixed term - 12 months 
• Start date: February 2027
• Starting salary: INR 36,00,000
• Role requirements: Frequent project-related travel across program locations will be required - up to 1 per month

The role at a glance

We are seeking a Program Lead for our India program co-delivered with the UK-India Business Council and Niti Aayog in New Delhi for at least 12 months, starting in February 2027. 

This is a unique leadership opportunity to drive high-impact, complex behavioural science programmes in some of India’s most socio-economically challenged regions. You will shape the future of behavioural policy in India by managing multi-region field trials, leading a team of 5+ staff, and directly engaging high-level central and state government stakeholders. From improving maternal health delivery in Meghalaya to enhancing foundational literacy in Tripura, you will oversee rigorous qualitative and quantitative research while ensuring top-tier academic and operational standards.

About our work in India so far 

Since this time last year, BIT, UK-India Business Council and Niti Aayog (India’s leading gov think tank) have been working together on delivering an ambitious program of behavioural research projects, scaling BI in India to achieve social impact at an unprecedented scale.

The program is largely focused on delivering system strengthening projects in public health and education working closely with national and local governments in selected 5 states (Meghalaya, Odisha, Tripura, Ladakh and MP), within the framework of India’s Aspirational District Program. Alongside this, we have been also engaging with other major government agencies, including achieving impressive results with India’s Tax Authorities (CBDT) and UIDAI, the agency in charge of the national digital identity program Aadhaar. 

The team is at a critical and exciting juncture, having secured major early wins thanks to the exceptional commitment and dedication of our team on the ground. Stepping in to take over from our exceptional program lead, the new lead will play a pivotal role in shaping not only the success of our present engagements and beyond. 

• We have grown from a team of 3 UK secondees to a local team of 5+, plus contractors in different states. 
• We have managed to start engagements across 3 states (Meghalaya, Odisha, Tripura), building strong relationships with local officials. We have a lot of buy-in from our funders, Niti Aayog and senior national officials.

What does India Program Lead do?

• Programme Leadership: Manage a portfolio of high-impact, geographically spread-out projects across India, supported by BIT’s International Programmes Principal Advisor. Oversee project plans, budgets, recruitment, and strategy, supported by India Project & Operations Manager, BIT UK Ops, and the UK-India Business Council.
• Stakeholder Management: Build and sensitively maintain high-level relationships with central and state government partners, funders, and key clients. Serve as the primary lead for client interactions, addressing concerns, and leading discussions to ensure successful project delivery.
• Team Leadership & Development: Lead a team of 5+ core staff and 5+ local contractors (including direct line management of up to 3). Oversee work allocations and support team professional growth, upskilling colleagues in behavioural science and research methodologies.
• Research Oversight: Oversee field trials, rapid qualitative research projects and behavioural advice provision, focusing on areas such as improving institutional delivery in Meghalaya, take-home ration consumption in Odisha or foundational literacy and numeracy in Tripura. Maintain rigorous research standards, analysis, and quality assurance alongside BIT UK technical experts.

Over the initial 12 month period, success in this role would include:

• Delivery of the live 3 projects and new smaller-scale engagements in other 2 locations;
• Supporting and stabilising the team while maintaining delivery momentum;
• Strengthening key government and funder relationships.

What we’re looking for in India Program Lead?

We are looking for a Program Lead, with at least 5 years+ of experience in project management, consultancy and research projects in India’s social sector (e.g. public health, education), with a proven track record.

Specifically, we’re looking for someone who has excellent:

• Stakeholder & client management - proven ability to build and maintain strong relationships with partners, stakeholders, and funders and skilled at navigating complex situations to achieve positive outcomes.
• Cultural & regional expertise - strong cultural sensitivity and adaptability when delivering work in diverse contexts. Diplomatic yet assertive when engaging with partners and stakeholders. An understanding of national priorities and geopolitical dynamics in India is desirable.
• Project & program delivery - ability to develop project plans, assess risks, and manage teams to deliver high-quality work.
• Research expertise - strong understanding of research with the ability to lead and design projects with quantitative and qualitative research methods, including evaluation techniques and data analysis.

Behavioural science knowledge (Desirable): Behavioural science: You can explain the implications of theoretical concepts such as defaults, loss aversion, and social norms and apply them in international development contexts.

• Communication & presentation skills - the ability to communicate clearly and convincingly, and explain complex topics, behavioural science concepts and research methods in simple terms and adapt your style to the audience.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to distill complex research findings into concise insights for senior officials and decision-makers.
• Leadership & team development - ability to support, mentor, and develop talent, fostering a high-performance team culture.
• Culture & Values: Embodiment of the India programme’s values: prioritising social impact, empiricism and humility, fresh thinking and intellectual curiosity, collaboration, and lasting partnerships. Keeping a pulse on the team’s sense of purpose and connection to our impact. Leveraging the value of feedback and building systems that turn feedback into action.

Application process

• CV and short questionnaire
• 2 rounds of structured interviews 
• 1 work trial with the team

Please note

This is a full time role based in New Delhi, starting in February 2027, involving frequent cross-country travel. Please consider carefully whether you can meet these conditions before applying. 

 

This role is open from 9th November 2026 to 23rd November 2026 at midday (BST).

Please note

You will need to have the right to work in order to be able to undertake this role. We will ask all applicants short-listed for an interview to provide evidence of their right to work during the recruitment process. If you do not have the right to work for BIT but are the most suitable person for the role we will explore with you whether sponsorship may be an option. However, this may not be possible for all roles.

Some of the personal data you provide to Greenhouse when you apply for a role with The Behavioural Insights Team will be passed on to The Behavioural Insights Team for the purposes of (a) reviewing your application; (b) inviting you for interview; and/or (c) offering you a job and getting you set up as an employee/contractor. For full details on how BIT collects and uses your personal data please visit our website - https://www.bi.team/bit-global-recruitment-privacy-notice/ 

If your application is not successful, any personal data provided to us by Greenhouse (including any personal data relating to equal opportunities monitoring as set out above) will be retained by The Behavioural Insights Team for no longer than 6 months after the application deadline has passed (other than in exceptional circumstances where we may need to retain your personal data for longer), at which point your personal data will be securely deleted. We only keep your information for that period in order to allow us to comply with relevant legal obligations.