Organization Description: Association of Professional Social Workers & Development Practitioners (APSWDP) is a UN ECOSOC-accredited think-tank and grassroot executor advancing the Sustainable Development Goals through professional social work. The organization drives cross-sectoral impact in health, livelihoods, climate action, and social inclusion, with thousands of beneficiaries across HIV/AIDS interventions, women’s economic empowerment, green campuses, and the mainstreaming of persons with disabilities and transgender communities.

APSWDP holds observer status with key UN bodies (including UNFCCC, UNCCD, UNEA) and is accredited with UNEP, UNESCO MIL Alliance, and the UN Department of Global Communications. With over 18,000 professionals trained, 50,000+ lives impacted, and strong institutional partnerships with universities and civil society organizations, APSWDP focuses on CSR projects, NGO capacity building, and SDG-aligned research and field execution. The organization champions a model of volunteerism leading to professionalism and institutional change to build resilient communities where professionals and marginalized groups co-create solutions.

Under the support of the Azim Premji Foundation , APSWDP is executing the Sanjh Project in the Chandigarh Union Territory (UT) Tri-city region . The project aims to establish and run a Drop-In Centre (DIC) to support Gender and Sexual Minorities (GSM) / Transgender and MSM communities through psychosocial counselling, entitlement facilitation, legal aid, crisis management, and leadership capacity building.

Role Description: This is a full-time, on-site Project Manager / Programme Coordinator role based in Chandigarh.

The Project

Manager will oversee the planning, execution, monitoring, recruitment and closure of social development and CSR projects aligned with APSWDP’s SDG-focused agenda. Daily responsibilities include coordinating project activities with internal teams and partner institutions, managing timelines and deliverables, and ensuring compliance with donor, institutional, and regulatory requirements. The role involves expediting project workflows, supervising field implementation, organizing trainings and capacity-building sessions, and maintaining accurate documentation and reporting of project progress and impact.

The Project

Manager will also engage stakeholders, support impact assessment and evaluation, and contribute to strategic inputs for policy, research, and partnerships.

Qualifications:

- Candidates should possess strong Project Management skills, including planning, execution, monitoring, risk management, budgeting, recrutment, and stakeholder coordination.




- Candidates should possess Expeditor and Expediting skills to ensure timely completion of tasks, resolution of bottlenecks, and adherence to project schedules.
- Candidates should possess Inspection skills to oversee field activities, verify quality and compliance with project standards, and conduct regular reviews.
- Candidates should possess Logistics Management skills to coordinate resources, travel, events, and materials for trainings, camps, and community-based activities.
- Relevant grassroot experience in social work, development practice, CSR, or NGO project implementation, preferably with SDG-aligned initiatives.
- Strong communication, documentation, and report-writing skills, with the ability to work with diverse communities and professional stakeholders.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team, demonstrating initiative, problem-solving, and ethical practice.
- Master’s degree in Social Work or in other social sciences (public Administration, Political Science, Sociology, Women Studies, Human Rights etc. discipline. Any candidate, who has worked as Development Fellows in Aspirational District, Gandhi Fellow, Niti Ayog, eminent national or international organization or foundation will be an added advantage.

Professional Skill Set desirable: 1. Strategic & Core Project Management Skills

- Project Lifecycle Management: Expertise in guiding projects through initiation, planning, execution, monitoring/controlling, and closing using methodologies such as Agile, Waterfall, Scrum, or hybrid models.
- Scope & Integration Management: Ability to define clear project goals, draft exact Terms of Reference (ToR), create Work Breakdown Structures (WBS), and prevent scope creep.
- Budgeting & Financial Management: Proficiency in cost estimation, baseline budget preparation, resource allocation, cash-flow forecasting, and financial risk mitigation.
- Risk Management & Compliance: Capability to identify operational, legal, and financial risks early, build risk-mitigation matrices, and maintain statutory and organizational compliance.
- Quality Assurance & Governance: Ensuring all deliverables meet defined quality metrics, regulatory standards, and institutional SOPs.

2. Leadership & Interpersonal Competencies

- Stakeholder Management: Skill in engaging, aligning,



and communicating effectively with internal leadership, external partners, funding agencies, and community stakeholders.
- Team Leadership & Capacity Building: Ability to recruit, onboard, motivate, and mentor cross-functional team members while maintaining accountability and high performance.
- Conflict Resolution & Negotiation: Advanced interpersonal tact to navigate internal team friction, resolve deadlocks, and negotiate favorable terms with vendors, contractors, and partners.
- Strategic Communication: Clear written and verbal communication for drafting policy inputs, institutional reports, pitch decks, and high-level briefing notes.

3. Operational & Organizational Execution

- Resource Optimization: Efficiently deploying human, financial, and technological resources to maximize output and meet project milestones.
- Time & Schedule Management: Developing realistic project timelines, setting key performance indicators (KPIs), and utilizing tools like Critical Path Method (CPM) or Gantt charts.
- Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E;): Establishing robust impact assessment frameworks, tracking progress metrics, and conducting periodic audits to measure project effectiveness.
- Problem-Solving & Agility: Demonstrating decisive crisis management and adaptability when responding to unforeseen operational bottlenecks or external changes.

4. Technical & Digital Proficiency

- PM Tools & Software: Proficiency in project management and tracking software (e.g., Asana, Trello, Jira, MS Project, or Monday.com).
- Data Analysis & Reporting: Skill in synthesizing quantitative/qualitative data to draft clear progress reports, executive summaries, and statutory filings.
- Documentation & Administration: Strong capability in drafting formal MoUs, service level agreements (SLAs), standard operating procedures (SOPs), and official correspondence.

General Information & How to Apply

- Location: Chandigarh Tricity (Drop-In Centre & Field Locations)
- Nature of Engagement: Contractual / Project-based
- Remuneration: Commensurate with qualifications, field experience, and donor/organizational norms with annual increment after satisfactory appraisal by the management.

How to Apply: Interested candidates should also email their updated CV/Resume along with a Cover Letter detailing their suitability for the position to [email protected]

- Email Subject Line: "Application for [Position Name] - Sanjh Project"
- Application Deadline: Application should reach to us by September 30, 2026.

For details or further clarification: Please Call, Chief Executive Officer - (phone hidden) or write mail to [email protected]

📌 Project Manager (Chandigarh)
🏢 Association of Professional Social Workers u0026 Development Practitioners (APSWDP)
📍 Chandigarh