Senior Project Leader

Job highlights

• Additionally,54% of the tourism workforce comprises women,highlighting the sectors role in fostering economic inclusion. . Indias Untapped Global Potential: Despite its diverse geography and rich cultural heritage,India attracts only 10Mn Foreign visitors
• Willingness to travel and engage deeply at the destination level when required.

Atithi Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation working to transform Indias tourism sector into a key engine of economic growth. We partner with government bodies, industry leaders, knowledge institutions and community stakeholders to design evidence-based policies and strategies to create livelihoods, safeguard heritage, and strengthen Indias position on the global tourism stage.

Our vision: To make India a $490 billion tourism economy by 2035, with inclusive growth, preserving heritage, and showcasing the nations culture and natural beauty to the world.

Tourism as an Economic Engine: Tourism plays a vital role in Indias economy, generating over $200 billion in 2023, accounting for 5.5% of GDP. More importantly, it is a major job creator, supporting nearly 40 million jobs (8% of national employment). Additionally, 54% of the tourism workforce comprises women, highlighting the sectors role in fostering economic inclusion.

Indias Untapped Global Potential: Despite its diverse geography and rich cultural heritage, India attracts only 10Mn Foreign visitors. In contrast, China saw 66 million foreign tourists in 2019, while Vietnam and Thailand welcomed 18 million and 40 million, respectively. This gap presents a significant opportunity for Indias tourism sector to grow with the right strategies.

Key Challenges to Overcome

• Lack of Standardised Data: Tourism is mainly measured by footfall rather than economic impact, limiting effective decision-making
• Narrow Brand Image: India is often perceived as an exotic yet challenging destination. A broader appeal is needed to attract more diverse tourists
• Concentration of Tourism: Major revenues come from only six destinations, leading to overcrowding and overuse of resources in popular spots like Goa and Shimla
• Ease of Doing Business: Complex regulations and lengthy approval processes hinder the development of tourism infrastructure
• Cross-Cutting Governance: Developing new tourist destinations requires coordinated efforts across various government departments, which is currently lacking

ATITHI Foundation leverages philanthropy as a catalyst to unlock Indias tourism potential, driving economic growth and job creation.

Founding Team Opportunities: This is a unique opportunity to join a high-impact organisation at an early stage and help shape its direction, culture, and long-term strategy.

We are seeking entrepreneurial professionals for the following roles:

• Senior Project Leader: (8-10 years of experience)
• Project Leader: (6-8 years of experience)

ROLE 1: Senior Project Leader

Role Overview

• The Senior Project Leader will play a critical role in shaping and advancing Atithi Foundations national and state-level tourism transformation agenda. This role is suited for professionals who have worked on large-scale public or social sector programmes, or have a strong inclination to do so, and are excited by the opportunity to influence policy, institutions, and on-ground outcomes in Indias tourism sector.
• The role requires a combination of strategic thinking, stakeholder engagement, and hands-on leadership, with the ability to operate across national policy conversations as well as destination-level implementation.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead complex problem-solving efforts on tourism transformation, including diagnosis of sectoral issues, development of coherent strategies, and articulation of policy and institutional reforms at national and state levels
• Engage closely with central and state government stakeholders to help shape agendas around governance, regulation, destination management, and tourism growth
• Develop clear, evidence-based perspectives on what can create material impact in the tourism sector, balancing public interest with private sector realities
• Drive select initiatives from concept to execution, including destination-level pilots, institutional frameworks (e.g., DMOs), and cross-cutting policy reforms
• Work across diverse stakeholder groups - government, private sector, industry bodies, and civil society - while maintaining intellectual independence and integrity in recommendations
• Provide leadership, direction, and mentorship to a team of project leaders and analysts, fostering a high-performance, mission-driven culture
• Contribute to building Atithi Foundations thought leadership through high-quality written outputs, presentations, and structured engagement with senior stakeholders

Ideal Candidate Profile

• 8 10 years of experience in public sector consulting, social sector organisations, policy institutions, or large-scale transformation programmes (or having a strong inclination to do so)
• Strong analytical and problem-solving ability, with comfort in structuring ambiguous issues and developing clear, actionable recommendations
• Demonstrated experience engaging senior government/CXO level officials and navigating complex stakeholder environments
• Genuine interest in tourism as a lever for economic growth, employment, and regional development
• Willingness to travel and engage deeply at the destination level when required
• Prior experience leading and developing teams
• Strong written and verbal communication skills