Program Manager

About the job

Role: Program Manager [Education], Kolkata Experience: 8-10 years Salary: Upto 13-16 LPA ___________________________________________ About the role: The Program Manager (PM) is a strategic leadership position responsible for spearheading the end-to-end implementation of our flagship education initiatives across assigned districts. This role bridges the gap between organizational vision and ground-level impact. You will oversee academic quality, operational excellence, and high-stakes government liaison to ensure measurable improvements in student learning outcomes. Key Responsibilities 1. Strategic Leadership & Program Governance • Operational Excellence: Own the roadmap for district-wide program implementation, ensuring all milestones are met with high fidelity. • Strategic Alignment: Translate organizational goals into actionable district plans, ensuring synergy with state-specific educational mandates. • People Management: Mentor and lead a high-performing district team, fostering a culture of accountability, professional growth, and data-driven decision-making. 2. Government Relations & Advocacy • Stakeholder Management: Act as the primary point of contact for district-level authorities (e.g., District Magistrates, DISE officials, DIET Principals, and DPOs). • Systemic Integration: Embed the organization's interventions within the existing government framework (e.g., Utkarsh/Banglar Shiksha portals or state-run monitoring cycles). • Policy Advocacy: Represent the organization in high-level district review meetings, using evidence-based insights to influence local education planning. 3. Academic Quality & Data-Driven Impact • Capacity Building: Lead the design and delivery of professional development programs for teachers and state academic resource persons. • Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E): Oversee classroom observation cycles and utilize real-time data to course-correct strategies and ensure quality in pedagogical delivery. • Impact Reporting: Synthesize complex field data into compelling progress reports and white papers for state leadership and donors. 4. Operational & Financial Stewardship • Budget Management: Exercise rigorous oversight over district budgets, ensuring optimal resource allocation and 100% financial compliance. • Risk Mitigation: Proactively identify operational bottlenecks and develop mitigation strategies to ensure uninterrupted program delivery. Skills Required: • Experience: 8–10 years of experience in Program/Project Management. At least 4–5 years should be in a leadership capacity within the Education or Development sector. • Government Expertise: Proven track record of working with state/district education machineries. Familiarity with West Bengal's educational landscape is highly preferred. • Education: Master's degree in Social Work, Education, Public Policy, Management, or a related field. • Language Skills: Professional fluency in English, and Hindi is essential for effective stakeholder engagement in this region. • Technical Savvy: Advanced proficiency in MS Office (Excel & PowerPoint). Experience with data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, PowerBI) is a plus.

Requirements

• Program/Project Management
• Leadership
• Government Relations
• Stakeholder Management
• Monitoring & Evaluation
• Budget Management

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Social Work
• Education
• Public Policy
• Management

Preferred Technologies

• Program/Project Management
• Leadership
• Government Relations
• Stakeholder Management
• Monitoring & Evaluation
• Budget Management