Job Opportunity for Program Director at RightWalk Foundation in Lucknow

RightWalk Foundation’s core mission involves driving Equity, Inclusion & Social Justice by co-shaping public policies and translating them into action. We practice Systems Thinking approach for institutional reform by partnering with system leadership, lawmakers and communities. We work closely with the State Government and have been instrumental in unlocking RTE 12.1(c) policy in the State thereby impacting over 2.30 lakh children from vulnerable communities in the last five years.

We have been listed amongst the country’s top 50 Education leaders in 2020 and top 26 NGOs in India impacting Education in 2016 by the Education World magazine.

Program Details

The program is in close coordination with the Uttar Pradesh State Government for end to end implementation of a public policy. It has the capacity to impact the lives of 20,000 to 50,000 youth secure employment and focuses on ‘earning while learning’. Also, the scheme is from one of the top three priority schemes of the Chief Minister’s office and is closely followed.

This is a great opportunity to work in public policy implementation in a State as large and diverse as Uttar Pradesh and impact the lives of thousands of youth from vulnerable communities. It will both be a challenging as well as a rewarding experience.

Purpose of the Role

The position reports to the Founder & CEO and is responsible to coordinate and liaise with stakeholders across different levels on driving implementation of the program.

The position holder will design the program implementation plan, M&E plan and drive the setting up of a robust governance structure while working closely with the State Government. The person will spend a significant proportion of time at the government office working directly with senior bureaucratic leadership in the State.

Areas of Responsibility

The list mentioned below provides more detailed descriptions of the role to be performed. It is not exhaustive but illustrates the scope of responsibilities and provides insight into other tasks that may be required or assigned as per need. The tasks/responsibilities are supported by existing critical employees who will report into the position holder.

Leadership & Strategy

• Build and implement the operational roadmap in alignment with RightWalk’s strategic plan
• Create the program design, M&E design and governance structures for the project
• Develop a concrete and comprehensive program operational plan and schedule
• Drive strategic operational initiatives, including coordination and collaboration with internal and external stakeholders, to ensure timely completion and delivery of outcomes.
• Provide senior leadership and external stakeholders with regular value added reports that identifies & tracks the status of the program, milestones and deliverables.

Operational planning and management

• Develop a robust M&E structure to monitor the day to day activities of the projects
• Evaluates and designs the expansion into new district offices as per the program need
• Ensure government permissions are obtained and renewed timely and build effective alignment and partnership with respective Government departments
• Ensure accountability of delivery on achievement of pre-defined outcomes
• Ensure accountability of delivery of programs and a focus on improving quality of outcomes

Human Capital Management

• Ensure effective and economic manpower planning for operations management and program delivery
• Drive a culture of coaching and mentorship to facilitate capacity building of team
• Ensure the effective functioning of the operations team while working in a matrix structure
• Ensure recruitment of the project team

Community / Donor / Stakeholder Relations

• Represent the organization at community engagement events
• Participate in respective donor meetings and support donor reporting and engagement
• Ensure timely and regular reporting to the Chief Minister’s office

Growth and Expansion

• Identify growth opportunities in central government and other states
• Lead expansion with resource mobilization and team setup

Required Qualifications, Skills, and Abilities

• Post-graduate degree in social sciences, the management or social work
• 5-10 years of experience in operations, business strategy & rapid scale expansion in the development/corporate sector with 3-5 years of experience in Strategy and Operations
• Prior experience of working with the State or Central Government will be preferred
• Result orientation, effective leadership, strong communication skills, influencing skills, stakeholder management, strong interpersonal skills and ability to work with people from varied backgrounds and levels
• Good at writing reports and creating data dashboards
• Possess good analytical and problem-solving skills
• Ability to work independently and proactively, without support staff and with little supervision
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and strong presentation skills
• Strong planning and organizational skills, and an ability to be able to set priorities, plan timelines and meet deadlines

Desired Qualities

• Entrepreneurial spirit and ‘get-it-done’ attitude
• The operating style suited to working in a small organization setting, where teamwork and resourcefulness are highly valued.
• Excellent leadership skills, including the ability to manage multiple projects at a time.

Personal Attributes

• Strong alignment with RWF’s mission of driving Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice in building stronger education ecosystems in India
• Results-focused with a strong sense of ownership
• Enjoys working under pressure: flexible, highly organized, and able to prioritize work to meet deadlines
• Strong negotiation skills combined with empathy, kindness, and integrity
• Enthusiastic to do whatever it takes willing to take personal accountability for the delivery of goals
• Self-motivated and a good team player
• Able to think creatively, with discerning and sensible judgment
• Openness to listen, learn and contribute beyond the confines of this role
• Hard-working, detail-oriented, tenacious and systematic
• Able to manage diverse groups of stakeholders

Compensation

Remuneration will be competitive and will depend upon the candidate’s experience level.