Job Opportunity for Assistant/Deputy Manager Public Policy at Lend a Hand India in New Delhi, Pune

About us

Lend-a-Hand India (LAHI) is a 16 year old NGO with the mission to integrate vocational education with mainstream education for students from 9th to 12th grade level and equip them with an entrepreneurial mindset to thrive in the real world ahead. We facilitate “school to work” transition for these 14-18 year old in-school students by imparting vocational education and internship opportunities as a part of the secondary school curriculum.

We aim to universalize vocational education and restore “dignity of labor” as lack of dignity of labor is one of the major impediments in India which restricts the youth from achieving their full potential. Currently, more than 1 million+ young students from 10,000+ high schools in 24 states/UTs across India are part of the program.

Majority of our work is in partnership with the state governments by helping the state governments to scale up vocational education in the state under ‘Samagra Shiksha’ scheme of Ministry of Education. 

Recently, Lend A Hand India was awarded The organization was recently awarded a system change grant by Co-Impact, a donor collaborative consisting of Rockefeller, Gates, Chandler, Nilekanis and others.

​Job Description

Position Title: Assistant/Deputy Manager – Central PMU Strategic Lead

Organization: Lend A Hand India (LAHI)

Overview:

The Central PMU Strategic Lead will spearhead and manage LAHI’s Central Project Management Unit (CPMU) teams collaborating with 25 State Governments. This role involves direct engagement with key State Governments, the Central Government, and major National Skilling & Education bodies, providing strategic direction on pivotal policy areas. The incumbent will serve as the central link between LAHI Headquarters and State Programs, ensuring strategic alignment and effective communication.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership & Guidance:

• Lead and guide State PMU teams across multiple states, overseeing planning, execution, and monitoring of vocational education initiatives.
• Provide strategic direction on innovation policies of the Ministry of Education, MSDE, World Bank, ADB, and other prominent entities in the skill education domain.

Research & Documentation:

• Conduct research on relevant skill ecosystem topics to produce policy drafts, SOPs, strategy papers, proposals, and concept notes for sharing with senior government officials.
• Engage in writing, research, and high-quality documentation to communicate ideas and strategies effectively to various stakeholders.

Stakeholder Engagement & Advocacy:

• Liaise with senior government officials at both State and Central levels to build advocacy and strengthen partnerships, ensuring supportive policies for vocational education components.

Team Collaboration & Support:

• Collaborate with LAHI’s dedicated program teams to provide central strategic guidance as needed.
• Organize and lead meetings and events with multiple senior stakeholders.

Requirements

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Experience & Qualifications:

• 4 to 8+ years of experience in implementing government schemes, private sector projects, or social enterprise initiatives.
• Experience working with senior bureaucrats and government agencies at State or Central levels (preferred).
• Proven track record in the areas of skill development and education/skill education/livelihood (preferred).
• Experience as a Technical & Managerial Consultant in the social sector domain, associated with Think Tanks, Public Policy Organizations, or Social Consultancy firms (preferred).
• Participation in relevant social sector fellowships like Gandhi Fellowship, Teach For India, Mahatma Gandhi National Fellow, Indian Administrative Fellow, Prime Minister Rural Development fund and other similar fellowships (preferred).
• Graduation in any stream (technical field preferred); Postgraduate degree in Social or Education Sector is desirable.

Skills Required:

• Public policy, research, and government partnership-building experience.
• Leadership experience in roles like Public Policy Manager, State Government Projects Manager, or Research Manager.
• Strong research, writing, and communication skills with proficiency in drafting proposals, strategy papers, SOPs, and making presentations.
• Advanced skills in Microsoft and Google tools for documentation and analytics, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Forms, etc.
• Excellent negotiation and persuasion skills, especially with senior bureaucrats, partners, and management.