Job Opportunity for Implementation Lead AP SALT at Leadership for Equity in Vijaywada

About Leadership For Equity (LFE)

Leadership For Skilled Education Foundation (branded as Leadership For Equity, LFE), is a non-profit (NGO) based out of Pune, Maharashtra. 

We envision Public Education Systems That Refuse To Let Children Down

APPROACH: In our two-fold approach to change, we build the capacity of government system leaders and we influence system processes. In partnership with the local and state education bodies, we co-create programs that shift teaching-learning practices and improve student learning and well-being. This work coupled with our research and advisory support to influence policies, we hope to create an effective government education system.

Over the last 5 years, LFE has built the capacity of 2100+ system leaders, and 40,200+ teachers to impact 8 million students across Maharashtra. Additionally, LFE has recently expanded its operations and started working in another 3 states of India including Haryana, Tripura & Andhra Pradesh. In Maharashtra, LFE works with 5 districts (Pune, Nashik, Nagpur, Satara & Akola), 3 municipal bodies (Pune MC, Pimpri Chinchwad MC & Nagpur MC) & 5 state level education bodies (School Education Dept, SCERT, Samagra Shiksha, Tribal Development Dept, & TRTI). In Andhra Pradesh, LFE works closely with the Samagra Shiksha Office, SCERT & The World Bank on a multi-year strategic project to improve the quality of learning across 26 districts of the State. And lastly in Haryana & Tripura, LFE works with SCERTs of both states in setting up targeted program management units (PMUs) to strengthen delivery of large-scale academic programs. 

BELIEF: We believe Public Education Systems are the gatekeepers of social EQUITY, especially when India’s 120 million children continue to go to government-run schools. A multi-layered, complex, and systemic problem of educational inequity, will require a solution rooted in the SYSTEMS CHANGE approach. We believe that a COLLECTIVE effort by forging partnerships with governments, like-minded philanthropists, corporates, donors, nonprofits and grassroot organizations will help bring scalable and sustainable social change.

Supporting Andhra’s Learning Transformation (SALT) project is a multi-organisational project focused on improving the quality of teaching and learning in classrooms. The project aims to enhance human capital and achieve sustained reduction in learning poverty across all districts of the state. 

The SALT operation will support the GoAP in three key results areas:

• Strengthened Foundational Learning;
• Improved Quality of Student-Teacher Interactions and;
• Strengthened Institutional Capacity for Service Delivery

The project will be implemented in close collaboration with the  Department of School Education (DoSE), GoAP and state-level administrative units including the SCERT, SIEMAT and the local network of DIETs. The focus will be to achieve the outcomes with an inherent focus on strengthening the people and processes within the public education system.

The scope of work for the entire project will be as follows:

• Strengthen the technical and operational capacity of teacher mentors to provide evidence- and needs-based training and support to teachers, and conducting structured classroom observations
• Build the capacity at SCERT and DIETs to improve planning, implementation, and monitoring of the reform by introducing a teacher needs assessment system to formally encourage professional learning and growth.
• Strengthen the technical and operational capacity of SCERT and DIETs to provide evidence- and needs-based support to teachers through developing training courses for teachers on the state Learning Management System (LMS)
• Strengthen the technical and operational capacity of SCERT and DIETs through the development of online learning materials for teachers and students on the state Learning Management System (LMS)
• Coordinate with various stakeholders to ensure timeline development of the technology tools as noted above including the REACH tool
• The duration of the project will be 60 months from 2021 to 2026. 

Job Description and Responsibilities

The Implementation Lead mainly functions as a head of operations for the state. They will work in collaboration with the Training Lead for academic inputs and other vertical heads, while reporting to the Project Director to ensure project goals are achieved. Additionally, they will collaborate with government stakeholders and  members across teams as and when required as well as be an integral part of the 5 member project leadership team. 

Program Planning (30%)

• Create detailed operational plans for the state breaking down yearly targets into monthly milestones for each vertical or program 
• Break down state plan into district goals and create a format for district level targets, milestones and plans 
• Review district plans and targets 
• Create process monitoring checks, rubrics and frameworks to ensure smooth implementation
• Create a stakeholder engagement and communication plan
• Coordinate with other teams and operations counterparts to ensure smooth implementation

Program Operations and Delivery (25%)

• Conduct school and training venue visits to ensure smooth program implementation based on operational plans
• Facilitate sessions in trainings as required
• Modify program plans and delivery as per insights from the field 
• Troubleshoot field and implementation related issues as they arise during implementation either with team members
• Ensure and oversee Implementation of all aspects of monitoring, data collection and reporting as planned by the project leadership

Team Management (25%). 

• Manage a team of 8-10 Implementation Co-ordinators focusing on their deliverables and professional support and development
• Conduct timely individual and team meetings to sustain a culture of collaboration, belief in public systems and strong accountability and timely project delivery 
• Support team members to improve their work through co-working, observations and regular constructive feedback 
• Support HR with state level implementation of organizational structures and documentation

Stakeholder Management (20%)

• Work with concerned SSA, SCERT and DIET leadership, subject experts and other government stakeholders to build long-lasting, trust-based relationships that aid project operations and increase impact as per stakeholder engagement plan
• Assist the officers to draft proceedings to enable smooth program implementation and reporting
• Follow-up with state level government officials and other partners on all aspects of the project 
• Work with a mindset of co-creation to enable capacity and ownership of government stakeholders 
• Conduct regular update meetings with stakeholders and provide progress towards goals of the relevant programs in a consumable format to all stakeholders

Requirements

Education & Experience

• Degree in education / teacher development or related discipline. Masters’ degree mandatory
• 6-10 Years of experience leading large scale training programs, preferably with the government or with government school teachers
• Should have led at least 1-2 projects in the government education sector, at the State/district level
• Proven experience in project management and operations
• Experience working in Andhra Pradesh / Telangana would be preferable

Important: Given the nature of the project please apply only if you qualify based on above requirements

Knowledge, Skills & Capabilities

• Excellent written and oral communication skills – and a functional knowledge (oral and written) of Telugu would be highly preferred 
• Being able to take initiative and work in an autonomous, semi-structured environment
• Belief in the potential of the public sector and that government systems can and will change towards overcoming systemic inequities and ensuring improved outcomes for all citizens 
• Working experience or knowledge of public policy implementation would be highly preferred 
• A basic understanding of social equity, development discourse and education policy in India
• Adaptability to changing responsibilities and resourcefulness to respond to them
• High openness to learning and collaboration
• Ability to influence people, taking initiatives, build and sustain relationships with multiple stakeholders & partners across public and private spaces
• Strong ability to create outstanding presentations, work with Microsoft Excel & Google Suite
• Patience and resilience to stick it out in the face of setbacks and uncertainties

Location and Compensation

Location: Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh. Frequent travel to rural areas across the state.   

Compensation: Apart from being a part of a young and dynamic learning team, the individual will receive a healthy compensation at par with the non-profit sector benchmark for this position, commensurate with the individual’s prior experience and qualifications. The current compensation band offered, based on fit and experience is 12-15 lakh INR per annum CTC.

Leadership For Equity is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Prohibits Discrimination and Harassment of Any Kind. We do not discriminate on the basis of caste, race, religion, colour, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other non-merit factor.