Job Opportunity for Project Associate, Nashik District Transformation Project at Leader for Equity in Nashik

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 poorest-of-the-poor 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 organisations will help bring scalable and sustainable social change.

Job Description and Responsibilities

We see the Project Associate role at LFE to be a highly aspirational role where the scope to learn about and create impact at a systemic level is immense. The Project Associate will work with the Project Manager to play a critical leadership role in ensuring planning for and execution of the responsibilities listed below. They include but are not limited to: 

Planning and Execution (60%) 

• Work on planning/designing the overall project strategy in conjunction with the Project Manager 
• Work with government stakeholders to design interventions that align with government needs as well as LFE’s project design.
• Work with government teachers/teacher mentors for their development as per the plan
• Execute the project strategy in coordination with government stakeholders at Zilla Parishad and DIET, Nashik.

Stakeholder Management (20%)

• Work with government stakeholders right from the District education officer of Nashik Zilla Parishad, Principal of Nashik DIET to on-ground officers’ team of cluster heads, block education officers to build long-lasting relationships that aid project operations and expansion plans
• Manage a team of teachers, teacher mentors to execute the project and also bring about their professional development
• Plan and execute quarterly update meetings with stakeholders and provide progress towards goals of the project to all stakeholders

Data analysis & Documentation (10%)

• Support manager/M&E team to implement tools platform partners to link created content based on requirements
• Analyse data from field 
• Creation of reports for stakeholders and funders

Monitoring & Evaluation (10%) 

• Circulate tools to measure the effectiveness of ongoing projects
• Support team to analyze the data to provide ongoing insights to internal and external teams
• Support in compiling project impact reports from impact data

Requirements

Education & Experience

• Minimum of 2-3 years of experience in planning and executing projects 
• Experience of working in Maharashtra with government stakeholders would be preferable
• Experience of designing and facilitating trainings
• A degree or experience in education sector

Knowledge, Skills & Capabilities

• Excellent written and oral communication skills – and functional knowledge (oral and written) of Marathi would be highly preferred
• Strong facilitation skills to conduct engaging meetings and training sessions with government stakeholders
• Strong ability to create outstanding presentations, work with Microsoft Excel, Google Suite, and varied data sets
• 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
• A basic understanding of social equity, development discourse and education policy in India
• Being able to take initiative and work in an autonomous, semi-structured environment
• Adaptability to changing responsibilities and resourcefulness to respond to them
• High openness to learning
• Ability to build and sustain relationships with multiple stakeholders & partners across public and private spaces
• Patience and resilience to stick it out in the face of setbacks and uncertainties

Location and Compensation

Location: Nashik. Frequent travel across the district. 

Compensation: Range of salary: Expected to be around 4.0-5.0 lakh INR per annum based on experience.