Job Opportunity for Project Co-ordinator: PCMC PMU at Leadership for Equity in Pune

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 13 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 organisations will help bring scalable and sustainable social change.

About The Akanksha Foundation

Akanksha Foundation‘s mission is to build a network of high performing and innovative schools to empower children from low income communities and to influence the ecosystem.

Akanksha Foundation is currently running 27 schools in partnership with 5 municipal corporations in Maharashtra and has established credibility through impact on children and communities. We’ve recently adopted a strategic framework of Prove, Multiply and Amplify – to develop “city as a unit of change”. The coming academic year is appropriate for Akanksha to influence the city’s public schools system especially post the launch of NEP 2020 and because of our continued strong  partnership with a few municipal corporations. 

We believe Akanksha’s processes and practices can be codified and scaled to impact the government schools using our schools as models + by partnering with like-minded, such as LFE,  organisations that strengthen the administrative support. Akanksha Foundation has been looking to expand its “full school adoption” model – beyond Pune & Mumbai over the last two years, on a cost sharing basis to replicate the success in Navi Mumbai MC. The rationale is to invest in city governments to see “model schools” as a viable PPP model (with cost sharing) in the journey of reform for the entire city’s school system.

Akanksha Foundation is currently running 27 schools in partnership with various municipal corporations in Maharashtra,

• 6 with Pune MC
• 5 with Pimpri Chinchwad MC
• 9 with Greater Mumbai MC
• 1 with Navi Mumbai MC
• 6 with Nagpur MC

About the project

LFE & The Akanksha Foundation are coming together to support the Pimpri-Chinchwad & Nagpur Municipal Corporation, with an ambitious plan to revamp the education system into a high performing schools system for serving children from underserved communities. Supporting this project is a multi-organisational project focused on improving the quality of teaching and learning in classrooms. The project aims to enhance learning and wellbeing of all children in PCMC schools.

Job Description and Responsibilities

Associates will work with the Program Manager, government stakeholders and external partner(s) to ensure goals set by the Education Department in PCMC are achieved. Additionally, they will collaborate with external partners and members across different departments in PCMC as and when required. 

The key responsibilities are as follows:

Project Management and implementation support (50%)

• Supporting senior officers within the Project Management Unit in all aspects of programme delivery including arranging and attending meetings, taking minutes and co-ordinating actions arising from the meetings, and dealing with routine questions and issues appropriate to the grade.  
• Providing research, co-ordination and liaison support to implement strategic plan under education department;  
• Drafting impact report for the initiatives undertaken by the department
• Providing advice, guidance and support to senior managers throughout all Departments and
• Statutory Boards in all aspects of the progress of Capital Schemes through Government’s concurrence process;  
• Liaising with Consultants, Contractors and Departments in connection with quality check for academic programs
• Conduct regular supervisory field office visits to assess the status of project activities or to participate in technical or evaluation work.

Technical Responsibilities (50%)

• Apply in-depth education technical expertise to projects’ technical goals and objectives and other programmatic efforts
• Advise on the design, development, and quality control of academic activities and deliverables
• Track, analyze, and share the latest international evidence and development trends and priorities with regard to reading, particularly in developing country contexts
• Participate in the design, implementation, and analysis of key research agendas for PCMC projects
• Participate in and contributes to industry forums, such as technical working groups, conferences, learning events, and social media outreach initiatives
• Serve as a technical mentor in developing the technical capacity of officers within the system and serves as a technical expert in education programs.

Qualifications

• Minimum 2-3 years of project management, or technically relevant work experience in education required
• Master’s degree in education, education policy and planning, or a degree in reading, literacy, and/or curriculum and teaching preferred
• 1-2 years working on implementing programs on the field. Experience in education preferred
• Demonstrated technical expertise in literacy or reading required, with expertise in understanding teacher challenges in urban schools
• Demonstrated experience in technically relevant monitoring and evaluation
• Demonstrated knowledge of trends in relevant areas, donor initiatives and programs
• Demonstrated ability to communicate clearly and concisely both orally and in writing in English and Marathi. This includes public presentations and contributions to publications
• Demonstrated ability to build and manage working relationships with government stakeholders, NGOs/partners, and technical experts
• Ability to solve complex technical, managerial or operational problems and evaluate options based on relevant information, resources, well-rounded experience, and knowledge
• Demonstrated ability to problem solve and develop solutions independently
• Strong knowledge of MS Office applications
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
• Demonstrated leadership, integrity and versatility

Location and Compensation

Location: PCMC, Pune

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.

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.