Job Opportunity for Project Lead/ Senior Project Lead at Central Square Foundation (CSF) in Gandhinagar, Gujarat

## Project Lead/ Senior Project Lead – Strategic Support States (FLN) 

**About Central Square Foundation (CSF)**

Central Square Foundation (CSF) is a non-profit philanthropic foundation established in 2012 with a vision of ensuring quality school education for all children in India.  CSF is committed to transforming the education system, particularly focusing on improving learning outcomes for children from low-income communities. The organization believes that universal, early mastery of foundational skills (FLN) is critical for the overall success of the education system.

**Job Location:** Gandhinagar, Gujarat

**Job Summary**

This position plays a critical role in supporting the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, specifically focusing on the Foundation Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) initiative.  The successful candidate will work closely with the Gujarat state government to achieve ambitious goals for FLN, ensuring all learners in Grade 3 achieve proficiency by 2025. 

**Key Responsibilities:**

* Collaborate with the Gujarat state government to achieve milestones outlined in the NEP 2020, particularly around FLN and NIPUN Bharat.

* Engage directly and indirectly with senior political, bureaucratic, and education leaders in the state to foster alignment, focus, and action toward achieving FLN mission goals.

* Activate and implement major workstreams and interventions in the state, consulting with stakeholders:

    * Goal setting and communication for learning (system assessments, baselines)

    * Development of teaching and learning materials for primary grades

    * Capacity building programs for teachers, academic staff, and officers

    * Establishment of district governance mechanisms and institutional structures for implementation

    * Development of monitoring systems and processes to track progress

* Lead and potentially build a team, managing their work and performance.

* Conduct ongoing program monitoring and reporting to key stakeholders.

* Support capacity-building initiatives including workshops and learning modules for diverse stakeholders.

**Required Qualifications, Skills, and Abilities:**

* Strong academic background with a Bachelor’s/Master’s degree (preferred) in social sciences, management, or related fields from a reputable institution.

* 6-12 years of progressive hands-on experience in a demanding corporate or non-profit environment, leading projects end-to-end, managing diverse teams, and influencing multiple stakeholders.

* Proven experience implementing social sector projects with state governments, demonstrating measurable results and outcomes.

* Experience managing diverse and senior stakeholders in the state, including Secretaries, State Project Directors, Directors, Academicians, Consultants, and NGOs.

* Excellent action-oriented, influencing, and communication skills. Ability to synthesize technical insights into actionable program agendas, facilitate diverse viewpoints, and drive collective decision-making.

* Exceptional people and project delivery skills, including the ability to drive execution, manage multiple workstreams simultaneously, and confidently influence internal and external stakeholders.

* Demonstrated entrepreneurial spirit and “can-do” attitude. Hands-on operating style well-suited to working in a small organization setting where teamwork and resourcefulness are highly valued.

* Willingness to adapt to a dynamic work environment and travel.

* Basic Gujarati reading, writing, and speaking skills.

**Compensation**

Remuneration will be competitive with Indian philanthropy pay scales and will depend on the candidate’s experience levels.