Job Opportunity for Project Manager at Central Square Foundation in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India

## Project Manager, State Reform (Bhopal)

 

**About Central Square Foundation:**

 

Central Square Foundation (CSF) is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the learning outcomes of all school-going children in India. Established in 2012, CSF works through system-led reforms, focusing on innovation, policy, practice, and large-scale learning impact. Their core focus lies in Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN), driving collaborative efforts with 11 state governments to design and implement statewide FLN Missions.

 

CSF prioritizes EdTech integration to enhance in-class and at-home learning, establishing evidence-based practices and utilizing AI to augment learning outcomes. They are committed to Early Childhood Education (ECE) reforms, recognizing its critical role in laying a strong foundation for children’s learning journey. CSF also works on School Governance, strengthening the country’s education landscape by extending its system-level approach to children in both private and government schools.

 

**The Mission:**

 

CSF aims to reduce learning poverty in India by working towards improving the outcomes of children in FLN. This involves:

 

* Working with national and state governments to prioritize FLN as a critical reform area.

* Establishing project management units at national and state levels to address critical workstreams impacting classroom practice, teacher capacity building, state monitoring systems, and system assessments.

* Investing in strategic EdTech interventions to improve FLN both at home and in school.

* Developing public goods for free adoption by any state government.

* Fostering a FLN partner ecosystem in India to encourage collective action supporting national and state governments.

* Continuously exploring solutions to improve governance, such as phone-based assessments and district project management units.

 

**”FLN State Reform” in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Madhya Pradesh:**

 

Central Square Foundation has developed a comprehensive playbook to support state governments in implementing large-scale reform initiatives. This involves close collaboration with the State Project Directors’ offices and the development of a 5 to 7-year roadmap to transform critical workstreams.

 

CSF has been working closely with the education departments of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Haryana since 2019. Their initial playbook in these states was adopted by the Ministry of Education when they launched the NIPUN Bharat mission. As of March 2023, CSF has achieved significant progress in all three states, including:

 

* Establishing a unique coalition with partner organizations like Samagra Governance, The Education Alliance, Language Learning Foundation, Room to Read, and Vikramshilla.

* Improving all FLN materials used in classrooms across the three states.

* Introducing assessment-informed instruction.

* Implementing comprehensive continuous teacher training programs.

* Establishing a cadre of cluster-level mentors to provide regular support to teachers.

* Developing a comprehensive foundational learning monitoring system.

* Setting up a monthly review structure to track progress.

* Supporting all three states in conducting regular student FLN achievement surveys.

 

**Project Manager Role:**

 

The FLN reforms in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Haryana are managed by the “State Reform Team” within the Central Square Foundation. This team operates from Delhi, Lucknow, Bhopal, and Panchkula. As CSF progresses further into the NIPUN Bharat mission, they will also undertake assignments and projects in districts.

 

A Project Manager works under a project lead and collaborates with other project managers to execute workstreams. These workstreams typically span multiple years and consist of sub-projects involving government stakeholders at the state, district, and block levels. Coordination with partner organizations in the coalition may also be required.

 

**Responsibilities:**

 

Project Managers may work on one or more of the following workstreams:

 

1. **FLN Academic Materials and School-based Assessments:**

    * Designing materials with state resource groups.

    * Managing procurement, printing, and delivery of materials to schools.

    * Iterating the design based on field feedback.

2. **Teacher Professional Development:**

    * Designing training materials and manuals with state training groups.

    * Monitoring training cascades to ensure all teachers participate.

    * Designing a digital training calendar on Diksha.

3. **Mentoring Programs for Teachers:**

    * Identifying and training mentors.

    * Designing and implementing a school visit protocol with an app-based observation tool.

4. **System Assessment of FLN Outcomes:**

    * Developing the learning outcome framework for assessments.

    * Designing assessment items with state resource groups.

    * Developing an app for assessors.

    * Analyzing assessments, generating district reports, and providing insights for reviews.

    * Setting district goals and communicating them to stakeholders.

5. **FLN Monitoring System:**

    * Developing a monitoring framework and tender document for a vendor.

    * Managing the vendor and overseeing the development of tech tools and dashboards.

    * Field-testing the tech tools and preparing for launch.

    * Training stakeholders in data collection using the tools.

    * Generating monthly reports for district and block reviews.

    * Running continuous data quality improvement projects.

6. **Managing FLN Fellow’s Projects:**

    * Supporting Fellow placement in districts through induction sessions.

    * Managing Fellow progress on projects in each district.

    * Troubleshooting program challenges and collaborating with the state mission director.

    * Iterating the design of the fellowship program.

7. **Delivering CSF-led District Accelerator Programs:**

    * Collaborating with CDO and CEO to devise plans for mission adoption.

    * Executing CSF’s playbook to enhance governance structure.

    * Building capacity of BEOs and mentors.

8. **Delivering Central Team Projects to Support State Teams:**

    * Managing monitoring data collection and analysis.

    * Supporting talent acquisition and retention projects.

    * Executing a PMU performance management program.

    * Supporting fundraising and donor management activities.

 

**Ideal Candidate Profile:**

 

* Bachelor’s degree from a reputed university; Master’s degree preferred.

* Prior experience working with government stakeholders.

* 2 to 4 years of post-qualification work experience, preferably with a government entity, demonstrating strong project delivery and management skills.

* Ability to analyze complex problems, develop solutions, and make recommendations.

* Action-oriented mindset with strong planning skills and the ability to meet deadlines.

* Excellent communication skills in English and Hindi.

* Ability to build and maintain collaborative relationships with government stakeholders.

* Ability to identify and address execution gaps in a timely manner.

* Prior exposure to the education sector, public/development sector, or consulting is preferred. 

* Mission-driven, optimistic, and enthusiastic with a belief in achieving transformational change.

* Willingness to be based in Bhopal with regular travel to Delhi and districts in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Haryana.

 

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

 

**Location:** Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India

 

**To Apply:** Please visit the Central Square Foundation website for application details.