Job Description:

The Role:

You will lead Avantis government partnerships in Tamil Nadu and Karnatakatwo large systems with existing state-funded CoE and test-prep programs. This is a senior leadership role at the intersection of government relationships, execution, and PMU leadership.

Your mandate is to increase state ownership and investment, unblock permissions and operations, and build dependable statewide systems for CoEs, tests, form-filling, results, counselling, and trackingso state spend translates into measurable student outcomes.

Reporting to: Director - Government Relations

Direct reports: State Program Manager(s), PMU leads (TN & KA), Partnership/Operations (total team size 15-20)

What Youll Actually Do:

This role is heavy on real execution. You will:

- Own senior government relationships (Secretaries, Directors, key departmental heads) and use crisp evidence to secure decisions on budgets, permissions, and priorities.

- Position Avanti as a long-term technical partner and close commitments that move funding/ownership into the state.

- Open and operationalize CoEs in state residential/model institutions: approvals, access, staffing alignment, facility readiness, and ongoing governance.

- Run a tight permissions/action tracker with state counterparts and close blockers fast.

- Lead and strengthen state PMUs (program, ops, data): hiring, KRAs, cadence, performance management, and on-ground problem solving.

- Set review rhythms (weekly/fortnightly/monthly) with the state and ensure action closure, not just meetings.

- Build form-filling systems that hit near-100% completion for eligible students, including fee-waiver/state-funding coordination where applicable.

- Make result capture reliable: collect, validate, aggregate, and integrate into dashboards and review packs.

- Embed counselling and longitudinal tracking into state processes; coordinate scholarships/forms/placements with relevant state agencies.

- Own dashboards and briefing packs that senior officials actually use; translate data into clear asks and next actions.

- Ensure data quality and governance from field PMU Avanti state systems.

- Keep equity non-negotiable: transparent selection/migration, supports for non-CoE students, and outcome monitoring by subgroup.

Who Were Looking For:

Youll likely do well here if you have:

- Experience: 8-12 years in government partnerships, state education systems, PMU/program operations, or adjacent roleswith credible senior-state engagement.

- Experience of running large, multi-stakeholder programs; exposure to CoEs/residential schools/test series is a strong plus.

- Strong comfort with data and dashboardsand the ability to use them to influence decisions.

- People leadership: Hiring, developing managers, setting clear expectations, and delivering through teams.

- Strength in bureaucratic navigation, structured execution (SOPs/timelines), systems thinking, equity orientation, and cross-functional collaboration.

- Qualification: A relevant degree (Masters preferred) in Public Policy, Education, Management, Development Studies, Social Work, or equivalent.