Senior Manager - Strategy/Implementation - NGO

Key Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

- Design program strategy and approach

- Identify key gaps in the state education system and devise evidence-based solutions to address them

- Work with government counterparts to design actionable implementation plan with clear timeline, budget targets and division of responsibilities between team members

- Co-design M&E framework with clearly defined performance indicators, targets and milestones

- Stakeholder management

- Act as an interface between key stakeholders, including Central Committee, State Steering Committee, government officials, program partner, donors and other implementation partners (e.g. non-profits)

- Develop strong working relationships with state government officials, including Principal Secretary, State Directors etc.

- Conduct periodic update meetings/check-ins with stakeholders to communicate program progress

- On-ground implementation and monitoring

- Oversee and guide Consultants in executing the program strategy

- Coordinate with partners (government officials, NGOs etc.) to deliver on program objectives

- Enable implementation partners, including government officials, to meet outcome, budget and timeline targets. Ensure availability, timely deployment and efficient utilization of resources

- Identify operational bottlenecks and weaknesses, wherever applicable, and devise work-around strategies

- Track program progress on key indicators according to the M&E framework

- Ensure quality of documents prepared by team members, including reports, presentations, proposals etc.

- knowledge and capacity-building

- Ensure effective transfer on knowledge from the big 3 to team,

- Understand key aspects of strategy, such as which programs work, as well as ways to scale interventions, monitor program outcomes, improve governance structures and sustain govt. relations

- Synthesize best practices and program learnings to strengthen institutional knowledge and support thought leadership activities

- Support grant management activities, through proposals, donor reports, concept notes etc.

- Represent the firm at key forums such as meeting and conferences at the state/regional/national level

- Provide effective mentoring to team members (Managers) to develop their skills and capabilities

- Framework and process creation for selection of new NGOs to work with the State

- Establishing an onboarding process for new NGO partnerships

- Establishing a review process based on NGO's execution of ongoing intervention for existing current State-NGO partnerships

- Streamlining MoU review process by having standardised templates for bipartite and tripartite agreements. Setting up clear review timelines by the State and NGOs.

- Framework creation for monitoring and evaluation of NGO programs, in order to assess effectiveness and impact.

- Creating common reporting templates for NGOs working with Samagra Shiksha, Tripura. The reports will be required to be submitted to the State Project Office at agreed intervals.

- Visiting NGO programs to understand NGO intervention, mapping of performance with agreed-upon KPIs, etc.

- Facilitating setting up of a steering committee within the department to oversee and manage the NGOs. This committee should meet every quarter to monitor the progress of the NGOs.

- Recommending partnership alignment/ consolidation/ termination based on the efficiencies of interventions.

- Coordinating with the State team, technical support teams and the NGOs in setting up an online NGOs program dashboard.

- Coordinating with the State MIS team (if applicable), technical support teams and the NGOs in building an end-to-end MIS solution and web application for NGO partnerships management.

Required Qualifications, Skills and Abilities:

- MBA or MPP/MPA

- 4 to 8 years of work experience with track record of high achievement

- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills

- Excellent project management skills: ability to manage projects & delivery schedules

- Ability to handle large scale programs, and handle multiple stakeholders

- Experience in leading high performing teams

- Prior exposure to education sector, public sector, development sector, or consulting is desirable

- High level of spoken and written fluency in English and Hindi

Desired Qualities:

- Strong alignment to work towards ensuring quality education to all children

- Drive to excel in every aspect of work with high level of innovation and strong perseverance

- Ability to be rational in taking smart risks and being nimble

- Ability to adapt and exhibit confidence in a highly evolving, agile and fast paced work environment

- High level of collaboration and consistent passion for work and a positive attitude

- Entrepreneurial spirit and - can-do- attitude

- Operating style suited to working in a small-organization setting, where teamwork and resourcefulness are highly valued

- Excellent leadership skills, including ability to manage multiple projects at a time.

- 3 to 5 years of work experience. Prior exposure to either the education sector, public sector, development sector, or consulting is desirable though not a core requirement

- Excellent project management skills- ability to independently manage projects and delivery schedules

- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills

- Prior Monitoring & Evaluation experience is an added advantage

- Ability to handle multiple stakeholders within and outside government
 
- Keenness, patience and maturity to work with governments

- Fluency in Hindi and English. Knowledge of Bangla is an added advantage

Functional Details:

- 5+ years of work experience in strategy, strategic partnerships & project implementation to lead their education vertical;

- Has a strong understanding & experience of working on engagement plans, strategies for the organisation;

- Prior experience of directly working with Government stakeholders including Principal Secretary, state directors etc;

- Strong analytical & problem-solving skills

- Excellent project management skills: ability to manage projects & delivery schedules

- Prior exposure to the education sector, public sector, development sector, or consulting is desirable