Role: State Manager – Policy & Strategic Initiatives
Nature of employment: Full-time
Reporting to: Senior Program Manager
Location: Odisha
About ChangeInkk
ChangeInkk’s mission is on a mission to unlock potential of individuals with learning disabilities such as dyslexia, impacting an estimated 200 million Indians, to accelerate innovation and economic growth.
We work at the intersection of government, education, tech, employment, entrepreneurship & innovation, with a focus on shifting mindsets & systematic transformation. We support the Government of India and States for inclusive policy implementation.
We are building equitable ecosystems that mainstream inclusion of over 200 million Indians with learning disabilities, unlocking their potential as they transition from classrooms to pursue careers—careers that fuel innovation, economic growth, and drive India’s journey to Viksit Bharat 2047.
We believe their contributions are vital for India to reach a $10 trillion economy. After all, despite struggles with language processing, dyslexics have shaped the world, constituting 40% of self-made millionaires and pioneering inventors.
Our mission is to establish inclusive ecosystems that not only support these individuals, but unlock their true potential, from early stages to their careers. Engaging with diverse stakeholders, including individuals, parents, educators, employers, policymakers, and industry leaders, our interventions include:
- Strengthening public policy and governance for systems transformation
- Providing advisory services to institutional partners
- Building capacities of stakeholders
- Implementing catalytic lighthouse programmes to plug gaps
- ChangeInkk the narrative through sensitization and advocacy
- Undertaking research and publishing toolkits and reports
Since our inception just over three years ago, ChangeInkk has rapidly emerged as a catalyst for systemic inclusion in India.
- Our inclusion approach has been showcased to the Hon’ble Prime Minister and actively engaged with 5 Ministries, 10 government departments, and 6 States & UTs.
- 50+ critical policies passed, unlocking ?500 Cr+ for inclusive education for SLDs
- Enabled 87% reduction in the SLD diagnosis time
- SLD inclusion embedded in national tech and AI missions, aligning education with workforce readiness , strengthened the ecosystem to develop AI-driven solutions to address SLD needs at scale.
- Enabled a nationwide 60% increase in teachers trained to educate children with special needs, including SLDs.
- Partnered with the Department of Higher Education to launch a National Scheme ensuring every centrally funded institute is inclusive for students with SLDs—already strengthening 130+ higher education institutions and 17,000+ faculty members.
- We have built the capacities of 8+ lakh stakeholders and supported 150 organizations to adopt a dyslexic lens.
- Collaborated with 1,600+ employers and leading industry bodies for #DyslexicThinking powered workforce
- Through our #Speak4Dyslexia and #Act4Dyslexia campaigns, we have inspired widespread government and industry adoption, achieving an organic reach of over 1 billion people.
- Designed and implementing lighthouse programs for early identification of SLD, transforming education institutions to be inclusive exemplar institutions (school & higher ed).
In just four years, these milestones mark the beginning of our journey to transform India into a truly inclusive nation—where dyslexic potential fuels innovation and economic growth.
About the Role
We are seeking dynamic and highly motivated individuals to join our State Program Teams as Program Managers. The successful candidates will play a pivotal role providing the State government policy input, as well as planning, execution, and management of our organization's strategic lighthouse programs at the state levels. This includes programs for early identification, state technical & policy action, model inclusive districts, institutional strengthening for exemplar educational institutions (school and higher education), and an #Inclusion4Innovation entrepreneurship initiative. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to transformative initiatives that drive learning outcomes, innovation and economic growth.
This role requires:
- Strong government relationship management and policy administration
- Strategic thinking and problem solving
- Strong leadership and ability to drive transformation
- Out of the box thinking for innovative initiatives
Roles & Responsibilities
Policy & Technical Support to Government Departments
- Support government departments to implement, fund, monitor interventions for inclusion of individuals with learning disabilities.
- Strong understanding of how state governments work, with ability to study and analyze current policies, schemes and budgets.
- Able to understand and map government processing, analyzing gap areas to be addressed, and influencing policy action and systems transformation to plug these gaps.
Problem-Solving:
- Demonstrate exceptional problem-solving skills to address challenges and obstacles encountered during implementation of policies and programmes.
- Proactively identify and implement effective solutions to ensure the success of strategic initiatives
Strategic Planning and Design:
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to contribute to the conceptualization and design of flagship programs and strategic initiatives.
- Assist in developing detailed program plans, timelines, and key performance indicators.
- Develop comprehensive program plans, ensuring alignment with organizational strategies.
Implementation Oversight:
- Takes ownership of day-to-day execution of flagship programs, ensuring alignment with programme goals and objectives.
- Monitor program progress, address challenges, and implement corrective measures as needed.
Budget Management:
- Oversee the budgeting process for flagship programs, ensuring financial resources are allocated effectively.
- Monitor expenditures, identify cost-saving opportunities, and ensure adherence to budgetary constraints.
Stakeholder Engagement:
- Engage with internal and external stakeholders, fostering relationships and ensuring collaboration throughout the program lifecycle.
- Communicate effectively with team members, leadership, and partners to achieve program objectives.
Monitoring and Evaluation:
- Establish and implement a robust monitoring and evaluation framework for flagship programs.
- Conduct regular assessments to track program performance against predetermined metrics and indicators, provide insights into program impact and effectiveness.
- Prepare comprehensive reports for internal and external stakeholders, highlighting achievements, challenges, and key learnings.
Continuous Improvement:
- Proactively identify opportunities for process improvements and efficiencies in implementation of various interventions.
- Contribute to the development and refinement of best practices for flagship program management.
Cross-Functional Collaboration:
- Collaborate with teams across the organization, including public policy, research, strategy, and communications, to ensure seamless coordination and integration of initiatives.
Innovation and Creativity:
- Bring a creative and innovative mindset to the team, contributing fresh ideas and approaches to enhance the impact of flagship programs.
Risk Management:
- Identify potential risks and challenges associated with program implementation.
- Develop risk mitigation strategies and work collaboratively to address unforeseen issues.
Eligibility Criteria
- Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field is required; a postgraduate degree is strongly preferred in areas such as Public Policy, Education, Urban Policy/Planning, Development Studies, Economics, Social Policy, Public Administration, Governance, International Development, or other allied disciplines.
- 3-5 years, 5-7+ years,7-10+ years of proven experience in program management, project execution, or strategic initiatives, with the central or state government.
- Candidates must demonstrate experience in government relationship, policy advisory, program design and implementation, and education sector reforms.
- Proficient in use of technology, including emerging technologies like AI.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in a cross-functional team environment.
- Fluent in Official State language.
Travel: Will require moderate travel within the state and central office.
Skills & Attributes
- Self-motivated with passion for public administration and systems transformation
- Strong organizational and multitasking abilities.
- Results-oriented and able to thrive in a fast-paced environment.
- Ability to meet deadlines and deliver high-quality work within specified timeframes.
- Excellent people management skills, with proven ability to manage external and internal stakeholders effectively.
- Strategic thinker with a proactive approach to problem-solving.
- Adaptable and open to embracing innovative approaches.
Compensation
Remuneration will be competitive with the development sector's pay scales and will depend upon the candidate’s qualifications and experience.
Apply
We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. Individuals with learning disabilities and other neurodiverse conditions are encouraged to apply. We are dedicated to providing reasonable accommodations to support the success of all our team members. If you require specific accommodations during the application process, please feel free to reach out to our HR department to discuss your needs confidentially.