Job ID: 303255

Program Manager – ITI and Vocational Education

Azim Premji Foundation

Location: Bengaluru, Karnataka

Apply by: 05 Oct 2026

Relevant Sectors

Administration, HR, Management, Accounting/Finance

Capacity Building, Training, Advocacy

Social, Gender, Education, Youth, Child

Job Description

Program Manager – ITI and Vocational Education

The Program Manager will work on the execution of the ITI and Vocational Education strategy, translating the overall strategy into a structured and actionable program. The role involves continuously refining the strategy into a comprehensive roadmap that guides implementation as the initiative evolves.

This is a strategic yet hands on role, suited for someone who is comfortable navigating ambiguity, driving cross functional collaboration, and building systems and processes in a program that is still taking shape.

Key Responsibilities

Own and continuously refine the Program Strategy as a comprehensive, iterative master document capturing an evolving view of how the economy is changing, what skills will be needed, and what training interventions are required.
Translate strategy into an actionable workplan and track progress.
Work with the team and support recruitment and onboarding of the Services and ITI-facing Resource Persons.
Build and manage relationships with Govt departments, industry bodies, and training partners
Lead advocacy efforts, potentially including conferences and forums with MSDE and industry partners, to build consensus around skilling reform and publish findings.
Engage with the 2–3 pilot Government ITIs in North Karnataka and Bengaluru, ensuring ground-level learning feeds back into the strategy.
Prepare structured reporting for internal leadership and external stakeholders; organize and lead monthly review meetings.
Represent the initiative in external meetings. Will need to have good written communication skills.

Required Qualification and experience

Prior experience working specifically in a Program Manager or equivalent leadership role, owning an initiative's direction, timelines, and outcomes.
Demonstrated writing experience, having authored reports, strategy notes, policy documents, or similar written deliverables that were used by others to make decisions.
Demonstrated experience managing multi-stakeholder relationships, including with government departments.
Experience of directly managing a team and being accountable for a team's delivery.
6–10 years of overall experience in program or project management, in the social sector, public policy, strategy consulting, or a related field.
Prior experience does not need to be specific to skilling or vocational education; strong, transferable program management ability matters more than sector background.
An undergraduate degree in Engineering or a postgraduate degree in engineering, management, economics, or related backgrounds is welcome. Relevant skills, experience, and demonstrated problem-solving ability are valued more than a specific academic qualification.
Location – Bengaluru. Should also be willingness to travel extensively within and outside Karnataka.