Job Description
Role Title : Senior Program Officer
Location : Ranchi - JH
Reporting To : State Head
Core / Field : Core
ORGANIZATION BACKGROUND:
Centre for Catalyzing Change (C3), is a not for profit organization that works to improve the lives of women and girls in India. Through local partnerships and programs, C3’s proven approach to development gives women, adolescents, especially young girls the tools they need to improve their lives, as well as that of their families and communities. Our programs focus on increasing educational and livelihood opportunities for adolescent girls, ensuring access to lifesaving reproductive health information and services, and empowering women to become leaders in their communities.
POSITION SUMMARY:
The Senior Program Officer, Jharkhand will lead the execution of C3’s Girls’ Education and Gender Equity Initiative across the state, with responsibility for strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, capacity building, and results-driven implementation. Based in Ranchi and reporting to the State Head, the Senior Program Officer will oversee district teams (12), Provide support to State Head in coordination with government and civil society partners as directed, and ensure effective use of data for adaptive program management. This leadership role demands a strong grasp of education systems, gender-transformative approaches, and policy engagement to drive sustainable change in girls'''' education and empowerment across Jharkhand.
Key Roles & Responsibilities:
1. Program Leadership :
• Assist in the planning, implementation, documentation and tracking of all project activities in Jharkhand, aligned with the initiative’s strategic objectives with State Head.
• In the direction of State Head, SPO will also work with the PMU team to ensure timely and quality delivery of interventions, including curriculum co-creation includes carrier counselling, skilling, community engagement, and policy work.
• Supervise and Manage the district team (12) to ensure timely and quality delivery of interventions, including curriculum co-creation, skilling, community engagement, and policy work related with SMCs, VETs and CCTs.
• Facilitate effective internal coordination, data use, and adaptive program management within the state.
• Take a lead role in the piloting of GTA content in selected schools with support of district team. Extend valuable contribution in development of IEC strategies at state level, Support in development of various assessment tools and studies in the favour of project requirement with support of team, Extend strategic direction in preparation of Model schools across the nominated districts with support of the team.
• Take a lead role in any kind of Donor and government visit to the program intervention districts.
2. Stakeholder Coordination :
• Provide support to State Head as and if required with state government departments (Education, Women & Child Development, Social Welfare, etc.), and development partners.
• Engage with district-level authorities, education officers, and PRI bodies to ensure convergence and sustained collaboration.
• Lead the formation and facilitation of the “Winning Coalition” to promote collective impact through multi-stakeholder alignment for girls'''' education.
3. Capacity Building :
• Design and implement training and capacity development programs for government stakeholders, SMCs, CCTS, VET and grassroots leaders.
• Ensure the integration of gender-transformative content into all training modules, particularly those targeted at SMCs and school governance bodies.
• Promote increased participation and leadership of women within SMCs, in alignment with RTE and NEP mandates.
4. Monitoring and Evaluation :
• Provide support in establishment of a comprehensive M&E framework to assess progress on key indicators, including SMC engagement, gender equity, CCTs, VETs and school retention.
• Lead baseline, mid line, and end line assessments; use data to inform strategic decisions and refine implementation approaches.
• Prepare all kind of reports (Weekly, Fortnightly, Monthly, Quarterly and Yearly report) and dashboards for internal and external stakeholders.
5. Resource Mobilization :
• Ensure optimal utilization of financial and human resources to maximize program outcomes.
• Track budget allocations and expenditure in alignment with project planning and donor requirements.
• Support the development of proposals, budgets, and donor engagement documents when needed.
6. Advocacy and Policy Support :
• Support the creation of policy notes, briefs, and recommendations to advocate for institutional reforms in school governance and girls’ education.
• Engage with government committees and working groups to influence state education policy, particularly on SMC strengthening, conditional entitlements, and vocational integration.
• Document and disseminate case studies, lessons learned, and innovations from the field to influence larger policy and program conversations.
Note: The roles and responsibilities mentioned above are not exhaustive. Role holder will be guided to perform different tasks as necessitated by changing role within the organization and the overall objectives.
Required Qualifications & Skills :
• Master’s degree in Social Sciences, Education, Development Studies, Public Policy, or related field.
• Minimum 10+ years of experience in education programs, system change, or government advisory roles.
• Strong understanding of school governance systems, including the role and functioning of SMCs and SMDCs under the RTE Act, Sound knowledge about WCD department functioning and works under various schemes.
• Demonstrated leadership in managing large teams, stakeholder coordination, and project implementation.
• Proficiency in program design, results-based management, and policy engagement.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, including fluency in English and Hindi.
• Prior experience in Jharkhand or a similar context will be a strong advantage.
OTHER DETAILS :
• The offer made to the selected candidate shall be commensurate with qualifications, experience and salary history.
• Last date for submission of application: 30-May-2026
• Please send your latest CV, with a covering letter on the link provided.
Link: https://mitr2.c3india.org/Career/Home/Application?Code=JOBID-092
• The application must contain information about your current salary & benefits drawn (CTC).
• Only Short-listed candidates will be intimated.
C3 aims to be an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or disability status. Women candidates are encouraged to apply.