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Job Description
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Job Title:
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Manager – Livelihood Programs
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Reporting to (Job Title):
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Head – Programmes
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Contract type:
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Full time renewable two-year contract, including six months’ probation.
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Salary:
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Commensurate with qualifications and experience aligning with standard NGO sector pay scales in India.
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Hours:
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40 hours/week (Mon-Fri)
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Location:
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Ahmedabad/Bangalore
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About us:
Sense International India, also known as Sense India, was established in 1997 as the first and only non-governmental organisation to support the development of comprehensive services for people with deafblindness and multiple disabilities throughout India. Sense India works in partnership with persons with deafblindness, their families, carers and professionals to ensure that everyone facing challenges because of deafblindness has access to advice, opportunities and support, we’ve been making an impact for last 29 years. We work with local, national and international partners, including governments to provide innovative and practical solutions.
Sense India is an equal opportunity employer and qualified persons with disabilities and women candidates are encouraged to apply. Sense India’s policies and procedures reflect our commitment adhering to child rights and protecting children and vulnerable adults from exploitation, neglect, violence and abuse.
Sense India is expanding its scope and activities and is setting up a team of highly motivated and qualified professionals to lead its growth.
Purpose of the post:
Persons with deafblindness and multiple disabilities face unique, compounded barriers in inclusion, access to education, independent living and economic participation. Many civil society organisations / NGOs do not have skills to manage specialised programmes to address needs of persons with deafblindness and multiple disabilities. Standard vocational models often do not apply. We are seeking a visionary, empathetic, and strategic Manager –Programs to lead the design, implementation, and scaling of innovative, highly customized programmes, including livelihood models.
Working closely with the Head of Programmes, the successful candidate will ensure the implementation of project objectives, capacity building of partner organisations in programme management, bridge the gap between special education and economic independence by developing supported employment, sheltered workshops, family-based enterprises, and inclusive mainstream skilling opportunities for youth and adults.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Program Strategy & Design
- Design and pilot innovative skilling and livelihood models tailored to the unique sensory and physical needs of persons with deafblindness and multiple disabilities.
- Ensure individualized vocational plans (IVPs) are developed in close collaboration with the capacity building team.
- Identify realistic livelihood pathways, including home-based income generation, sheltered enterprises, micro-business for caregivers, and supported open employment.
2. Program Implementation & Management
- Lead the end-to-end execution of education and skilling projects, ensuring they meet programmatic timelines, budgets, and quality standards.
- Oversee the establishment and operations of educational and vocational training centers and inclusive p=roduction units.
- Support the capacity building team in developing pre-vocational training modules focusing on independent living, mobility and basic financial literacy.
3. Partnerships, Advocacy & Employer Engagement
- Build and maintain partnerships with government bodies (e.g., NSDC, SCPwD, MSJE), corporate CSR foundations, and inclusive employers.
- Advocate for the inclusion of persons with deafblindness in mainstream education and government skilling schemes and leverage provisions under the RPWD Act, 2016.
- Sensitize potential employers, conduct workplace accessibility audits, and provide continuous on-the-job support/job-coaching to both the employer and the employee.
4. Capacity Building & Stakeholder Engagement
- Collaborate with the capacity-building team to organise workshops for vocational trainers, special educators, and field staff.
- Work closely with parents, families, and primary caregivers to build their capacity as co-entrepreneurs or livelihood supporters.
- Support in the creation of accessible training materials using tactile, auditory, or visual adaptations as required.
- Work with partner organisations and vocational training centres to explore market for job placement and product marketing
5. Monitoring, Evaluation & Reporting
- Develop robust M&E frameworks to track the economic and social impact of the education and livelihood programs.
- Maintain comprehensive data, beneficiary case studies, and documentation.
- Prepare high-quality progress reports, impact assessments, and funding proposals for donors and internal leadership.
Person Specification
Qualifications & Experience
- Master’s degree in social work (MSW), Rural Management, Development Studies, Special Education, or a related field.
- Minimum 5 years of experience in project management within the development sector, with at least 3 years specifically managing skilling, livelihoods, or economic empowerment programs.
- Prior experience working in the disability sector is mandatory. Experience working specifically with intellectual disabilities, deafblindness, or multiple disabilities is highly preferred.
Required Skills and Competencies
- Excellent project management, budgeting, and proposal writing skills.
- Strong networking and negotiation skills to engage with corporate partners, government officials, and grassroots organizations.
- High level of empathy, patience, and a steadfast belief in the potential of persons with complex disabilities.
- Fluency in English and Hindi (written and spoken). Knowledge of Indian Sign Language (ISL) or tactile communication methods is a significant advantage.
- Willingness to travel extensively to project sites across India.
- Ability to multitask and be a self-starter and think proactively
- Work with team members coming from diverse educational and cultural backgrounds.
- A highly motivated individual who can work well on their own initiative, as well as part of a team
- IT self-sufficient - knowledge of Microsoft Office packages:
Note: This is not intended to be an exhaustive list. Your job description may be subject to change.
Interested candidates can send in their CVs at career@senseintindia.org with a subject line indicating “Manager – Livelihood Programs”.
Last date to apply: 20th June 2026.
Only candidates with relevant qualifications and experience would be shortlisted. The ones who do not qualify for the short-listing won’t be intimated due to the expected high number of CVs.
Sense India is an equal opportunity employer and qualified persons with disabilities and women candidates are encouraged to apply. Sense India’s policies and procedures reflect our commitment adhering to child rights and protecting children and vulnerable adults from exploitation, neglect, violence and abuse. All applicants will undergo a suitability check as part of our recruitment process. For more information, please visit our website www.senseintindia.org