Programme Manager

 PROGRAMME MANAGER – QUALITY EDUCATION PROGRAMME

Position Details

About Gram Vikas Trust

Gram Vikas Trust (GVT) is a leading non-profit organization committed to building resilient and inclusive communities through impactful interventions in Education, Health & Nutrition, Sustainable Livelihoods, Women Empowerment, and Community Development. With more than two decades of grassroots experience, GVT partners with government departments, CSR institutions, donors, and communities to strengthen public systems and improve the quality of life for marginalized populations.

About the Programme

The Quality Education Programme, supported by Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL), is designed to improve learning outcomes among children enrolled in Government Primary Schools by strengthening classroom teaching, school leadership, teacher capacity, community engagement, and systemic support mechanisms.

The programme aligns with the vision of National Education Policy (NEP 2020), NIPUN Bharat Mission, and Samagra Shiksha, with a focus on ensuring every child attains Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) while creating sustainable improvements in the public education system. 

Position Purpose

The Programme Manager will provide strategic, operational, and technical leadership for the implementation of the Quality Education Programme in Bechraji, Gujarat.

The role is responsible for overall programme planning, execution, monitoring, financial management, stakeholder engagement, government coordination, team leadership, reporting, quality assurance, and achievement of programme outcomes. The Programme Manager will ensure that all interventions are implemented efficiently, ethically, and in alignment with donor expectations, organizational priorities, and government education policies.

The incumbent will serve as the primary interface between Gram Vikas Trust, Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL), the Department of Education, schools, communities, and other strategic stakeholders.

Key Roles and Responsibilities

1. Strategic Programme Leadership

The Programme Manager will provide strategic direction for the successful implementation of the project by:

• Leading the end-to-end implementation of the Quality Education Programme.
• Translating project goals into actionable annual, quarterly, and monthly implementation plans.
• Ensuring programme activities are implemented according to approved timelines and budgets.
• Driving achievement of project outputs, outcomes, and impact indicators.
• Monitoring programme quality and ensuring adherence to organizational standards.
• Identifying implementation challenges and developing timely corrective actions.
• Ensuring programme alignment with donor commitments, project objectives, organizational strategy, NEP 2020, NIPUN Bharat Mission, and Samagra Shiksha priorities.
• Promoting innovation and continuous programme improvement through evidence-based practices.

2. Programme Planning and Implementation

The Programme Manager shall oversee implementation of interventions related to:

• Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN)
• Classroom teaching support
• Teacher mentoring and professional development
• School leadership strengthening
• School improvement planning
• Remedial education initiatives
• Continuous student learning assessments
• Learning enhancement programmes
• Teaching Learning Material (TLM) utilization
• Activity-based learning approaches
• Child-centered pedagogy
• Parent and community engagement
• School Management Committee (SMC) strengthening
• School readiness initiatives
• Learning camps and academic enrichment activities

The Programme Manager shall ensure that all programme interventions are implemented effectively across project schools.

3. Team Leadership and Human Resource Management

The Programme Manager will:

• Lead, supervise, mentor, and support the project team.
• Set individual performance goals and monitor staff performance.
• Conduct monthly review meetings with field teams.
• Build staff capacities through regular coaching and mentoring.
• Facilitate orientation and induction of new team members.
• Ensure effective task allocation and accountability.
• Promote a culture of collaboration, learning, inclusion, and innovation.
• Support staff wellbeing and professional development.

4. Government Liaison and Stakeholder Engagement

The Programme Manager will establish and maintain strong partnerships with:

• District Education Office
• Block Education Office
• Cluster Resource Coordinators
• School Head Teachers
• Government School Teachers
• School Management Committees
• Village Panchayats
• Community leaders
• Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL)
• CSR representatives
• Academic institutions
• Development partners

The role includes:

• Representing Gram Vikas Trust in government and stakeholder meetings.
• Facilitating approvals and convergence with government schemes.
• Supporting district and block-level education initiatives.
• Organizing review meetings and stakeholder consultations.
• Building long-term institutional relationships.

5. Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL)

The Programme Manager shall ensure robust programme monitoring by:

• Developing programme monitoring systems.
• Reviewing monthly field monitoring reports.
• Monitoring programme indicators and targets.
• Conducting regular field monitoring visits.
• Ensuring high-quality programme data collection.
• Reviewing learning assessment data.
• Leading baseline, midline, and endline evaluations.
• Conducting data analysis for programme improvement.
• Facilitating evidence-based decision-making.
• Documenting lessons learned and best practices.
• Supporting programme research and innovation

6. Financial Planning and Budget Management

The Programme Manager will:

• Prepare annual and quarterly programme budgets.
• Monitor expenditure against approved budgets.
• Ensure optimum utilization of project resources.
• Forecast programme expenditures.
• Review monthly financial reports.
• Coordinate closely with finance and procurement teams.
• Ensure compliance with donor financial guidelines.
• Support internal and external audits.
• Ensure timely financial reporting to management and funding partners.

7. Reporting and Documentation

The Programme Manager shall ensure timely preparation and submission of:

• Monthly Progress Reports
• Quarterly Reports
• Annual Reports
• Donor Reports
• MSIL Progress Reports
• Government Reports
• Programme Dashboards
• Success Stories
• Human Interest Stories
• Case Studies
• Field Visit Reports
• Learning Reports
• Meeting Minutes
• Best Practice Documentation
• Photographic Documentation
• Knowledge Products
• Presentations

The Programme Manager shall maintain high standards of documentation and ensure reports are evidence-based, data-driven, and submitted within agreed timelines.

8. Quality Assurance

The Programme Manager will ensure:

• High-quality programme implementation.
• Standardized implementation across project locations.
• Adherence to approved programme design.
• Effective classroom processes.
• Quality mentoring support.
• Compliance with child safeguarding standards.
• Compliance with organizational policies.
• Continuous programme improvement through periodic quality reviews.

9. Risk Management and Compliance

The Programme Manager shall:

• Identify implementation risks.
• Develop mitigation strategies.
• Escalate critical programme issues.
• Ensure compliance with donor requirements.
• Ensure compliance with statutory regulations.
• Ensure ethical implementation practices.
• Maintain programme documentation for audits.
• Ensure adherence to organizational policies.

10. Partnership Development and Resource Mobilization

The Programme Manager will:

• Explore strategic partnerships.
• Coordinate with academic experts.
• Build relationships with educational institutions.
• Support proposal development.
• Identify opportunities for programme expansion.
• Represent Gram Vikas Trust in relevant forums and networks.

Required Qualifications

Candidates should possess a Master's Degree in one of the following disciplines:

• Education
• Social Work
• Public Policy
• Development Studies
• Rural Management
• Sociology
• Psychology
• Educational Leadership
• Development Management
• Or any other relevant discipline.

Experience

Essential

• Minimum 5 years of progressively responsible experience in programme implementation within the development sector.
• At least 3 years of experience managing education programmes.
• Experience working with Government Schools.
• Experience engaging with District and Block Education Departments.
• Experience managing multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience in planning, budgeting, implementation, monitoring, and reporting.
• Experience managing donor-funded projects.

Preferred

• Experience in FLN programmes.
• Experience implementing CSR-funded education projects.
• Experience in teacher professional development.
• Experience in school transformation programmes.

Required Competencies

Technical Competencies

• Programme Management
• Project Planning
• Education Programme Design
• FLN Frameworks
• Budget Management
• Monitoring & Evaluation
• Data Analysis
• Government Liaison
• Report Writing
• Risk Management
• Documentation
• Proposal Development

Behavioral Competencies

• Leadership
• Strategic Thinking
• Problem Solving
• Decision Making
• Team Building
• Stakeholder Management
• Communication
• Negotiation
• Accountability
• Integrity
• Adaptability
• Innovation

Digital Skills

• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Google Workspace
• Google Forms
• Data Dashboards
• MIS Platforms
• Online Collaboration Tools
• Virtual Meeting Platforms

Language Requirements

• Gujarati – Essential
• Hindi – Essential
• English – Essential

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Performance will be assessed based on:

• Timely implementation of approved annual work plans.
• Achievement of programme outputs and outcomes.
• Improvement in children's learning outcomes.
• Quality of teacher mentoring and academic support.
• Effectiveness of stakeholder and government coordination.
• Timely utilization of programme budgets.
• Compliance with donor and organizational guidelines.
• Quality and timeliness of reports.
• Staff performance and retention.
• Documentation of innovations and best practices.
• Compliance with child safeguarding standards.
• Positive feedback from stakeholders and funding partner.
• Achievement of programme milestones agreed with Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL).

Employment Terms

·         This position is purely contractual under the Quality Education Programme funded by Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL).

·         The appointment shall initially be valid up to 31 March 2027, corresponding to the current approved project period.

Extension of the contract shall be considered subject to:

• Renewal or continuation of the project by Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL).
• Availability of project funding.
• Satisfactory performance of the employee.
• Organizational requirements and programme need. 

Gram Vikas Trust reserves the right to modify, extend, or discontinue the position in accordance with project requirements, funding availability, and organizational policies. Gram Vikas Trust is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace and encourage applications from qualified candidates irrespective of gender, caste, religion, disability, or social background. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for further stages of the selection process.