Job Description- Cluster Coordinator - (Bero Block of Ranchi District and Murhu Block, Khunti district)
Mobile Creches, (MC) a pioneer NGO, has been operational since 1969, providing childcare and health services to more than 15,000 children every year in the National Capital Region, through workplace and community-based crèches and daycare centres, every year.
MC pioneered the cause of Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) and focuses on young children under six years in urban slums and children of migrant workers at construction sites. MC’s multi-pronged approach- providing childcare services to young children at worksites, urban slums, rural and tribal communities, working with parents and communities to amplify the ECD agenda, enhancing linkages with government ECD services, training the ECD workforce, influencing government policies, promoting research in the field of ECD; address both the short and long term needs of children. It is officially recognized as the National Creche agency by the government and is on the path of accelerating ECD services for the children of marginalized communities by scaling up in partnership with the government and other players in civil society.
In Jharkhand, Mobile Creches operates community-based crèche centres for children aged 7 months to 3 years in Murhu Block (Khunti District) and Bero Block (Ranchi District). Currently, 80 crèches are operational, with 40 centres in each block. The programme plans to expand to an additional 60 centres, with 30 new centres in each block. These centres provide supplementary nutrition, health care, growth monitoring, early stimulation, responsive caregiving, hygiene and sanitation, child protection, and linkages with government services to promote the holistic development of young children.
To know more about MC, please log on to www.mobilecreches.org.
Designation :Cluster Coordinator
Department :Child Care Services
Location :Bero Block, Ranchi District and Murhu Block, Khunti District, Jharkhand
Reports to :State Lead – Jharkhand
Supervises :Crèche Supervisors of the new centres, and through them the Crèche Caregivers
Coordinates with :Account and Logistics Coordinator; Training team; Safety
Coordinator; MIS Coordinator Block and District ICDS/CDPO officials;
PRI members; ASHA and Anganwadi workers
Employment Level: Level 4
Span of responsibility :The 30–40 new crèche centres being established under the expansion, from village readiness through steady-state operations
POSITION OVERVIEW
The Cluster Coordinator is responsible for the complete crèche operations of the 30–40 centres being established under the expansion, from village readiness through steady-state operations. The role is deliberately built around three phases: preparing villages, spaces and caregivers before a centre opens; running and monitoring daily operations alongside community mobilisation; and building the capability of supervisors and caregivers so that quality holds as centres go live. The Cluster Coordinator works in sync with the State Lead and the Programme team, and is the primary field anchor for community institutions, frontline government functionaries and the crèche team.
QUALIFICATIONS AND ELIGIBILITY
• Education: Graduate in in social work / social studies / public health / Rural Management / MBA or equivalent from a reputed institute.
• Experience: Minimum 5–10 years of experience leading a district or block-level programme implementation team in Nutrition, Health, Sanitation, ECCD or related programmes, with government and non-government stakeholders.
• Essential: willing to relocate in project block. Candidates must own a two-wheeler with a valid driving license, and be willing to travel extensively within the block, including remote and tribal hamlets.
• Age: 30–45 years.
• Language: Fluency in the local tribal dialect (Mundari/Kharia/Kurukh/Nagpuri as relevant to the block), Hindi, and working knowledge of English.
Key responsibility- Specific areas of responsibilities include but are not limited to:
Program Implementation:
• Lead the planning and implementation of Early Childhood Care and Development Program in assigned villages of the block.
• Oversee the establishment and operation of creche centers, ensuring strict compliance with program guidelines and quality standards.
• Collaborate with Gram Panchayats, community leaders, and district and block-level government authorities to secure support and resources for creche center setup.
• Assist in State Lead/Program Manager as required- taking information from other departments, conducting field visits, maintaining records, sharing information and reports, and managing logistics/ arrangements for training/field visits as required.
TEAM LEADERSHIP AND COORDINATION
• Provides supportive supervision to Crèche Supervisors and, through them, to Crèche Caregivers on training and logistics, reviews, anthropometry, MIS, community participation, convergence and service delivery.
• Sets clear targets and work plans with each supervisor, reviews performance against them, and addresses gaps through coaching rather than instruction.
• Ensures clear communication channels within the team and with external stakeholders, and takes full responsibility for supporting the team in effective implementation.
• Addresses issues and challenges in programme implementation promptly, escalating to the State Lead where required.
• Mentors the team through regular meetings, supervision and adherence to service rules and procedures.
RESOURCE, LOGISTICS AND FINANCE
• Coordinates with the Account and Logistics Coordinator on budgeting, procurement and logistics for crèche centre operations.
• Approves the requisition of rations through proper checking and verification, and monitors consumption and stock against norms.
• Maintains an inventory of centre assets, equipment and learning materials, and ensures timely replenishment.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT AND CONVERGENCE
• Acts as the primary liaison between the programme and block and district-level government officials, securing necessary approvals, resources and support for programme activities.
• Fosters strong partnerships with local communities, Gram Panchayats and village leaders, ensuring their active involvement in programme activities and in CMC functioning.
• Builds convergence with ICDS, Health and Nutrition services so that crèche children are linked to entitlements and referrals are completed.
MONITORING, REPORTING AND DOCUMENTATION
• Implements the monitoring and evaluation framework for smooth execution of the project.
• Plans and undertakes regular centre visits to assess programme quality, caregiver performance and child development outcomes, and take necessary steps to strengthen the programme.
• Conducts regular review meetings with Crèche Supervisors to assess progress and agree on follow-up actions.
• Oversee documentation of the project, including monthly reports, MIS analytics, annual reports and success stories.
• Maintains accurate records of programme documents, safety audits, Gram Sabha and CMC minutes, caregiver selection records and training logs.
• Carries out any other tasks related to the project as may be instructed from time to time.
KEY SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES
• Computing: basic knowledge of Computer applications and MS office ; comfortable using mobile applications for data capture and review.
• Communication and people skills: Ability to manage and work in a multi-disciplinary, multi-cultural team, and to influence without formal authority.
• Community facilitation: Demonstrated ability to enable village communities, work with Gram Panchayats and facilitate Gram Sabhas.
• Writing: Sound reporting and documentation skills in English and Hindi.
• Language: Fluency in the local tribal dialect.
• Technical: Working knowledge of ECCD quality standards, growth monitoring and safety norms for young children.
• Physical demands: Comfort with field travel across remote hamlets, and physical readiness for household visits and centre-level demonstration work.
How to Apply : Application Process:
Microsoft link: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/fLZRFJJNSh
• Interested candidates may email their resume, cover letter, and last drawn CTC (mandatory) to hradmin@mobilecreches.org.
Subject line: Cluster Coordinator – [Name of Preferred Block and District], Jharkhand (Applicants are requested to indicate one preferred Block and district from Murhu Block (Khunti District) or Bero Block (Ranchi District).
We will review applications on a rolling basis and reserve the right to close the position as soon as a suitable candidate is found. Hence, early applications are strongly encouraged