This exciting leadership role requires high learning agility to enhance organisation’s academic implementation. You’ll lead the academic team, integrating evidence-based practices and field insights into feasible solutions to improve classroom practices and student outcomes in programs.

● Create an academic implementation playbook using classroom insights in District Project, raising teaching practices and learning outcomes

○ Derive actionable insights from field visits, classroom observations, and assessments

○ Develop academic solutions based on field insights:

■ Micro-training modules, instructional videos, and digital nudges

■ Mentoring protocols and classroom observation tools

■ Academic Implementation playbook

○ Upskill field team through training workshops, joint field visits and assessments

● Deepen Academic capability across the portfolio and salience in the ecosystem

○ Work with state-facing teams to provide relevant academic inputs

○ Collaborate with internal issue teams for evidence-based academic insights

○ Pilot innovative solutions through pilot projects in the field

○ Disseminate academic expertise via blogs, papers, and conferences

● Lead a high-impact academic design and implementation team.

○ Recruit and retain a team of academic design and implementation experts

○ Foster a growth-oriented and results-driven work environment

○ Implement quality assurance for timely project outputs and iterative problem-solving

○ Institutionalise a culture of learning by doing in the field

○ Upskill team in latest academic research evidence and best practices

Required experience, skills and mindset:

We seek a highly driven and experienced education program management professional with deep domain knowledge of early learning and an established track record of implementing scaled school improvement programs in the field. The ideal candidate would have:

● Large-scale education program design and implementation: Expertise in developing and aligning evidence-backed, user-friendly pedagogy resources and professional development programs

o Hands-on program implementation experience (15+ years for Associate Director and 10+ years for Senior Project Lead) in a role implementing K-12 improvement initiatives across 1000+ schools, accountable for teacher practice and student outcomes, with expertise in :

▪ Developing academic content: learning outcome frameworks, lesson plans,

student learning materials and formative assessments

▪ Delivering teacher development: workshops, digital modules, skill

assessments

▪ Providing instructional coaching: classroom observation, demonstration,

feedback protocols

▪ Managing field operations, including recruitment, training and operational

management of academic support staff

▪ Creating data and monitoring systems to monitor program implementation

quality continuously

o Travel: 10-15 days monthly to schools in remote areas in tier 2/3 towns

● Technical expertise in implementing early learning (k-3) curriculum, teacher professional development, instructional coaching and student learning assessments

o Strong academic background with post-graduate qualification/fellowship in education

o Evidence-informed understanding of K-3 literacy & numeracy structured pedagogy, teacher professional development, instructional coaching and formative assessment o Ability to diagnose implementation breakdowns by triangulation of quantitative and qualitative data gathered from students, teachers, and middle management

o Ability to create pragmatic academic solutions that work within the capacity constraints of the government education system

● Team Leadership and Development: Leadership in building high-performing, diverse teams with a focus on growth, quality assurance, and continuous development

o Lead mid-sized teams of academic, program, and field experts

o Enhance team performance through coaching, feedback, and skill development o Ability to facilitate and influence academic expert working groups

o Ability to manage multiple projects with tight timelines and resource

Compensation

Remuneration will be competitive with Indian philanthropy pay scales and will depend upon the candidate’s experience levels.