Senior Associate, Strengthening Tribal Development – Leadership For Equity (LFE)

Leadership For Equity (LFE) Leadership For Skilled Education Foundation (branded as Leadership For Equity, LFE), is a non-profit (NGO). In our two-fold approach to change, we build the capacity of government system leaders and we influence system processes. In partnership with the local and state education bodies, we co-create programs that shift teaching-learning practices and improve student learning and well-being. This work coupled with our research and advisory support to influence policies, we hope to create effective government education systems.

APPROACH: In our two-fold approach to change, we build the capacity of government system leaders and we influence system processes. In partnership with the local and state education bodies, we co-create programs that shift teaching-learning practices and improve student learning and well-being. This work coupled with our research and advisory support to influence policies, we hope to create an effective government education system.

Over the last 5 years, LFE has built the capacity of 2100+ system leaders, and 40,200+ teachers to impact 8 million students across Maharashtra. Additionally, LFE has recently expanded its operations and started working in another 3 states of India including Haryana, Tripura & Andhra Pradesh. In Maharashtra, LFE works with 5 districts (Pune, Nashik, Nagpur, Satara & Akola), 3 municipal bodies (Pune MC, Pimpri Chinchwad MC & Nagpur MC) & 5 state level education bodies (School Education Dept, SCERT, Samagra Shiksha, Tribal Development Dept, & TRTI). In Andhra Pradesh, LFE works closely with the Samagra Shiksha Office, SCERT & The World Bank on a multi-year strategic project to improve the quality of learning across 26 districts of the State. And lastly in Haryana & Tripura, LFE works with SCERTs of both states in setting up targeted program management units (PMUs) to strengthen delivery of large-scale academic programs.

BELIEF: We believe Public Education Systems are the gatekeepers of social EQUITY, especially when India’s 120 million poorest-of-the-poor children continue to go to government-run schools. A multi-layered, complex, and systemic problem of educational inequity, will require a solution rooted in the SYSTEMS CHANGE approach. We believe that a COLLECTIVE effort by forging partnerships with governments, like-minded philanthropists, corporates, donors, nonprofits and grassroot organisations will help bring scalable and sustainable social change.

About the project 

The Tribal Development Department (TDD) of Maharashtra works for the underserved tribal population in the state in order to enable, empower and include them in the mainstream society. The Tribal Department works ceaselessly to address challenges in irrigation, health, education, and livelihood needs. However, about 70 percent of its focus area lies in enabling access to education for tribal students.

Given the plethora of interconnected problem areas, we feel LFE can support TDD in some of the areas including (1) mapping the multiple challenges faced by teachers, school staff and officers to run schools effectively, (2) capacity builty of middle management and teachers and (3) better accountability and role clarity of all human resources across various levels of TDD.

There are multiple ways in which partner organizations can strengthen and aid the work of the Department in improving the quality of education. One is through core academic inputs focusing specifically on pedagogy of subjects, classroom practices and various quality models of running residential schools. This is important and there are various organisations contributing towards this.

However, for all of these innovations to succeed and thrive, there is the backbone of middle management that needs to be strengthened through clear expectations and support structures as well as through their capacity development. Further, to enable timely awareness of successes and gaps, the senior leadership must have access to key static and dynamic data points, which will enable clear goal setting, monitoring and course correction. These background and supportive factors are invaluable for long term efficient and effective functioning of the department to enable quality education, which is the value addition that LFE wishes to co-create with, and contribute to the Tribal Development Department.

In order to better enable quality education in Ashram schools, the objective of this collaboration are the following priorities:

Priority 1: Formation of Education Resource Cell

Building an academic cell to prioritise focus and support in teaching learning quality and educational outcomes of students

Priority 2: Role Clarity & Performance Management: Providing recommendations for better performance of the education cell, by providing role clarity  and setting up processes or systems for performance management within the department including capacity development of staff as well.

Refer to following links to know more : 

Tribal Department Website: https://tribal.maharashtra.gov.in/1001/मुख्य-पृष्ठ
Tribal Research & Training Institute Website: https://trti.maharashtra.gov.in/index.php/en/

Job description and responsibilities

The Senior Associate will work with TDD officers to ensure project goals are achieved. Additionally, the Sr Associate will collaborate with members across the team and support manager/senior manager as and when required.

Project Operations (30%)

• Support in working on the overall vision, strategy, and implementation plan for this project in conjunction with the Leadership Team at LFE
• Work with government stakeholders to co-design interventions that align with government needs as well as LFE’s organisational priorities
• Design and implement long term and monthly plans to implement priorities defined by functional verticals in alignment with the district strategy/ ToC
• Lead operations for the project, ensuring monthly, quarterly and yearly goals are on track
• Create mechanisms, tools etc. to track and evaluate progress towards goals

Team Management (20%)

• Manage a team of 1-2 associates, focusing on their deliverables, professional support and development
• Implement the reporting structures that aligns with LFEs management style to ensure accountability for self and team
• Support Project Manager in leading structures to sustain a culture of collaboration, belief in public systems and strong accountability and delivery in team

Stakeholder Management (30%)

• Work with a hierarchy of stakeholders from other states to build long-lasting relationships that aid project operations and expansion plans
• Conduct regular update meetings with stakeholders and provide progress towards goals of the Project in a consumable format to all stakeholders

Data analysis and Documentation (10%)

• Support manager/M&E team to implement tools platform partners to link created content based on requirements
• Analyse data from field
• Creation of reports

Requirement: Education & Experience

Bachelors in any field. Masters in Education / Development degree is preferred.
At least 2-3 years of experience in working on implementation of projects and facilitation
Experience working in Maharashtra and Tribal Development schools would be preferable
Prior experience in managing small teams would be highly preferred
Interest or prior experience in facilitation during Capacity building workshops can be an added advantage
Willingness to travel to across Maharashtra

Knowledge, Skills & Capabilities

• Excellent written and oral communication skills – and functional knowledge (oral and written) of Marathi & English would be highly preferred
• Experience in project design and M&E (basic)
• Belief in the potential of the public sector and that government systems can and will change towards overcoming systemic inequities and ensuring improved outcomes for all citizens
• Being able to take initiative and work in an autonomous, semi-structured environment
• Adaptability to changing responsibilities and resourcefulness to respond to them
• High openness to learning
• Ability to build and sustain relationships with multiple stakeholders & partners across public and private spaces
• Strong ability to create outstanding presentations, work with Microsoft Excel, Google Suite, and varied data sets
• Patience and resilience to stick it out in the face of setbacks and uncertainties

Location and Compensation

Location: Nashik. Will involve travel across to all ATCs in MH.

Compensation: Expected to be around 6.0 – 7.2 lakh INR per annum based on experience

Leadership For Equity is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Prohibits Discrimination and Harassment of Any Kind. We do not discriminate on the basis of caste, race, religion, colour, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other non-merit factor.