Program Manager – Ops and Strategic Partnership : Youth Dreamers Foundation (YDF)

Youth Dreamers Foundation (YDF) is a not-for-profit organization registered under Sec 8 (1) of the Companies Act 2013. YDF intends to realize an equal-opportunity approach to accessing higher education, making higher education more inclusive, accessible, and affordable for marginalized sections of society.

One of the most important ways to improve access to higher education is by providing scholarships to needy students. YDF works with all of the stakeholders who have a role to play in the scholarship’s delivery to bring in higher efficiency and efficiency in the system. YDF also supports our scholar alumni to make their higher education journey more relevant to their aspirations.

About the Position:
The Program Manager will play a crucial role in managing both government and private scholarship programs, ensuring smooth program operations and maximum impact. The Program Manager will oversee digital library management, provide career guidance and mentoring to scholars, and lead skill-building initiatives to enhance scholar outcomes. Additionally, the role will focus on partnership management, team leadership, and compliance with program requirements.

The Program Manager will also be responsible for ensuring proper monitoring and evaluation, preparing program reports, and facilitating partnerships with key stakeholders, including educational institutions, government bodies, and private organizations. The role involves frequent field visits to ensure program effectiveness and gather feedback from the community.

Overview:

Job Type: Full-time

Salary: Commensurate with experience and skills
Probation: Three months
Office Working Days: Monday to Saturday
Reporting To: Program Director
Location: Patna (Bihar)
Travel: Field visits to schools, colleges, and communities

Key Responsibilities
They are expected to take up the following responsibilities:

Proposal Support & Budget Analysis:

• Assist in drafting program proposals aligned with organisational goals and funders’ interests, ensuring efficient resource utilization.
• Analyze and prepare budget forecasts for scholarships, including target applications, amounts, and applicable schemes.
• Develop strategies to unlock scholarship funds by collaborating with government schemes, CSR partners, and philanthropic organizations.

Program Operations & Delivery:

• Lead and managed scholarship programs, ensuring timely disbursements, tracking applications, and meeting scholarship disbursement targets.
• Oversee the planning and execution of career guidance and counseling sessions, ensuring they are accessible and impactful for students.
• Manage and expand digital library initiatives to enhance access to educational resources, ensuring continuous improvement and adoption among students.
• Develop and implement monitoring systems to track program progress,
  measure impact, and ensure alignment with organizational goals.
• Partnership with educational institutions such as Kasturba Gandhi, Navodaya, etc. to ensure smooth program delivery and foster strong relationships.
• Ensure compliance with internal processes and standards for all program operations, and continuously improve operational efficiency.
• Prepare reports showcasing the progress, achievements, and challenges of programs for donors, management, and stakeholders.

Strategic Partnerships:

• Identify and develop partnerships with various scholarship providers, CSR/Philanthropic/individual donors, and education-focused organizations to maximize funding opportunities.
• Foster and maintain relationships with key stakeholders to develop long-term collaborations and partnerships that align with organizational goals.
• Lead strategic planning for partnerships, ensuring alignment with the organization’s objectives and scholarship targets.

Product Development & Market Research:

• Conduct market research, perform comparative analysis, and study competitive positioning to improve program offerings and their value.
• Develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and tools for programs, ensuring scalability and standardization across initiatives.
• Ensure program design contributes to student ownership, dignity, and empowerment.

Team & Capacity Building:

• Lead team efforts in delivering programs and achieving strategic goals.
• Conduct training and capacity-building sessions for internal teams to enhance their skills and improve program delivery.
• Mentor and support junior staff to foster leadership and ownership within the team.

Communication & Donor Management:

• Develop and maintain communication strategies with donors, ensuring regular updates on program progress and impact.
• Prepare compelling presentations, reports, and case studies to showcase program success and impact to donors and partners.
• Manage donor relations, ensuring alignment between donor expectations and program execution, and contribute to donor retention strategies.

Technology & Automation:

• Drive automation within the organization’s programs and operations, improving efficiency and streamlining workflows.
• Identify tech tools and processes that can be automated to enhance program delivery and tracking.
• Collaborate with the tech team to deploy tools for managing scholarships, data collection, and donor engagement.

Desired Profile

• Experience in managing educational or scholarship programs.
• 5-6 years of experience
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to manage teams effectively.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to communicate and collaborate with diverse stakeholders.
• Knowledge of program monitoring and evaluation processes.
• Familiarity with the education sector and scholarship management.
• Strong report writing and data analysis skills.
• Willingness to travel for field visits regularly.

How to Apply

Fill the google form https://forms.gle/bZL2HtMKVsDmHU1e6

We are hiring on a rolling basis and we are accepting responses until we find a good match.