Local Program Officer

The Local Program Officer (Odisha) will serve as the primary liaison between Wadhwani AI and the Government of Odisha, supporting the implementation and scale -up of AI -enabled education solutions, with an initial focus on the Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) solution.

The individual will be responsible for coordinating with state government stakeholders, facilitating program implementation, identifying and resolving operational bottlenecks, collecting field -level insights, and ensuring effective communication between the Odisha government and Wadhwani AI's central teams.

The role requires strong stakeholder management, problem -solving ability, and familiarity with the education ecosystem in Odisha.

Government Liaison and Stakeholder Management

• Build and maintain strong working relationships with key stakeholders across the Government of Odisha, including:
  

  • School & Mass Education Department
    

  • Odisha School Education Programme Authority (OSEPA)
    

  • SCERT Odisha
    

  • Directorate of Elementary Education
    

  • Directorate of Secondary Education
    

  • NIC Odisha
    

  • District and Block -level education officials
    

• Serve as the primary point of contact for day -to -day coordination between Wadhwani AI and government stakeholders.
  

• Facilitate meetings, reviews, approvals, and follow -ups required for successful implementation.
  

Program Implementation and Operational Support

• Support deployment and scale -up of Wadhwani AI's education solutions across Odisha.
  

• Coordinate implementation activities with government officials, schools, and other stakeholders.
  

• Ensure timely completion of agreed activities, milestones, and deliverables.
  

• Support teacher orientation, training coordination, field visits, monitoring activities, and state -level reviews.
  

• Facilitate adoption and integration of solutions within existing state systems and processes.
  

Problem Solving and De -bottlenecking

• Identify operational, administrative, and implementation bottlenecks.
  

• Work closely with government officials and internal teams to resolve issues in a timely manner.
  

• Escalate critical risks and dependencies to the central team when required.
  

• Ensure smooth communication and coordination across stakeholders.
  

Monitoring, Feedback, and Reporting

• Collect feedback from government officials, teachers, schools, and end users.
  

• Document implementation learnings, challenges, and success stories.
  

• Track progress against agreed implementation plans and milestones.
  

• Prepare regular status updates and reports for both internal and external stakeholders.
  

• Share field insights with Product, Program, MEL, and Pedagogy teams to inform solution improvements.
  

Support for Future Education Initiatives

• Support exploration and implementation of additional AI for Education initiatives in Odisha as required.
  

• Assist with stakeholder engagement, pilots, workshops, demonstrations, and partnership -building activities.
  

• Provide state -level intelligence and ecosystem insights to support future opportunities.
  

Requirements

Education

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Education, Public Policy, Development Studies, Technology, or a related field.
  

Experience

• 5 years of professional experience working with government departments, education programs, development sector organizations, EdTech organizations, or implementation partners.
  

• Experience working within Odisha's education ecosystem will be strongly preferred.
  

• Experience supporting large -scale education or technology deployments is desirable.
  

• Familiarity with government processes, stakeholder management, and program implementation.
  

Skills and Competencies

• Strong stakeholder management and relationship -building skills.
  

• Excellent coordination and follow -up capabilities.
  

• Strong problem -solving and execution skills.
  

• Ability to work independently in a fast -paced environment.
  

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
  

• Ability to synthesize field feedback into actionable insights.
  

• Good documentation and reporting skills.
  

Language Requirements

• Fluency in Odia and English (written and spoken) is strongly preferred.
  

• Ability to engage confidently with government officials and school -level stakeholders.
  

Travel

• Willingness to travel extensively within Odisha for stakeholder engagement, implementation support, and monitoring activities.
  

Preferred Candidate Profile

• Prior experience working with School & Mass Education Department, OSEPA, SCERT Odisha, Samagra Shiksha, or related education initiatives.
  

• Strong understanding of Odisha's education ecosystem.
  

• Experience managing government relationships and navigating administrative processes.
  

• Passion for improving learning outcomes through technology and innovation.