Senior Program Manager

This role is for one of the Weekday's clients

Salary range: Rs 2200000 - Rs 2700000 (ie INR 22 - 27 LPA)

Min Experience: 15 years

Location: Delhi

JobType: full-time

This position is solely accountable for establishing the organization's presence in new regions—from initial groundwork to full greenfield setup and managing the first six months of operations successfully. The Associate Director will cultivate relationships with government entities, implement state systems, recruit and onboard the team, and establish the operational and programmatic foundations essential for thriving in the new state.

This is a specialized expansion and setup role that demands strong execution skills, proficiency in government engagement, and experience in managing projects from inception to completion.

Key Responsibilities

1. State Entry & Government Relationship Building

Take the lead in initiating engagement with State Education Departments, SCERT, DIETs, and other relevant stakeholders to evaluate readiness for entry.

Build strong, trust-based relationships with senior government officials to secure approvals, MoUs, and necessary permissions.

Effectively communicate the organisation’s work, capabilities, and value proposition during preliminary discussions.

Manage and prepare all government communications, proposals, and briefing documents related to state entry.

2. Greenfield Setup & Expansion Planning
Create a detailed state entry and expansion strategy outlining timelines, milestones, risk factors, and required resources.
Develop the project setup framework, encompassing academic, operational, staffing, and administrative needs.

Collaborate with central teams to ensure coordination on design, budgeting, recruitment, and rollout processes.
Adapt the program approach to align with the state curriculum, organizational structures, timelines, and contextual requirements.

3. Team Hiring, Onboarding & Induction
Lead the complete hiring process for the new state team, including job scoping, candidate selection, interviews, and final appointments.
Implement structured onboarding and induction programs covering program orientation, government procedures, and internal systems.
Define clear role responsibilities, accountability structures, and develop the initial 90-day plan for all new hires.

4. Operational Setup & Systems Establishment
Set up the state office, infrastructure, and administrative systems.
Develop financial, HR, compliance, and reporting frameworks in collaboration with central teams.
Establish travel, procurement, data management, and logistics procedures to maintain efficient operations.
Ensure all statutory and donor compliance requirements are addressed from the outset.

5. First 6 Months Program Readiness & Early Operations
Supervise the initial program implementation, including training plans, government coordination, data systems, and academic support.

Address early-stage challenges related to HR, administration, field operations, and government processes.
Conduct regular monitoring sessions with the new team to ensure operational stability and quality during the first six months.
Lay the groundwork for a smooth transition to long-term state leadership and teams once operations are stabilized.

Qualifications & Experience
Master’s degree in Education, Public Policy, Management, Social Sciences, or a related field.

15-17+ years of experience in the development sector, including at least 5-7 years in senior management roles with government engagement.

Demonstrated success in establishing new operations, building effective teams, and achieving results in complex, multi-stakeholder settings.

In-depth knowledge of India’s education system, especially in early grade literacy and numeracy.
Established networks within government and development sector stakeholders.

Must-have skills

FLN

Good-to-have skills

foundational literacy, numeracy