Senior Program Manager - STEP Bihar

Role: Senior Program Manager - STEP, Patna
Experience: 8+ years
Salary: 18 to 20 LPA
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About the Organization

We are a non-profit organization working with governments to transform public education systems in India so that millions of children can learn better, grow stronger, and thrive. We partner closely with state education departments to design and implement reforms at scale, strengthening leadership, governance, and classroom practice across public schools. Our work is grounded in the belief that lasting change happens when governments lead their own transformation.

About the Project

We have been working closely with the education department of Bihar since 2021. Our approach is to strengthen education leadership at various levels through collective action by leveraging technology to drive school improvement through the following interventions:

• Working closely with the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) and the Bihar Education Project Council office to design and implement a project-based learning program for grades 6-8 in all 38 districts in math, science, and social subjects.
• Partnering with SCERT and the Director of the Primary office to enable District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs) to design need-based Teacher Professional Development (TPD) by leveraging digital micro-improvement initiatives.
• Executing deeper interventions in two specific districts (Lakhisarai and Gaya). The District Team strengthens Project-Based Learning (PBL) and Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) implementation at the district level by providing governance and academic support to key stakeholders.

About the Role

The Senior Program Manager will lead the vision, strategy, and delivery of education transformation initiatives under the state program. The role involves anchoring state-level alignment and approvals, driving program design, managing government partnerships, and leading a cross-functional team of Program Leads and Senior Program Leads.

The position requires deep familiarity with Bihar's education ecosystem, strong stakeholder management skills, and the ability to drive systemic change at scale.

Roles and Responsibilities:

1. Program Design & Delivery (All Workstreams + Program Outcome)

• Anchor alignment and approvals of new initiatives with state leadership.
• Own the vision, strategy, and Annual Plan for the initiative running in the state, ensuring overall program delivery.
• Drive partnership and ecosystem-building across civil society, government, and market channels within the state for effective program delivery.
• Define clear program goals, success metrics, and milestones for internal teams and external stakeholders.
• Invest in and engage administrative departments (including Principal Secretaries and State Project Directors) to ensure effective workstream delivery.
• Conduct weekly/monthly reviews on workstreams with Program Leads and Senior Program Leads, and establish a regular review cadence with government departments.
• Ensure quality review of content produced by the team towards effective workstream delivery.
• Plan and conduct field visits to incorporate ground-level insights into the program.

2. Team Member Development

• Conduct fortnightly 1-1 growth conversations with team members.
• Facilitate structured monthly sessions on organization culture, internal systems, and career growth.

3. Excellence in Organizational Culture & Operations

• Demonstrate and hold the team accountable to core organizational values.
• Role model, co-plan, and co-conduct team-level and workstream-level capacity building and professional development sessions.
• Create spaces within teams for two-way feedback, including 360-degree reviews and open forums.

4. Funder Management

• Anchor funder meetings and presentations, and manage ongoing funder relations.
• Create robust proposals, progress reports, and presentations for funders.
• Plan and lead field visits and immersion experiences with funding partners.

Skills & Qualifications Required

• Education: A master's degree is preferred.
• Experience: 8–12 years of experience in program leadership, with significant exposure to government education systems—particularly SCERT, DIETs, Samagra Shiksha, and state-level education departments.
• Leadership: Demonstrated experience managing cross-functional teams and navigating large-scale program delivery.
• Policy Knowledge: Strong understanding of Bihar's education ecosystem, NEP 2020, NCF-SE 2023, Mission NIPUN Bihar, and relevant policy frameworks.
• Technical Literacy: Functional knowledge of G-Suite tools, Canva, and basic AI-based productivity tools.
• Communication & Negotiation: Excellent written and verbal communication skills in both Hindi and English. Proven ability to negotiate and engage effectively with senior government stakeholders, including Secretaries, SPDs, and HODs.
• Travel: Ability and willingness to travel within and outside Bihar as required.

Benefits & Culture
A trust-based work environment that encourages independent thinking, questioning, and building solutions. An open and collaborative culture where teams are accessible and diverse perspectives are valued. 24 paid leaves and 14 calendar holidays. Health insurance coverage up to 5 LPA for the employee and dependents, alongside 5 LPA accidental insurance. One menstrual leave each month for women employees. ₹5,000 Learning & Development fund to pursue job-related learning opportunities.

Hiring Process:
Step 1: Resume Shortlisting
Step 2: Assignment
Step 3: Culture fit Interview
Step 4: Technical Interview

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Hiring Note: Applications will be reviewed on rolling basis. This job is first posted on June 5th, 2026 on Ground Zero

For any questions, ping us on WhatsApp chat: +91-8058331557