Senior Project Associate, ECD
On-siteFull-timeMid · 4-6 yearsH1B likely
About this role
Job Description
Senior Project Associate
Early Childhood Development
July 2026 | Karanja, Wardha
No.of Positions: 1
About Centre for Learning Resources (CLR)
Centre for Learning Resources (CLR) is one of the oldest Indian non-profit educational institutions of the Society for Educational Improvement and Innovation, based out of Pune, founded by India's veteran educator couple John Kurrien & Zakiya Kurrien. We have been working in the domains of early childhood care and development (ECCD), Foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) & English as a second language (ESL) since 1984. We have supported various government organisations and NGOs across the country in 9 states which include Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, and Rajasthan. Offshore engagements have included Indonesia & Nepal.
CLR's vision is to assist in creating a more just and equitable society through the integrated development of children from marginalised communities, such that they grow up in child-centred environments that nurture their holistic growth and learning. Our mission is to build large-scale capacities of the ICDS systems, which are charged with this responsibility, so they can deliver effectively. This includes government machinery, civil society organisations, and NGOs.
About the project
CLR is implementing an Early Childhood Development (ECD) Project to improve the health, nutrition, early learning, responsive caregiving, and developmental outcomes of children from birth to six years.
The project adopts a convergence approach by working closely with the Women & Child Development Department (ICDS), Health Department, frontline workers (Anganwadi Workers, ASHAs, and ANMs), Panchayati Raj Institutions, and community members to strengthen service delivery and caregiver engagement.
Job Description and Responsibilities
The Senior Project Associate will play a key role in coordinating field implementation, capacity building, stakeholder engagement, monitoring, and documentation across the project geography.
1. Community Mobilization & Project Implementation (40%)
- Coordinate implementation of ECD interventions across Karanja Block.
- Facilitate Communicators training and caregiver engagement sessions.
- Support convergence between ICDS and Health Departments.
- Conduct regular field visits to Anganwadi Centres, Health Sub-Centres and villages.
- Ensure timely implementation of project activities and field plans.
2. Capacity Building & Training (25%)
- Plan and conduct trainings for:
- Field Coordinators
- Communicator : Community volunteers
- Develop training plans and facilitate participatory learning sessions.
- Provide onsite mentoring and supportive supervision to frontline workers.
- Support refresher training and review meetings.
3. Government & Stakeholder Coordination (20%)
- Build strong working relationships with:
- Child Development Project Officer (CDPO)
- Block /Medical Health Officer
- Sarpanch / Gramsevak
- Represent CLR in government review meetings.
- Support government officials in planning ECD initiatives.
4. Monitoring, Documentation & Reporting (15%)
- Maintain project documentation and field reports.
- Support baseline, endline and monitoring assessments.
- Ensure timely data collection using digital tools.
- Prepare monthly progress reports and capture testimonials/ case studies.
- Track project indicators and support programme review meetings.
Requirements
Education & Experience
Essential Qualification
- Master's degree in Social Work (MA- ECD) / Master's degree in Social Work (MSW) / Master of Public Health (MPH) / M.Sc. Nutrition/ M.Sc. Community Health / Rural Development
Essential Experience
- Minimum 4–6 years of experience in community-based development programmes. Including maternal, child health or nutrition
- Experience of working with the Government Department including Health and ICDS.
Desirable Experience
- Knowledge of Nurturing Care Framework (WHO/UNICEF).
- Experience with Poshan Tracker, RCH Portal, or other government MIS platforms.
- Experience working in Aspirational Districts or tribal/rural communities (preferred).
- Exposure to multi-sector convergence (Health, ICDS, Panchayati Raj, Education).
- Experience supervising field teams or community facilitators.
Knowledge, Skills & Capabilities
- Understanding of Early Childhood Development (0–6 years).
- Knowledge of Maternal & Child Health, Nutrition and Child Development.
- Understanding of Government programmes including ICDS, NHM and Poshan Abhiyaan.
- Excellent facilitation and andragogical skills.
- Ability to mentor junior team members
- Strong relationship-building skills with government stakeholders.
- Good report writing and documentation skills.
- Proficiency in MS Excel, Google Workspace and digital data collection tools (e.g., ODK, Kobo, SurveyCTO etc.).
- Fluency in Marathi (spoken and written) is mandatory.
- Good communication skills in Hindi and English.
- Strong planning, coordination, and problem-solving abilities.
- Willingness to travel extensively across project blocks.
Desired Attributes
- Passion for improving child development outcomes.
- Ability to work independently in rural settings.
- Collaborative mindset and excellent interpersonal skills.
- High level of ownership and accountability.
- Adaptability and willingness to learn.
- Sensitivity towards gender, inclusion, and equity.
Location and Compensation
Location: Karanja (Ghadge) Block of Wardha District Maharashtra (Extensive travel across project areas).
Compensation: Apart from being a part of a young and dynamic learning team, the individual will receive a healthy compensation at par with the non-profit sector benchmark for this position, commensurate with the individual’s prior experience and qualifications.
The current compensation band offered, based on fit and experience is 5-7 lakh INR per annum CTC.
Note: CLR 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.
We heartily welcome new members to join us and work closely with the experienced and diverse leadership team at CLR!
Leadership Team
Chetan Bhangdia, Director
Chetan Bhangdia has extensive experience spanning more than 25 years in conceptualizing, building and delivering data and technology capabilities spanning strategy, programs, products, services, team set up and operations. He is an Engineer with a postgraduate degree in management. He takes care of select program verticals, production, research, M&E and all the organisational development functions at CLR.
Anurata Tribhuvan, Head of Production & Media and English Programs
Anurata comes with 18+ years of experience in the field of production and media communication. She has a double Master's in Communication Media for Children from SNDT University and in Psychology from Pune University. Apart from being a CLR veteran, she has worked with SFM Radio, Star Pravah TV, ICC for Kids & Natives Communications. Over the years she has produced 800+ modules in all formats of e-learning content modules and video productions.
Sufia Azmat, Head of Research and Monitoring
Dr. Sufia Azmat has eighteen years of experience around Teaching, Curriculum Development, Research, and Policy Practice. After completing a Masters in Social Work from Aligarh Muslim University, she secured a Doctorate in Social Work and Child Care Practice from Jamia Millia Islamia. She has authored 10 papers around ECD concerns and participated in several international and national conferences. She has led 2 major projects funded by ICSSR and NHRC and many minor projects. The thrust areas of her research and practice remain Early Childhood Development, Foundational Literacy and Numeracy, Maternal and Child Health, disaster and resilience, and Parenting using a Rights-Based Approach.
Kishore Jagtap, Head of Programs & Operations
Kishorkumar Jagtap is Head of Programs & Operations at CLR, with over 14 years of experience in the education sector with a strong foundation and passion for impactful change. He specializes in organization development, stakeholder management, and strategic planning and implementation of educational programs.
Throughout his career, he has successfully led initiatives that drive institutional growth and improve program outcomes. His expertise lies in aligning educational strategies with organizational goals, ensuring sustainable and scalable development. Known for his collaborative approach, he builds strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders to foster innovation and continuous improvement.
He holds a Bachelor's degree in Engineering and brings a methodical, results-driven mindset to every project he leads.