State Head – Program & Impact

Job Description: State Head – Program & Impact

Location: [State –UP/ MH / RJ/ KA]

Reporting to: Program Director

1. Role Purpose

• Uttar Pradesh: Lucknow
• Maharashtra: Pune
• Rajasthan: Jaipur/Jodhpur
• South (KA, TN, TG): Bengaluru

2. Core Attributes Expected

• Speed: Ability to move quickly from planning to execution, resolve bottlenecks, and ensure timely delivery
• Scale Orientation: Experience in managing and expanding programs across large geographies and multiple districts
• Ownership Mindset: Acts as the end-to-end owner of the state, with full accountability for outcomes
• Execution Excellence: Strong ability to translate strategy into consistent on-ground implementation

3.1 End-to-End State Ownership

• Own and drive the complete program lifecycle within the state across all initiatives
• Ensure seamless execution across:
  • Direct-to-school delivery models
  • System-level capacity building approaches
• Manage multiple programs (STEM, AI, digital learning) simultaneously with high quality and consistency
• Ensure alignment with organizational goals on scale, depth, and impact

3.2 Program Execution and Delivery

• Ensure effective rollout of programs across all mapped schools and districts
• Drive key metrics:
  • School coverage
  • Teacher adoption and usage
  • Program engagement and outcomes
• Ensure adherence to:
  • Program design
  • SOPs
  • Timelines
• Identify and resolve execution challenges in real-time to maintain delivery speed

3.3 Team Leadership and Performance Management

• Lead and manage:
  • Project Managers
  • State PMU (Program Management Unit)
  • Indirectly oversee Associates and field teams
• Build a high-performance, ownership-driven culture
• Establish structured review mechanisms:
  • Weekly execution reviews
  • Monthly performance reviews
• Support hiring, onboarding, and continuous capability building

3.4 Government Stakeholder Management (State-Level Leadership)

• Build and manage relationships with senior government stakeholders, including:
  • State-level education officials
  • Key decision-makers within the education system
• Act as the State Head for Muskaan Dreams’ programs
• Enable:
  • Strategic alignment with government priorities
  • Program approvals and expansion
  • Institutionalization within state systems

3.5 Partner and Funder Management

• Own relationships with CSR partners and funders within the state
• Ensure high-quality delivery aligned to partner expectations
• Drive:
  • Timely and accurate reporting
  • Partner reviews and field visits
  • Communication on program progress and impact
• Ensure strong partner success and long-term engagement

3.6 Monitoring, Evaluation, and Data-Driven Execution

• Ensure robust data collection, tracking, and reporting across programs
• Work closely with the MEL team to:
  • Analyze performance
  • Identify gaps
  • Drive corrective actions
• Ensure data accuracy and real-time visibility into program performance

3.7 Planning, Expansion, and Scale

• Develop and execute state-level strategic and operational plans
• Plan resource allocation across districts, programs, and partners
• Identify opportunities for:
  • Expansion into new districts
  • Deepening program engagement
• Support scale-up of successful program models

3.8 Problem Solving and Field Leadership

• Identify and resolve on-ground challenges related to:
  • Adoption gaps
  • Team performance
  • Stakeholder resistance
• Maintain strong field presence and connect with ground realities
• Ensure agility in decision-making to sustain execution momentum

4. Key Deliverables / KRAs

• Achievement of state-level scale targets (schools, districts, reach)
• High teacher adoption and sustained program usage
• Quality and consistency of program implementation
• Strength of relationships with senior government stakeholders
• Partner satisfaction and successful funder engagement
• Performance and retention of state team
• Accuracy and timeliness of reporting and data systems

5. Team Structure and Reporting

• Project Managers (2–3)
• State PMU (3–4 members)

• Associates (20–50+, depending on state scale)

6. Qualifications and Experience

• Minimum 10 years of relevant work experience in program management, operations, or large-scale implementation roles (mandatory)
• Prior experience in the nonprofit / development sector (mandatory)
• Demonstrated experience of working closely with government stakeholders at the state level
• Proven track record of managing large, multi-layered field teams and delivering programs at scale
• Experience in managing multiple programs simultaneously, preferably in education, STEM, digital learning, or skilling

7. Skills and Competencies

• Strong communication and influencing skills, with the ability to engage senior government officials and partners
• Fluency in regional language(s) of the respective state (mandatory), along with working proficiency in Hindi and/or English
• Strong stakeholder management across government, partners, and internal teams
• High execution capability with ability to manage multiple priorities
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Ability to operate effectively in fast-paced and ambiguous environments

8. Behavioral Competencies

• High ownership and accountability
• Strong bias for action and speed
• Ability to manage scale without compromising quality
• Solution-oriented mindset
• Resilience and adaptability in dynamic environments

9. Other Requirements

• Willingness to travel extensively within the state
• Comfort working with government systems and school ecosystems
• Ability to operate independently while aligning with central teams

10. Success Indicators (First 6–12 Months)

• Strong and stable state execution structure established
• High alignment between central program design and field execution
• Improvement in teacher adoption and program usage metrics
• Strong relationships with key government stakeholders
• High partner satisfaction and smooth reporting processes
• Scalable systems and processes established within the state