Advocacy Manager

Leadership For Equity; Ahmednagar; On-site; INR 700,000 - 1,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Leadership For Equity (LFE) invites an Advisory Manager for Ahilyanagar, Maharashtra. The role focuses on mentoring PMU staff, overseeing program delivery, and engaging with district leadership to implement educational reforms.

Travel across rural areas will be frequent. The candidate should bring 4–6 years in governance or advocacy, a Master’s in Education/Policy, and strong English communication with Marathi preferred.

Qualifications

• Excellent written and verbal communication in English; knowledge of Marathi is a plus.
• Ability to connect district learnings with state priorities.
• Proven capacity to mentor PMU staff and build organizational capability.
• Strong operational planning, governance understanding, and policy implementation experience.

Responsibilities

• Mentor PMU staff and ensure clarity of roles and accountability.
• Coordinate with district capacity-building teams to resolve bottlenecks and strengthen delivery.
• Develop quarterly operational plans and monitor progress, including PGI improvements.
• Engage district leadership to drive policy dissemination, resource mobilization, and governance reforms.

Skills

English proficiency

Policy advocacy

Stakeholder engagement

Data-driven decisions

Education

Master's degree in Education/Policy

Job description

Background

Leadership For Skilled Education Foundation (branded as Leadership for Equity, LFE) is a non-profit organisation based in Pune, Maharashtra, working to strengthen India s public education system so that every child learns and thrives. We envision public education systems that refuse to let children down.

LFE partners with state and district governments across multiple states-including Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Haryana-to improve teaching practices and build sustained academic support structures within the public system. Our work is anchored in the belief that public education systems are the gatekeepers of social equity, and strengthening them is essential to ensuring that every child has access to strong foundational and future-ready learning.

Approach

LFE s systems-change approach focuses on improving classroom practice and enabling government ownership through three core levers:

1. Co-creating high-quality curricular resources and building teacher capacity
2. Developing academic leadership to coach and mentor teachers
3. Providing data-driven advisory support and policy implementation guidance

Our model empowers teachers as instructional leaders and embeds long-term support through government-run mentor cadres, continuous classroom observation cycles, and in-system academic structures. Technology plays a critical role, including an in-house Classroom Observation App for real-time monitoring and a WhatsApp-based teacher support chatbot for contextual resource delivery.

The approach is iterative and context-responsive, grounded in classroom realities and tailored to state and district needs. Implementation varies across geographies-whether working directly with teachers or through government-appointed mentors-ensuring relevance and feasibility within existing structures. A continuous feedback loop of training, observation, and coaching moves beyond one-time interventions toward sustained practice change. All programs are co-designed and co-implemented with government partners to ensure scale, sustainability, and systemic ownership, ultimately leading to improved student learning outcomes in foundational and future literacy.

About the role

The Advisory Manager - Ahilyanagar will:

• Provide technical guidance and mentoring to PMU staff, ensuring clarity of roles and alignment with program objectives.
• Oversee program implementation, permissions, and operational planning across assigned districts.
• Coordinate closely with district capacity-building teams to resolve bottlenecks and strengthen program delivery.
• Build and sustain relationships with district leadership (Collector, CEO, ZP President, Parents Minister, DIET Principal, DEO).
• Drive systemic reforms by supporting the release of government circulars and embedding practices such as classroom observations and review mechanisms.
• Facilitate unlocking of district-level resources for LFE-led interventions.
• Provide strategic leadership to improve PGI scores by at least 10%, ensuring regular monitoring and reporting.
• Ensure documentation, reporting, and knowledge sharing with government stakeholders and funders.
• Represent LFE in district forums to ensure visibility and credibility.

Job Description and Responsibilities

PMU Supervision, Team Development & Coordination (15%)

• Provide ongoing mentoring to PMU staff, ensuring clarity of roles, responsibilities, and alignment with program objectives.
• Conduct structured performance reviews, regular check-ins, and feedback sessions to strengthen accountability.
• Identify staff development needs, co-design Individual Development Plans (IDPs), and facilitate targeted workshops.
• Ensure smooth communication between PMU staff, government officials, and organisational leads.

Program Oversight, Permissions & Operational Planning (15%)

• Monitor program adherence to timelines, SOPs, and quality standards.
• Approve all permission letters, ensuring accuracy and timely submission.
• Prepare decks for district/block meetings, ensuring clarity and alignment with objectives.
• Develop quarterly operational plans, proactively manage alerts, and adapt flexibly to emerging needs.

Data Management, Documentation & Reporting (10%)

• Update the Data Management System (DMS) on time.
• Use program data consistently in team and government discussions.
• Capture and share Minutes of Meeting (MoM) for all major meetings.
• Submit quarterly reports and monthly updates to officials.
• Document best practices, case studies, and field insights for dissemination.

Coordination with District Capacity Building Team (15%)

• Ensure smooth coordination and alignment with CB team priorities.
• Provide consistent support to resolve bottlenecks affecting program implementation.
• Conduct weekly catch-ups with CB Manager.
• Undertake co-visits and attend trainings jointly with the CB team.

Stakeholder Engagement & Policy Advocacy (10%)

• Build strong relationships with block-level officers, the DEO, the DIET Principal, the CEO, the ZP President, and the Parents Minister.
• Ensure monthly touchpoints with district officers and quarterly touchpoints with senior officials.
• Drive release of at least two government orders/circulars per district.
• Support embedding of systemic practices into district structures.

Resource Mobilisation & Risk Management (10%)

• Facilitate unlocking at least 2 lakh from district budgets for LFE interventions.
• Proactively identify risks and systemic challenges.
• Develop mitigation strategies and coordinate resolution.
• Maintain and share a risk tracker with leadership.

Strategic Leadership & Monitoring for PGI Improvement (15%)

• Ensure officials are aware of PGI scores and guide priority setting.
• Drive adoption of policies and processes contributing to PGI improvement.
• Oversee monthly progress trackers and provide timely feedback.
• Facilitate regular updates to officials on PGI progress.

Organisational Priorities (10%)

• Attend Learning Saturdays, boot camps, and other platforms.
• Co-facilitate two sessions annually within the advisory wing.

Requirements Education & Experience

• Master s degree in Education, Public Policy, Governance, or related field (preferred).
• 4-6 years of experience in advocacy, governance, or strengthening the education system.
• Proven track record of engaging with senior government stakeholders at the district/state level.
• Prior experience with SCERT, DIETs, or district education departments will be preferred, and candidates with such experience will be given priority.
• Experience in program execution, research, and policy implementation.

Knowledge, Skills & Capabilities

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English; working knowledge of Marathi is preferred
• Ability to connect district learnings with state priorities.
• Skilled at building trust with senior officials.
• Patience, resilience, and the ability to sustain effort through ambiguity and setbacks
• Strong operational planning and execution skills.
• Proficiency in data-driven decision-making and reporting.
• Capacity to mentor PMU staff and build organisational capability.
• Understanding of education governance and institutionalisation of practices.

Location and Compensation

Location

Ahilyanagar, Maharashtra. Frequent travel to rural areas across the state.

Compensation

In addition to being part of a young and dynamic learning team, the individual will receive a competitive compensation package at par with the non‑profit sector benchmark for this position, commensurate with the individual s prior experience and qualifications. The current compensation band, based on fit and experience, is 7-10 LPA (INR per annum).

Leadership For Equity 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.