District Programme Officer

Transform Schools; Pune District; On-site; INR 450,000 - 650,000; Full time

Job summary

Transform Schools seeks a District Programme Officer to support the Back to School programme across Pune district. You will work with government officials, schools and communities to identify and enrol out-of-school children and ensure their smooth return to school.

You will engage with parents, map out beneficiaries, and monitor progress while maintaining accurate district-level data and coordinating with stakeholders for effective implementation.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of relevant experience in education, development or social-sector programmes.
• Experience working at district/block/school/community level, preferably with government schools.
• Experience in programme implementation, field coordination, community mobilisation and stakeholder engagement.

Responsibilities

• Support the Programme Manager in planning and executing the Back to School programme across districts/blocks and schools.
• Support the development and tracking of district-level implementation plans, activities, timelines and milestones.
• Coordinate with schools, government officials and community stakeholders for timely programme activities.
• Conduct regular field visits to monitor implementation and provide on-ground support.
• Ensure programme activities adhere to processes, timelines and quality standards.

Skills

3–5 years experience

Education

Education degree (Bachelors/Masters)

Job description

Transform Schools is working to ensure that every child realises their full potential in school and beyond. Anchored in India’s national priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 4, 5, and 10), our mission is to improve learning outcomes, gender equity, and life opportunities for secondary-grade students aged 13–18.

We co-design and implement evidence-based education programmes with State governments, with a focus on strengthening foundational learning, building equitable learning environments, and preparing students for transitions beyond school.

Our work combines pedagogical innovation, teacher development, data-driven instruction, and systemic reform to ensure every adolescent—especially those from underserved communities—can thrive.

Job Purpose

The District Programme Officer will be responsible for supporting the effective implementation of Transform Schools’ Back to School programme at the district level in Pune.

The role will work closely with the Programme Specialist, district and block-level government officials, schools, teachers, community stakeholders and programme partners to support the identification and re-enrolment of out-of-school children and ensure their smooth transition and sustained participation in school.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the Programme Manager in planning and executing the Back to School programme across assigned districts/blocks and schools.
• Support the development and tracking of district-level implementation plans, activities, timelines and milestones.
• Coordinate with schools, government officials and community stakeholders to ensure timely implementation of programme activities.
• Conduct regular field visits to schools and communities to monitor implementation and provide on-ground support.
• Ensure programme activities are implemented in line with agreed processes, timelines and quality standards.

2. Identification and Mobilisation of Out-of-School Children

• Support the identification and mapping of out-of-school children across assigned communities and schools.
• Work with government officials, schools, teachers and community stakeholders to identify children who are out of school or at risk of dropping out.
• Support the use of available government and programme data to identify and track potential beneficiaries.
• Undertake community-level outreach and mobilisation to understand barriers to school enrolment and attendance.
• Engage with parents/caregivers and communities to build awareness around the importance of education and facilitate children's return to school.
• Maintain updated records of identified children and track their progress through the re-enrolment process.

3. School and Government Engagement

• Build effective working relationships with district and block-level education officials and school leadership.
• Support the Programme Manager in coordinating with relevant government departments and officials for programme implementation.
• Facilitate orientations with Head Teachers, teachers and other school stakeholders on the objectives and processes of the Back to School programme.
• Support schools in understanding their role in identifying, enrolling and supporting out-of-school children.
• Coordinate with schools to ensure that children returning to school receive appropriate support for their transition and continued participation.
• Participate in district/block-level review meetings and follow up on agreed actions.

4. Community Engagement and Family Mobilisation

• Establish relationships with parents, caregivers, community leaders, School Management Committees and other local stakeholders.
• Organise community meetings, awareness activities and mobilisation drives to support the re-enrolment of out-of-school children.
• Understand and document key barriers to enrolment, attendance and retention, including social, economic, academic and logistical barriers.
• Support the development of locally relevant strategies to address these barriers.
• Build community ownership and local support for the Back to School programme.
• Identify relevant local institutions, organisations and resource persons who can support programme implementation and sustainability.

5. Monitoring, Data Collection and Quality Assurance

• Maintain accurate and updated district/block-level data on identified, mobilised, re-enrolled and retained children.
• Support baseline, periodic and endline data collection as required by the programme.
• Conduct regular school and community visits to monitor the quality and fidelity of implementation.
• Maintain programme trackers and ensure timely updating of data and field progress.
• Review field data and observations to identify implementation gaps and emerging trends.
• Share regular updates with the Programme Specialist on progress, challenges, risks and support required.
• Document field insights, challenges, success stories and learning to inform programme improvement.

Education

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Education, Social Sciences, Development Studies, Public Policy, Managementor a related field.

Experience

• 3–5 years of relevant experience in education, development or social-sector programmes.
• Experience working at the district, block, school and/or community level, preferably with government schools.
• Experience in programme implementation, field coordination, community mobilisation and stakeholder engagement.
• Experience working with government education departments or government-school systems would be an advantage.
• Experience in working with children, families and communities on education, enrolment, retention or related issues would be desirable.

Additional Information

This position will require regular travel to schools and communities across the assigned programme geography in Pune district. The role will be field-intensive and will require the candidate to work closely with government officials, school teams, families and community stakeholders.