Manager – Program Implementation & Partnerships

Bhumi; Chennai; On-site; INR 800,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Bhumi in Chennai seeks a Manager – Program Implementation & Partnerships to lead engagement with government schools, education officials, and local administrators, driving the Whole School Transformation Program across the geography. This leadership role blends strategic government partnerships with on‑ground program ownership.

You will build trust with State/District/Block level stakeholders while shaping the internal team, systems and processes to ensure consistent delivery across dozens of

Qualifications

• 4-5 years of program design/implementation experience.
• Experience with government schools or education departments is advantageous.
• Prior people management experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and rollout of a government integration model for WSTP.
• Build and manage relationships with school leaders and education officials.
• Lead and coach a small field team.
• Own performance metrics and reporting; scale-up case.
• Resolve risks and issues; escalate with context when needed.

Skills

Stakeholder engagement

Team leadership

Relationship-building

Communication skills

Tamil language fluency

Education

Any degree

Job description

• Salary 8 - 9 LPA (Based on candidate profile)
• State/Province Tamil Nadu
• Country India

Job Description

About the Role:

The Manager – Program Implementation & Partnerships will lead Bhumi's engagement with government schools, education officials, and local administrative stakeholders to drive the successful, sustained implementation of the Whole School Transformation Program (WSTP) across their assigned geography. This is a leadership role that combines strategic government partnerships management with on- ground program ownership — the Manager will be Bhumi's representative to School Leaders, Block and District Education Officers, and district administration. The role requires someone who can operate fluently at two levels simultaneously: building high-trust relationships with government stakeholders at the State/District/Block level, and building the internal team, systems, and rigour needed to convert those relationships into consistent program delivery across dozens of schools.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Program Design & Implementation — Lead the design and execution of a government integration model for WSTP, from planning through on- ground rollout, iterating based on what's working.
• Government & Stakeholder Partnership — Build and manage relationships with School Leaders, Block/District Education Officials, and local administration needed to enable program delivery and unlock scale-up opportunities.
• Team Leadership — Lead and coach a small field team, setting priorities and building their capability in stakeholder engagement and problem-solving.
• Performance Tracking & Reporting — Own the model's success metrics and reporting, translating pilot learnings into a clear, decision- ready case for scale-up.
• Risk & Issue Resolution — Act as the first point of resolution for implementation or stakeholder- related roadblocks, escalating with clear context where needed.

Educational Qualification/Experience:

• Educational Degree : Any
• Relevant Experience(in years) : 4-5 yearsof experience in program design/implementation, ideally including some experience building or piloting a new model from scratch.
• Experience with government schools, education departments, or district administration is a strong advantage.
• Prior people management experience is preferred.

Knowledge & Skill sets required

• Strong program design and execution skills — able to build structure where none exists and adapt based on what's working on the ground.
• A co-building mindset — genuine comfort working with government stakeholders rather than for or around them; patient with a slower, consensus-driven pace without losing momentum on outcomes.
• Strong relationship-building skills with Headmasters and education officials, and sound judgment navigating government systems and bureaucracy.
• Strong communication skills, verbal and written; fluency in Tamil (mandatory), proficiency in English preferred.
• Good documentation and reporting discipline.