Manager - State Partnerships

Zoho; New Delhi; On-site; INR 1,500,000 - 2,500,000; Full time

Job summary

Rocket Learning is seeking a Manager-State Partnerships in New Delhi to lead state teams at the intersection of ECCE, policy, and ecosystem development. The role focuses on guiding partnerships with WCD Departments and advancing early childhood initiatives.

The position requires 5–10 years in development, a master’s degree, and strong writing and coordination skills. Travel across several states is expected as part of this role.

Qualifications

• 5-10 years of work experience in the development sector
• Master’s degree or equivalent in a relevant field incl. public policy, economics, development, management etc.
• Ability to think and communicate with utmost clarity through complex systems
• Outstanding writing skills including research, structuring, drafting etc. with a quick turnaround
• Enjoyment and ability to handle multiple workstreams, solve problems in a fast-paced and high-pressure environment
• Close alignment with RL's core values and principles.

Responsibilities

• Provide the state teams with quality review & inputs for presentation decks, policy documents, draft speeches and other communication and knowledge products to support government action on early childhood education in the states.
• Supervise the team for stakeholder engagement, research, report writing, M&E etc. related to the advancement of ECCE in India, particularly through the Anganwadi system.
• Collaborate with internal cross-functional teams on government initiatives including policy
• Partnering with government stakeholders and other development partners to help establish the ECCE ecosystem in India.
• Taking ownership and initiative to support the team deliver high-quality results in an
• Being open to frequent domestic travel for stakeholder meetings across multiple states

Job description

Rocket Learning is one of India's fastest-growing ed-tech non-profits, focused on transforming early childhood education at scale. Working closely with central and state governments, we reach over 6 million children across the country. Our approach combines simple, accessible technology with deep community engagement, empowering caregivers and educators to build strong early learning habits. With a diverse, high-performing

team and support from leading funders, we are on a mission to reimagine early learning for every 0–6 years old in India.

Manager-State Partnerships

New Delhi

Overview

This position is a full-time team management role, reporting to the Lead, State Initiatives and Policy. The work will be at the intersection of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE), policy, and ecosystem development. Rocket Learning has been providing support to the state WCD

Departments on a variety of initiatives for the Anganwadi system - these will be supported by the senior manager. The candidate will work directly with the State Initiatives and Policy Lead and State Senior Program Managers, to support crucial partnerships with WCD Departments in Delhi, Odisha, Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra, Rajasthan & Uttarakhand. The candidate will also help to meet requests, coordinate and mobilize internal resources across functional teams and state government partnerships.

Key Results

1. 1. Catalyzing a high-quality ECCE system that leads to improved outcomes for children.
2. 2. Impactful policies and initiatives for structural reform to drive action at the national and state level.
3. 3. Strong relationships and partnerships with key government officials and civil society stakeholders.

Key Activities

1. 1. Provide the state teams with quality review & inputs for presentation decks, policy documents, draft speeches and other communication and knowledge products to support government action on early childhood education in the states.
2. 2. Supervise the team for stakeholder engagement, research, report writing, M&E etc. related to the advancement of ECCE in India, particularly through the Anganwadi system.
3. 3. Collaborate with internal cross-functional teams on government initiatives including policy
4. 4. Partnering with government stakeholders and other development partners to help establish the ECCE ecosystem in India.
5. 5. Taking ownership and initiative to support the team deliver high-quality results in an
6. 6. Being open to frequent domestic travel for stakeholder meetings across multiple states

Eligibility Criteria

1. 5-10 years of work experience in the development sector
2. Master’s degree or equivalent in a relevant field incl. public policy, economics, development, management etc.
3. Ability to think and communicate with utmost clarity through complex systems
4. Outstanding writing skills including research, structuring, drafting etc. with a quick turnaround
5. Enjoyment and ability to handle multiple workstreams, solve problems in a fast-paced and high-pressure environment
6. Close alignment with RL's core values and principles.

Preferred Criteria

1. Experience managing government partnerships at scale
2. Experience of internal collaboration with cross-functional teams
3. Experience in early childhood care and education
4. Mission driven, enthusiastic and optimistic - committed to transformation.
5. Enthusiasm and skills to deal with the opportunities and challenges of supporting governments.