Program Manager

Peepul; Delhi; On-site; INR 2,400,000 - 4,200,000; Full time

Job summary

Peepul in India is seeking a Program Manager for LiftEd, a 5-year Development Impact Bond aimed at Foundational Literacy and Numeracy across Delhi's Municipal Corporation. The role leads design, delivery, and reporting, coordinating with MCD leadership, donors, and evaluators to drive outcome-linked funding.

You will shape the improvement roadmap, align government stakeholders around assessment-led instruction, and build sustainable government capacity for student learning assessments.

Qualifications

• Educational background in education or social sciences is highly preferred.
• Experience designing capacity-building programs for government stakeholders.
• Proven ability to work with multi-stakeholder environments and donors.

Responsibilities

• Lead co-design of LiftEd improvement roadmap with MCD officials.
• Align government stakeholders around outcome areas and governance reforms.
• Oversee delivery of academic interventions and data-driven reporting.
• Manage donor relationship and reporting cycles.
• Strengthen MCD capacity for student assessments and FLN instruction.
• Build a high-performing, learning-focused team.

Skills

English

Hindi

Stakeholder management

Public education

Education

Background in education, social sciences, development studies

Job description

Programme: LiftED | Development Impact Bond (DIB)

About Peepul

Peepul is an education-focused non-profit working with governments to strengthen India’s public education system at scale. We partner with national, state, and local governments to improve teaching, leadership, and system effectiveness in government schools.

Currently, Peepul works with governments in Delhi and Madhya Pradesh, impacting over 6.6 million students, 273,000 teachers, 2,400 school leaders, and 90,000+ schools. Our work has received national and international recognition, including the Commonwealth Education Award for Innovation, and is supported by leading Indian CSR partners and global foundations committed to improving educational outcomes for all children.

Driven by our values of impact, excellence, and leadership, our 200+ member team is committed to delivering lasting, system-level change in education.

Learn more: http://peepulindia.org

Peepul is implementing a 5-year Development Impact Bond (DIB) focused on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) across four zones of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).

The programme began with a learning year (AY 2022–23) and has now transitioned into outcome-linked funding (AY 2023–24 onwards). The work focuses on strengthening assessment-driven instruction through academic, governance, and technology reforms, particularly in the Central and West zones of MCD.

Over the course of the programme, Peepul is building systemic capability within the government to design, implement, and sustain high-quality student learning assessments—through practice reviews, co-creation of SOPs, and large-scale capacity building of teachers and officials.

About the Role

Following an initial learning year, the program now enters a multi-year phase of outcome-based funding tied directly to improvements in student learning outcomes. In this phase, the Program Manager will be at the helm of LiftEd’s design and delivery — managing academic interventions, stakeholder relationships, and outcome achievement across this ambitious and high-accountability program. They will work closely with MCD leadership, academic mentors, academic officials, and school teams, while also anchoring reporting and coordination with a consortium of donors and external evaluators. A key component of the role will involve strengthening MCD’s capacity to implement student learning assessments and use data for improving FLN instruction in the classroom — embedding sustainable, system-owned practices.

This role demands strategic thinking, sharp execution, a deep understanding of public education systems, and the ability to manage complex, multi-stakeholder environments. It is an opportunity to shape one of the few outcome-linked education programs in India with direct impact on student learning.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Design and Government Engagement

• Lead the co-design of the LiftEd improvement roadmap with senior MCD officials and Peepul’s leadership team.
• Align senior government stakeholders around core outcome areas: assessment-led instruction, structured pedagogy, and data-driven governance reforms.
• Build trust-based relationships with key decision-makers and ensure government ownership at all levels of the delivery chain.

Program Implementation and Outcome Delivery

• Design and manage high-quality delivery of academic interventions — including teacher and school principal professional development, in-class support systems, and assessment-based remediation.
• Integrate technology and governance reforms that enable data collection, reflection, and targeted support to schools and teachers.
• Build teacher and system capacity in conducting and using student assessments to inform FLN classroom instruction.
• Ensure strong project management systems, regular milestone reviews, and ongoing adaptation based on evidence from the field.

Donor Management

• Serve as the key program lead for LiftEd’s donor consortium and DIB partners.
• Ensure regular, transparent communication of program progress, outcomes, and risks to funders.
• Coordinate external evaluation cycles and field visits, providing insights on implementation and outcome trajectory.
• Align internal teams and external stakeholders around DIB-linked goals and high-stakes reporting timelines.

System Strengthening and External Partnerships

• Collaborate with government departments to build sustainable delivery systems, embed academic best practices, and institutionalise assessment routines.
• Identify and manage external partnerships where needed — ensuring coherence with Peepul’s programmatic strengths and strategic goals.
• Contribute to national dialogue and thought leadership by sharing insights and lessons from the LiftEd program with the broader ecosystem.

Team Leadership and Capability Building

• Lead and develop a high-performing team that demonstrates ownership, agility, and strong outcome focus.
• Foster a culture of shared learning, trust, and continuous improvement within the team and with government stakeholders.
• Provide hands‑on coaching, development pathways, and feedback to direct reports.

Qualifications and Role Requirements:

At Peepul, we seek talented professionals passionate about driving educational transformation and making a positive impact. We are looking for individuals who possess the following qualifications and meet the role requirements:

• Educational Background: A relevant educational background in education, social sciences, development studies, or related disciplines is highly preferred.
• Work Experience: We value both professional and personal experience. Candidates with over 9+ years of experience of teaching, designing and delivering capacity-building programs for government stakeholders, FLN interventions in the public education sector, preferably in school settings, will be given preference.
• Other Skills: Excellent project management skills, with the ability to oversee end-to-end program content design and delivery ensuring the last mile impact.
• Language Proficiency: English and Hindi