Program Manager – Secondary Education in Delhi/Bengaluru | The Convergence Foundation

aikyam; New Delhi, Bengaluru; On-site; INR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Influential role in education reform

Job summary

The Convergence Foundation in Delhi is looking for a Program Manager focused on strengthening India's secondary education system. The role involves implementing strategic initiatives and collaborating with state governments and partners to drive educational reform.

The ideal candidate should have a Bachelor's or Master's degree from a top-tier institution and 3 to 5 years of relevant experience. Strong analytical and communication skills are essential for engaging with various stakeholders and advancing reform efforts.

Qualifications

• 3 to 5 years of experience in consulting, strategy roles, or large non-profits.
• Exposure to school education, government systems, or public policy.
• Highly resourceful and organized with a high ownership mindset.

Responsibilities

• Shape and implement TCF's strategic initiative in secondary education.
• Research and analyze secondary education and assessment reform.
• Support design of pilots with state governments for school complexes.

Skills

Strong analytical skills

Excellent communication

Research capability

Problem-solving

Ability to build trust

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree from a top-tier institution

Job description

Program Manager – Secondary Education in Delhi/Bengaluru | The Convergence Foundation

The Convergence Foundation (TCF)

The Convergence Foundation (TCF) is an Indian philanthropic foundation dedicated to driving rapid, sustained, and inclusive economic growth for all Indians. Founded in 2021 by Ashish and Manisha Dhawan who also established institutions like Ashoka University and Central Square Foundation TCF works across seven programme areas spanning job creation, education, skilling, and state capacity building. TCF believes the government is the key actor for systems change, and philanthropy's role is to support that change strategically. The TCF Network includes 21 or more organisations working on India's most pressing socio-economic challenges.

Role

Shape and implement TCF's strategic initiative to strengthen India's secondary education system working with state governments, research partners, and ecosystem organisations to enable integrated school models and drive assessment reforms aligned with the National Education Policy.

Responsibilities

• Research and analyse secondary education, integrated school models, and assessment reform to develop clear strategic pathways
• Track global and Indian innovations in competency-based assessment and school consolidation
• Support design of pilots with state governments for integrated school complexes covering staffing, transport, subject offerings, and infrastructure planning
• Co-design assessment reform pilots with PARAKH and state boards, including modular exams, project-based evaluation, multi-attempt pathways, and portfolio models
• Build implementation plans, budgets, and monitoring and evaluation frameworks for pilots
• Work closely with state governments, SCERTs, boards, and PARAKH to advance reform
• Engage ecosystem partners such as CSF, EI, CEGIS, and Peepul to align reform efforts and build shared momentum
• Convene state and national working groups, advisory councils, and learning forums
• Document learnings from exemplar states like Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, and Telangana on integrated school models
• Develop briefs, playbooks, and communication toolkits on board reform and alternative assessment approaches
• Support policy dialogues and roundtables to build momentum for integrated schools and exam reform
• Create communication materials videos, decks, and briefs to influence policymakers and funders
• Work with media and sector partners to shape the narrative around secondary education reform

Requirements

• Bachelor's or Master's degree from a top-tier institution
• 3 to 5 years of experience in top-tier consulting, strategy roles in fast-paced environments such as startups or venture capital, or large non-profits or foundations
• Strong analytical, structuring, and problem-solving skills
• Excellent communication, research, and writing ability
• Exposure to school education, government systems, assessments, or public policy is preferred
• Experience working with state departments, SCERTs, or education boards is a plus
• Highly resourceful, action-oriented, and comfortable with ambiguity
• Deep curiosity about education systems and state capacity
• Organised, detail-oriented, and strong on execution
• Ability to build trust with senior government and ecosystem stakeholders
• High ownership mindset; thrives in entrepreneurial environments
• Work on a high-impact, systems-level education reform initiative at a critical moment for India's demographic dividend
• Collaborate with state governments, national bodies like PARAKH, and leading ecosystem organisations
• Be part of a foundation built by leaders behind some of India's most respected institutions
• Competitive compensation benchmarked to Indian philanthropy and social impact sector standards