SPL Strategy And Executive Office

Central Square Foundation; India; On-site; INR 4,500,000 - 7,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Central Square Foundation (CSF) seeks a senior strategist to shape its institutional strategy and build the new International Centre from the ground up. This role combines strategic rigor with hands-on execution to enable learning and collaboration across education systems.

You will partner with the CEO and StratEx to translate priorities into programmes, partnerships and an operating model that supports government and funder engagement.

Qualifications

• 9–12 years of relevant professional experience leading complex strategic projects.
• Ability to structure ambiguous problems and translate options into actionable outcomes.
• Experience managing multiple high-priority workstreams and end-to-end delivery.
• Experience leading, coaching and developing team members.
• Excellent analytical, writing and presentation skills for executive-ready narratives.
• Strong stakeholder management and ability to influence senior leaders.
• Ownership mindset and comfort operating in a dynamic environment.

Responsibilities

• Run CSF's Strategy Engine by translating priorities into decisions and actions.
• Build and lead the International Centre through programmes and partnerships.
• Lead StratEx team with coaching, delegation and performance management.
• Shape institutional narrative and prepare high-priority engagements.
• Manage cross-organisational priorities and ensure measurable outcomes.

Skills

Strategic problem framing

Cross-functional leadership

Program/project management

Executive communication

Stakeholder engagement

Team leadership and coaching

Analytical writing and storytelling

Education

Postgraduate degree in management/public policy/economics/development studies

Job description

Job Description:

About CSF And StratEx

Central Square Foundation (CSF) is a nonprofit working to improve the quality of school education in India. Our purpose is to enable an effective, equitable school education ecosystem in India by supporting governments to drive sustainable systemic change to ensure that every child realises their full potential

The Strategy & Executive Office (StratEx) works with CSF's CEO and senior leadership on the organisation's most consequential questions: where CSF should place its bets, how its programmes fit together, how leadership makes and follows through on decisions, and how CSF tells its story.

StratEx also supports the Board, drives cross-organisational priorities and is incubating CSF's International Centre for education systems learning and exchange.

Position Summary

This role offers a rare combination: the opportunity to shape CSF's institutional strategy while helping build a new institution from the ground up. CSF's International Centre aims to connect education reformers across India and the world to exchange practical lessons, build partnerships and accelerate system-level change.

We are looking for someone who combines the analytical rigour of a strategist with the execution discipline of an operator, across three responsibilities:

• Drive CSF's strategy agenda. Partner with the Associate Director on enterprise strategy, independently develop recommendations and lead key StratEx workstreams, translating institutional priorities into decisions and action.
• Build the International Centre. Turn its vision into programmes, partnerships, knowledge products and an operating model that enables learning and collaboration across education systems.
• Lead the StratEx team. Manage and develop a small team, strengthen delivery systems and build a culture of rigour, ownership and high performance.

Reporting to the Associate Director, who leads StratEx, you will work closely with CSF's CEO, Executive Committee, programme leaders and Board on strategic initiatives and institutional priorities.

The role offers significant autonomy, strategic responsibility and the opportunity to build lasting institutional impact.

Key Responsibilities

1. Run CSF's Strategy Engine

Shape strategic choices. Structure ambiguous institutional questions around organisational strategy, priorities, operating models and opportunities to deepen, expand or exit. Independently develop evidence-based options and recommendations in partnership with the Associate Director.

Drive strategic initiatives. Design and lead CEO-sponsored initiatives from concept to implementation planning, translating strategic priorities into actionable projects and measurable outcomes.

Strengthen leadership effectiveness. Manage CSF's leadership operating rhythm, including CEO reviews, organisational performance reviews, Advisory Board and Board subcommittee engagements. Develop high-quality briefs, decision notes and Board materials, and ensure decisions translate into action.

Connect the portfolio. Identify synergies, tensions and opportunities across CSF's programmes and functions; influence stakeholders, resolve competing priorities and strengthen cross-functional alignment.

Shape the institutional narrative. Partner with the Associate Director to develop CSF's strategic positioning, organisational decks, primers and knowledge products, and prepare high-priority engagements with government, funders, Board members and ecosystem partners.

2. Build and Lead the International Centre

Turn vision into an institution. Translate the Centre's strategic direction into programme architecture, an operating model, governance mechanisms, budgets and launch milestones.

Design and deliver programmes. Develop domestic and international learning exchanges, convenings and knowledge products that codify Indian education system reform experiences and facilitate learning across countries.

Build partnerships and mobilise resources. Develop relationships with domestic and international institutions, governments and funders, alongside funding proposals and resource mobilisation plans to support the Centre's growth.

Build for sustainability. Establish the processes, people, capabilities and partnerships required for the Centre to transition towards a dedicated operating structure.

3. Lead the Team and Portfolio

Own portfolio delivery. Translate StratEx priorities into integrated workplans, milestones, resource allocations and review mechanisms, and drive initiatives through to adoption and measurable outcomes.

Lead and develop people. Manage a team, providing clear delegation, regular coaching, performance feedback and quality assurance.

Drive execution excellence. Manage competing priorities, capacity constraints, delivery risks and cross-functional dependencies while building a culture of ownership, collaboration and analytical rigour.

What Success Looks Like Within The First 6 Months

• StratEx portfolio ownership: Establish clear workplans, responsibilities, review systems and accountability mechanisms across the portfolio.
• Strategic problem-solving: Independently lead at least one significant institutional strategy question from problem-framing through analysis and recommendations to a leadership decision.
• Leadership effectiveness: Strengthen executive and Board review processes through high-quality materials, structured decision-making and reliable follow-through.
• Team leadership: Establish effective day-to-day management of the StratEx team, with clear responsibilities, regular coaching and strong quality assurance.
• International Centre: Develop and secure approval for the Centre's operating plan, programme roadmap, governance structure and budget.

Required Qualifications, Skills And Abilities

• 9–12 years of relevant professional experience, including leading complex strategic projects, cross-functional initiatives and teams.
• Demonstrated ability to structure ambiguous problems, evaluate options and translate strategic recommendations into actionable outcomes.
• Experience managing multiple high-priority workstreams and driving end-to-end delivery.
• Experience leading, coaching and developing team members.
• Excellent analytical, writing and presentation skills, with the ability to develop compelling, executive-ready narratives.
• Strong stakeholder management skills and the judgment, discretion and confidence to influence senior leaders in complex organisations.
• An ownership mindset, intellectual curiosity and comfort operating in a dynamic environment.

Desired Qualities

• A postgraduate degree in management, public policy, economics, development studies or a related field.
• Experience working with government, public systems or large-scale institutional reform.
• Exposure to school education, foundational learning or the broader development sector.
• Experience designing convenings, learning exchanges, knowledge products or strategic partnerships.
• Experience supporting Boards, senior leadership governance or executive decision-making.
• Experience developing partnerships, funding proposals or resource mobilisation strategies.

Compensation

Remuneration will be competitive with Indian philanthropy pay scales and will depend upon the candidate's experience levels.