State Head – Program & Impact

Muskaan Dreams; Pune District; On-site; INR 1,200,000 - 2,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Muskaan Dreams is hiring a State Head – Program & Impact based in Pune, Maharashtra. This role involves complete ownership of program execution, scaling initiatives, and stakeholder management within government schools.

You will manage relationships with senior government officials, ensure effective program rollout, and lead multi-layered teams, driving large-scale adoption of STEM and 21st-century learning.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of relevant work experience in program management.
• Proven track record of managing large-scale programs.
• Experience working closely with government stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Own and drive the complete program lifecycle within the state.
• Ensure effective rollout of programs across all schools.
• Build and manage relationships with senior government stakeholders.

Skills

Communication and influencing skills

Stakeholder management

Analytical and problem-solving skills

Fluency in regional language(s)

High execution capability

Job description

Job Description: State Head – Program & Impact

Location: [State –UP/ MH / RJ/ KA]

Reporting to: Program Director

1. Role Purpose

The State Lead – Programs will be responsible for complete ownership of program execution, stakeholder management, and scale within the state, driving high-quality implementation across all initiatives.

This role is central to Muskaan Dreams’ vision of enabling large-scale adoption of STEM, AI, and 21st-century learning within government school systems. The State Lead will operate with a strong focus on speed, scale, and execution excellence, while managing senior government stakeholders, partners, and multi-layered teams.

Positions are based out of :

• Uttar Pradesh: Lucknow
• Maharashtra: Pune
• Rajasthan: Jaipur/Jodhpur

2. Core Attributes Expected

• Speed: Ability to move quickly from planning to execution, resolve bottlenecks, and ensure timely delivery
• Scale Orientation: Experience in managing and expanding programs across large geographies and multiple districts
• Ownership Mindset: Acts as the end-to-end owner of the state, with full accountability for outcomes
• Execution Excellence: Strong ability to translate strategy into consistent on-ground implementation

3. Key Responsibilities

3.1 End-to-End State Ownership

• Own and drive the complete program lifecycle within the state across all initiatives
• Ensure seamless execution across:
  • Direct-to-school delivery models
  • System-level capacity building approaches
• Manage multiple programs (STEM, AI, digital learning) simultaneously with high quality and consistency
• Ensure alignment with organizational goals on scale, depth, and impact

3.2 Program Execution and Delivery

• Ensure effective rollout of programs across all mapped schools and districts
• Drive key metrics:
  • School coverage
  • Teacher adoption and usage
  • Program engagement and outcomes
• Ensure adherence to:
  • Program design
  • SOPs
  • Timelines
• Identify and resolve execution challenges in real-time to maintain delivery speed

3.3 Team Leadership and Performance Management

• Lead and manage:
  • Project Managers
  • State PMU (Program Management Unit)
  • Indirectly oversee Associates and field teams
• Build a high-performance, ownership-driven culture
• Weekly execution reviews
• Monthly performance reviews
• Support hiring, onboarding, and continuous capability building

3.4 Government Stakeholder Management (State-Level Leadership)

• Build and manage relationships with senior government stakeholders, including:
  • State-level education officials
  • Key decision-makers within the education system
• Act as the State Head for Muskaan Dreams’ programs
• Enable:
  • Strategic alignment with government priorities
  • Program approvals and expansion
  • Institutionalization within state systems

3.5 Partner and Funder Management

• Own relationships with CSR partners and funders within the state
• Ensure high-quality delivery aligned to partner expectations
• Drive:
  • Timely and accurate reporting
  • Partner reviews and field visits
  • Communication on program progress and impact
• Ensure strong partner success and long-term engagement

3.6 Monitoring, Evaluation, and Data-Driven Execution

• Ensure robust data collection, tracking, and reporting across programs
• Work closely with the MEL team to:
  • Analyze performance
  • Identify gaps
  • Drive corrective actions
• Ensure data accuracy and real-time visibility into program performance

3.7 Planning, Expansion, and Scale

• Develop and execute state-level strategic and operational plans
• Plan resource allocation across districts, programs, and partners
• Identify opportunities for:
  • Expansion into new districts
  • Deepening program engagement
• Support scale-up of successful program models

3.8 Problem Solving and Field Leadership

• Identify and resolve on-ground challenges related to:
  • Adoption gaps
  • Team performance
  • Stakeholder resistance
• Maintain strong field presence and connect with ground realities
• Ensure agility in decision-making to sustain execution momentum
• Achievement of state-level scale targets (schools, districts, reach)
• High teacher adoption and sustained program usage
• Quality and consistency of program implementation
• Strength of relationships with senior government stakeholders
• Partner satisfaction and successful funder engagement
• Performance and retention of state team
• Accuracy and timeliness of reporting and data systems

5. Team Structure and Reporting

Direct Reports:

• Project Managers (2–3)
• State PMU (3–4 members)

Indirect Reports:

• Associates (20–50+, depending on state scale)

6. Qualifications and Experience

• Minimum 10 years of relevant work experience in program management, operations, or large-scale implementation roles (mandatory)
• Prior experience in the nonprofit / development sector (mandatory)
• Demonstrated experience of working closely with government stakeholders at the state level
• Proven track record of managing large, multi-layered field teams and delivering programs at scale
• Experience in managing multiple programs simultaneously, preferably in education, STEM, digital learning, or skilling

7. Skills and Competencies

• Strong communication and influencing skills, with the ability to engage senior government officials and partners
• Fluency in regional language(s) of the respective state (mandatory), along with working proficiency in Hindi and/or English
• Strong stakeholder management across government, partners, and internal teams
• High execution capability with ability to manage multiple priorities
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Ability to operate effectively in fast-paced and ambiguous environments
• High ownership and accountability
• Strong bias for action and speed
• Ability to manage scale without compromising quality
• Solution-oriented mindset
• Resilience and adaptability in dynamic environments

9. Other Requirements

• Willingness to travel extensively within the state
• Comfort working with government systems and school ecosystems
• Ability to operate independently while aligning with central teams

10. Success Indicators (First 6–12 Months)

• Strong and stable state execution structure established
• High alignment between central program design and field execution
• Improvement in teacher adoption and program usage metrics
• Strong relationships with key government stakeholders
• High partner satisfaction and smooth reporting processes
• Scalable systems and processes established within the state