State Project Manager - Education, Lucknow

Ground Zero; Lucknow; On-site; INR 1,600,000 - 2,000,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Fixed-term contract

Onsite in Lucknow

Job summary

Ground Zero in Lucknow, UP seeks a State Project Manager for Education with 10–15 years' experience to lead district-level program delivery and stakeholder coordination in Uttar Pradesh.

The role focuses on ensuring timely, high-quality implementation, data-driven oversight, and strong cross-functional collaboration with state, central, and district teams. Travel is required across districts.

Qualifications

• Master's degree or higher in Education, Social Sciences, Management, Public Administration, or related field.
• 10–15 years of experience in managing large-scale education or development programs.
• Strong operational and execution discipline with attention to reporting and data.
• Fluent English and Hindi communication; willingness to travel for field work.
• Experience with district/state government systems is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day program implementation across Lucknow-anchored districts ensuring timely, quality delivery and compliance.
• Supervise District Program Managers, coordinate with state-level academic, M&E, and operations teams.
• Monitor program data, dashboards, and field insights to drive course corrections.
• Coordinate operations, finance, and admin activities; act as escalation point for risks.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Communication in English & Hindi

Data analysis

Travel readiness

Education

Master's degree in Education / Social Sciences / Management / Public Administration

Tools

MS Office (Excel)

Job description

Role: State Project Manager - Education, Lucknow, UP

Experience: 10 to 15 years

Salary: 16-20 LPA

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About the Project:

We currently work with 8 state governments across the country, including a robust presence in Uttar Pradesh. Our approach focuses on sustained program quality, institutionalization of processes, effective stakeholder engagement, and smooth execution of state priorities. The program focuses on: Overseeing day-to-day implementation across assigned mature program districts (Varanasi, Chandauli, Bhadohi, and Fatehpur) at different stages of implementation and transition. Supporting sustainability and institutionalization efforts by strengthening district ownership and government engagement. Structuring field insights and M&E data to proactively identify and address implementation risks while translating state-level priorities into smooth field execution.

About the Role:

The State Project Manager is the core operational lead for our work across the assigned districts in Uttar Pradesh. The role involves ensuring effective, timely, and high-quality implementation of district-level programs by closely monitoring field operations, supporting district teams, strengthening coordination across functions, and resolving operational challenges on the ground. While academic leadership (FLN/MLE/Numeracy) continues to be anchored with the State Manager and academic specialists, this position requires strong operational discipline, team management capabilities, and the ability to work in close collaboration with district education systems and state/central teams.

Roles and Responsibilities:

1. Program Operations & Implementation Oversight: Oversee day-to-day implementation of programs across the assigned districts of Varanasi, Chandauli, Bhadohi, and Fatehpur, ensuring adherence to approved plans, timelines, deliverables, and quality standards. Support sustainability and institutionalization efforts in mature program districts by strengthening district ownership, government engagement, and transition readiness where applicable. Track implementation progress across districts and blocks, identifying bottlenecks and ensuring timely resolution. Conduct frequent field visits to districts and blocks to monitor implementation, mentor district teams, and provide on-ground problem-solving support. Ensure coordination and alignment between district plans and state-level priorities.
2. District & Team Management: Provide direct supervision, guidance, and support to District Program Managers (DPMs). Conduct regular review meetings with DPMs to track progress, risks, and support needs. Strengthen district-level planning, execution discipline, and reporting practices. Facilitate coordination between district teams and state-level academic, M&E, and operations staff. Supervise direct reportees including DPCs, M&E Officer, and Admin Associate to optimize regional efficiency.
3. Monitoring, Review & Use of Data: Work closely with the M&E Officer to review program data, dashboards, trends, and field insights. Use M&E findings to identify implementation gaps, course-correct strategies, and improve program effectiveness. Ensure timely submission of accurate program data, reports, and reviews to the State Manager and central teams. Support district teams in strengthening data quality, data use, and compliance with M&E processes. Support the State Manager to plan monthly/quarterly reviews of the program by the State Quality Cell, Education Department.
4. Operations, Finance & Administrative Coordination: Coordinate closely with the Sr. Accounts and Admin Associate to ensure smooth logistics, travel, workshops, and operational arrangements. Monitor operational expenditures in coordination with the finance function to ensure adherence to approved budgets. Support planning and execution of trainings, workshops, reviews, and field activities from an operational standpoint. Ensure compliance with organizational policies related to procurement, travel, payments, and documentation. Act as the first point of escalation for operational risks and issue resolution.

Skills & Qualifications Required

1. Education: Master's degree in Education, Social Sciences, Management, Public Administration, or a related field. Additional training or certification in Project Management, Operations, or Monitoring & Evaluation is an advantage.
2. Experience: Minimum 10–15 years of relevant experience in managing large-scale education or development programs. Strong experience in field-based program implementation, preferably within government school systems.
3. Core Operations Expertise: Demonstrated experience in managing multi-location teams and district-level operations. Strong operational and execution-focused mindset with high attention to detail, execution discipline, and reporting practices.
4. Sector Knowledge: Prior experience working with district and state government systems is highly desirable. Ability to analyze data, identify trends, and translate insights into operational actions.
5. Technical Skills: Proficiency in MS Office, especially Excel, for tracking, reviews, and reporting. Strong communication skills in English and Hindi; knowledge of local context and languages is a plus.
6. Travel: High level of comfort with extensive travel and on-ground engagement across assigned districts.

Benefits & Culture:

An equal opportunity employer that values diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. A dynamic framework that encourages high ownership, resilience, and the ability to work under tight timelines. Comprehensive structural and operational collaboration across state and central teams. Fixed-term contract engagement based directly out of our Lucknow office (Onsite / Work from Office).

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