Project Manager

Job Title: Project Manager (Academic - Odisha)

Department: FLN, Odisha PMU

Organisation: Central Square Foundation

Location: Bhubaneswar, Odisha

About Central Square Foundation:

Founded in 2012, the Central Square Foundation (CSF) is a non-profit, philanthropic foundation dedicated to realising its vision of ensuring quality school education for all children in India. We are driven by our mission to transform the school education system with a focus on improving children's learning outcomes, especially in low-income communities.

We believe that ensuring Universal, Early, Conceptual and Procedural Mastery of Foundational Skills is essential for the overall success of the education system. To achieve this, we partner with individuals and social impact organisations to bring innovative solutions to education and work with the government to drive systemic impact. We collaborate with the ecosystem to leverage knowledge, build evidence and create proven tools around critical issues such as early learning, EdTech, classroom instruction methods and governance.

One of our approaches includes partnering with governments to design system-led programs, influencing policy-making, and developing knowledge products based on research and international best practices. CSF has partnered with the Govt. of Odisha on a long-term engagement for system reform to improve the quality of learning outcomes for early-grade children and has set up a Project Management Unit (PMU) in the state to deliver it.

Learn more at the website

Position Summary

CSF is seeking a Project Manager based in Bhubaneswar to provide both academic and governance support for the state FLN programme. The role involves strengthening District NIPUN Cells and NIPUN Vidyalayas through academic inputs, monitoring, and governance processes. The Project Manager will lead academic workstreams (teacher capacity building, mentoring, assessments, TLMs, classroom practices) while also driving governance functions like programme monitoring, data-driven reviews, institutional strengthening, and inter-departmental coordination. The role will require close day-to-day engagement with state and district-level government officials.

Key Responsibilities

• Academic Support

• Support end-to-end design and delivery of academic workstreams, including TLM development, teacher capacity building, classroom practice improvement, mentoring and coaching, and formative assessments.

• Assist in designing and operationalising the NIPUN Vidyalaya Assessments and using results for programmatic improvement.
• Provide academic and technical support to District NIPUN Cells in the implementation and monitoring of foundational learning interventions.
• Support the development of quality curricular and instructional resources, including teacher training modules, guides, and classroom observation tools.

• Governance & Monitoring Support

• Strengthen the functioning of District NIPUN Cells by institutionalising data use, review mechanisms, and cross-departmental coordination.

• Monitor NIPUN Vidyalaya performance through indicators under the Teaching-Learning Practices Index, assessments, and district-level reviews.
• Coordinate programme reviews at state and district levels, ensuring data-driven decision-making and timely course correction.
• Support the state and district in designing and executing monitoring frameworks for effective implementation of the FLN programme.
• Lead documentation, reporting, and knowledge management for both academic and governance aspects of the programme.

• Stakeholder Management

• Work closely with state and district government officials to align academic and governance interventions with programme priorities.

• Coordinate with technical partners, CSF expert teams, and government institutions to ensure academic quality and systemic strengthening.
• Support the capacity building of district and block officials, as well as Head Masters, to foster ownership and sustained impact.

Qualifications

• Bachelors degree required; Masters in education, public policy, development studies, or social sciences preferred.
• 2-4 years of experience in education and governance, preferably with exposure to program design, monitoring, and implementation.
• Strong understanding of classroom practices, assessments, and teacher professional development, along with experience in system strengthening or governance processes.
• Excellent analytical, writing, and communication skills. Fluency in English and Odia is required.
• Ability to work independently, manage multiple stakeholders, and operate in complex government systems.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build trust, influence stakeholders, and foster collaboration.

Additional Details

Start Date: As soon as possible

Compensation: Remuneration will be competitive with Indian philanthropy pay scales and will depend upon the candidates experience levels.

How to Apply - All interested candidates, please apply here