Program Associate

About the Role

We are looking for a passionate and driven Program Associate to support the effective implementation of youth employability programs. This role involves working closely with vocational training institutions (VTIs), stakeholders, trainers, and placement officers to ensure quality program delivery, continuous improvement, and sustained impact. The ideal candidate will bring strong training support experience, coordination abilities, stakeholder management skills, and a passion for empowering youth through skilling and career development initiatives.

Role & Responsibilities

● Provide ongoing support to training centers across assigned regions for curriculum planning, delivery, and trainer development.

● Co-design and co-facilitate training sessions with trainers to ensure alignment with learning outcomes and industry standards.

● Regularly visit centers to mentor trainers and placement officers, promoting gradual independence and sustainability.

● Identify gaps and areas of improvement in delivery, content, and student engagement, and share actionable recommendations.

● Promote best practices in training, placement, and alumni engagement activities.

● Build and manage strong relationships with institute heads, trainers, placement cells, and local stakeholders.

● Engage with organizational heads and external partners to strengthen collaboration and program alignment.

● Contribute to industry engagement strategies and develop partnerships that support placements, internships, and exposure opportunities.

● Work with training institution heads to ensure timely implementation of program commitments, training quality, and achievement of placement targets.

● Support planning and utilization of sub-grants where applicable, ensuring compliance with quality benchmarks.

● Maintain coordination with internal teams to deliver integrated and effective interventions.

● Support state and national-level teams with relevant field insights, learner needs, and content recommendations.

● Collaborate across verticals including communications, training, research, data & tech, and M&E to ensure program excellence.

● Participate in organizational forums and knowledge-sharing spaces to contribute learnings and innovations.

● Ensure accurate and timely collection of monitoring data using standard M&E tools.

● Conduct or support baseline, endline, and other assessments as per program needs.

● Maintain updated student records and institute-level data in coordination with the M&E focal point.

● Document program highlights, success stories, and field learnings for internal and donor reporting.

● Ensure completion of event reports, session plans, attendance records, and photo documentation within defined timelines.

● Contribute to quarterly and annual review processes.

● Support any additional youth employability initiatives or pilots as needed.

● Adapt to dynamic program needs, provide timely solutions, and support cross-functional collaboration.

● Contribute to strategy development for career connect events, green skill initiatives, and alumni engagement across centers.

Requirements Required Attributes:

● Graduate degree in Social Work, Education, Management, or a related field.

● Minimum 2-3 years of experience in program implementation, training, or youth employability programs.

● Experience working with vocational institutions, NGOs, government projects, or skilling initiatives preferred.

● Proven ability to manage partnerships and coordinate across stakeholders.

● Strong facilitation and capacity-building skills.

● Ability to manage data and use insights to inform program strategy.

● Proficient in MS Office Suite; comfort with digital tools and platforms.

● Strong written and verbal communication skills.

● Ability to plan and manage multiple priorities across geographies.

● Self-driven with a problem-solving mindset.

● Willingness to travel frequently as per program needs.

● Team player with a collaborative spirit.

● Adaptive, flexible, and responsive to changing program dynamics.

● Passionate about working in the youth development and employability space.

Benefits

Salary: The pay band for the position starts at Rs. 32,000/- per month (cost to company) (The salary offered will be commensurate with the experience and expertise of the candidate)

To Apply: Interested candidates are requested to apply for the role by Filling these application form here

Employee Benefits:

● Comprehensive Personal Accident Insurance covering up to ₹10,00,000 annually

● Mediclaim Insurance covers up to ₹3,00,000 annually, supported through our insurance partner, Loop, which also offers additional wellness benefits.

● Reach for the Stars (RFS) amount of up to ₹5,000 to support your self-learning and knowledge-building efforts.

● Internet allowance of up to ₹750/month, reimbursable based on actual usage to support flexible and hybrid working arrangements.

● For employees with children under the age of 6 years, Quest offers childcare or day care fee support through a monthly matching contribution of up to ₹3,000, helping you create a supportive work-life balance

● Access to emotional health and wellbeing programs such as:

1. Group sessions worth ₹7,500 per session fully covered by the organization

2. 1:1 counselling session (worth ₹1,800 per session), fully covered by the organization

At Quest Alliance, we pride ourselves on being an Equal Opportunities employer, embracing applications from all segments of the community. We are committed to ensuring that every applicant and employee is treated with fairness and respect, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, marital status, social status, caste, religious belief, age, or any other factor that is irrelevant to performance. Your individuality is valued and respected within our organization.

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