Senior Project Manager - Policy and Communications

Job Title

Senior Project Manager (5-8 years)

Team

Policy and Communications

Location

New Delhi

About Central Square Foundation

Established in 2012, Central Square Foundation (CSF) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to enhancing the learning outcomes of all school-going children across India through system-led reforms. As a catalytic enabler, our initiatives span innovation and policy to practice and focus on learning impact at scale across 14 states.

At the heart of our mission is our strategic focus on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN), which drives our collaborative efforts with 11 state governments to design and execute statewide FLN missions. We are deeply committed to Early Childhood Education (ECE) reforms, recognising the critical role it plays in laying a strong groundwork for children's learning journey, thereby augmenting FLN outcomes. We also work for School Governance, extending our system-level approach to children in both private and government schools, to strengthen the country's education landscape and High Potential Students to support India's bright young minds from underprivileged backgrounds in becoming future innovators, researchers and leaders.

Learn more about CSF on the website (http://www.centralsquarefoundation.org)

About the Policy and Communications Team (PAC)

At CSF, PAC's role is to build salience around CSF's key thematic areas and strengthen the organisation's position as a thought-leader in India's school education sector. The PAC team operates horizontally, closely collaborating with various program teams at CSF. The core workstreams of PAC encompass Salience and Communications.

The 'Senior Project Manager - Policy and Communications' will primarily work in the Salience workstream. They will work across three pillars:

1. Policy Research: Crafting policy notes, presentations, reports, etc.

2. Engagement and Outreach: Consistent engagement with decision-makers in the education sector, representing CSF at important forums with key stakeholders, and expanding CSF's circle of influence

3. Strategic Salience and Surround Sound: Identifying opportunities to build salience for CSF's thematic areas, building strategic campaigns to build surround sound, and drafting thought pieces and articles in English and Hindi

They will report to, and work closely with the 'Senior Project Lead' - Policy and Communications'.

Key Responsibilities of the Senior Project Manager - Policy and Communications

Policy Research and Documentation

1. Lead high-impact policy research on critical school education issues, translating global research and trends into actionable insights for CSF leadership and government partners

2. Analyse data and research reports to develop compelling research briefs, policy memos, and position papers that shape conversations around CSF's priority areas

3. Prepare strategic briefing materials for CSF leadership ahead of meetings with Ministers, Secretaries, and senior government officials, ensuring CSF's positions are evidence-based

4. Monitor and analyse the evolving policy and political landscape at national and state levels, identifying strategic opportunities and key stakeholders to build salience for CSF's key thematic areas
   
   

Stakeholder Engagement and Relationship Management

1. Support in targeted outreach to key decision-makers in the education ecosystem for building coalition around CSF's thematic areas

2. Build and sustain relationships with elected representatives, bureaucrats, and research institutions to position CSF as a trusted partner in education reform

3. Serve as a relationship manager for external partners and consultants, coming up with strategies, monitoring their work, and working with them for end-to-end execution of projects

4. Manage stakeholders across CSF's teams by supporting them in creating collaterals, problem solving through salience activities, and building surround sound around their initiatives

5. Collaborate with national and international ecosystem partners, leading policy organisations, and think tanks to build salience around CSF's workstreams

Strategic Communications and Thought Leadership

1. Craft persuasive messaging and communications materials that elevate CSF's profile among policymakers, researchers, and educational leaders

2. Write thought leadership articles, op-eds, and policy commentaries around education reform in English and Hindi

3. Work closely with Senior Project Manager - PAC to ensure surround sound around CSF's policy priorities and work streams

4. Support the planning and execution of salience-building events, ensuring they deliver strategic value and strengthen CSF's positioning

5. Support in creation of high quality Knowledge Products, which demonstrate the research and knowledge heft of CSF across all its project areas.

Required Qualifications, Skills and Abilities

1. Master's Degree, preferably in Public Policy, Political Science, Economics, Development Studies or similar degrees

2. 5-8 years of work experience, preferably in the policy research/ governance sector, with at least 3 years working directly on public policy issues

3. Demonstrated track record of building sustainable relationships with key/ influential stakeholders and end-to-end management of projects/ deliverables;

4. Strong analytical and research capabilities with experience producing high-quality policy briefs, research reports, or strategic memos for senior leadership or government audiences

5. Experience working closely with elected representatives, government officials, policymakers, heads of CSOs, or thought-leaders/ eminent intellectuals;

6. Exceptional written and verbal communication skills in both English and Hindi, with the ability to translate complex ideas into clear, compelling narratives for diverse audiences

7. Keen interest in the development sector, policy and politics and current affairs;

8. Ability to work both independently, or as part of a team, and a go-getter/ enterprising attitude towards assigned tasks

Additional Details

1. Start Date: As soon as possible

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

3. The role will entail occasional short travels as and when required

4. Basic proficiency in Office 365 Suite/ Google Workspace suite is a prerequisite