The posting
Position: Deputy General Manager
Department: Mission Education
Sector: Education
Reporting To: Chief Programme Officer – Education
Experience Required: 15–18 years in Education Domain.
About Smile Foundation:
Smile Foundation works for the welfare of underprivileged children and their families through intensive programs focused on education, healthcare, skilling and women empowerment and Empowering Grassroots. Started in 2002 by a group of young corporate professionals, today Smile has evolved into a national level development organization impacting lives of over 2 million under privileged children and their families with project presence in 27 states across India,10 offices in strategic locations and over 650 employees, besides countless volunteers, well- wishers and supporters.
The organization also holds Special Consultative Status with United Nation’s Economic & Social Council (ECOSOC), accredited with global organizations like GuideStar, United Way, CAF America, Give2Asia and many more. Furthermore, continuously for past Six years Smile is a Great Place to Work © Certified organization and is considered ‘Gold Standard’ in identifying and recognizing Great Workplace Cultures.
Currently SF has been implementing projects worth Rs 80 Crore across India directly or with the help of grassroot organizations, primarily CSR funded projects of varied scale both in urban slums and rural areas including aspirational districts in thematic areas mentioned above. The wealth of knowledge emanated from the same is immense, however the same is grouped in systematic manner which can be used for pitching for large projects of long term in nature leading to data driven knowledge products which can be further used in creating large scale impact. Its Mission Education vertical ensures equitable, inclusive, and quality education for disadvantaged children, focusing on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN), digital/STEM education, climate action, and community-school ecosystem partnerships.
Visit our website to know more about us and our latest development: www.smilefoundationindia.org
Position Overview
The Deputy General Manager – Mission Education provides programmatic, and operational leadership to drive the vertical's growth, quality, and measurable impact. This role requires an impact-oriented leader experienced in managing large-scale, multi-location education programmes, building strategic corporate/CSR and government partnerships, and developing scalable, tech-driven educational models aligned with national policies.
Key Roles and Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership and Vision
- Goal Setting: Provide strategic inputs for short, medium, and long-term targets with clear impact indicators.
- Operational Planning: Lead annual business planning, budgeting, and performance management.
- Culture & Governance: Drive accountability, collaboration, and evidence-based decision-making.
Programme Management and Operational Excellence
- Multi-State Oversight: Direct the execution and monitoring of large-scale programmes across India.
- Compliance & Timelines: Ensure delivery meets approved proposals, budgets, and donor commitments.
- Risk Management: Review field progress regularly to correct implementation gaps and risks.
- Resource Optimization: Standardize processes to improve cross-functional and regional efficiency.
Educational Quality and Learning Outcomes
- Outcome Focus: Design interventions around student access, retention, and learning improvements.
- Pedagogy & Mentoring: Promote child-centred, experiential learning and strengthen teacher capacity-building.
- Assessments: Standardize student learning assessments to track progress and inform remedial actions.
- Inclusion: Ensure gender-responsive, inclusive approaches for disadvantaged groups and children with disabilities.
Policy Alignment and Government Relations
- NEP Alignment: Align strategy with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and National Curriculum Framework.
- State Engagement: Build strategic ties with the Ministry of Education, SCERTs, DIETs, and local authorities.
- Convergence: Leverage government flagship schemes (e.g., Samagra Shiksha, NIPUN Bharat) for scale.
- Representation: Represent the foundation in policy consultations, sectoral forums, and conferences.
Technology Integration and Innovation
- EdTech Strategy: Integrate accessible, secure, and cost-effective digital tools to boost learning outcomes.
- AI & Advanced Learning: Explore responsible AI, adaptive learning, and digital content for remediation.
- Infrastructure Utilization: Measure actual educational impact rather than just device deployment.
- Data Systems: Deploy digital platforms for student tracking, partner management, and reporting.
Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Impact
- MEL Framework: Establish clear theories of change, logical frameworks, and outcome metrics.
- Data Analytics: Leverage field data analytics to refine intervention designs and plug gaps.
- Impact Narratives: Develop evidence-backed success stories and reporting for stakeholders.
Donor Management, CSR Partnerships and Resource Mobilization
- Proposal Development: Provide inputs to Research and program development team for formulating concept notes, grant proposals, and strategic pitches.
- Relationship Management: Maintain key donor relationships through the entire programme lifecycle.
- Compliance Reporting: Ensure timely, transparent delivery of financial, utilization, and impact reports.
Qualification & Experience:
- Master’s degree in Education, Social Work, Development Studies or a related discipline from a recognized university.
- A postgraduate qualification in Education Leadership, B.Ed, Development Management, or a related field will be preferred.
- Relevant experience of 15–18 years in the education sector, including significant experience in programme leadership, multi-state operations, strategic partnerships, and team management.
- Demonstrated expertise in education policy, FLN, STEM Education, government engagement, CSR partnerships, and large-scale programme implementation will be preferred.
Competencies:
- Leadership presence: Has an interpersonal style that engages others and encourages trust. Influences others using personal power and does so in a fashion that has charm, style, and a genuine sense of empathy. Balances this highly personal concern for others with a sense of professionalism and with actions that are consistent with his/her words.
- Creates External Strategic Alliances: Develops and uses collaborative relationships to facilitate the accomplishment of work goals
- Negotiation: Effectively exploring alternatives and positions to reach outcomes that gain the support and acceptance of all parties.
- Aligning performance for success: Focusing and guiding others in accomplishing work objectives.
- Persuasive Communication: Strong written and verbal communication skills. When writing or speaking comes across as persuasive, credible, and polished with excellent interpersonal skills.
- Decision Making: Identifying and understanding issues, problems, and opportunities; comparing data from different sources to draw conclusions; using effective approaches for choosing a course of action or developing appropriate solutions; taking action that is consistent with available facts, constraints, and probable consequences.
- Continuous learning: Actively identifying new areas for learning; regularly creating and taking advantage of learning opportunities; using newly gained knowledge and skill on the job and learning through their application
How to Apply:
Share your CV/Profile with a brief note (cover letter) telling why you find yourself a right fit for the role, with the subject line {Your Name}- <Position Applied> on this link-
Please Note: Only shortlisted candidates would be contacted by the Human Resources Team
