Manager - Program Strategy & Operations

About SOL'S ARC

Sol’s ARC is a unique organization that does innovative educational research to build inclusive pedagogy in both mainstream and special schools to ensure that every child can learn. Sol’s ARC has a distinctive perspective on special education where we look at the beneficiaries from two different lenses- one children who have special needs due to socio economic conditions and the other due to disabilities. Our approach is based on special education principles to ensure that pedagogy is inclusive and can address diverse educational needs across the classroom regardless of why the learning gap e

THE ROLE

This is a mid-to-senior role for someone who is good at turning plans into action. You will manage the day-to-day delivery of Sol's ARC's programmes, keep teams on track, handle donor reporting, and ensure the Director of program and Strategy has everything she needs to lead externally. This is a hands-on role — you will be expected to solve problems, coordinate teams across locations, and be accountable for outcomes. It needs to travel to field locations.

HOW YOU'LL SPEND YOUR TIME

• 50%       Programme planning and operations
• 20%       Monitoring, reporting and donor compliance
• 15%       Team coordination and capacity building
• 15%       Stakeholder liaison and internal alignment
• WHAT YOU'LL DO
• Track work plans and operations per program
• Track all Sol's ARC programmes — inclusive education, skilling, livelihoods — are running on time and within budget.
• Build work plans, activity calendars and milestone trackers for each programme. Review progresses every week with state and field teams.
• Travel every quarter for one week to engagement and understand ground realities
• Track programme budgets with the Finance team. Make sure expenses match the donor agreement heads. Prepare utilization certificates on time.
• Manage programme changes, scale-ups and closures as needed.

Reporting and donor compliance

• Build a reporting system that gives accurate and timely data to donors, government partners and the leadership team.
• Write programme progress reports and review financial reports. Make sure all reports match agreed milestones and indicators.
• Work with the M&E team to track what has been done and what outcomes have been achieved.
• Keep all programme documents — SOPs, field protocols, frameworks — organized and up to date.
• Flag risks and problems to the Director early, with your suggested solutions.

Team coordination and capacity building

• Coordinate with programme, M&E, finance, HR and communications teams to keep delivery on track.
• Directly support state-level coordinators and team leads — help them plan, execute and report.
• Run regular team meetings and review sessions. Help new programme staff settle into their roles.

Stakeholder liaison and internal alignment

• Be the main point of contact for government departments and implementation partners on day-to-day programme matters.
• Prepare briefing notes, updates and presentation materials for the Director to use in meetings with government, donors and the Board.
• Represent Sol's ARC in partner coordination meetings when required.

Qualifications and experience

• Master’s degree in social work, Development Studies, Public Policy, MBA or a related field. Strong practical experience will be considered in place of qualifications.
• 4–5 years of experience in programme operations or project management, with at least 2 years managing multi-location, multi-donor programmes in a nonprofit or development sector organization.
• Experience managing field teams across multiple states or districts.
• Strong track record of donor reporting, MoU compliance and milestone-based accountability.
• Experience working with government bodies (education, social justice, skill development) is an advantage.
• Familiarity with the RPwD Act, NEP 2020 or NIPUN Bharat is preferred.

Skills

• Strong planning and organizational skills — can manage multiple workstreams without losing track of detail.
• Clear written communication — can write donor reports and programme briefs independently.
• Comfortable working with MIS systems, dashboards and outcome data.
• Works well with others but can drive accountability and make decisions when needed.
• Takes ownership — does not wait to be told; anticipates problems and resolves them.

What makes an exceptional candidate

• All programmes delivered on time, within budget, and with no surprises at the end of a reporting period.
• The Director spends her time on strategy and external engagement — not chasing programme updates.
• Field teams feel supported, clear on their targets, and accountable.
• Donors receive accurate, insightful reports that reflect real programme progress.

WHAT WE OFFER

• Salary as per Sol's ARC pay scale, based on your experience.
• Travel reimbursement for all programme-related travel.
• Outcomes-based flexible work — targets are clear; how you plan your day is up to you.
• Training and support from the programme team when you join.

For more information, please check the link: Manager - Program Strategy & Operations

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