Program Operations

Job Description

Role - Program Operations

Level: L2/L3

Location: Hubli, Dharwad, Karnataka.

Travelling: Extensive field travel required (50 - 60% of time)

Reports To: Program Director

Team size: 2 - 3 field team members reporting to this role

About EarlySpark

EarlySpark, an initiative of Deshpande Foundation, focuses on improving students learning outcomes through high-quality teacher training. We are currently running two new teacher training program models – pre-service (B.Ed./D.Ed./M.Ed students) and in-service (private school teachers) – with ambitions to scale across multiple geographies.

About the role: This role will serve as the single point of contact (SPOC) for all on-ground operations in the assigned geographies. She/He/They will lead a small team of 2 - 3 field members and be responsible for driving institutional partnerships, managing stakeholders, and ensuring smooth program rollout from the ground up.

This is a high-ownership, target-driven role that demands strong persuasion, relationship-building, and execution skills. You will be expected to meet monthly and quarterly targets on enrolment, onboarding, and partnership closures.

Key Responsibilities

• Institutional Partnerships, Mobilisation & Outreach
• Lead your team in outreach activities to build and maintain a strong pipeline of prospective partner schools and teacher education institutions within the assigned geography.
• Conduct meetings, presentations, institutional visits, and outreach activities to generate interest and convert prospects into active partners.
• Lead negotiations and facilitate timely closure of institutional partnerships and agreements.
• Own monthly and quarterly targets related to institutional onboarding, enrolments, and related partnership closures.
• Placement Partnerships & Employer Outreach
• Identify and reach out to potential hiring partners - schools, education institutions, and organisations looking to recruit trained teachers.
• Build and maintain a pipeline of employer contacts in the assigned geography.
• Coordinate handover of confirmed hiring partners to the internal placements coordinator for further process management.
• Track and report on employer pipeline status as part of regular field reporting.
• Stakeholder Management, Retention & Satisfaction
• Build trusted relationships with school principals, college management, and government liaison contacts.
• Act as the primary SPOC for all external institutional stakeholders.
• Track satisfaction levels of partner institutions and act on feedback promptly.
• Drive continued engagement and re-enrolment of institutions across program cycles.
• Maintain the credibility and reputation of EarlySpark in every stakeholder interaction.
• Program Onboarding & Execution Support
• Coordinate onboarding processes - institutional agreements, enrollments, scheduling of training etc..
• Liaise with the internal academic/training team to ensure availability of infrastructure, participant readiness and engagement.
• Resolve operational gaps before and during program delivery.
• Field Operations & Monitoring
• Plan and assign field activities across the geography; oversee day-to-day work of your reportees.
• Ensure logistical readiness for training sessions - venue, materials, coordination.
• Conduct regular monitoring visits; document and report insights to the program team.
• Proactively identify risks, delays, or gaps and take corrective action before escalation is needed.