Programme Manager (Care Infrastructure: Meghalaya TSU) – School of Human Development (SHD)

About the School of Human Development (SHD)

The School of Human Development (SHD) at IIHS focuses on social transformation. The School understands social transformation as a set of processes that are rooted in, and seek to directly address:

The School’s core focus areas are:

• Decent work;
• Affordable housing;
• Social inequality;
• Social protection;
• Urban health;
• Community mobilization;
• Care Infrastructure.

About the Care vertical nested under SHD

The IIHS Care vertical has several programmes cutting across research and practice which conceptualise and explore feasible care models to address deficits in care, especially in childcare and care for the elderly. Some of the current projects include research to understand experiences across a series of interventions aimed at strengthening the ecosystem of actors involved in building care infrastructure.

About ‘Piloting Extended Childcare Models’

In this project, IIHS works closely with state as well as non-state actors to offer childcare infrastructure and services suitable for working women in urban and rural areas, particularly those in the informal economy. This initiative continues to build on previous research, practice, and policy support to assess the need for, and to design and pilot, social and care infrastructure for informal workers in Indian cities. There is also a strong focus on building learning systems within the government, which can assess the model’s impact on women’s and children’s health, children’s education, and women’s economic participation and productivity.

Job Description

In line with the objectives of the Palna Mission, IIHS has set up a technical support unit (TSU) to support the development of Anganwadi cum creches (AWCCs) in the state of Meghalaya. For the TSU, the project is hiring a programme manager based in Meghalaya, with a strong preference for candidates familiar with the geography and languages of the state. The candidate will work closely with the people and functions of the Directorate of Social Welfare (DoSW) and the Meghalaya Early Childhood Mission (MECDM), and their joint ECD programme implementation across the state. S/he will anchor the project’s Technical Support Unit (TSU) in the state and will liaise between the Government of Meghalaya and the School of Human Development (SHD), IIHS.

This will be a contractual position for an initial term of 11 months, renewable on mutual consent.

Activities and Tasks

Responsibilities would include, but not be limited to, the following:

• Supporting IIHS in strengthening early childhood care and education infrastructure in Meghalaya through technical support to the Government’s ECD Mission;
• Supporting and supervising the IIHS Technical Support Unit in Meghalaya in developing standard operating procedures (SOP) for the implementation of Anganwadi-cum-Crèches (AWCCs);
• Liaising between the DoSW and MECDM, Meghalaya, and IIHS to:
  • Co-ordinate additional technical support required for monitoring the roll-out of these SOPs in identified AWCCs across a set of pilot C&RD (Community and Rural Development) blocks, which includes sharing relevant data and contextual knowledge as required;
  • Support and coordinate field visits and other official visits;
• Supporting and supervising special efforts towards piloting a Human Development Resource Centre (HDRC) in one C&RD block in Meghalaya;
• Supporting primary and secondary research required to refine the IIHS TSU’s policy implementation advice;
• Institutional Support for the School and the vertical:
  • Coordinating with other teams and functions within IIHS, for Research Office related engagements;
  • Providing support for other IIHS activities including academics, research, training, practice, operations and others;
  • Participating in all activities of Institution-building at IIHS; carrying out tasks as assigned by IIHS; and travelling on IIHS work within or outside the country as and when needed.

Structure and Reporting

The programme manager will be an External Consultant coordinating with the project team and the project’s Principal Investigator (PI) or any other person designated by the PI, and will be required to collaborate effectively with a diverse group of internal teams and external Individuals/ organisations, and government stakeholders.

Person Specification

The ideal candidate should have:

• A post-graduate degree in Public Health/ ECCD/ Women’s Studies/ Psychology/ Sociology/ Development Studies/ Planning/ Public Policy, or any other relevant field;
• At least 3 years of experience in research, in an academic or policy studies institution, with prior experience in managing project stakeholders and government institutions;
• Experience in Participatory Planning, Capacity Building, Program Development Implementation, or Monitoring and Evaluation;
• An understanding of Early Childhood Education and Development, Maternal & Child Health, the ICDS programme and implementation structure, and Women’s Work, or a curiosity and passion to learn about it;
• Experience in Program Management at a state level and liaising with government offices and administrators;
• Familiarity with Meghalaya across urban and rural domains, and a strong contextual understanding of culture, indigenous communities, issues, and challenges;
• Proficiency in English and native proficiency in Khasi and/or Garo is necessary for the role.

This is a contractual engagement for an initial term of 11 months, renewable on mutual consent. This offer is on an exclusive basis, which implies that other professional assignments (whether compensated or not) that bear a potential conflict of interest with IIHS cannot be undertaken.

The search will remain open until the position is filled.

Location

This position is based in Shillong, Meghalaya and may entail travel to other locations in India.

Review and Assessment

The role and performance of the incumbent shall be subject to normal review and assessment systems at IIHS.

Diversity Policy

IIHS is an equal opportunity employer that encourages women, people with disabilities and those from economically and socially excluded communities with the requisite skills and qualifications to apply for positions.