Senior Program Officer (Education)

SUMMARY 

At Wadhwani AI, we use the power of modern artificial intelligence to help solve some of the most challenging problems in the world. We are looking for a candidate to join our team in a full-time role, who can represent Wadhwani AI in various states as our resident expert and program manager in the field of Education.

 

ABOUT US  -  https://www.wadhwaniai.org/

Wadhwani AI is a nonprofit institute building and deploying applied AI solutions to solve critical issues in public health, agriculture, education, and urban development in underserved communities in the global south. We collaborate with governments, social sector organizations, academic and research institutions, and domain experts to identify real-world problems, and develop practical AI solutions to tackle these issues with the aim of making a substantial positive impact.

We have over 30+ AI projects supported by leading philanthropies such as Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, USAID and Google.org. With a team of over 200 professionals, our expertise encompasses AI/ML research and innovation, software engineering, domain knowledge, design and user research.

In the Press:

• Our Founder Donors are among the Top 100 AI Influencers

• G20 India’s Presidency: AI Healthcare, Agriculture, & Education Solutions Showcased Globally. 

• Unlocking the potentials of AI in Public Health 

• Wadhwani AI Takes an Impact-First Approach to Applying Artificial Intelligence - data.org

• Winner of the H&M Foundation Global Change Award 2022

• Indian Winners of the 2019 Google AI Impact Challenge, and the first in the Asia Pacific to host Google Fellows

 

Cultures page of Wadhwani AI - https://www.wadhwaniai.org/culture/

 

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Bring in the advanced level of domain expertise, engagement and field experience for technicalities, pedagogy, governance for early and primary education field experience etc.

• Participate in and contribute to project planning, coordination, implementation, monitoring and reporting.

• Implement project activities to ensure the delivery of objectives in a timely and quality fashion.

• Liaise with key stakeholders including project staff, external partners, Directorate of Primary and Secondary Education, State Council for Education Research and Training and other relevant government education functionaries at field, district and state levels.

• Serve as the liaison between the various departments of  Directorate of Primary and Secondary Education, State Council for Education Research and Training, other key departments, staff and partners in selected geographies.

• Assist core product, deployment and other X-functional teams in identifying critical issues, mitigation strategies, and potential impact across various deployments.

• Work with staff from selected geographies to document activities, success stories, and other materials to share achievements.

• Lead the on-field implementation. AI-based research and solution deployment in the geographies of interest through field experiments, pilots and scale-ups.

• Coordinate with and provide support to the internal team of AI researchers, data scientists, engineers etc for acquiring data as needed, liaising with government stakeholders, and conducting field research and field experimentations.

• Conduct supervision and monitoring of project activities to ensure cadence and delivery as per project work plans, timelines, resource allocations, and deliverable schedules through regular contact and coordination with relevant personnel.

• Perform any other duties as assigned by the supervisor from time to time.

 

IDEAL BACKGROUND:

• An expert-level understanding of ground realities in the ECCE and primary education ecosystem, its priorities, and relevant national and state-specific policies, enabling awareness of the current status and implementation challenges, along with the competence to manage field-level challenges in the deployment of AI solutions.

• Thorough understanding of the technicalities of frameworks like the NEP, CCE, standardized assessments like NAS (National Achievement Survey) and CBA (Competency Based Assessments) 

• 5+ years of experience working with state education departments in supporting implementing various programs and interventions (either via non-profit organisations, multilateral organisations or non-profit organisations) is a must.

• Demonstrated ability for engagement and advocacy with a variety of stakeholders and managing large-scale operations effectively.

• Experience as a teacher/educator will be a plus.

• A graduate or post-graduate degree specializing in Education will be a plus.

• A team player and able to manage teams effectively.

• Demonstrated ability to communicate (orally and in writing) complex issues in a concise, compelling, and easily understandable manner (English and Hindi).

• Skilled in successfully working with geographically dispersed teams and working in a multicultural environment.

• Proficient computer skills in Microsoft Office Suite applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

• A quick and comprehensive learner. An analytical mindset is a big plus.

• Strong interpersonal and organizational skills, with the ability to prioritize deadlines and work in fast-moving environments and teams, while maintaining accuracy.

• Ability to travel frequently.

• Possess native-language proficiency in Hindi and English (Read, Write, Listen, Speak)

 

SPECIAL NOTE

• Candidates who have played the role of a consultant or an engagement lead with state education departments/directorates and with prior experience as a teacher either in the private or public education system, or through fellowships (Teach for India, Gandhi Fellowship, Azim Premji Foundation fellowship etc.), are strongly encouraged to apply.