Job Description

An International Development Consulting firm is hiring for the profile of State Lead - Vocational Education.

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Location: Mumbai

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Experience: 12-15 years

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Key Responsibilities

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Programme strategy design and execution

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- Analyse state educational needs and student aspirations to develop a state action plan for vocational education expansion in schools, aligned with the national roadmap, NEP 2020 and national skills ecosystem reforms.
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- Lead creation of a model VE district in the state that implements the state roadmap.
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- Engage with the state education department to develop and implement guidelines, frameworks, and operational manuals on VE curriculum design, assessment, training delivery, teacher/VT deployment, and engaging school management committees in Vocational Education counselling.
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- Support the state education department to introduce dynamic, market-relevant and aspirational courses in schools in alignment with the NEP, NSQF and industry standards based on periodic curriculum review and findings from the district-level market scans.
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- Undertake contextualization of public awareness initiatives created at the national level and support roll-out in the state to improve social perception of VE and life skills.
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- Support quality improvement of pre-vocational education and student counselling in grades 6-8.
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- Support the state department in organising localised career fairs in collaboration with industries and the State Skill Mission.
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- Strengthen the monitoring and evaluation systems and state MIS to track student enrolment, retention, vocational education, OJT, and employment outcomes, adapting strategies as needed.
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- Promote adoption of technology-enabled instruction, digital content, and MIS systems to improve monitoring and accountability at the state level.
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Strategic engagement and partnership management

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- Build and sustain strong partnerships with relevant state government departments and bodies to align school vocational initiatives with skill missions.
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- Create a State Employer Engagement Cell to coordinate partnerships with industry, MSMEs, and skilling partners to improve industry linkages and OJT opportunities.
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- Organise CSR Roundtables in the state to amplify industry engagement on VE in schools and increase opportunities for on-the-job training, internships and jobs for girls.
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- Collaborate with private sector partners, NGOs, and development agencies to mobilize resources and strengthen vocational education infrastructure.
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- Organise workshops for dissemination of best practices and innovations.
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Project management

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- Lead a multidisciplinary team, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and accountability and provide build team capacity for effectively delivering programme objectives.
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- Manage resources, budgets, and timelines to ensure effective and timely program delivery with measurable impact.
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- Track progress against programme milestones, identify potential risks and proactively address them.
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- Oversee evidence generation: pilots, cost analyses, and documentation of best practices.
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- Lead preparation of high-quality project reports and briefs, monthly progress reports, and thought papers/articles/research papers to contribute to public discourse on skill-based education leading to education continuity and empowerment of girls.
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- Represent the programme at various state-level forums, disseminating learnings and best practices, and steering a case for investing in actions to combat early marriages.
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As job descriptions cannot be exhaustive,



the State Lead may be required to undertake other duties that are broadly in line with the above tasks as determined by the senior leadership.

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Educational Background

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Master’s degree or higher in Education, Social Sciences, Public Policy, or a related field.

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Work Experience and Expertise:

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- At least 12 years of experience leading state-level programmes related to education and/or skilling and promoting student retention.
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- Proven experience working with government education departments, skill development ministries, civil society, and community stakeholders. Experience working with Samagra Shiksha or state education systems is desirable.
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- Strong understanding of NEP 2020, NSQF, and national and state frameworks guiding vocational education in schools.
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- Experience in designing gender-responsive, large-scale in-school programmes that enhance vocational skills, employability, and life skills for adolescents.
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- Strong understanding of the socio-cultural, economic, and policy factors influencing school dropout rates and school-based vocational education, including poverty, gender discrimination, social norms, and systemic barriers within the education system.
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- Deep commitment to advancing youth empowerment, gender equality, and inclusive education, with a particular focus on enabling girls’ access to in-school vocational pathways and lifelong skills.
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Key Skills and Competencies

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- Strategic leadership : Demonstrated capacity to lead complex, multi-stakeholder programmes at scale.
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- Stakeholder engagement and management : Ability to engage and persuade diverse stakeholders.
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- Analytical thinking : Solid data interpretation skills, academic content decoding, and evidence-based decision-making.
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- Communication : Exceptional verbal and written communication skills.
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- Team building : Ability to lead and inspire a multidisciplinary team, fostering a culture of excellence and innovation
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📌 State Lead - Vocational Education (Mumbai)
🏢 TEAM RECRUIT CONSULTANCIES
📍 Mumbai