TeachForIndiaHiring for Senior Manager, Government Relations at Mumbai, Maharashtra Full Time

Directly Managing: Short term consultants

The Senior Manager of Government Relations will co-lead a nimble team to implement the vertical strategy by leading collaborative projects and forming partnerships – both internally and externally. S/he will play a key role in supporting our regions to build the infrastructure needed for strong relationships and partnerships with governments. S/he will also help to build a strong foundation for the newly created vertical and will be responsible for executing the following activities:

As a Strategic Thinker and Implementer [50%]

Contribute to decision making and long-term strategy development for the vertical

Act as a thought partner to the vertical head i.e. help refresh vertical strategy, create annual goals, and brainstorm new initiatives for the vertical, our regions, and TFI

Advice and support each regional team to ensure that they are working towards a common goal and achieving their annual goals/outcomes

Take complete ownership of designing and executing 2-3 national-level projects

Help vertical head launch pilots across our regions through field support and/or managing field consultants

Co-lead key operational areas for the vertical including, but not limited to, fundraising, budget management, impact reporting, etc

As a Relationship Manager [25%]

Internal

Drive internal alignment and support for TFI’s advocacy efforts

Act as a thought partner to Country Directors; provide inputs to regional roadmaps and co-design operational plans for each pilot

Ensure TFI’s Leadership Team is aware of programatic progress and roadblocks at periodic intervals; seek guidance to solve touch challenges

Collaborate with other verticals (e.g. KER, Alumni Impact, Firki, Training & Impact) to align on cross-vertical initiatives and share stakeholder sensitivities

Lead internal calls for the vertical; ensure team members have a platform to exchange ideas and learn from one another

External

Establish and own relationships with government officials at all levels

Identify and cultivate high-potential collaborative projects with local and national government bodies

Understand regional requirements and support individual government stakeholders in designing effective initiatives to address challenges

Advocate for issues important to TFI (e.g. student partnership) and provide consistent messaging to external stakeholders across all regions

Ensure GR Managers have regular touchpoints with regional decision makers; co-create agenda and co-lead senior government meetings

As a Team Leader [25%]

Provide guidance to individual team members of the vertical on both professional and personal development

Help set annual professional goals and provide tactical feedback to team members, when necessary

Promote openness, transparency, and a safe space to voice dissenting views on topics

Lead feedback sessions, reflections, team stepbacks, and check-ins with team members to get a pulse on the team health

As a People Manager

Building a robust pipeline of talent to lead the organization

Managing and coaching the team members to ambitious outcomes

Driving engagement, growth, and retention of team members

Engineering and overseeing a monitoring and evaluation system, coupled with strategic direction, to guide our abilities to continuously improve

As a Senior Manager at Teach For India

Contributing to the team goals and priorities beyond individual goals and priorities

Driving internal alignment and support for Teach For India’s core Programs

Serving as an ambassador of Teach For India and an advocate for our work and for educational equity in our country through both internal and external communication after commiting time in our classrooms to understand our work more deeply

Supporting with key organizational areas such as Recruitment, Selection, Fundraising, Volunteering, Movement Building

Minimum Qualifications, Experiences and Expectations

Graduate/Postgraduate in any field

5-8+ years of relevant work experience in external-facing roles (e.g. public relations, government relations, management consulting, business development)

Experience in managing, executing, and taking complete ownership of multiple projects at the same time

Ability to work independently and make strategic decisions in a fast-paced environment

Ability to quickly build relationships and influence others without authority

Ability to motivate a team and develop individuals over time

Strong verbal and written communication skills

Strong problem solving, critical thinking, and decision-making skills to solve complex programmatic and people-related challenges

Preferred Qualifications, Experiences and Expectations

Previous experience working in the development/education sector

Experience leading strategic discussions with senior management and/or senior government officials

Experience creating annual strategic plans for a vertical/business unit

Experience in building and managing high functioning teams to targeted outcomes

Willingness to travel frequently to Teach For India sites