About Mantra4Change
Mantra4Change is a non-profit organisation working with governments to transform public education systems in India — so that millions of children can learn better, grow stronger, and thrive. We partner closely with state education departments to design and implement reforms at scale, strengthening leadership, governance, and classroom practice across public schools. Our work is grounded in the belief that lasting change happens when governments lead their own transformation.
Through long-term collaboration with institutions such as SCERTs and DIETs, Mantra4Change focuses on developing school leaders and system leaders, building collaborative school cultures, and engaging communities as partners in learning. By combining strong on-ground implementation with continuous learning, we help systems identify what works, scale it responsibly, and sustain improvement over time.
Our mission is to enable leaders at every level of the system to drive continuous improvement, creating a virtuous cycle in which strong leadership, collective ownership, and systemic reform deliver better learning and more equitable outcomes for every child.
Read more - http://mantra4change.org
About STEP Bihar:
We have been working closely with the education department of Bihar since 2021. Our approach to work in Bihar is to strengthen education leadership at various levels through collective action by leveraging technology to drive school improvement, through the following interventions.
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Work closely with SCERT and the Bihar Education Project Council office to design and implement a project-based learning program for grades 6-8 in all 38 districts in maths, science, and social subjects.
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Work closely with SCERT and the Director of the Primary office to enable DIETs to design need-based TPD, leveraging the Micro-Improvement Project on DIKSHA.
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Deeper Intervention in 2 districts – Lakhisarai and Gaya. The District Team strengthens PBL and FLN Implementation at the district level by providing governance and academic support to key stakeholders at the district, block, and complex levels.
About the role
The Senior Program Manager will lead the vision, strategy, and delivery of education transformation initiatives under STEP Bihar. The role involves anchoring state-level alignment and approvals, driving program design, managing government partnerships, and leading a cross-functional team of Program Leads and Senior Program Leads. The position requires deep familiarity with Bihar’s education ecosystem, strong stakeholder management skills, and the ability to drive systemic change at scale.
Roles and Responsibilities
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Work with state leaders to align and get approval for new initiatives.
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Be responsible for the vision, strategy, and annual plan of the program in the state.
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Build and manage partnerships (Samaaj, Sarkaar, Bazaar) for smooth program delivery.
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Set clear goals, success measures, and milestones for teams and stakeholders.
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Regularly engage with Administrative Secretaries (Principal Secretary, SPD) to support workstreams.
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Conduct weekly and monthly reviews with Program Leads (PLs) and Senior Program Leads (SPLs).
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Set up regular review meetings with government departments.
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Ensure good quality of content and work produced by teams.
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Visit the field regularly and use learnings to improve the program.
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Have one-on-one growth conversations with team members every two weeks.
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Organize monthly sessions on culture, systems, and career growth.
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Follow and promote the organization’s core values within the team.
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Lead and support team learning and capacity-building sessions.
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Create safe spaces for open feedback (like 360-degree feedback and open discussions).
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Lead meetings and presentations with funders.
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Prepare proposals, reports, and presentations for funders.
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Plan and conduct field visits and exposure trips for funders.
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Support hiring by identifying and selecting the right candidates, conducting interviews, and reviewing candidate assignments or pre-work.
Skills & Qualifications Required:
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A master’s degree with 8–12 years of experience in leading programs, especially in government education systems like SCERT, DIETs, Samagra Shiksha, and state education departments, is preferred.
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Must have experience in managing different teams and handling large-scale programs.
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Should have good understanding of Bihar’s education system and policies like NEP 2020, NCF-SE 2023, and Mission NIPUN Bihar.
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Must have basic knowledge of tools like Google Workspace (G-Suite), Canva, and some AI tools.
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Should have ability to work with and manage senior government officials like Secretaries, SPDs, and HODs.
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Strong speaking and writing skills in both Hindi and English are required.
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Must be willing to travel within Bihar and to other locations when required.
Why Mantra
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A trust-based work environment that encourages independent thinking, questioning, and building solutions.
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An open and collaborative culture where teams are accessible and diverse perspectives are valued.
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24 paid leave and 14 calendar holidays.
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Health insurance coverage of up to ₹5 LPA for the employee and their dependents.
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One menstrual leave each month for women employees.
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Rs. 5000 L&D fund to pursue job-related learning opportunities.
Remuneration: An annual CTC of INR 18 Onwards (depending on competency and experience)
Location: Bihar, Patna (Must travel to field, when needed)
Learn more about Mantra on our https://mantra4change.com/, https://www.linkedin.com/company/mantra4change/, http://www.facebook.com/mantra4change, http://www.instagram.com/mantra4change
