About the job Project Associate - Foundational Learning - OD (SPMU)
Job Title: Project Associate - Special Projects (NV) - Odisha (SPMU)
Organisation: Central Square Foundation
Department: Foundational Learning - Odisha
Location: Bhubaneswar
About Central Square Foundation
Founded in 2012, Central Square Foundation (CSF) is a non-profit philanthropic organisation working towards the vision of ensuring quality school education for all children in India. We believe that effective foundational learning is essential for better learning outcomes for all children in school. The development of foundational literacy and numeracy skills by Grade 3 can help children progress to higher levels of learning and is an essential building block in a child's life.
We are driven by our mission to enable the school education system to adopt solutions that are scalable, sustainable, and effective so that all children get equal access to opportunities needed for leading a better life.
Read more about our work on our website.
About the Foundational Learning Team at CSF
The Foundational Learning team (FL) drives CSF's mission to ensure that all children in India achieve foundational literacy and numeracy by Grade 3.
We collaborate with state and district governments to:
Support state and district administrations in the design and
on-the-ground implementation of State FoundationalLearning Missions aligned with NIPUN Bharat.
- Strengthen teacher capacity, academic design, and monitoring systems to improve classroom practice.
- Strengthen middle management to mentor teachers and drive effective teaching-learning in classrooms
- Leverage data and technology for evidence-based decision-making and targeted interventions.
- Drive EdTech adoption and innovation for in-class and at-home learning.
- Our teams work across multiple states, helping governments translate strategy into execution and ensuring that every reform yields tangible learning gains for children.
About the Position:
The Program Associate will anchor data integrity, timely reporting, and multi-stakeholder coordination, enabling effective monitoring and data-driven decision-making at the state and district levels.
Role Keywords
FLN | NIPUN Bharat | Project Coordination | Progress Tracking | Data, Monitoring & Reporting Systems | Stakeholder Coordination | Implementation Expertise | Data Reliability
Key Responsibilities
1. Governance & Review Coordination
Track and coordinate district and state review meetings (monthly/quarterly), ensuring data readiness and timely inputs
Maintain governance trackers to ensure zero follow-up gaps and closure of action items
2. Multi-Workstream Tracking & Execution
Track multiple workstreams (academic inputs, field visit data, reviews, internal tasks) through structured systems
Ensure no slippages in timelines or deliverables through proactive follow-ups and prioritisation
3. Stakeholder Coordination and Data Management
Build working relationships to enable smooth execution without frequent escalations
Coordinate with district stakeholders (CRCC/BEO/DIET faculty) to ensure 100% timely and accurate data collection through defined trackers, validation checks, and follow-ups
Identify data gaps/errors early and coordinate with districts to ensure clean, verified datasets for decision-making
4. Gap Identification & Resolution
Proactively identify gaps (delays, poor data quality, missing inputs) and flag them early
Take ownership of issue resolution through structured follow-ups and escalation when required
6. Data Use & Reporting Support
Support creation of dashboards, reports, and summaries for state and district reviews
Enable stakeholders to use data for planning and decision-making (not just reporting)
7. Project Quality & Team Contribution
Ensure high reliability in execution by consistently adhering to timelines and quality standards.
Contribute to improving internal systems and processes for better efficiency.
Eligibility Criteria
Education: Bachelor's/Master's in any discipline (Public Policy, Education, Statistics, Management preferred)
Experience: 1–3 years (freshers with strong internship experience shall be preferred)
Experience in data tracking, coordination, or program support roles preferred
Odia language Proficiency
Candidate Profile
Strong data discipline | Detail-oriented | Good communicator | Proactive problem-solver | Ability to manage multiple tasks | Comfortable with Excel/trackers/apps
Role Characteristics
Scope: State-level program support (Data & Governance)
Stakeholder Complexity: Medium (CRCC/BEO/ADEO/DEO/DIET faculty across districts)
Field Engagement: Low (5–8 days/month across districts)
Core Focus: Execution support and coordination
Location: State HQ (with limited travel)
Compensation: Remuneration will be competitive and depend on the candidate's experience.
How to Apply:
Fill out the application form and upload your resume (File Name: Firstname_Lastname_Resume).
Please note: This is a Fixed Term Employee (FTE) contract position for a minimum of 2 years.
Central Square Foundation is an Equal Opportunity employer and encourages applications from qualified individuals regardless of race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation or disability.