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Job description Government Partnership Associate Lead_2025-26 POSITION SUMMARY: Job Title: Associate Lead, Government Partnerships Location: Based in Mumbai (may require travel outside Mumbai) Employment Type: Full-time, 6 days a week (with two term breaks) Reporting to: Lead / Director, Partnerships / Operations ABOUT APNI SHALA Apni Shala was co-founded in 2013 with a vision “to build social and emotional competencies among individuals to constructively engage with society and have a harmonious coexistence”. Our approach to Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is informed by the Collaborative of Academic Social and Emotional Learning Framework(CASEL, USA), Narrative Practices, Diversity & Inclusion, Constructivist Learning Theory, and Mindfulness. The foundation is funded by grants and donations from individuals and institutions. To know more about our work, watch The Apni Shala Story. WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR? ? Deep commitment to work towards wellbeing and SEL of students and other stakeholders ? Ability to adapt and respond to difficult and uncertain circumstances ? Spirit of collaboration and trust in working with and supporting a team ? Inclination and openness to continuous learning, feedback and growth ? Ability to engage with and solve for inequity and exclusion with compassion ? Commitment to one’s own social emotional development and healing ? Ability and willingness to step in for responsibilities above and beyond the assigned role ? Interest in working with government / low-income schools ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Government Relationship Management: ? Build and maintain strong, long-term relationships with key stakeholders in various government offices (Administrative office, Education office, Health office, PP Cell etc.). ? Ensure timely renewal and approval of necessary permissions for Apni Shala to operate within government schools. ? Coordinate with relevant government officials to ensure smooth execution of Apni Shala’s initiatives. ? Address queries, concerns, and challenges raised by government stakeholders in a proactive and solution-oriented manner. ? Support Apni Shala’s field team in navigating government processes and addressing challenges in program implementation. ? Document and draft official letters and proposals, file notes, presentations, etc. ? Analyse and present the progress of Apni Shala initiatives to govt. Officials and/or organisation’s Address: 61/C, Kamgar Nagar, S. G. Barve Marg, Kurla (E), Mumbai – 400 024 www.apnishala.org | contact@apnishala.org | Registered under Maharashtra Public Trust Act No. E-29950(M) https://youtu.be/e2XR9ulJbrs mailto:contact@apnishala.org leadership team based on insights gathered via different data sources (MIS, etc). ? Regularly visit schools to monitor and support Apni Shala activities on the ground. ? Develop and maintain comprehensive project documentation, including plans, reports, and relevant materials. ? Identify and facilitate new/emerging opportunities for Apni Shala’s engagement with different municipal and state government bodies ? Keep oneself updated with the latest schemes, govt. regulations and programs and changes relevant to the Education and Mental Health ecosystem and proactively bring it to the team for planning purposes. Advocacy & Representation: ? Act as the primary advocate for Apni Shala’s initiatives within government offices, ensuring the organization’s work is recognized and supported at all levels. ? Facilitate and lead stakeholders meetings and deliver presentations. ? Represent Apni Shala at government meetings, education forums, and policy discussions to advocate for the importance and impact of SEL. ? Publish practice-informed articles emerging from Apni Shala’s practices in external media. Team Development ? Working with the leadership team to provide a clear vision, and purpose for the government partnerships at Apni Shala. ? Build the organisational practices and support structure to work with the government for SEL and SEL-aligned Education. ? Supervise and participate (where required) in implementing team members’ performance management processes. ? Supervise the work of assigned staff and mentor them by providing direction, input and feedback. Organizational Development, Strategy and Leadership ? Prepare budgets for government and advocacy-related activities in Apni Shala. ? Contribute to organizational strategy while participating in different organisation meetings. ? Seek and forge strategic partnerships with institutions, organizations, government authorities, or other individuals in any government system. ? Represent Apni Shala as required, including attending important sector events and public meetings ? Operate as a positive role model for the culture of the organization ? Understand and navigate organization dynamics; build a strong informal network with the team ? Review performance of all initiatives against the goal laid out by the teams ? Work with the organizational leadership team to prepare annual departmental budgets ? Participate in resource mobilisation, fundraising, advocacy, communications, culture building and Address: 61/C, Kamgar Nagar, S. G. Barve Marg, Kurla (E), Mumbai – 400 024 www.apnishala.org | contact@apnishala.org | Registered under Maharashtra Public Trust Act No. E-29950(M) mailto:contact@apnishala.org other related activities as guided by the organisation Self and Peer Professional Development ? Work towards personal and professional development (PD) goals by attending organizational PDs and other relevant workshops/courses or reading and researching relevant themes ? Participate in supervision meetings facilitated by your supervisor to build a practice of reflection, and personal and professional development. ? Contribute towards the team’s development by engaging actively in professional development opportunities, co-planning and collective work. QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS AND ABILITIES ? Minimum of 4 to 6 years of experience in government relations, partnership management, or advocacy roles, preferably in the education or social impact sector. ? Strong knowledge of government structures and processes, especially related to the education sector. ? Well-developed oral and written communication skills in English and fluency in conversational Marathi ? Communication, negotiation and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage and build relationships with individuals at all levels of government. ? Ability to work in ambiguity and uncertainty ? Proficiency in writing clear, concise, and well-structured reports that effectively communicate project progress, outcomes, and recommendations to stakeholders. ? Ability to offer and receive constructive feedback and create plan of action for improvement ? Ability to collaborate and cooperate with team members ? Ability and comfort with extensive travel within and outside Mumbai ? Experience leading, managing or supporting teams ? Ability to problem solve, recommend and implement solutions ? Fluency in using Microsoft Office, and Google Apps (Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides) APPLY NOW Send your resume and cover letter by email to hr@apnishala.org. Please mention “Application for the position of Associate Lead - Government Partnerships” in your subject line. In your cover letter, tell us what you think is the significance of Apni Shala’s work in the larger education ecosystem. What do you think you will bring to this role that will help AS achieve its mission? For more about Apni Shala, please visit Apni Shala online at www.apnishala.org www.apnishala.org | apnishala.wordpress.com | facebook.com/apnishala Address: 61/C, Kamgar Nagar, S. G. Barve Marg, Kurla (E), Mumbai – 400 024 www.apnishala.org | contact@apnishala.org | Registered under Maharashtra Public Trust Act No. E-29950(M) mailto:hr@apnishala.org mailto:contact@apnishala.org
