Project Head – Skill Development & Vocational Education

Job Title: Project Head – Skill Development & Vocational Education

Department: Education & Livelihood Development

Location: Rural project location with oversight of an urban ITI center and a women’s vocational training center

Reports To: Executive Committee

Job Summary

The Project Head – Skill Development & Vocational Education is a senior leadership position responsible for strategizing, managing, and expanding multiple vocational training and skill development initiatives. These include:

A rural and tribal-focused skill development center

An industrial training institute (ITI) based in an urban location

A women's center focused on vocational training and economic empowerment

This role involves creating scalable, high-impact skilling models, ensuring regulatory compliance, driving strong employability outcomes, and managing teams across multiple locations. The incumbent should align systems and operations with the organization’s mission of transforming lives through education and livelihoods.

Educational Qualifications

Essential:

Postgraduate Degree in Social Work, Rural Development, Management, Education, or related fields

Desirable:

Certification in Project Management, Skill Development, or Public Policy

Familiarity with ITI regulatory frameworks and vocational education standards

Experience

Total Experience: Minimum 8–10 years in the development sector, vocational training, or the education domain

Relevant Experience: At least 4 years in senior project management or operational leadership roles, preferably in multi-location or multi-stakeholder environments within skilling or vocational education

Key Result Areas (KRAs)

1. Strategic Leadership & Project Oversight

Create and implement strategic plans for:

Rural and tribal skill development initiatives

Urban-based Industrial Training Institute, in alignment with DGT/NCVT norms

Women's education and entrepreneurship programs

Develop annual action plans and budget forecasts

Leverage digital tools and modern pedagogy for enhanced training outcomes

Align programs with national skill development missions and emerging industry needs

2. Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships & Fundraising

Forge and sustain partnerships with:

Government bodies (e.g., DSAG, NABARD, NSDC)

CSR partners and philanthropic donors

Oversee proposal development, financial reporting, and fund utilization

Represent the organization at industry forums and government events

3. Compliance & Quality Assurance

Ensure adherence to applicable norms and standards for vocational programs

Establish processes and SOPs for consistent operations

Facilitate audits, accreditations, and quality checks

4. Team Leadership & Capacity Building

Lead multi-disciplinary teams across training centers

Design and implement recruitment, training, and retention strategies

Promote a results-oriented and impact-driven team culture

Conduct regular performance reviews and staff capacity building initiatives

5. Community Impact & Placement Outcomes

Achieve program enrollment, skilling, and placement targets

Develop women-centric models for micro-entrepreneurship

Monitor student performance and implement support and counseling frameworks

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Domain KPI

Strategic & Operational Achievement of cumulative enrollment & placement targets

Compliance 100% adherence to regulatory norms, audits, and reporting deadlines

Partnerships & Funding Yearly funds mobilized through government and CSR sources

Program Innovation Number of new courses added as per labor market demand

Team Development Staff retention rate, certification/upskilling percentage

Impact % of trainees placed or self-employed within 6 months post-training