Deputy Director- Technology

1. POSITION VACANT: Deputy Director- Technology, Transform Schools, New Delhi, India

2. ORGANISATIONAL AND PROJECT BACKGROUND:

Transform Schools believes that every child must realise their full potential in school and life beyond. Critical learning experiences enable children to change the course of their life journeys and impact their families and communities. These are essential for realising Indias enormous human potential.

Mission: Transform Schools mission is improving learning outcomes for secondary school children in India.

Transform Schools encompasses of the following two affiliates:

(1) People For Action is a charitable society registered in India for delivering grants and CSR projects through Foreign and local funds to improve learning outcomes for secondary-school children in India, through co-designed learning enhancement programmes & capacity strengthening of system actors.
(2) The Transform Trust is a registered trust in India for delivering payment for outcomes and consultancy contracts that aims to support the large-scale implementation of education programmes in collaboration with training institutes, communities, policymakers, implementers, researchers, and other government and non-government organisations.

Transform Schools (TS) believes education transforms lives.

Organisations Strategic Priorities;

(1) Scale TS work to impact 20M children annually
By 2030, Transform Schools aim to impact 20M children, reaching and sustaining to impact 25% of children in elementary and secondary government schools in India. To achieve this, TS prioritises core education outcomes and identification of ones that contribute to impact life beyond schools for children. TS focus on the last five years of school and ages 13-18 years with special attention to government schools, vulnerable groups and geographies. These include but are not limited to girls, Dalits, Tribals, Aspirational districts and blocks. TS’ work is informed and aligned to SDG 4,5, & 10, global and national policy and evidence.

(2) Produce long term measurable impact on
(a) Improved transition rates from primary to secondary;
(b) More children staying in school & completing secondary school;
(c) Reduced gender gap in educational attainment;
(d) Improved student performance We establish these through appropriate robust internal, independent qualitative and quantitative approaches.

(3) Establish long-term systemic interventions, partnerships and change focus to enable
(a) Rapid growth of Transforms Schools (TS) impact at scale work especially on student learning;
(b) Build an innovations Institute to test and scale interventions;
(c) Leverage TS knowledge and expertise to establish sectoral leadership to inform policy and practice.

3. JOB DESCRIPTION/ RESPONSIBILITIES:

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer (COO), the Deputy Director- Technology will lead the technological vision and strategy of Transform Schools to ensure the successful development and implementation of scalable, innovative, and impactful educational technology solutions. S/he will work closely with cross-functional teams to drive the design, deployment, and improvement of digital platforms and tools that enhance learning experiences for students, educators, and system stakeholders. This role is pivotal in scaling TS programmes through innovative, data-driven platforms, govt partnerships and ensuring compliance with frameworks like India's National Digital Education Architecture NDEAR.

The incumbent is responsible for leveraging technology to enhance organisational effectiveness, drive operational efficiency, and support a culture of continuous learning and improvement. The role involves designing and implementing technology strategies, systems, and tools that streamline processes, enable data-driven decision-making, and foster collaboration across the organisation.

The post holder will work in close collaboration with both internal and external stakeholders. Internally, S/he will engage with the Director of Programmes, Associate Director of Research, Impact, and Quality, Deputy Director of Partnerships and Learning, Deputy Director of Programme Design and Quality, and State Leads. Externally, S/he will collaborate with international and local foundations, CSR representatives, high-net-worth individuals, evidence and impact-based research groups, knowledge partners, and consultants.

Key Job Responsibilities:

(1) Technology Strategy:
(a) Define a technology roadmap for the organisation in line with its business strategy and growth aspirations in educational outcomes, systems change through govt partnerships and innovations in product development;
(b) Lead the integration of digital tools, applications, products and platforms to enhance teaching and learning experiences at scale;

(c) Oversee the development, research and selection of in-house technology platforms and integration with third-party components that meet the organisation's short-term and long-term objectives;

(d) Partner with executive leadership on embed technology to enhance organisation effectiveness, learning, and productivity across departments and functions.

(2) Technology Deployment for Educational Outcomes:

(a) Oversee the enhancement of existing platforms, products and applications to ensure user-centric design, functionality, and ease of access for students and teachers across diverse socio-economic backgrounds;
(b) Develop technology architecture that can scale seamlessly from pilot implementations to state and national level adoption, that can support increasing user bases as Transform Schools expands its reach;

(c) Integrate advanced analytics and AI/ML capabilities into platforms to offer real-time, actionable insights for teachers, administrators, and policymakers;

(d) Enable data visualisation dashboards for state governments and stakeholders to monitor outcomes and optimise programme delivery;
(e) Develop platforms that are interoperable across devices and systems, ensuring accessibility in low-resource environments, including rural and tribal areas;
(f) Lead the integration of bespoke or existing LMS platforms into state systems to facilitate teacher professional development, training needs and data-driven quality assurance;
(g) Incorporate third-party tools (e.g., KoboTool, Google Forms, and Glific Chatbot) to enable programme monitoring and evaluation;
(h) Develop strategies to maximize user adoption, engagement, and retention for digital products, including behavioural nudges and gamified experiences;
(i) Foster partnerships with ed-tech innovators, developers, and researchers to co-create and pilot new digital solutions.

(3) Stakeholder Engagement:
(a) Serve as the primary technology liaison for state education departments, ensuring alignment with their digital education policies and frameworks;
(b) Collaborate with government officials to integrate Transform Schools digital platforms into existing education systems, ensuring compliance with national standards like NDEAR;
(c) Provide technical guidance and support for the adoption and scaling of digital tools, addressing challenges such as low digital literacy and infrastructure gaps;
(d) Guide state teams in integrating platforms into government systems, including server hosting, API development, and quality assurance interfaces;
(e) Conduct training sessions for all stakeholders, including teachers, administrators, and technical teams, to ensure familiarity with platforms and tools;
(f) Establish feedback mechanisms, such as surveys, focus groups, and platform analytics, to gather input from stakeholders on usability and effectiveness.

(4) IT governance and Operations:

(a) Develop, implement, and maintain IT policies, procedures, and standards that align with organisational objectives and industry best practices;
(b) Select and manage relationships with technology vendors and service providers, ensuring high-quality and cost-effective solutions;
(c) Evaluate third-party tools and technologies for potential adoption, focusing on their scalability and compatibility with existing systems;
(d) Oversee the day-to-day operations of the organisations IT systems, ensuring reliability, efficiency, and security;
(e) Ensure robust data protection strategies, including encryption, access controls, and regular backups;
(f) Conduct regular IT audits to identify vulnerabilities and enforce compliance with security standards;
(g) Maintain an accurate inventory of IT assets and oversee lifecycle management, including procurement, upgrades, and decommissioning.

(5) Support Business Development and Partnerships:
(a) Engage with donors to communicate the impact of technology-driven interventions and secure funding for innovations and scaling efforts;
(b) Represent Transform Schools at conferences, government forums, and industry events to advocate for the use of technology in improving educational outcomes;
(c) Work closely with the Development and Partnerships team to identify funding opportunities and lead donor engagement to secure funding for expansion and continuous innovation;
(d) Raise profile and funding for technology integration vertical through other allies and partners such as Ek Step, Tech For Good, Y Combinator, WISE, BEI and Niti Ayog;
(e) Establish partnerships with research institutions, ed-tech innovators, and global organisations to co-create and scale impactful solutions.

(6) Thought Leadership and External Representation:
(a) Represent the organisation and its work at global, national and state levels, champion organisational mission, theory of change, technical interventions and advocate for the use of technology in improving educational outcomes;
(b) Deliver keynote addresses, panel discussions, and presentations to advocate for scalable, equitable, and impactful education technology solutions;
(c) Seek partnerships for non-profit credits with AWS, Microsoft and Google and government ecosystems such as the NDEAR ecosystem.

4. QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE AND COMPETENCIES:

Qualifications and Experience:
(1) A master’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Information Technology, Management Information System (MIS) or any other related field;
(2) Minimum 8 to 10 years of experience in managing all aspects of a successful IT function with strong technical background and a solid understanding of, or hands-on experience in software development and web technologies;
(3) Significant experience in leveraging data analysis tools and business intelligence platforms to make data-driven decisions and optimise business processes.

Skills and Competencies:

(1) Proven leadership experience in spearheading cloud-based and mobile application development for large scale programmes;
(2) Strong grasp of data analytics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence to leverage data for predictive insights and to make decisions that are evidence-based rather than solely intuitive;
(3) Ability to independently create process flows, use cases, SoPs and manuals with clear instruction and pathways for building capacity of the teams to adopt and adapt to newer practices;
(4) Ability to write code, debug code, and understand the underlying principles of programming;
(5) Evidence of proficiency in overall management, applications development, as well as budget and financial management;
(6) Excellent organisational and planning skills, ability to work in a fast-paced work environment and meet deadlines consistently

(7) The job would require up to 10% of travel to the focus states of TS.

5. COMPENSATION OFFERED:

Gross compensation budgeted for the position is between INR 22 to 25 lacs per annum. The offer made to the selected candidate shall be commensurate with qualifications, experience, and salary history.

6. DURATION OF CONTRACT:

The contract for the Deputy Director - Technology position will initially be for two years and may be renewed further based on satisfactory performance evaluations and mutual agreement between the employee and Transform Schools.

7. LOCATION: New Delhi, India

8. REFERENCE: DDT-TS-PFA

9. APPLICATION PROCESS:

Eligible candidates interested in the position can apply by or before February 13, 2025.

10. CONTACT INFORMATION:

Team SAMS

Strategic Alliance Management Services P Ltd.

1/1B, Choudhary Hetram House, Bharat Nagar

New Friends Colony, New Delhi 110 025

Phone Nos.: 011- 4081 9900; 4165 3612

Transform Schools, People For Action is an equal opportunity provider and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability and/or marital status.