Cluster Manager - Skill Development

Role & responsibilities

Strategic Planning and Leadership

• Collaborate with the Regional Director/Associate Director to plan and lead the effective management of skilling programs across the assigned cluster.
• Ensure timely and complete achievement of key project deliverables, including community and employer network building, enrolments, placements, and job retention through the allotted skilling centers.

Program Implementation and Expansion

• Plan and lead market assessment activities to monitor labor market trends and devise strategies for aligning existing programs or proposing new initiatives.
• Oversee project location identification and setup activities, ensuring adherence to agreed timelines and standards.

Monitoring and Evaluation

• Conduct regular monitoring and evaluation to assess project health and implement appropriate course corrections as needed.
• Ensure accurate and reliable MIS and data reporting for the assigned cluster, maintaining transparency and accountability.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Liaise with stakeholders, including community leaders and other agencies, to foster collaboration and support program objectives.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders, including the Livelihoods Division, Sustainability Team, and other departments, to ensure alignment and support for program activities.

Operational Leadership

• Lead mobilization and outreach efforts to connect with communities and engage youth effectively.
• Drive placement and employer-connect initiatives, ensuring strong partnerships and employment opportunities for program participants.

Team Development and Capacity Building

• Mentor and coach staff across assigned skilling centers to ensure high performance and adherence to organizational policies and procedures.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, enhancing staff capabilities and program delivery.

Reporting and Governance

• Support the Regional Director/Associate Director with mandatory reporting activities by preparing and sharing periodic performance reports for the assigned city/cluster.
• Ensure full compliance with project hygiene and governance indicators, maintaining high standards of quality and accountability.

Special Initiatives and Innovation

• Plan and lead special initiatives or projects as assigned, contributing to regional and organizational goals.
• Continuously innovate to improve project delivery, staff performance, and program offerings.

This role demands a proactive and detail-oriented leader with a passion for driving impactful skilling initiatives, building partnerships, and ensuring measurable outcomes.

Preferred candidate profile

Knowledge

• Understanding of the Skill ecosystem in India including knowledge about CSR driven, NSDC-driven, DGT-driven and Industry-driven skill ecosystems
• Local employer engagement, market study on jobs, regular visits and meet with employers and workplaces, etc.
• Quality delivery, leading new work culture, mentoring the staff, timely communication with management, etc.
• Building good relationships with community leaders, alumni, local support systems, etc.
• Ensure all Centers are Gold Level and support Silver level centers to become Gold.
• Handhold DLMs, Mentoring, Coaching, Buddy system, upskilling staff, content feedback, etc.
• New methods, approaches, strategies, partnership opportunities employers & institutions, Brand Building and linkages, Alumni, etc.
• Strategic Management with high governance: Spending (budget and expenditure - OpEx, CapEx), HR (recruitment, Induction, and reduction in attrition), Centre setup and procurement, troubleshooting.
• Building Mega Centers, migration to new work culture, leading Mindshift, Ensuring quality delivery, etc.
• To ensure Programme efficacy and performance quality linked with 5-6 key parameters – Targets (supply & demand), Quality, Batch sign-off without spillover, drop-out ratio, DD batches, retention, etc.
• To always bridge the RD-DLM link, timely documentation and reporting (upward and downward communication), support to RDs (as mini RDs), etc.

Skills

• Excellent project management skills which include devise and use project/account plans, budgets, monitoring & evaluation, and other financial information
• Excellent Staffing and People Management skills
• Excellent communication skills, verbal and written, (including the preparation of MIS, Reports and Communication material)
• Highly Tech-savvy

Attributes

• Ability to successfully operate under high-pressure, stressful and time-bound work environment
• Ability to work with and influence people at all levels
• Maintain a positive attitude and go-getter attitude at all times
• Ability to network and liaise for cooperation & collaboration with all stakeholders, internal & external
• Able to work comfortably in a changing organization

Academic & Professional requirements

• Minimum 10 years of total work experience within which minimum 4 years in a multi-center management role in the Skilling industry
• Post-graduation in Management/MSW/Social Science
• Experience of managing a portfolio of activities in a target-driven environment
• Experience in Market scan and Employer relationship building activities
• Experience of managing internal relationships within multi-disciplinary teams
• Willing to travel extensively within the assigned City/Cluster