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Program Associate – Punjab (North Hub – Systems Demonstration)

About Dream a Dream

Dream a Dream is a non-profit organization working to transform the experience of education for the 130+ million children living in poverty in India. Our aim is to change the purpose of education towards the idea of Thriving for every child. Since 1999, Dream a Dream has mainstreamed life skills as a critical approach to help children overcome adversity and learn to thrive. Today, the organization is transforming the Indian education ecosystem through its own programmes, through curriculum and pedagogical innovations and through the development of holistic assessment frameworks while also shifting the narratives around the purpose of education. Dream a Dream’s work is spread across 7 Indian states with a reach of over 3.6 million children through strategic partnerships with state governments and collaborations with other non-profits and funders in India.

Role: Program Associate – Punjab (North Hub – Systems Demonstration)

Reporting Manager: State Lead – Punjab (North Hub – Systems Demonstration)

Type: Full time

Location: Mohali, Punjab

Salary Per Annum: INR 7,20,000/-

Last date of application: 28th October 2025

Role Summary:

As the Senior Program Associate in Punjab, you will be at the heart of our efforts to bring alive the vision of “For every child, a thriving life.” Your primary responsibility will be to collaboratively execute the partnerships’ function, building urgency and awareness around the importance of Thriving within the ecosystem. By developing strategic partnerships and leading the organization’s advocacy efforts, you will help build a movement that equips millions of young people from vulnerable backgrounds to overcome adversity and thrive in the 21st century.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Program Delivery & Ownership

· Support the implementation of the organization’s goals and strategic direction within Punjab.

· Drive Life Skills and SEL-based initiatives by collaborating closely with the Education Department and other state agencies.

· Participate in the Discover–Dream–Design–Deliver process for contextualizing curriculum focusing on Thriving, Life Skills, SEL.

· Visualize and strategize interventions at different levels of the system to enable systematic shifts.

· Support teams in translating the Thriving framework into classroom and teacher training practices.

2. Operational Excellence & Process Involvement

· Ensure timely and efficient execution of project activities as per organizational processes and standards.

· Collect, maintain, and manage databases related to key policy, advocacy, and program implementation areas.

· Provide operational support for training, monitoring, and reporting processes.

· Coordinate internal documentation and research-related work to strengthen implementation quality.

3. Stakeholder Engagement & Ecosystem Partnership

· Build and manage relationships with key senior government officials, influencers, and policymakers to advocate for adopting Thriving as the purpose of education.

· Liaise with the Department of Education, Government of Punjab, SCERT, and DIET for contextualizing and integrating Life Skills curriculum.

· Coordinate with external stakeholders including NGOs, research agencies, and policy institutions to promote a Life Skills-based approach.

· Explore opportunities for facilitating teacher training and capacity-building initiatives in Punjab.

· Establish strategic partnerships with the state education system for demonstrating Thriving as the purpose of education.

4. Evidence, Learning & Reflection

· Collaborate and coordinate with internal research and M&E teams to collect and analyze data for continuous learning and program improvement.

· Contribute to reflection-based documentation and learning reviews.

· Craft impactful stories, briefs, and presentations that translate field insights into strategic policy recommendations for leadership.

· Maintain up-to-date data and evidence related to education, child and youth development, Life Skills, and SEL.

5. Innovation & Experimentation

· Continuously identify and explore innovative Life Skills and SEL practices for inclusion in curriculum and training.

· Test and document innovative models or approaches that can strengthen the Life Skills framework in Punjab’s education system. Contribute creative ideas to deepen the impact of Dream a Dream’s interventions across levels.

6. Team Development

· Provide guidance, direction, and support to team members to ensure alignment with program goals.

· Encourage reflective practice and build team capacity through mentoring and collaborative learning.

· Contribute to creating a positive, empathetic, and learning-oriented team culture.

General Responsibilities

1. Develop linkages with national and local media stakeholders, as well as policy institutions.

2. Contribute to achievement of strategic goals set by the organization

3. Participate in strategic planning, annual planning and budgeting process for the organization

4. Develop strategies to keep team members engaged in outreach efforts

5. Work with a small team, you would also be required to multitask between roles, as and when required by the organization for the furtherance of its goals.

Core Competencies and Skills:

1. A strong understanding of the education system, including SCERT, DIET, and state bodies, along with experience in liaising and building partnerships with them.

2. Experience in Data collection, observation and Project management.

3. Field level understanding and exposure of government interaction along with managing Government projects.

4. Strong spoken and written communication and articulation skills. Fluency in English and Gurumukhi (Must- Reading, Writing, Speaking)

5. Excellent problem-solving and strategic thinking skills, ability to analyze complex qualitative and quantitative data, craft possible solutions and recommend actions.

6. Strong desire for excellence and consistent drive to improve and learn.

7. Reflection based Documentation.

8. Sustained passion and commitment to bring a positive change in society.

9. Full of positivity and optimism and doesn’t get bogged down by challenges.

10. Deep sense of empathy and compassion for people.

Experience

– 4-5 years of experience of working in the Education sector, preferably Socio-Emotional Learning and Life Skills.

– Prior experience in field work and managing projects is recommended.

How to Apply: To apply, please send an updated CV along with a cover letter to varinder@dreamadream.org and cc it to manorm@dreamadream.org please mention Application for the position of “Program Associate” – System Demonstration- Punjab” in the subject line of your email.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Dream a Dream is committed to upholding diversity and inclusion in our workplace, and we strongly encourage people from underrepresented groups, within the organization and outside, to apply to open positions. We embrace our employees’ differences of religion or belief, caste, race, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation gender, gender identity or expression, language differences, family or marital status, physical, mental and development abilities, social or economic class, education, work and behavioral styles, political affiliation, and other characteristics that make us unique.