Organisation: Magic Bus India Foundation
Designation: Director – Rural Livelihood Operations
Location: Mumbai/Delhi
Experience Required: Minimum 20 years
About Magic Bus India Foundation
Magic Bus India Foundation is one of India’s leading non-profit organisations focused on enabling adolescents and young people from underserved communities to move from education to sustainable livelihoods and out of poverty. Through its Childhood-to-Livelihood approach, Magic Bus equips young people with life, employability, and entrepreneurship skills while building local livelihood ecosystems in partnership with government, industry, and community institutions.
As Magic Bus expands its rural livelihood initiatives through Livelihood Resource Centres (LRCs) and ecosystem-based programming, the organisation is seeking a Director – Rural Livelihood Operations to lead and scale the rural livelihoods vertical nationally.
Role Purpose
The Director – Rural Livelihood Operations will provide strategic leadership, programmatic oversight, and direction for the institutional growth of Magic Bus’s rural livelihood portfolio across India.
The role will focus on building and scaling a high-impact rural livelihood ecosystem, positioning Magic Bus as one of the largest and most credible organisations in the rural livelihood space.
The Director will lead the design and expansion of rural livelihood programmes, including:
- Livelihood Resource Centres (LRCs)
- employment and skilling initiatives in rural and peri-urban areas
- Female-led nano-entrepreneurship and enterprise incubation
- SHG and FPO ecosystem strengthening
- Market-linked livelihood value chains
The position requires a leader who can combine field-rooted development experience with strategic institutional leadership and external representation.
Key Responsibilities
1. Strategic Leadership & Growth of Rural Livelihood Vertical
- Lead and implement the strategy for rural livelihood operations.
- Build Magic Bus into a leading player in the rural livelihood ecosystem.
- Identify new programmatic opportunities across states and sectors.
- Lead the expansion of Livelihood Resource Centres and rural livelihood ecosystem interventions.
- Build scalable and sustainable models integrating employment, entrepreneurship, and rural enterprise development.
2. Programme implementation & Operational Excellence
- Lead the implementation of large-scale rural livelihood programmes in the field.
- Conduct needs analysis and scoping studies for implementing rural livelihood programmes
- Ensure high-quality programme delivery across states and projects.
- Strengthen Magic Bus programming frameworks around:
- employability
- entrepreneurship
- SHG and FPO-based livelihoods
- Market-linked enterprise ecosystems
- Rural economic cluster development
- Lead the monitoring systems to ensure impact-driven programming and operational efficiency by ensuring accurate data, MIS reporting, programme tracking, and documentation.
- Conduct monitoring visits and performance reviews to strengthen programme outcomes.
3. Stakeholder Engagement & Ecosystem Building
- Serve as the key spokesperson for Magic Bus in the rural livelihood domain.
- Build strong networks within the rural livelihood and development ecosystem – engaging under partnership with NIESBUD, NIRI Aayog, NABARD, etc.
- Strengthen partnerships with government programmes, including:
- Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM)
- Skill Development Missions
- Entrepreneurship programmes
- Rural enterprise initiatives
- Private sector value chain actors
- Foster collaboration with research institutions, livelihood networks, and social enterprises.
4. Team Leadership & Organisational Development
- Build and mentor a high-performing rural livelihood team.
- Provide leadership to the field implementation team across India.
- Promote a culture of accountability, collaboration, and field-oriented leadership.
5. Programme Scale & Operational Management
- Manage and oversee a large and growing rural livelihood portfolio.
- Ensure efficient operational systems as the vertical expands nationally.
- Develop and institutionalise the mentor networks who can provide business and psycho-social support services.
- Strengthen programme performance, impact measurement, and financial sustainability.
- Support fundraising team by providing appropriate information and data from the field and appropriate budgeting estimates.
6. Budget Management & Compliance
- Monitor programme budgets and utilisation across the field operations, and ensure alignment with financial guidelines and project plans.
- Support financial tracking, audits, and donor reporting processes.
- Ensure compliance with organisational policies and programme standards.
Qualifications
- Postgraduate degree in Rural Development, Social Work, Development Studies, Public Policy, Agriculture, or Management, or related field.
- Additional leadership or executive education in development management preferred.
Experience
- Minimum 20 years of professional experience in rural development, livelihoods, or economic inclusion programmes.
- Demonstrated experience in building and scaling rural livelihood programmes or organisations.
- Proven track record in managing large multi-state development programmes.
- Strong exposure to government livelihood missions and rural enterprise programmes like NRLM, SRLM, SHG ecosystems, and International organization on senior level positions.
- Experience in donor engagement, and programme partnerships.
Key Competencies
- Strategic & Programmatic Leadership: Ability to scale rural livelihood programmes from early-stage pilots to pan India models.
- Rural Livelihood Ecosystem Expertise: Deep understanding of rural livelihoods, value chains, SHG/FPO ecosystems, and rural enterprise development.
- Stakeholder Engagement & Influence: Ability to represent Magic Bus at platforms and influence sector dialogue.
- Team Leadership & People Management: Strong experience managing large multi-disciplinary teams.
- Digital & Data Orientation: Comfortable with MIS systems, digital tools, and technology-enabled programme management.
- Ready for high performance culture along with strong communication skills and high leadership qualities with leading by examples.
- Personal Leadership Attributes
- Inspiring leader with strong integrity and humility.
- Field-oriented and grounded approach to development work.
- Strong relationship-building skills across sectors.
How to Apply
Interested candidates are invited to submit their updated resume along with a brief cover letter highlighting relevant experience to iram.malim@magicbusindia.org. Please ensure that the subject line of the email reads: “ Director – Rural Livelihood Operations.”
