State Lead - Vocational Education

Role overview

An international development consulting organization is looking to hire a State Lead for Vocational Education in Bhopal. This is a senior leadership role for an experienced professional who can drive school-based vocational education across selected states in India. The position focuses on identifying barriers to vocational learning, shaping practical interventions, and widening pathways within secondary education so that more students stay in school, build useful skills, and move toward employability and entrepreneurship.

The role must stay aligned with the national education policy and the wider vocational skilling framework. It calls for strong program leadership, partnership building, implementation oversight, and the ability to strengthen awareness, access, and quality of vocational education at the state level.

What you will do

• Study state-level education needs and learner aspirations, then turn that analysis into a state action plan for expanding vocational education in schools in line with the national roadmap, NEP 2020, and skills ecosystem reforms.
• Develop and operationalize a model vocational education district in the state that can serve as an implementation example for the broader roadmap.
• Work closely with the state education department to create and roll out guidelines, frameworks, and operating manuals covering curriculum design, assessment, training delivery, teacher and vocational trainer deployment, and school management committee involvement in vocational counseling.
• Help the state department introduce market-aligned, aspirational courses that match NEP, NSQF, and industry expectations, using periodic curriculum reviews and market scans at the district level.
• Adapt national awareness campaigns for use in the state and support their rollout to improve how vocational education and life skills are perceived socially.
• Strengthen pre-vocational education and student counseling in grades 6 to 8.
• Support the state department in conducting localized career fairs with industries and the State Skill Mission.
• Improve monitoring and evaluation systems as well as the state MIS to track enrollment, retention, vocational education, on-the-job training, and employment outcomes, and refine strategies based on findings.
• Encourage use of technology-enabled teaching, digital content, and MIS tools to improve monitoring and accountability.
• Build and maintain partnerships with state government departments and relevant bodies to align school vocational initiatives with skill missions.
• Set up a State Employer Engagement Cell to coordinate with industry, MSMEs, and skilling partners for stronger industry linkages and OJT opportunities.
• Organize CSR roundtables to deepen industry involvement in vocational education and expand opportunities for on-the-job training, internships, and jobs for girls.
• Collaborate with private sector partners, NGOs, and development agencies to mobilize support and strengthen vocational education infrastructure.
• Conduct workshops to share best practices and new innovations.
• Lead a multidisciplinary team and create a collaborative, innovative, and accountable working culture while building team capability to meet program goals.
• Manage budgets, resources, and timelines to deliver the program on time and with measurable impact.
• Monitor progress against milestones, identify risks early, and take corrective action proactively.
• Oversee evidence generation through pilots, cost analyses, and documentation of best practices.
• Prepare strong project reports, briefs, monthly updates, thought papers, articles, and research papers that support public discussion on skill-based education, girls’ education continuity, and empowerment.
• Represent the program in state-level forums, share learnings and best practices, and contribute to advocacy around actions to prevent early marriage.

Experience and qualifications

A master’s degree or higher in Education, Social Sciences, Public Policy, or a related discipline is required.

The role calls for at least 12 years of experience in leading state-level education and/or skilling programs with a focus on student retention.

Experience working with government education departments, skill development ministries, civil society organizations, and community stakeholders is important. Exposure to Samagra Shiksha or state education systems will be an advantage.

You should have a strong understanding of NEP 2020, NSQF, and the national and state frameworks that guide vocational education in schools.

Prior work in designing gender-responsive, large-scale in-school programs that strengthen vocational skills, employability, and life skills for adolescents is needed.

A deep understanding of the socio-cultural, economic, and policy factors behind school dropout, including poverty, gender discrimination, social norms, and system-level barriers, is essential.

The organization is seeking someone with a strong commitment to youth empowerment, gender equality, and inclusive education, especially for girls accessing school-based vocational pathways and lifelong skills.

Skills and competencies

The right candidate should bring strategic leadership for complex multi-stakeholder programs, strong stakeholder management, sharp analytical ability, clear and effective communication, and the ability to build and inspire a high-performing multidisciplinary team.

Additional information

Location: Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.

Experience level: 12 to 15 years.

This is a full-time, on-site position.