Overview

Field Managers are the bridge between the Shanti Bhavan teams in the US and India. In residence at our beautiful campus in Tamil Nadu, India, the Field Manager manages our volunteer program, coordinates with visitors to campus, develops content for sponsorships and marketing, and provides crucial on-the-ground support to staff in two countries.

This is a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in a close-knit community with the common goal of poverty alleviation through world-class education. It is an ideal entry point for anyone interested in global non-profit work, international policy development, or education. Your experience as a Field Manager will allow you to grow your cross-cultural competency and equip you for future success anywhere in the world. Past Field Managers have gone on to work in organizations like the World Bank and UNESCO, in consulting firms like EY and McKinsey, at international law firms, and as vice principals and deans at prestigious schools.

What Is Shanti Bhavan?

Shanti Bhavan is a residential school exclusively for children born into India’s lowest socioeconomic class. Those born into poverty remain entrapped in systems that perpetuate inequality due to a lack of access to social protection, a quality education, and low wages. In fact, in India it typically takes seven generations for an individual born to a low-income family to reach a mean income. Shanti Bhavan breaks that cycle of poverty in a single generation.

As a registered non-profit in the US and India, we provide high-quality education from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. We promote academic achievement, instill values of global citizenship, and emphasize leadership development. Our program gives individual attention to every aspect of a child’s upbringing: emotional development, mental and physical fitness, social and cognitive growth, and academic excellence. The support extends beyond pre-K-12 education as we strive to ensure our graduates continue to excel in higher education and employment. In total, this is 17 years of intense intervention per child – from age 4 to 21.

You can find out more about us and our mission at our website (https://www.shantibhavanchildren.org/) or by watching the Netflix docuseries Daughters of Destiny. 

Responsibilities

• Oversee a team of up to ten volunteers from diverse backgrounds. This includes creating, organizing, and overseeing teaching schedules for volunteers, managing volunteer logistics (arrivals, rooming, training, etc.), hosting a weekly volunteer meeting, and serving as a liaison between the volunteers and the Shanti Bhavan administration.

• Build relationships with donors, public figures, and individuals or groups from multinational corporations, including CEOs. This includes planning and hosting their visits to campus.

• Supply content required for sponsorship updates and other digital media assets used across advertising platforms and donor-facing communications.

• Organize extracurricular activities for the students (debate, public speaking, academic competitions, etc.). 

• Plan and host special events on campus for students, staff, faculty, and visitors. This can include holiday parties, graduation celebrations, and other unique occasions. 

• Plan and facilitate leadership development workshops for high schoolers. This includes managing the girls' and boys' leadership clubs. 

• Assist with student applications for external programs, passports or visas, and certified letters for official student documents.

• Collaborate with senior administration to proactively manage and respond to student behavior both in the classroom and campus community.

• Build and maintain positive relationships with the children to ensure academic growth and holistic development.

• Cultivate strong working relationships with Shanti Bhavan faculty and senior administration to ensure high-quality education for all students.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.

• Two years of work experience.

• Fluency in English (written and spoken) is required.

• Competency with Microsoft Office and Google Workspace. Experience with other office software/tools such as Asana and Slack is considered an asset. 

• Detail-oriented and highly organized.

• Superior written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to effectively bridge cultural gaps with staff, donors, corporate sponsors, and others.

• Has a strong work ethic, and is conscientious about the impact of your work on the school community.

• Experience with planning and logistics, including short- and long-term project management. This includes the ability to create systems, assign tasks, and prioritize competing projects.

• Willingness to learn new skills and adapt to changing situations and expectations.

• Ability to work under minimal supervision while being a visible leader on the Shanti Bhavan campus.

• Comfort working closely with another individual who shares many overlapping responsibilities.

• Enthusiasm for Shanti Bhavan's mission and the ability to project that to others.

Work Environment

Shanti Bhavan is a rural village and self-sufficient, relying on solar power and an organic farm for food. Living conditions are relatively basic (dorm-style rooming, possible power outages, etc.), with limited opportunities to travel off campus. Candidates must be comfortable working in such an environment.

Health Requirements

Complete COVID-19 vaccination is mandatory to work on the Shanti Bhavan’s Children’s Project campus. For the purpose of this policy, fully vaccinated indicates that you have received a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine or both doses of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine.

Location

Baliganapalli, Tamil Nadu, INDIA

Compensation

The position includes a salary equivalent to Indian local standards plus an additional monthly stipend equivalent to $2000 USD.

Benefits

All expenses paid, including:

• Roundtrip airfare/transportation to and from campus.

• On-campus room and board.

• Visa fees.

Contract Period

Start Date: June 2024. Candidates must be willing to commit until mid-December 2024, with the possibility of an extension until April 2025.

Application Procedure

Interested candidates should submit a resume or CV and cover letter to Global Operations Manager, Gowri Manoharan at gowri@shantibhavanchildren.org.