About Pratham
Pratham Education Foundation (Pratham) is one of the largest education NGOs in India with a record of innovative, rigorously evaluated programs that have inspired similar programs across three continents. With a history spanning 30 years, Pratham’s work today extends from programs for early and elementary years to girls and women, and youth skilling. Through programs covering 25 states and Union Territories, in an average year, Pratham usually reaches over 6 million children and youth. This is achieved through a combination of efforts: directly working with children and youth in communities, as well as through collaborations with state and district-level governments.
Pratham has received notable awards such as the Lui Che Woo Prize, WISE Prize for Innovation, Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship, the Henry R Kravis Prize in Leadership and the CNN-IBN Indian of the Year for Public Service. Pratham also received the 2021 Yidan Prize for Education Development and the Yashraj Bharati Samman in 2025.
For more details, refer to www.pratham.org
About the Project
Bihar’s Performance Grading Index (PGI 2.0, 2023-24) places the state in the Akanshi-2 category with a score of 472 out of 1,000, reflecting significant scope for improvement in school education and infrastructure. The school development initiative responds to two interlinked systemic gaps in government secondary and composite schools:
- Learning-supportive infrastructure deficits including functional laboratories, libraries, safe sanitation, and structural repairs.
- Weak integration between infrastructure and pedagogy, resulting in underutilisation of spaces and limited community ownership.
The initiative combines prioritised infrastructure strengthening, structured learning improvement, teacher capacity building, and community activation through SMCs, Panchayat representatives, and Jeevika groups, with the goal of establishing replicable demonstration schools.
Position Overview
The Infrastructure Lead will serve as the primary technical lead for planning, execution, quality assurance, and delivery of all civil and infrastructure works in the project. The role requires someone who can navigate both technical rigour and the program’s participatory ethos, across multiple school sites, government departments, and community stakeholders. This is a field-intensive role based at Pratham’s office in Patna, with regular travel across project districts in Bihar.
Key Responsibilities
- Project Planning & Site Readiness
- Conduct site assessments across designated schools to document conditions, identify deficiencies, and establish intervention priorities.
- Prepare school-specific DPRs including scope of works, BoQs, drawings, specifications, and phased timelines.
- Ensure technical scopes are aligned with program objectives and funder guidelines before commencement.
- Liaise with government officials to obtain necessary approvals, permissions, and NOCs.
- Infrastructure Construction & Supervision
- Manage end-to-end civil construction across the full scope: ICT-enabled classrooms, laboratory and library upgrades, WASH facilities (including sanitary pad vending and disposal), electrical fittings, CCTV, furniture, and structural repairs.
- Supervise contractors, sub-contractors, and labour across concurrent sites, ensuring adherence to drawings, specifications, and safety protocols.
- Oversee installation and commissioning of smart classroom solutions in coordination with technology vendors.
- Ensure timely procurement and delivery of materials, verified against approved BoQs.
- Team Management, Coordination & Communication
- Lead the field construction team including site engineers, supervisors, and support staff; set performance expectations and provide day-to-day direction.
- Plan and chair regular team meetings including progress reviews, site coordination, and issue resolution; maintain structured documentation of decisions and action points.
- Coordinate between the construction team and internal program functions (learning, community engagement, finance) for integrated delivery.
- Maintain proactive communication with consultants (structural, MEP, technical advisors) to ensure timely incorporation of their inputs.
- Prepare and present progress updates, milestone reports, and issue logs to the Program Director and donor, tailored appropriately for each audience.
- Quality Assurance & Compliance
- Implement a quality control framework covering material testing, workmanship standards, and stage-wise inspections across all sites.
- Maintain measurement books, completion certificates, inspection reports, and photographic documentation.
- Ensure compliance with national and state building codes, BIS standards, and funder requirements.
- Flag and obtain prior approvals for any design deviations, material substitutions, or scope variations.
- Financial Monitoring & Reporting
- Track expenditure against approved budgets; flag variances and support timely course corrections.
- Verify and certify contractor invoices and RA bills against physical progress before payment processing.
- Prepare monthly progress and financial utilisation reports for internal review and donor reporting.
- Maintain auditable records of all construction-related documentation.
- Community Engagement
- Facilitate orientation sessions with SMCs, Panchayat representatives, and Jeevika groups on project scope, timelines, and community roles.
- Engage communities in selected planning processes to promote ownership and accountability.
- Build SMC and school leadership capacity for minor maintenance and upkeep post-completion.
- Work alongside the learning and community activation team to integrate infrastructure use into pedagogical planning.
- Vendor & Contractor Management
- Support development of technical tender documents and evaluation of contractor bids.
- Manage contractor performance through work orders, milestone tracking, and escalation protocols.
- Maintain contractor registers, agreements, insurance, and compliance records.
- Sustainability & Scalability
- Document infrastructure models, technical specifications, and implementation learnings for replication.
- Build in sustainability through appropriate materials selection, low-maintenance design, and community maintenance plans.
Qualifications & Experience
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Architecture, or related discipline (B.Tech / B.Arch).
- Post-graduate qualification in Project Management or Construction Management is desirable.
Experience
- 3-5 years in construction project management, with demonstrated ability to manage multiple sites simultaneously.
- Experience on government-funded or donor-funded infrastructure projects in the social sector (education, health, WASH, or livelihood) is strongly preferred.
- Prior experience in Bihar or comparable states is an advantage.
- Proven experience preparing DPRs, BoQs, drawings, and technical tender documents.
- Track record of managing contractors, consultants, and field teams on phased, multi-site programs.
- Experience with institutional donor reporting and reviews is desirable.
Technical Skills
- Proficiency in AutoCAD or equivalent; working knowledge of MS Project or similar scheduling tools.
- Competency in MS Office for documentation and reporting.
- Knowledge of IS codes, construction standards, and public procurement norms for school infrastructure.
- Familiarity with WASH, ICT/smart classroom installation, and electrical systems is an advantage.
Working Details & Remuneration
- Based at Pratham’s office in Patna with regular travel across project districts in Bihar.
- Remuneration commensurate with experience.
Application Process
To apply, please submit your application to tushar.singh@pratham.org with the subject line “Application for the position of Infrastructure Lead” in the subject line and your current resume with a covering email.
Note: Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we will not be able to provide individual responses to every applicant and will reach out only to shortlisted candidates. We appreciate your understanding and patience.
