Placement Manager – Urban Livelihood Programme in Delhi | Smile Foundation

Smile Foundation

Smile Foundation works with children and families living in poverty across India, through programmes in education, healthcare, skilling, women's empowerment and grassroots strengthening. It was started in 2002 by a group of young corporate professionals and has grown into a national development organisation reaching more than 1.5 million children and family members. It runs projects in 25 states, with 10 offices and over 650 employees, alongside volunteers and supporters. The organisation holds Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, is accredited with GuideStar, United Way, CAF America and Give2Asia, and has been Great Place to Work certified for six years running. This role sits within Smile Foundation's STeP programme team, which trains young people from urban low income communities and helps them into paid work.

Role

The Placement Manager runs the full placement process for young people trained under the Urban Livelihood Programme (STeP) across India. The work is about building steady relationships with employers, understanding what jobs actually need, getting candidates ready for interviews, and staying with them after they join so the job lasts. It is a bridge role between the young people the programme trains and the companies that hire them.

Responsibilities

• Identify, build and maintain strong relationships with employers and industry partners.
• Work with employers to understand what each job needs, and shape candidate training to match those needs.
• Organise employer engagement activities such as job fairs, campus interviews and networking events.
• Match candidates to suitable jobs based on their skills and interests, and see the placement through.
• Prepare candidates for interviews through resume building, mock interviews and career guidance.
• Track placement data, including success rates, how long candidates stay in a job, and how satisfied they are.
• Stay in touch with employers after a candidate joins, checking on performance and sorting out any concerns.
• Work with the mobilisation team to bring candidates into the training programme.
• Run employability assessments to understand each candidate's needs and skill gaps.
• Provide career counselling on job options, career progression and further study.
• Maintain accurate placement records and prepare regular reports on placement numbers, job market trends and programme impact.
• Build and run an alumni network, following up with placed candidates and spotting chances for them to upskill.
• Plan and run placement drives, employer meet-ups, alumni events and closing ceremonies with the programme team.

Requirements

• Master's degree in social work, business administration, development studies or a related field.
• At least 5 to 6 years of experience managing large scale urban livelihood or similar social development projects.
• Proven experience leading teams, managing several stakeholders and delivering project outcomes.
• Strong understanding of urban poverty, employment challenges and community dynamics.
• Solid experience of delivery through digital platforms and technology-based monitoring.
• Clear communication, in writing and in person, that holds an audience and leaves them with the message.
• Ability to plan and organise work for yourself and for others so it gets finished properly.
• Close attention to detail, checking what others take at face value and making sure the pieces fit together.
• Works well in a team, with empathy, shared decision making and respect for others.
• Builds external alliances and uses those relationships to get work done.
• Handles conflict calmly, easing tension between people rather than adding to it.
• Creative thinking to find new openings and solutions beyond current practice.
• Based in Delhi, with the role covering placements across India.

Benefits

• Work with a national development organisation reaching over 1.5 million children and family members across 25 states.
• Join a Great Place to Work certified organisation, certified six years running.
• Direct influence on whether young people from low income urban communities get and keep decent jobs.
• Wide exposure to employers and industry partners across the country.
• One year fixed term contract within the STeP programme team.

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