Operations Lead, Istri Project

About Udhyam:

Udhyam Learning Foundation (Udhyam) is on a mission towards Making Bharat Entrepreneurial. We believe that entrepreneurship is a powerful way to channelize an individual’s potential. Entrepreneurship enables agency and allows an individual to work on their strengths while creating value for the world.

Our programs:

• Udhyam Shiksha works on developing entrepreneurial mindsets among the youth and enabling them to achieve their potential, having impacted :40,00,000 learners across 12 Indian states.
• Udhyam Vyapaar focuses on nano businesses in India, and solving large problems faced by them, at scale; having already enabled income uplift for 10,000+ entrepreneurs.
  
  
  

Location: Lucknow & Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh

About the project:

The Istri Project at Udhyam Vyapaar upgrades streetside ironing vendors from coal-based iron boxes to LPG-based ones. These ironing vendors are often found on street corners, serving local households. Traditional coal-based boxes cause:

• Low productivity
• High fuel costs
• Severe long-term health hazards
  
  
  

The LPG iron box is an innovation that addresses these challenges while significantly improving livelihoods. Our 3-fold model – Awareness, Accessibility, and Affordability – enables sustainable adoption at scale. The model has been successfully implemented in Bangalore, Chennai, Jaipur and Delhi and is now being expanded to other cities, including Lucknow and Kanpur.

Role & Responsibilities

The Program Lead will be responsible for planning, implementing, and scaling the project in Lucknow and Kanpur with support from the field team.

Key Responsibilities:

• Build and lead the city-level team (hiring, onboarding, and managing field staff).
• Ensure smooth on-ground operations and timely program delivery.
• Implement structures and processes at the regional level.
• Monitor operations and provide timely solutions to challenges.
• Build and manage retail and operational partnerships.
• Track program progress, share reports, and support donor requirements.
• Collaborate with the core data team to collect, analyze, and report impact metrics.
• Drive ownership, commitment, and result-oriented execution.
  
  
  

Skills & Knowledge

• Strong leadership and team management skills.
• Experience in implementing field projects or managing grassroots operations/sales.
• Excellent problem-solving and decision-making ability.
• Ability to build and maintain relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Data-driven mindset – ability to track, analyze, and adapt strategies.
• Good communication and reporting skills.
  
  
  

Language Preference

• Hindi (mandatory – spoken & written)
• English (spoken & written)
  
  
  

Work Experience

• 3 – 5 years of relevant experience in program implementation, field operations, or social impact projects.