Program Officer

APPLICATION DEADLINE: October 21st 2024

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION

The Ford Foundation Office for India, Nepal and Sri Lanka, based in New Delhi, seeks a collaborative and innovative Program Officer to help drive the Foundation’s regional work on strategic philanthropy. The Foundation’s India Office has two other portfolios: Civic Engagement and Government (CEG) focusing on farmer livelihoods and well being, and Gender, Racial and Ethnic Justice GREJ) focusing on safe public spaces for women, both offline and online.

This position will work with the program team to drive stewardship for inclusive philanthropy in the region, strengthen the domestic philanthropic ecosystem and galvanize catalytic resourcing for areas including the Foundation’s core initiatives (civic engagement, centering gender) and principles (institution building and trust-based philanthropy). The focus of this portfolio would be to build salience for philanthropy’s possibilities to drive transformative social change in the region and forge collaborative partnerships towards addressing underserved spaces including organizations, geographies and critical causes that address systemic inequality.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Program Officers are responsible for developing and managing grant portfolios, ensuring alignment with India office and global goals through activities like grantmaking, convenings, and field building. They assess the organizational landscape, identify key issues and partners, and shape agendas to promote strategic outcomes through grant allocation. POs track contextual shifts to inform grantmaking strategies and act as networking catalysts, sharing knowledge with colleagues, collaborating with the India office team, and coordinating with international programs. They build partnerships with diverse stakeholders, including government officials, NGOs, and community leaders, to leverage resources and achieve common goals. More specifically, as part of a multidisciplinary team, the Program Officer will:
- Contribute to ongoing development and adaptation of the strategic philanthropy strategy, working toward India Office goals, including identifying relevant opportunities for the sector and at the intersections of the_ _civic engagement and gender justice programs- Design and lead grant making to achieve significant and scalable impact, aligned with local strategic opportunities and in partnership with the global team.- Manage, monitor and coordinate a grants portfolio, including annual grant planning, identifying and working with the Foundation’s grantees to develop proposals for grant recommendations, undertake periodic reviews of progress with grantees, perform grantee site visits, review financial and narrative reporting from grantees.- Develop and implement grant-making approaches that support the role of broad coalitions, strategic communications and narrative change- Conceptualize and implement convenings amongst domestic and international funders- Identify ways to support partners in the portfolio to become more durable, more resilient, and more effectively networked with each other. This includes support for strategic vision, leadership, management systems, financial stability, and organizational diversity, equity and inclusion.- Recommend and participate in learning activities to guide the evolution of programmatic work, promote exchange and strategic partnership. Learn from and collaborate with key stakeholders inside and outside the Foundation.- Represent the foundation and its work to the government, media, academic, business, philanthropic, and civic leaders with guidance from the Regional Director.- Play a leadership role on the team, encouraging and modeling team collaboration, team building and team effectiveness. Serve as a mentor and coach to more junior staff.- Support the team in assessing contextual risks to program impact as well as opportunities to further advance regional strategy and outcomes.- Work in collaboration with the India office’s program team and with stakeholders in international and domestic foundations, intermediaries, research institutions, civil society and private sector partners active in the region.- Engage with the global strategy related processes and support global/regional initiatives as required.

QUALIFICATIONS-
- Deep understanding of the social, cultural and political context of India, Nepal and Sri Lanka and the geopolitical landscape.- Clear experience in coalition building and demonstrated experience as a ‘connector’ and ‘convener’ across funders, grantees, practitioners, government officials, scholars, NGO and corporate sector leaders, on issues of common concern.- Recognition as a leader on issues related to philanthropy, demonstrated collaboration with civil society and a perspective informed by the global context.- Ability to align global goals with local strategy and lead grant making from this perspective.- Demonstrated success in program development, evaluatio