Head of Programs

Position: Head - Programs

Location: Delhi

About The Udaiti Foundation:

The Udaiti Foundation is a Delhi-based not-for-profit foundation aimed at accelerating Women's Economic Empowerment (WEE) in India. Udaiti has been incubated by The Convergence Foundation by Ashish Dhawan to identify critical voids in the social sector and build strong, long-lasting organisations to solve complex problems. The organisation counts Ashoka University, ACT Grants, AIP, CSF, CEGIS, CRISP, and CEDA as its cohort of foundations aiming at collective impact. Our vision is for a world where all women and girls have expanded choice and attain their full economic potential. Udaiti aims to act as a strategic influencer and force multiplier in the field, bringing together the non-profit with the public and private sectors. We believe that - the private sector can have an outsized impact; digital technology is a game-changer; data-informed insights are critical; there is no scale like the government. Udaiti seeks to catalyse transformative change through strategic public & private partnerships for advocacy, applied research, and programs.

The Foundation's mission is to increase women's share of quality jobs through expanding demand and scaling women's enterprises & entrepreneurship. In that effort, the Foundation leverages a range of levers - data, applied research & insights; technical advisory support; solution generation; and co-creating strategic platforms for amplification and field-building.

Udaiti seeks to develop flagship impact strategies and leverage existing social/ administrative infrastructure & platforms for scaling impact. Udaiti is taking forward engagements at the state and national government levels to drive this agenda through a partnership-driven approach. TUF's government engagement work looks at:

1. Integrated Strategy & Technical Assistance to govt entities at a strategic level

2. Elevating WEE as a Priority

3. Improving WEE Program Designs through advisory and evaluations

Two of our present flagship engagements include Techno-advisory support to the Govt of Uttar Pradesh on advancing women's economic empowerment in the state, and supporting NITI Aayog on multiple initiatives, including the Women's Entrepreneurship Platform and the National Data Analytics Platform.

Position Summary

We are looking for a senior leader to anchor Udaiti's Government Engagement vertical. This position will report to the CEO.

The ideal candidate will bring extensive experience in designing and leading high-impact technical advisory engagements with governments, a deep understanding of government systems and decision-making processes, and a strong track record of influencing public policy and institutional reforms. They should have engaged meaningfully with Women's Economic Empowerment policies and programs at both the central and state levels and be adept at navigating complex stakeholder environments. They should be able to lead a team, while also being able to stretch themselves into co-creating the vision for the track. They should be able to multitask, take mature decisions, and inspire teams to remain focused on goals and impact. Finally, they should be strategic thinkers and work well with senior leadership in co-building this work.

We are looking for a dynamic candidate to join the team during an exciting time of organisational growth. This is a high-energy role and a great opportunity for those who enjoy working in a start-up environment and care deeply about women's empowerment and the impact sector.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead Udaiti's Government Engagement vertical, setting the strategic direction, annual goals, and implementation roadmap in alignment with the organization's vision.
  
• Anchor the Government Engagement track in setting up and achieving goals, along with monitoring the progress towards them
• Build capacity/ be able to guide the team as needed
  
• Co-develop and manage a pipeline of flagship government initiatives and work w/ the the team to tee up a series of influential outputs
  
• Contribute to determining operational plans
• Actively contribute to developing project opportunities that have high strategic value and can support impact at scale
  
• Take on diverse operational tasks to ensure organisational success
  
  Required Qualifications, Skills, and Abilities
  
• Educational Background in gender studies, political science, public administration or public policy will be preferred
  
• 18+ years of professional experience, with at least a decade in senior leadership roles involving government engagement, policy reform, or institutional strengthening.
  
• Demonstrated experience leading large-scale advisory or reform programs related to women's economic empowerment, livelihoods, or social development.
• Excellent problem-solving and strategic thinking skills, strong research aptitude ability to analyse complex problems and formulate solutions
  
• Proven experience in leading, coordinating and managing government engagement initiatives including familiarity of functioning at state government
  
• Good communication, interpersonal, and stakeholder-facing skills
• High level of flexibility and responsiveness with the ability to shift priorities quickly and as organisational demands require
  
• Having experience in working with government stakeholders and a track record of effectively enabling and maintaining government relationships
• Ability to manage high-level relationships with senior bureaucrats, policymakers, and institutional partners at central and state levels.
• Deep understanding of government structures, hierarchies, and decision-making processes across ministries and departments.

• Must possess a willingness to travel throughout India.

Remuneration

Remuneration will be competitive with Indian philanthropy pay scales and will depend upon the candidate's experience.

Apply Now Please share your CV and a cover letter outlining how your knowledge, skills and experience match the job specification.

Udaiti Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages applications from qualified individuals regardless of race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation or disability.