Executive Director, Policy

INDIA

Executive Director, Policy

Director

AVPN is a unique funders' network committed to building a vibrant and high-impact social investment community across Asia. AVPN's mission is to catalyse the movement toward a more strategic, collaborative, and outcome-focused approach to social investing, ensuring that resources are deployed as effectively as possible to address key social challenges facing Asia today and in the future.

AVPN is seeking an Executive Director for Policy to anchor its policy work in India and guide AVPN's engagement with policy sector throughout the region. The Executive Director will be engaging with central, state and municipal governments, regulators, think tanks, and multilateral partners. This role is hands-on: shaping AVPN's policy agenda in India and the rest of Asia, support the building public-private coalitions, producing policy briefs and reports that support market teams and AVPN members, convening dialogues between social investors and governments that align government priorities with the impact ecosystem. The ideal candidate is a mid-senior professional with 15+ years work experience who can both strategize and execute, someone who is equally comfortable drafting a memo for a Ministry, moderating a Policy roundtable on or advising on how to navigate regulatory shifts in the social investment landscape. With AVPN's Global Conference 2026 coming to India, this role will be critical to supporting AVPN's Government engagement strategy in India. The role will ideally be based in Delhi, which means the candidate will also take on the role of policy lead for India. This role reports to the Chief of Markets and Deputy CEO.

**India Government Relations and Engagement **

• Build and manage relationships with key ministries (Finance, Corporate Affairs, NITI Aayog, MeitY, etc.) and state governments, missions, government-linked organization and related actors
• Establish policy partnerships that meet AVPN's objectives regionally, yet India-first priorities are foregrounded
• Track India's policy landscape (budgets, legislation, regulatory changes) as it relates to social investment and advise internally and externally on how to navigate this.
• Produce or commission policy papers, briefing notes, and reports tailored to India's ecosystem.
• Translate global best practice and AVPN member propositions into India-ready solutions (e.g. blended finance models, catalytic capital use).
• Surface AVPN member insights through consultations and reflect them in AVPN's thought leadership.
• Manage policy consultants / partners and track deliverables.

Partnerships and Ecosystem Building

• Lead the team to build partnerships with various ministries, quasi governmental organizations, think tanks, policy consultancies, and academic institutions.
• Support AVPN members, local market teams and vertical teams on policy engagement (e.g. CSR laws, impact/ESG rules, blended finance pilots).
• Lead Policy team to convene coalitions of funders, investors, and policymakers on cross-cutting themes (climate, gender, health, AI).

Policy Leadership for AVPN

• Lead the Policy team in the design and delivery of policy initiatives (roundtables, dialogues, policy briefs, joint projects with think tanks) in partnership with AVPN markets and vertical teams
• Align country-level policy programmes with AVPN's Asia-wide policy agenda.
• Identify opportunities to showcase AVPN's perspectives into global and regional policy platforms (e.g. G20, APEC, WEF, COP, UN forums).
• Build strategic relationships that represent AVPN with multilateral organizations, becoming a canvas for AVPN programs and products to add value.
• Manage a small but powerful Policy team to plan AVPN's policy engagement strategy for medium- to long-term.
• Work closely with AVPN's markets and vertical teams to integrate policy into programs.
• Act as internal and external advocate for the benefits of aligning social investment and policy.
• Represent AVPN in policy consultations, task forces, and dialogues relevant to social investment.

• 15+ years of relevant experience in India/Asia policy consulting, think tanks, philanthropic foundations, CSR leadership, or development finance.
• Proven track record of working with Government of India or state governments (consultations, joint programs, or policy research).
• Brings warm connections with and/or networks of policy and government stakeholders in India, rest of South Asia a plus.
• Strong understanding of the social investment landscape in South Asia, including a mix of the following, CSR and philanthropy policy, blended and innovative finance, impact investing and digital/AI policy.
• Ability to translate complex policy issues into accessible briefs and actionable recommendations.
• Ability to translate and convey social investment content and position for policy sector audience to drive aligned understanding between sectors.
• 7-10 years experience in managing multi-stakeholder projects (e.g. donors, multilaterals, government, NGOs).
• Verifiable experience managing small and agile teams to achieve results within short timeframes.
• Excellent communication skills in English and Hindi (an Indian language is a plus).
• Entrepreneurial and hands-on: able to build trusted relationships with government and ecosystem players, proactively drive initiatives forward, and deliver results in fast-moving and ambiguous contexts.

Location and Reporting

• Based in New Delhi with travel across India and Asia.
• Reports to AVPN's Chief of Markets and Deputy CEO, working closely with Regional Director, South Asia and South Asia markets team.
• Candidate will be managing 1 to 2 policy associates and 1 Policy Director.

Due to the high volume of applications, we will only notify candidates who have been shortlisted. Equal Employment Opportunity AVPN is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We encourage, actively pursue, and celebrate diversity in our workforce. Our employment is strictly decided on the basis of merit and business priorities. We welcome applications from all sections of the community and especially encourage individuals from underrepresented groups to . We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, national origin, or any other basis covered appropriate law.