CIFF’s India strategy seeks to position CIFF as evidence generating and catalytic funder who is a trusted partner to India’s institutions that address challenges facing children. It is based around a comprehensive localisation approach to scaling our impact along with more purposeful ecosystem engagement, with stronger partnerships with governments and domestic philanthropy

As a member of the India senior leadership team

• Provide up-to-date professional advice, program performance and strategic updates to the CIFF’s Executive Team Programme Investment Committee (PIC) and Board on related issues to support the development of CIFF strategies, policies and initiatives to ensure high confidence from CIFF’s Executive Team, Investment Committee and Board
• Take shared leadership for the effective implementation of shared CIFF objectives around effective localization, continuous improvement, risk management, partnerships, co-funding and Communications (CIFF voice).
• Provide compelling, consistent and united leadership which creates clarity for all staff and builds a sense of shared accountability for its success and that of the organisation.
• Serve as a central liaison across the organization, representing interests of India and the portfolio to the broader executive team. Foster collaboration and synergy between sectors, helping to improve and adapt systems in a rapidly changing environment.
• Drive cross-foundational initiatives and events to strengthen internal collaboration, strategy development, continuous process improvement and other issues as needed.
• Depute for the Executive Director, India when needed on external partnerships

Strategy, Planning & Performance

• Oversee the strategic direction, performance monitoring and executable plans of the team focused on Child Protection, GIRL Capital & SRHR - working cross-functionally to maximise synergies and efficiencies with other teams and CIFF country offices and partners
• Lead Business, financial and workforce planning and approach to partnerships aligned with India 2.0 and that delivers for the India Child Protection, GC and SRHR
• Lead multi-year pipeline development that reflects a focus on increased integration across different interventions, greater ambition, with 2-5X leverage from co-funding achieved – and growing over time – reflecting the scale required for. This will require a combination of effective partnering with new and existing co-funders (notably Piramal, BMGF, Audacious), and high-touch downstream management of on-the-ground performance.
• Lead on and provide a direction to a large existing portfolio – in close collaboration with Director reports – notably CIFF’s strategic partnerships with British Asian Trusts, Piramal Foundation, UNICEF, often in deep collaboration with local public and private sector partners.
• Lead and inspire the team to drive quality of portfolio execution. In collaboration with partners, to implement appropriate oversight mechanisms and quality reviews to identify challenges early and implement effective & prompt course correction.
• Work extensively with local partners to broaden the grantee profile across the sector, developing new funding models that lead to more diversified partners and approaches
• Strengthen entrepreneur acumen and skill across the portfolio and pipeline, inspiring and leading others to adopt best practices from the commercial/for-profit sector where appropriate (incentives, performance-based contracts, and innovative financing solutions)
• Embed a deep culture of learning within the portfolio and pipeline, with a bias towards evidence-generation, learning-by-doing, and high-quality dissemination.
• Ensure all investment proposals and programmes are underpinned by appropriate monitoring and evaluation processes and procedures, in accordance with the frameworks and guidance of the EME Team, to enable the development of rigorous evidence and analysis that supports CIFF’s learning, scaling-up and mainstreaming agendas.
• Manage risk by upholding and applying relevant due diligence and risk management practices across the portfolio and at every stage, to ensure the interests and reputation of the Foundation are protected. Intervene to take corrective action where necessary

Partnerships and profile-building

• Develop and deliver a plan to enable more purposeful ecosystem engagement that helps position CIFF as a credible and leading expert in the fields of child protection, SRHR, girls education and employment with an approach that prioritises the voice and perspectives of those we serve.
• Proactively develop and maintain extensive external networks with experts and opinion-formers within Child Protection, SRH, education and livelihoods and advocacy work to gain the most up-to-date insights and research.
• Build and lead key strategic relationships with critical government stakeholders and departments across the central and state government departments such as the Ministry of Health, Women & Child, Education, Skilling, Labour etc. in CIFF’s priority states
• Share thought leadership and co/author articles that reflect lessons from CIFF’s programme and influence the wider sector; coach your team in the same, and collaborate with the Evidence, Measurement & Evaluation team to identify complementary approaches and synergies.

Leadership of the team

• Set and monitor achievement of performance and personal development objectives for all direct reports, so that a culture of continuous improvement and learning is embedded within the team.
• Enable a coaching culture that supports and grows individual and team performance and enable a supportive environment where everyone brings their true self.
• Provide inspiring and motivational leadership that role models CIFF’s leadership framework.

• Senior leadership roles in diverse, high-performing organisations
• Recognised as a thought leader and expert in an area relevant to the strategy focus (as evidenced via publications and/or previous programme delivery), with a track record of working successfully in India.
• Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the Indian and international development sector
• Detailed understanding of using cost-benefit and ROI methodologies and metrics to inform strategy and business planning
• Excellent people leadership skills and proven ability to motivate, develop and hold to account a small- to medium-sized teams of professionals
• Effectively champions and promotes causes – credible and professional, they always present the foundation’s programmes in a compelling way to engage the audience
• Proven success in building and maintaining strategic relationships and working in partnership, especially with government stakeholders; has highly developed influencing and negotiation skills, and effectively collaborates to deliver maximum impact
• Capacity to work in a range of cultural and socio-economic contexts, adapting style and approach appropriately and in a culturally sensitive manner to maximise effectiveness
• Able to think critically and analytically to draw sound conclusions on the basis of complex data
• Outstanding communication skills using a variety of presentation techniques
• Experience of identifying and delivering business process improvements
• High-level of financial literacy

Benefits
Alongside a competitive salary, we offer a generous benefits package here at CIFF that includes, but is not limited to the following:

• Annual leave - 25 days per annum. Increasing by 1 day after each year of service, to a maximum of 30 days.
• Bonus - CIFF currently operates a discretionary bonus scheme.
• Training allowance
• Wellbeing allowance
• Life insurance
• Medical insurance