Senior Program Manager

Follow us@ngobox

About the Organization

LEAD is an action-oriented research centre housed at the Institute for Financial Management and Research (IFMR), a not-for-profit society which is also the Sponsoring Body of Krea University. LEAD is dedicated to enhancing the socio-economic prosperity of vulnerable and marginalised individuals, households, and enterprises. We create knowledge for impact by leveraging the power of data, aspiration, innovation, and co-creation to tackle complex development challenges. LEAD benefits from the rich legacy and cross-disciplinary expertise of the IFMR/Krea ecosystem, which has over 50 years of history in research and innovation.

Job Description

We are seeking a qualified Senior Program Manager (SPM) focusing on Enterprise Development. The SPM is expected to lead key project portfolios related to entrepreneurship. This requires working to develop the strategy, along with owning the end-to-end implementation of large projects and programs at LEAD. The position also requires supervising a small team with a diverse set of skills, ranging from ideating problem statements, project design, and implementation to dissemination, as well as working with researchers and domain experts to ensure the development of a steady stream of high-quality research outputs (briefs, articles, infographics, blog posts, etc.) from all project activities. The ideal candidate should be adaptable, quick to learn, and thrive in a dynamic environment, consistently meeting deadlines while maintaining high quality and thoroughness. Furthermore, the position requires managing multiple streams of activities within a program. They will also need to have excellent communication skills (both verbal and written) in order to be able to present the project as well as related research to various stakeholders and in various national and, possibly, international platforms through a wide range of mediums.

Part of the role will be to support the Research Managers on required research support and structuring of processes. Operational compliance is a key responsibility of this position. The SPM should have excellent writing and communication skills, good sectoral understanding and a creative and problem-solving outlook. The role will entail extensive stakeholder management—managing multiple sector experts and working with the government department. The role will also require the candidate to develop key relationships in the sector with state governments, civil society, NGOs, MFIs and organisations. The SPM will also have the additional responsibility of training new staff, particularly in project management. This position can also contribute to collaborative research or self-research.  This role is ideal for someone who wants to pursue a career in large scale implementation of programs.

Job Responsibilities:

Research           

• Plan, coordinate and execute the implementation of the research activities related to the program;

• Overall project/program management;
• Oversee the execution of research instruments in the field and training;
• Ensure that data collection meets quality standards;
• Provide support and inputs to Research Manager where necessary;
• Identify research topics in coordination with the government and other stakeholders.

Leadership        

• Provide leadership to the operating team;
• Identify key challenges and develop appropriate solutions;
• Lead and manage engagements with a multitude of stakeholders/partners engaged in a project;
• Ensure that appropriate structures and reporting mechanisms are in place for consultants and experts; 
• Negotiation of acceptable costs and contract agreements with partners/suppliers.

Communication

• Effectively communicate with different stakeholders—written and verbal—i.e. to PIs, Survey Teams, Research Managers, Partners, sector experts, Government stakeholders, etc.;
• Timely response to requests.

Team Management

• Effectively manage teams across locations;
• Ability to guide and support a diverse team.

Program Activities

Resource Management

• Organise and delegate the work to be done among the project team members;
• Manage administrative requirements of the project portfolio, including financial management, budgeting, procurement, contract set-up and compliance, grant reporting, deliverable tracking, etc.;
• Ensure appropriate systems are designed and put in place so that compliance with grants and institutional guidelines are maintained for processes including planning, budgeting, procurement, reporting, legal matters, etc.;
• Prepare detailed budgets and work plans in coordination with finance team and researchers;
• Coordinate with project teams to ensure timely submission of financial reports and projections, and subgrantee/contract reports and deliverables in the portfolio to keep projects running smoothly.

Partner Management

• Work closely with government departments and ministry key people;
• Develop and maintain a good working relationship with partner organisations;
• Keep an open channel for communication with partner organisations;
• Manage relationships with funding organisations;
• Ensure timely submission of donor/grant reports—liaise with internal teams to gather appropriate information for submission;
• Attend all partner meetings.

Data Management        

• Ensuring all data management protocols are in place and being implemented.

Capacity Building and Communication Activities

Develop Concepts and Dissemination

• Contribute to proposal writing;
• Contribute to publications, learning outputs, blogs and events related to the program/project;
• Provide up-to-date summaries of projects for website and other promotional activity (conference, e-newsletter, etc.).

Training             

• Provide research support to staff as required;
• Collaborate in design and training as required;
• Attend internal and external relevant training sessions for skill-building;
• Contribute to internal recruitment activities.

Education Qualification/Required Skills & Experience

• Master’s Degree in Economics, Finance, Business, Development or Management is mandatory.

Work Experience

• 8 to 10 years of management experience in international development or related fields;
• Demonstrated ability to maintain an organised and structured work style in a dynamic and engaging environment;
• Proven ability to handle several different projects/tasks at one time, successfully complete tasks assigned, and meet deadlines;
• Experience with grant writing and budget management;
• Previous experience of managing a team;
• The ability to present and negotiate with senior members is a plus, along with proven experience in managing high-level partnerships.

Key Competencies / Attributes

• Independent and takes the initiative to lead and manage multiple tasks and propose solutions with minimal supervision;
• Attention to detail and advanced writing and presentation skills for communicating with multiple partners. This requires clear, precise, non-technical writing and creativity in presentation;
• Strong interpersonal skills and willingness to interact with a wide range of individuals and stakeholders;
• The ability to work in a multicultural environment;
• Has a strong interest in Development and Policy.

Preferred Qualifications and Skills:

• Knowledge of an Indian language apart from fluent English (Hindi is preferred);
• India’s regional experience;
• Understanding of project management and academic research;
• Experience working with governments and civil society;
• Good communication skills.

For more information please check the Link

Tags Jobs in Delhi Jobs in New Delhi Jobs in Research Jobs in Leadership