Job Opportunity for Director, Programs (Asia) at Co-Impact

About the job

Co-Impact is a global philanthropic collaborative that supports locally rooted coalitions in the Global South to transform underlying systems and achieve impact at scale, with a core focus on advancing gender equality and feminist principles. They bring together funders from around the world to invest in initiatives that are working to improve education, health, and economic opportunity for millions of women, men, and children, by dismantling underlying conditions that perpetuate social inequities so that systems serve everyone better. Building on their experience to date, as well as that of civil society, government, and philanthropic partners, Co-Impact is excited to announce the development of their second fund focused on advancing gender-equitable systems change at scale and women’s leadership globally.

Co-Impact currently operates as a fiscally sponsored project of New Venture Fund (NVF). Over the next year, they will change their operating structure so that they spin out from NVF and build an independent institution. Consistent with that commitment, Co-Impact is building up its presence in India (city TBD) as well as in Nairobi, Kenya.

Co-Impact’s Foundational Fund supports collaborative systems change efforts that will achieve significant and enduring improvements in education, health and/or economic opportunity for millions of people in the Global South.

Through this Fund, they support initiatives that:

• Focus on improving the lives of one million people or more.
• Have a clearly articulated approach to changing systems at scale.
• Are led by organizations in the Global South/based in countries in which they seek to make a difference.
• Address gender equity and inclusion. They particularly welcome initiatives led by women, and will ensure that at least 50% of the initiatives they support are led by women.
• Have a strong track record of results.
• Use evidence-informed pathways to achieve specific outcomes in health, education, and/or economic opportunity.

Co-Impact’s Gender Fund has been developed to accelerate progress towards gender equality and women’s leadership. Their new Fund aims to raise and deploy US $1 billion over the next decade to support predominantly women-led Global South organizations with the large, unrestricted, long-term, and flexible funding needed to transform systems to be more just and inclusive, advance women’s power, agency and leadership at all levels and shift harmful gender norms that prevent progress.

The Gender Fund supports:

• Systems change to achieve gender-equitable outcomes in health, education and economic opportunity.
• Institutional change to advance women’s leadership in the fields of law and economics.
• Dismantling structural barriers and discriminatory gender norms holding women and girls back.
• Advancing women and girls’ voice, power and agency.
• Amplifying scale and impact by investing in and advocating for evidence informed solutions.

Grants will support a wide range of organizations working to advance gender equality primarily in 6-8 countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. 100% of country-level grants will be awarded to organizations based in the Global South, of which at least 75% will be led by women. This work would not be possible without feminist movements and organizations that continue to play a significant role in achieving catalytic change for gender equality and in holding institutions and governments accountable. Over the next 2-3 years, the Fund will provide at least US $10 million to feminist groups and movements across the Global South who are critically positioned to deliver this vision. Co-Impact expects to provide at least $100 million towards feminist groups over the next 10 years (10% of its $1 billion goal).

The Role:

• Reporting to the Vice President, Programs, you will serve as a senior program leader responsible for sourcing, vetting and finalizing grant recommendations in Asia; supporting program partners (grantees) to develop effective strategies for gender equality, women’s leadership and systems change at scale; strengthening organizational capabilities to achieve lasting results; and contributing to improved learning and practice among partners, at Co-Impact, in global development, and in philanthropy.
• You bring a deep commitment to inclusive systems change and impact at scale, with particular attention to gender equality with an intersectional lens. You demonstrate strategic acumen, an abiding curiosity and desire to learn, excellent interpersonal and communication (written and verbal) skills, strong analytical ability, and a high level of personal initiative and the ability to work well in a distributed, diverse, deep-thinking, and fast-paced environment. You are motivated by looking for root causes, seeking justice and solving social problems at the systems level. You bring 15+ years of relevant experience in gender and global development, including at least 5 years in grantmaking and/or supporting program partners.

Responsibilities:

Core responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:

• Contribute to ongoing reflection and improvements to Co-Impact’s strategy and programs, theory and practice of systems change, gender equality, and organizational strengthening, as well as their support model towards achieving shared goals.
• Play a lead role in Co-Impact’s strategic positioning, relationships, and partnerships; represent Co-Impact in the region.
• Develop and foster creativity, rigor, strategic flexibility, and support orientation across grantmaking plan and process.
• Engage in identifying, assessing, and recommending high-impact grants.
• Monitor and manage grants, supporting program partners to develop and execute effective programs and greater inclusion, foster evaluation and adaptive learning towards achieving better outcomes.
• Review and synthesize program partner reports, prepare memos that succinctly track progress/setbacks, key lessons, and make evidence informed recommendations for action.
• Support program partners to achieve greater strategic coherence and strengthen organizational capabilities.
• Perform other responsibilities and duties as requested by the VP, Programs.

Qualifications and Experience:

• At least 15 years of professional experience and extensive knowledge of advancing gender equality (with an intersectional lens) and at least one of their areas of sectoral focus (education, health, and economic opportunity).
• Deep commitment to inclusive systems change and impact at scale.
• Deep understanding of women’s rights issues and feminist principles; sound grass-roots connection and experiences.
• Significant experience being an outcomes-focused and program partner (grantee)-centered grant maker having supported civil society efforts in the Global South.
• Sound understanding of how government systems works.
• Experience of living and working in and understanding the political economies in the Global South, particularly in the Asia (Southeast and/or South Asia).
• At least 5 years of experience managing a team and mentoring staff to deliver strong results within a positive work culture.
• A university degree or equivalent in a relevant area.

Required Skills

• Strategic Agility: Ability to spot high-potential opportunities and facilitate the design of strategic approaches. Demonstrates the ability to bring-in critique and questions in developing greater understanding of challenges on the ground and find effective solutions.
• Organizational Effectiveness: Evidence of delivering results through developing strategic coherence, thoughtful business strategy, strong leadership, and sound understanding of operations.
• Decision Making: Ability to listen well, integrating gender analysis, see perspectives from different sides, making good judgements based on values and principles balancing data, experience, and risk.
• Working with People: Experience motivating, contributing to, and managing collaborative teams to work productively, effectively, and inclusively. Is kind, supportive and understanding with colleagues; is able to build a culture of trust and mutual respect.
• Results Orientation: Strong project management skills, deadline management, sense of responsibility and accountability, the ability to manage multiple responsibilities and work effectively remotely.
• Language Proficiency: Fluency in English, as well as another major language spoken in your region.

Work Authorization

Candidates for this position must possess local work authorization in order to be considered.

Salary & Benefits

This position is full time. Annual salary benchmarked for this role is US $190,000 per annum (to be paid in local currency i.e. INR) plus benefits and significant paid time off.

We encourage you to apply early. We will start reviewing applications on Friday, 4 February 2022 and the position will be closed once we have established a robust shortlist.

The Taplow Group S.A (www.taplowgroup.com) is our retained search partner for this assignment. Please send your application to Rituparna Acharyya, Senior Associate, The Taplow Group. E-mail rituparna.acharyya@taplowgroupindia.com

Interested candidates are requested to submit brief resume/CV, a cover letter, and two samples of your writing. In your cover letter, please indicate your preferred city location, and if you are authorized to work in India.