Programme Officer – India

Deadline for application: 7 April 2021

Location: New Delhi or Bangalore, India

Reporting to: Head of Climate Change sub-programme

Salary: Highly competitive salary and benefits

About Oak:

Oak Foundation (www.oakfnd.org) commits its resources to address issues of global, social, and environmental concern, particularly those that have a major impact on the lives of the disadvantaged. With offices in Europe, Africa, and North America, Oak Foundation makes grants to organisations located in 41 countries worldwide.

Background:

This a great opportunity to join a diverse, international team within Oak Foundation’s Climate Change sub-programme. This a solutions-focused role to help tackle our greatest challenge: empowering communities to transition to a fairer, healthier, and safer future.

We are looking for someone with a strong, entrepreneurial and creative spirit, keen to innovate in order to enable some of the world’s most effective civil society groups to support climate ambition in India.

Passion, motivation and a commitment to efficiency and meeting tights deadlines are essential, as is a great sense of humour and desire to work as part of a team.

Major duties

• Make a lead contribution to the portfolio level strategy related to India.

• Provide input into the strategic direction of the Environment Programme and contribute to shaping the Climate Change sub-programme’s high-level goals. This includes managing, monitoring, evaluating, and leading grant-making across Oak’s India climate and energy portfolio.
• Identify high-impact, innovative, and entrepreneurial grant-making opportunities to further strengthen Oak’s leadership role across Indian climate philanthropy.
• Contribute to ongoing strategic development, implementation, learning, and evaluation.
• Maintain a strong network of relationships with key players in the climate arena (not-for-profit, scientific and philanthropic organisations, as well as governments and private sector), and particularly within his/her geographical focus area.
• Follow and assess key scientific, legislative, and regulatory developments within his/her area of geographical responsibility and internationally.
• Manage all aspects of grant-making: conduct research; develop new grant opportunities and a cohesive portfolio; conduct due diligence and make grant recommendations; manage grant relationships; assess impact, including enlisting the support of technical expertise for monitoring and evaluation, when appropriate.
• Review letters of inquiry and proposals received by the foundation and respond in a timely manner to all applicants, regardless of the foundation’s interest.
• Review budgets submitted by applicant organisations as part of the due diligence process.
• Assess organisational development needs and propose appropriate measures.
• Conduct site visits to applicants, grantees and projects, as required.
• Represent Oak Foundation at external climate change meetings and contribute to internal and key constituent communications on climate change.
• Convene partner not-for-profit organisations, scientists, government and/or peers from other foundations when programme implementation so requires.
• Work with Oak Foundation administrative and programme management staff to ensure efficient progress in grant-making, monitoring, and reporting, as well as other administrative activities related to the programme.
• Other tasks as assigned by the head of the Climate Change sub-programme.

Qualifications

• University degree (Masters’ preferred) in political, social and/or relevant environmental or natural sciences.
• A minimum of seven years’ experience, and a track record of significant achievement in a discipline related to climate change.
• A knowledge of the new India FCRA regulations is desired.
• Strong personal and professional networks in the climate change and social movement arena across India.
• Ability to translate from strategic imperatives to tactical realities.
• Experience in field programme implementation and in making, managing, and measuring grants is preferred.
• Understanding of not-for-profit and/or governmental financial reporting and budgeting.
• Proven research and analysis skills; outstanding organisational abilities.
• Excellent interpersonal skills; desire and ability to work in a collaborative team environment.
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills; comfort expressing opinions in a setting that encourages a vibrant exchange of ideas.
• A strongly developed sense of integrity, humility and discretion, as well as poise, maturity, and a good sense of humour.
• Available for international travel, up to 40 days a year, sometimes for extended periods.
• Excellent written and spoken English required.

Location

The position will be based in New Delhi or Bangalore and reports to the head of the Climate Change Sub-Programme. Frequent interactions with Oak’s President, Environment Trustee and the Environment Director are also required.

Salary:

A competitive salary appropriate for New Delhi or Bangalore, as well as benefits – based on experience and adjusted to performance – is offered