Senior Program Lead (Climate Resilience)

About the Organisation

The organization is a leading public policy and research institution working at the intersection of climate action, sustainable development, and governance. The organization partners with governments, development institutions, philanthropy, and other stakeholders to design and implement evidence-based solutions that address complex environmental and socio-economic challenges.

The Climate Resilience portfolio focuses on strengthening adaptation planning, climate risk management, resilience financing, and decision-support systems to enable more climate-resilient development pathways.

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced and entrepreneurial Senior Programme Lead to drive a growing portfolio of work focused on climate resilience, adaptation, and risk-informed development.

The role offers an opportunity to shape high-impact programmes, build strategic partnerships, engage with government stakeholders, contribute to resource mobilisation efforts, and lead multidisciplinary teams working on climate and development challenges.

The successful candidate will combine strong programme leadership capabilities with a deep understanding of climate adaptation and resilience ecosystems.

Key Responsibilities

Programme Leadership & Strategy

• Lead and grow a portfolio of projects focused on climate resilience, adaptation planning, climate risk management, and sustainable development.
• Develop strategic roadmaps and work plans aligned with organizational priorities.
• Drive programme execution and ensure high-quality delivery across multiple workstreams.
• Identify emerging opportunities and help shape new areas of work.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Build and maintain strong relationships with government departments, development agencies, research institutions, philanthropic organizations, and other ecosystem stakeholders.
• Represent the organization in external forums, consultations, and strategic discussions.
• Support translation of research and evidence into actionable policy recommendations.

Fundraising & Partnerships

• Develop and strengthen relationships with donors, foundations, bilateral agencies, and philanthropic partners.
• Contribute to proposal development, fundraising strategy, and resource mobilization efforts.
• Identify opportunities for strategic partnerships and programme expansion.

Team Leadership

• Mentor and manage a multidisciplinary team of researchers and programme professionals.
• Foster a culture of ownership, collaboration, and high performance.
• Support professional development and capacity building within the team.

Research & Thought Leadership

• Guide the development of evidence-based analyses and policy insights.
• Contribute to publications, knowledge products, presentations, and strategic communications.
• Ensure programme outputs meet high standards of analytical rigor and practical relevance.

Ideal Candidate Profile

We are looking for professionals who bring a combination of programme leadership, stakeholder engagement, and climate-sector expertise.

Preferred Backgrounds

• Climate adaptation and resilience
• Climate risk and vulnerability
• Sustainable development
• Environmental policy
• Development consulting
• Climate finance
• Public policy and governance
• Disaster risk reduction
• Resilience planning

Experience

• 12–18 years of relevant professional experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex programmes and multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong experience engaging with government stakeholders and external partners.
• Exposure to fundraising, donor engagement, grant development, or partnership management.
• Experience working in research organizations, think tanks, consulting firms, development institutions, or mission-driven organizations will be advantageous.

Desired Competencies

• Strategic thinking and problem-solving
• Excellent stakeholder management skills
• Strong programme and team leadership capabilities
• Resource mobilization and partnership-building skills
• Strong written and verbal communication abilities
• Ability to work independently in a dynamic and fast-paced environment
• High levels of ownership, initiative, and execution orientation

Why Consider This Opportunity?

• Opportunity to influence climate and development outcomes at scale.
• Work closely with senior policymakers, practitioners, and ecosystem leaders.
• Lead high-impact programmes addressing critical resilience challenges.
• Join a mission-driven, intellectually stimulating, and collaborative work environment.
• Contribute to shaping long-term climate and development solutions in India and beyond.