Program Head

Restoration is gaining momentum in India as a strategy that delivers multiple benefits, including food and water security, biodiversity enhancement, job creation, livelihood improvements and climate change mitigation and adaptation. To achieve impact at scale, restoration efforts need to be funded by philanthropy, CSR, bilateral grants, and private finance. This requires a blended finance approach to mitigate the risks inherent in this early sector, and to ensure available finance is appropriate for restoration business models. Restoration businesses deliver a range of products (e.g., fruits, bamboo) and services (e.g., water, carbon, biodiversity).

Reporting to the Executive Program Director of the Food, Land and Water, you will be responsible for unlocking diverse forms of capital towards restoration. You will spearhead fundraising from CSR and philanthropic sources through engagement with donors and coalition building. You will design and execute strategies to unlock cause-appropriate market capital. You will also work with other program teams, international offices, and partner organizations to ensure effective deployment of capital in FLW programs related to financing restoration. 

Fundraising:

• Lead on finance strategy development, partnerships and fundraising proposals (presentations, narratives, budgets) for FLW
• Lead on building funding products that matches innovative solutions for different kinds of capital based on clear donor value proposition for different kinds of capital raised from foundations, CSR, corporations, governments and individual donors for restoration
• Support donor engagement, including relationship building, and preparing materials to enhance donor relations for finance and markets.
• Monitor relevant international and national finance landscape, identifying strategic opportunities for the program to develop blending finance mechanisms

Influence strategy and research:

• Explores knowledge gaps where WRI India’s research can improve the quality and quantity of restoration finance available.
• Influence strategy and research (by bringing in market feedback to contribute to strategy, bring market view to influence research agenda and co-author products

Partnership and coalition building :

• Building partnerships and coalitions by mapping the landscape, identify potential partners, be at key events, proactively identify platforms and ecosystem initiatives
• Network and engage key stakeholders in program projects to raise different forms of capital.
• Represent the organization at events, coalitions, roundtables, and similar settings.
• Understand and promote the tools and solutions offered by the FLW program.
• Enable strategic communication on restoration internally and with external partners.

Qualification and Requirements that we seek:

• Master’s degree in business, finance, economics or a related field.
• Minimum 12 years of relevant experience in fundraising, building strategic partnership, leadership and partnership development within the natural resource management, restoration sectors.
• Experience with fundraising for 7-9 figure grants and working with donors, private investors
• Experience leading teams in the design and delivery of market-oriented solutions and/or structuring, capitalizing, and implementing financial instruments
• Experience with the private sector, especially corporate business or financial systems related to land use and/or restoration.
• Understanding of finance, restoration, sustainability investments, business models, ESG, green finance, and/or landscape and restoration in India.
• Proficiency in developing financial models for investment analysis and valuations.
• You have experience leading high-level research and communicating complex ideas to different audiences
• Excellent communication, partner management, and donor engagement skills.
• Proficiency in project management tools and methodologies.
• Professional fluency in English, fluency in one more Indian language (e.g., Hindi) is an advantage.
• Strategic thinking with the ability to translate ideas into applicable plans.
• Strong leadership and team management skills.
• Data-driven approach to decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills for engaging with multiple partners.

Source: https://jobs.jobvite.com/wri/job/ozdgvfwh