Ground Zero

Chief Program Officer, Bangalore

Ground Zero  •  Bengaluru, IN (Onsite)  •  2 days ago
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Job Description

Role: Chief Program Officer, Bangalore
Experience: 15+ years
Salary: 40 - 45 LPA

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The CPO is a newly created ownership role designed to ensure the organization delivers on its promises to beneficiaries, funders, and entrepreneurs. You will be responsible for program execution across five sector teams, building the management capability of sector leads and ensuring rigorous portfolio outcomes.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Program Delivery: Hold accountability for execution across all sector teams (Agriculture, Rural Livelihoods, Waste & Water, Climate Tech, and Impact Finance).
  • Operational Rhythms: Set and sustain delivery standards, including workplans, milestones, portfolio reviews, and funder reporting.
  • Program Design: Translate organizational strategy into executable, fundable, and impactful programs grounded in operational reality.
  • Risk Management: Resolve cross-sector bottlenecks and surface potential risks to the CEO before they escalate.
  • Quality & Impact: Own the frameworks for monitoring, learning, and reporting impact; set the standards for enterprise support across incubation and acceleration.

Qualifications and Requirements

  • Experience: 15+ years of leadership experience in relevant contexts.
  • Expertise: Deep knowledge in at least one core sector (Agriculture, Livelihoods, Climate/Energy, or Water/Waste).
  • Leadership: Proven track record of leading other leaders and building accountability across multiple layers of an organization.
  • Analytical Skills: Fluency in data and financial management to drive decision-making.
  • Stakeholder Management: Ability to command credibility with senior external stakeholders, including boards, government officials, and funders.
  • Education: Master’s degree or equivalent.

Note: Prior experience in incubation or impact investing is not required. We welcome candidates from the private sector (FMCG, Retail, Banking, Telecom, etc.) or the development sector.

Hiring Process:

Step 1: Telephonic conversation
Step 2: A ssignment
Step 3: C
ulture fit interview with COO
Step 4: Interview with CEO
Step 5:
interview with Board

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Hiring Note Applications will be reviewed on rolling basis. This job is first posted on Apr 23, 2026 on Ground Zero

For any questions, ping us on WhatsApp chat: +91-8058331557

Ground Zero

About Ground Zero

Ground Zero is a next-generation talent and advisory firm dedicated to powering the social impact ecosystem.

We partner with nonprofits, foundations, and mission-driven institutions to build strong leadership pipelines, resilient hiring systems, and future-ready people practices.

At Ground Zero, we go beyond recruitment- we help organizations reimagine talent. By blending deep sector knowledge with data-driven insights and technology, we enable nonprofits to attract, grow, and retain exceptional leaders.

We work as long-term talent partners to our nonprofit clients, helping them design inclusive talent strategies, strengthen organizational culture, and adapt to the evolving world of work. Our team brings together expertise across philanthropy, development, and human capital- ensuring every match we make contributes to both individual purpose and institutional impact.

Our mission is simple yet bold: to strengthen the talent backbone of India’s social sector- because solving the world’s toughest problems begins with the right people.

Read More about us: https://groundzero.community

Industry
Nonprofit & NGOs
Company Size
11-50 employees
Headquarters
Dehradun, IN
Year Founded
2023
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