Job Description

Manager Strategic Programs and Partnerships

Type- Full Time

About Arthan

Arthan is building the human capital backbone of India’s impact economy. We partner with high-growth nonprofits and social enterprises to help them attract exceptional leaders, build resilient institutions, and scale with purpose and precision. Internally, we are committed to building an organisation where people grow, leaders are developed, and culture is intentional, not accidental.

As Arthan enters its next phase of growth, we are investing deeply in leadership quality, people capability, and organisational culture, supported by strong systems and governance.

About the Role

The Manager Strategic Programs and Partnerships will lead strategic programs that strengthen partner organisations and position them for growth. This is a role for someone who can move fluidly between strategy and execution: developing scale-up blueprints, conducting organisational assessments, facilitating stakeholder engagement, and producing evidence that informs policy and attracts funding.

Programs led by this role typically involve extended embedding within partner organisations, working directly with their leadership and teams to strengthen operations, build capabilities, and drive implementation.

The Manager will also engage with foundations, government agencies, and ecosystem actors to build the partnerships and policy traction required for systemic change.

This role requires intellectual rigour, operational discipline, and the ability to build trust across diverse stakeholders. It suits someone who is equally comfortable presenting to a foundation program officer and facilitating a workshop with field teams.

Key Responsibilities

Program Design & Delivery

• Lead end-to-end delivery of strategic programs, from scoping and design through implementation and learning.
• Conduct organisational diagnostics to assess delivery models, operational systems, team capacity, and opportunities for scale.
• Develop scale-up blueprints, implementation roadmaps, and monitoring frameworks. Embed within partner organisations for extended periods to provide hands-on strategic and operational support

Partnerships & Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as primary relationship manager with partner organisations, ensuring clear communication and collaborative problem-solving.
• Build and maintain relationships with foundations, government agencies, research institutions, and market actors.
• Map stakeholder ecosystems and design engagement strategies.
• Represent Arthan in external forums, meetings, and convenings.

Organisational Development & Capacity Building

• Provide advisory support on organisational design, governance, team structure, and operational systems.
• Design and deliver capacity building interventions including training, workshops, and leadership development.
• Support partners in building learning systems that enable continuous improvement. Research, Evidence & Policy Influence

Lead landscape research, ecosystem mapping, and sector analysis.

• Develop strategy documents, policy briefs, evidence packs, and case studies.
• Design policy influences strategies and supports government engagement.
• Synthesise insights from field implementation into actionable recommendations for diverse audiences.

Qualifications & Experience

Required

• 8-10 years of experience in program management, strategy consulting, organisational development, or related roles within development, or social impact sectors. Demonstrated experience leading programs or projects end-to-end, with accountability for outcomes.
• Strong analytical and research capabilities, with experience producing strategy documents, assessments, or policy briefs.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience managing complex stakeholder relationships.
• Willingness to travel extensively and be embedded with partner organisations for extended periods.

Preferred

• Experience in climate action, sustainable agriculture, rural livelihoods, or women's economic empowerment in South Asia.
• Background in strategy consulting or organisational development consulting.
• Understanding of policy ecosystems and experience with government engagement.
• Experience working with philanthropic foundations or multilateral organisations.

Core Competencies

• Strategic thinking combined with strong execution orientation
• Systems thinking and ability to navigate organisational complexity
• Relationship building across diverse stakeholder groups
• Self-direction and ability to work independently in ambiguous contexts
• Commitment to climate action and equitable development

What We Offer

• Opportunity to lead high-impact programs with leading foundations and government partners.
• Significant ownership and autonomy in shaping program strategy and delivery.
• Exposure across strategy, operations, policy, and partnerships.
• Competitive compensation commensurate with experience.
• Collaborative team committed to rigour and impact.

How to Apply

Please submit your CV and a cover letter outlining your interest in the role and relevant experience. In your cover letter, describe a program or project you led that required both strategic design and hands-on implementation.

Arthan is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage applications from women, individuals from marginalised communities, and candidates from diverse backgrounds.