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Senior Program Manager (Economics of Inclusive Digital Transformations)

  • Company

    Global Development Network

  • Location

    India

  • Employment Type

    Full-Time

  • Functional Category

    Programme Management & Implementation

  • Experience

    6 - 7 years

  • Date Posted

    17-Nov-2025

About Global Development Network

The Global Development Network (GDN) is a public international organisation that supports high-quality, policy-oriented, social science research in Low- and Middle- Income Countries (LMICs), to promote better lives. Founded in 1999, GDN is headquartered in New Delhi (India), with offices in Clermont-Ferrand (France) and Arlington (USA). Our work spans the Global South.

Overview of the Role

GDN seeks an experienced, ambitious and results-driven Senior Program Manager to pay a pivotal role in the implementation of this innovative program. The full-time position will ensure detailed operational planning, close coordination of its implementation across different program stakeholders, the management of a global call and related selection process for collaborating researchers at the national level, full documentation of the program implementation, including donor reporting, during the 30-month implementation period. Additionally, the role will ensure close coordination with GDN support units (finance, comms, IT, admin and logistics) as needed, and support GDN’s external institutional outreach around this program. The role requires a dynamic and experienced individual with a keen interest in the content of the program. The Senior Program Manager will work closely to the President (primary reporting line), GDN’s Director of Research and Programs, and different stakeholders in the team.

Job Description

• As the operational backbone of the program, the Senior Program Manager will have the primary responsibility for the following:
• PLAN program implementation, including the drafting and regular updating of the program overall timeline and detailed calendar,
the program budget, the program’s organogram.
• MANAGE, as lead, key operational aspects of implementation, including:
design and drafting of a Call for Expressions of Interest for national research teams,
design and manage the selection process for national research teams, contracting of selected research teams,end-to-end daily management of country-level research grants,
planning and execution of events, including at least one international conference.
• COORDINATE across different program stakeholders, including: the program lead (GDN President), the in-house team of economist (Theory Unit),
the external team of economists, up to 5 in-country research teams,
the program’s Scientific Committee.
• Specifically, the Senior Program Manager will ensure rigorous quality control mechanisms are in place to regularly assess internal and external research outputs of the program, involving in-house and external stakeholders as necessary. Quality control mechanisms will be defined in close collaboration with the President.

• Coordination will also include scheduling regular meetings at different levels, based on the program organogram defined at program kick-off, minuting the meetings, and designing systems to make information available to all parties in a timely manner. These systems will ensure that different stakeholders are aware of upcoming timelines, responsibilities and deliverables, that the latter are collected and shared as needed, and that regular feedback across the program takes place.
• DOCUMENT program implementation accurately, following GDN’s existing system (G drive, Slack). The Senior Program Manager will lead on donor reporting based on the donor contract and requirement.
• COMMUNICATE regularly with the donor, keeping them engaged and informed about the progress of the program as well as upcoming activities.
• LIAISE with support teams at GDN, specifically:
• Grant Management Specialist, about compliance with the donor requirements and policies at key moments of program implementation (kick-off, launch of calls, contracting, dissemination of results, closure, etc.) and on a demand basis.
• Finance, through monthly meetings to review and validate budget utilisation and update expenditure planning. oCommunications, to develop and execute a communications strategy as early as possible in the program implementation. This will include a mapping of key audiences and external institutional stakeholders at the global and possibly at the country level.
• Administration and Logistics, for all contractual and legal aspects within the program, as well as logistics in the case of events through GDN’s Travel Desk.
IT, as necessary.

Required & Preferred Qualifications

Skill

"• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, across different levels of seniority.
• Strong organizational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines, including interactions with busy and very senior collaborators.
• Excellent written and verbal communication in English. Demonstrated experience in crafting clear, insightful donor reports and technical documents, as well as developing presentations and briefs for high-level stakeholders. Ability to synthesize and convey complex information to diverse audiences in an accessible manner.
• Adaptability, flexibility, proactiveness and problem-solving attitude.
• Capacity to take on responsibility, manage multiple tasks, and openness to giving and receiving constructive feedback. "

Education

A Master's degree in a relevant field, such as development economics, international development, public policy, or a related discipline. Doctoral-level training is an asset.

Experience

• A minimum of 6 years of demonstrated professional experience in program management at the international level, of which at least 4 in research programs involving multi-country teams and complex implementation structures. Proven ability to administer subgrants or subcontracts, run competitive calls for proposals, manage external peer review processes, and oversee milestone-based funding and deliverables. Additional years of experience in program management is an asset. • Proven experience working as part of research projects either in India or Brazil, or other low- and middle-income countries, especially on the African continent. • 4+ years of experience working in research, specifically with micro-economics and evaluation is an asset. • Experience working in multicultural environments, with diverse stakeholders, including governments, donors, NGOs, and researchers. • Previous experience working on Gates-funding programs is an asset. • Demonstrable interest in OTN, DPI and inclusive digital transformation is a must.