India Program Head
- Company
International Innovation Corps
- Location
New Delhi, India
- Employment Type
Full-Time
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Functional Category
Programme Management & Implementation
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Experience
10 - 11 years
- Date Posted
02-Sep-2025
About International Innovation Corps
OUR STORY - SENDING TOP TALENT TO SOLVE DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES AROUND THE WORLD Governments across the globe have enormous potential and drive, but many face immense social and economic hurdles. Public sectors seek high-impact, scalable ways to address development challenges that can be implemented effectively. An incredible opportunity exists to create social impact interventions that really make a difference, and graduates from top universities around the world are passionate about doing exactly this kind of work. That's why the IIC, a program based at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy, sends top talent to work with government organizations on year long fellowships that implement innovative solutions to important development problems. HOW IT WORKS - The IIC recruits top-performing graduates of leading host-country universities and the University of Chicago and organises them into teams of up to 5 Project Associates. Project Associates train for 5 weeks in skills required to translate their academic and professional knowledge into on-the-ground contributions. The IIC embeds each team within a government office to work on an innovative development project with a discrete, tractable scope for a year. The IIC provides light-touch managers and mentors to help teams of Project Associates achieve their projects’ goals. A UNIQUE MODEL - The IIC's distinct model leverages global talent and government resources in a new way. This model has three defining features: -IIC Project Associates work in teams to foster entrepreneurial collaboration. -IIC teams work directly with the government, to ensure projects address official priorities. -IIC projects create scalable solutions, in order to maximise impact.
- Website
Overview of the Role
"The International Innovation Corps (IIC) is seeking to hire an India Program Head to lead all programmatic aspects of the fellowship. The India Program Head’s primary responsibility will pertain to IIC’s multiple projects and growing the program. The India Program Head will play a key role in maintaining stakeholder relations, identifying new partners and mentors, providing overall support to IIC fellows and IIC project teams in furtherance of achieving IIC’s programmatic goals in India."
Job Description
• Formulating and executing the IIC’s India-based program strategy in light of the political, economic and humanitarian context; provide oversight and assistance to project teams, ensuring the quality of project delivery.
• Provide programmatic leadership and direction to the projects and partnerships in India, to ensure high quality engagement, fellowship experience and positioning of IIC as a lead policy program.
• Guide and support project teams in achieving goals, managing risks, and ensuring alignment with grant requirements and organizational objectives.
• Achieve IIC’s objectives by building the program’s reputation and expertise through knowledge development
• Oversee and guide development of program documentation, including work plans, best practices, and reports for further submission to the UCT Executive Director.
• Manage relationships with stakeholders, develop professional relationships and build the program’s reputation and expertise through knowledge development
• Represent the organization in external forums, including with government agencies, donors, NGOs, academic institutions, and media.
• Lead the development and pursuit of new project opportunities and strategic partnerships.
• Oversee the preparation and submission of programmatic grant proposals and concept notes to donors, sponsors, and funding partners.
• Drive innovation and scalability in programming to expand the organization’s impact and presence in India
• Scope and deliver programmatic outputs for partner organizations, helping to achieve project milestones as outlined in grants
• Build, mentor, and manage a high-performing fellows, including project leads and engagement managers.
• Promote a collaborative, inclusive, and values-driven organizational culture.
• Create an experiential, innovative and evolving mentoring program to nurture the talent for the policy ecosystem in India
• Build the IIC alumni network engagement
• Oversee the development of program documentation, including work plans, impact reports, policy briefs, and internal updates.
• Provide regular reports and strategic recommendations to the global leadership team and board, as required.
• Support internal and external communications efforts, ensuring visibility and transparency of work in India.
• Collaborate closely with the UCT, University of Chicago and Applied Data Fellowship to align the vision of IIC in
India.
• Other related work as assigned.
Required & Preferred Qualifications
Skill
• Knowledge of development, business development and partnerships, especially in India
• Proven ability to guide teams and build relationships with clients or partner organizations, in management,
consulting or other professional contexts requiring multi-faceted leadership skills
• Ability to build strong and trusting relationships, with existing professional networks
• Understanding of social impact, international development and/or work in frontier and emerging markets
• Demonstrated effectiveness as a team player and team builder, performing in a growth environment
• Skilled at working with young professionals, mentor and focus on professional development
• Skilled at presenting information in an insightful and structured manner
• Robust qualitative and quantitative analytical abilities
• Desire to tackle complex problems that often require engagement across public and private sectors
• Demonstrated fluency with Hindi and English
Education
Master’s degree in a related field
Experience
• 10+ years of work experience working with universities, governments, foundations and/or non-profits with demonstrated expertise in program design and quality management • Experience of leading a fellowship program is desired