The Policy and Partnerships Lead is responsible for TNC’s outreach and engagement with government, bilateral/multilateral agencies, and international institutions in India. This is a strategic role that supports work across all of our conservation programs and fundraising, effectively connecting work on-the-ground with key stakeholders who can help support conservation outcomes at scale. She or He has two primary and inter-related roles:
- She or He works closely with the Programme Team members to develop and leverage strong relationships with government representatives at all levels and at all stages of project development with the goal of enabling robust alignment with government priorities and plans. The ultimate goal in this role is to support government at their request with best practices from around the world including from TNC and TNC-India’s and its partners’ initiatives. The role takes leadership in assuring that TNC-India is providing solutions at a scale India needs and desires by working closely in support of the government.
- She or he works with bilateral and multilateral programs for mutual benefit by providing TNC’s technical expertise to their programs in India and by leveraging partnership, support and funds for TNC-India’s programs. This will include developing strategies, proposals, and coordinating with other TNC programs around the globe to exchange lessons and best practices from India in global forums and have larger scale impact. This role will ensure effective government engagement from start to finish of projects.
This is a 2-year funded position with the TNC India program with possibility for renewal.
The Policy and Partnerships Lead is a key external representative of our organization. The Policy and Partnerships Lead will have close and regular contact with a wide range of stakeholders, including our government partners and multi-lateral institutions. She or he works closely with the TNC-India team and global resources to form or strengthen relationships with governments in cities and States where TNC-India has projects and with the relevant Central Government Ministries. She or he closely follows and understands government policies and programs in areas relevant to TNC-India’s work and makes recommendations to the program to ensure our projects and programs are closely aligned with government priorities, and engage sufficiently with the key government representatives from inception to implementation. She or He will also develop and implement a bilateral/multilateral partner leverage strategy which achieves objectives of the conservation programs. She or He will provide specialized guidance in forming, maintaining, developing and leveraging relationships and help to raise funds for overall functional initiatives and/or specific projects, including by conceptualizing and leading proposals, negotiating with bilateral and multilateral agencies, and cultivating other donors, as needed.
Some of the key TNC-India projects on which the Policy and Partnerships Lead will be expected to foster close working relationships with our Program Team and relevant government and bilateral/multilateral partners in the initial twelve months include promoting zero-burn agriculture in the states of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh; sustainable wetland restoration and urban planning in Chennai; and progressing land and water conservation initiatives in the Central India including Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
RESPONSIBILITIES AND SCOPE
- Responsible and accountable for establishing and meeting policy and partnerships strategic goals and objectives.
- Overall responsibility for advance programme team goals by building government relations in close coordination with programme team and Managing Director.
- Overall responsibility for working with multilateral and bilateral agencies in India.
- Advance strategic decisions based on analysis, experience and judgment.
- Ensure that public and private funds are raised to meet program needs.
- Work effectively with team members in support of our conservation objectives.
- Support program team to ensure that program meets all contractual and legal regulations and standards.
- Track policy developments relevant for TNC program areas and position TNC work as relevant in support of government plans.
- Ensure that TNC India and its work is appropriately represented in meetings with Government Agencies and other external stakeholders. Strategize critical meetings and events that TNC India should be present at.
- May require frequent travel domestically and/or internationally and evening and weekend hours.
- 6 years of related senior-level work experience, such as experience in policy engagement, bilateral and multilateral engagement, preferably with a focus on conservation and/or environment.
- Fluency in English and Hindi. Anowledge of additional languages preferred.
- Demonstrated experience mobilizing funds from government, bilateral and multilateral donors and leading writing and assembly of complex proposals.
- Demonstrated experience building relationships across an organization and with partners such as corporations, public agencies, donors, and/or volunteers.
- Experience working with and leveraging multi-disciplinary teams.
- Experience working with current and evolving political, legislative, sustainability, and/or conservation trends on an international, regional, country or state level.
- Experience in directing or participating in complex negotiations and presenting to and communicating with government officials, board members and others.
- Experience designing, implementing and directing multiple and multifaceted projects, setting deadlines and ensuring program accountability.
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Multi-lingual skills and multi-cultural experience appreciated.
- Master’s degree preferred.
- Working knowledge of current government policies in TNC’s priority areas and trends in relevant discipline.
- Demonstrated knowledge of the functional conservation needs and practices in India
- Outstanding analytical and project management capabilities. Demonstrated ability to successfully develop and implement complex projects in an unstructured environment.
- Demonstrated experience working with multilateral and bilateral institutions and mobilizing funding support.
- Outstanding written and oral communication, negotiating and organizational skills.
- Independent and self-motivated with the ability to participate effectively in a remote team environment.
- Ability to make sound decisions based on analysis, consultation with others, experience, and judgment.
- Fundraising experience.
- Experience communicating complex processes and ideas effectively to a variety of audiences within and outside an organization.