Asia Regional Representative

About Trickle Up:

Founded in 1979, Trickle Up (TU) empowers people living in extreme poverty to take the first steps out of poverty, providing them with resources to build livelihoods for a better quality of life. TU partners with local agencies to serve marginalized groups including indigenous populations, scheduled castes and particularly vulnerable people within those groups such as women, single mothers, widows and people with disabilities. TU has a strong gender focus and currently 98% of participants are women.

TU's core capacities are rooted in the CGAP/Ford Foundation “Graduation Approach,” a proven global initiative that links elements of safety nets, microfinance and livelihoods in a carefully sequenced intervention. Graduation components include livelihood and household management training, regular household coaching, the use of cash transfers to jump-start or expand livelihood activities, savings group formation for financial inclusion and building social capital, and building partnerships to increase access to information and public services. TU also excels at building the capacity of international organizations and community-based organizations, including Disabled People’s Organizations, to respond to the specific needs of marginalized individuals and households. TU prioritizes rigorous monitoring and evaluation of program impact, utilizing participatory methods to ensure learning and the accountability and long-term integrity of its programs

Trickle Up, headquartered in New York City, with regional offices in India, Guatemala and Burkina Faso. Seewww.trickleup.org for more information.

Position Overview:

TU’s Asia Regional office was established over eight years ago and is now poised for attaining significant scale. TU has significant evidence on the Graduation approach and is now ready to leverage the success of this model. The Asia Regional Representative (ARR) will play a critical role in this process in leading a high-performing team and outstanding partners to chart a course to scale. This includes collaboration with larger government actors, foundations, and the establishment of an Indian presence with a clear model for growth and impact.

The Asia Regional Representative (ARR) leads the India office to achieve Trickle Up India’s program strategy and to meet the overall strategic goals of the organization. The ARR has ultimate responsibility for leadership and representation, program development, monitoring and evaluation, and ensuring the work of the India team reflects Trickle Up’s mission and values and aligns with the organizational strategic plan.

Public and private partnerships are critical for Trickle Up's strategy for scale. The ARR must excel in expanding and diversifying the office’s resource base by securing public/private partnerships. The ARR is responsible for ensuring high program quality in the region; providing the proper stewardship of resources consistent with Trickle Up principles, India office policies, strategies, procedures, and donor requirements; and ensuring Trickle Up India meets all regulatory, human resources, financial reporting, and other requirements outlined by the Indian government and other agencies.

Trickle Up values the contribution of its regional leadership to global discussions and initiatives that improve the organization's program quality and impact worldwide. The ARR is expected to be a thought leader in these discussions and a contributor to global initiatives.

Principal Functions:

Representation:

• Develop linkages with other international and national NGOs and key government agencies active in livelihood development and/or working with extremely vulnerable and marginalized populations.
• Develop and foster relationships with multilateral, national and local funders.
• Increase visibility of Trickle Up in India through participation in strategic alliances and key events and publications.
• In conjunction with HQ, create and execute an appropriate communications plan.
• Develop and foster relationships with Indian Board members and ensure their expertise and networks enrich the establishment our Indian office.

Resource Mobilization:

• Identify potential funding partners and pursue resource mobilization for country activities
• In partnership with HQ staff, develop a wide donor base for the country program, particularly targeting foundations, bilateral, and multilateral organizations.
• Prepare and update fundraising and other materials for TU India use.

Organizational Development:

• Contribute to international events and processes including strategic planning, policy development, and fundraising events as required.
• Promote the organizational culture and values as described in TU’s strategic plan in which staff communicate clearly and openly, are reflective, innovative, mutually accountable, collegial, cooperative, trusting, results-oriented, and committed to learning.
• Provide strategic vision and guide the development of the India Office.
• Ensure the appropriate organizational structure to achieve organizational goals.
• Develop and maintain a country strategy, including a program plan supported by an organizational and fundraising model to ensure long-term organizational impact.

Organizational Oversight:

• Ensure compliance with all Trickle Up policies and procedures and all applicable Indian laws and regulations.
• Ensure partner relationships are strategically managed and program implementation results in desired outcomes, through the agreement and implementation of MoUs and project documents.
• Ensure that TU’s operations compliance with all of TU’s policies and procedures, and that all reporting is completed in with quality in a timely fashion.
• Manage organizational operational plan for TU India, delegating responsibility to staff and monitoring variance reporting and contingency planning.
• Responsible for the implementation of the organizational security policy in India.
• Ensure that program development leads to greater impact for people living in ultrapoverty and adapts to research and learning and external trends among development actors.

Human Resource Management:

• Recruit, hire, train, and supervise staff in India.
• Ensure the training of relevant staff in all aspects of Trickle Up’s livelihood development program.
• Ensure Human Resource policy in performance planning and review are met.
• Provide regular coaching to staff and ensure staff development plans are prepared and implemented.

Qualifications:

Education:

BA/BS in international development or related field; MA/MS in Development Management, or related field.

Experience:

Minimum 8-10 years of field-based experience in India:

• Substantive development-related experience in the area of livelihood and/or poverty alleviation programming
• Substantive experience working with vulnerable and excluded populations at the grassroots level, with a strong gender perspective
• Demonstrated experience in establishing large-scale joint projects with government entities and large NGO partners.
• Large, multi-year grant management experience with international donors
• At least three years of experience in an executive/director position in a development organization.
• Demonstrated experience in partnering with grassroots NGOs
• Experience working in Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha
• Experience with a rights-based framework and social protection policies

Knowledge and Skills:

• Demonstrated understanding of social and economic development concepts, policies, and experiences relevant to India and State implementation mechanisms of the same
• Strong experience in poverty alleviation and livelihoods programming
• Strong interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills, and an ability to shift between diverse contexts with relative ease
• Strong analysis, writing, and presentation skills
• Technical understanding of rural livelihood activities in developing country contexts (e.g. small-scale agriculture, livestock rearing, petty trading, etc.)

Other requirements:

• Demonstrated ability to manage results and developing a high performing team
• Strong team building abilities
• Ability to provide constructive feedback as well as guidance
• Flexibility and a sense of humor
• Ability and willingness to travel to rural communities, at times with availability of only very basic amenities
• Ability and willingness to travel globally
• Strong written and oral communication skills in English
• Fluency in both written and spoken Hindi and Bengali and Oriya a plus
• Experience in utilizing web-based organizational management systems for planning and financial analysis

Salary and Benefits:

We offer a competitive salary and excellent benefits for this full-time position. The successful applicant will join a dynamic, passionate, multicultural team deeply committed to the alleviation of extreme poverty. Trickle Up promotes a collegial, high-performing organizational culture in which staff communicate clearly and openly, and are reflective, innovative, and mutually accountable.

How to apply:

Please fill out the attached application (in English). Click https://trickleup.recruiterbox.com/jobs/31829 and follow the instructions to upload your CV and the application file (both in English) as indicated. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until May 9, 2014. Please, no phone calls.

Trickle Up is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value a diverse workforce and extend equal opportunity to all applicants and employees regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, veteran status, disability, or any other status protected by law. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable people with disabilities to perform essential job functions.