Job Description: Dy. Director, Strategic Partnerships and Business Development
Location: New Delhi
Reports to: Director, Programmes and Communications
Type: Full-time, Senior Management Position
About Samvad Samajik Sansthan
Samvad Samajik Sansthan, popularly known as Samvad is a not-for profit organization committed to driving social and economic transformation and sustainable change through effective communication with the children, girls and young people thereby enhancingtheir participation and leadership in grassroots community development. Samvad was founded by young development workers in 1998 and is registered as a Society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. Over the past three decades, Samvad has impacted the lives of more than 20 million children, particularlygirls and boys in difficult circumstances and their families across several States of India through high impact social development actions the domains of education, health, nutrition, livelihoods and empowerment of children and women.
Position Overview
Samvad is seeking an experienced, strategic and relationship-oriented, Dy. Director, Strategic Partnerships and Business Development to lead its efforts to diversify funding sources, expand strategic partnerships and strengthen its business development pipeline, aligned with emerging trends in development financing particularly social impact investing. Reporting to the Director, Programmes and Communications, the role seeks will be responsible for identifying and advancing opportunities with the Social Stock Exchange, government donors, foundations, philanthropic organizations, private sector partners and other key stakeholders, while strengthening Samvad’s positioning within the development ecosystem.
The incumbent will lead the full business development lifecycle, including donor intelligence, strategic outreach, partnership cultivation, opportunity identification, capture planning, and proposal development. Working closely with the CEO, Senior leadership, Technical and Field teams and external partners, s/he will build and manage high-value relationships, strategic collaborations represent Samvad in external development finance forums and provide leadership and oversight of business development.
This is a Senior position and the incumbent will be part of the Senior Management team. Please note this is not a strategy-only role; it requires a hands-on approach, actively driving opportunity development, donor outreach, partnership cultivation and end-to-end proposal development to support the organisation’s business development, fundraising and long-term sustainability.
Key Responsibilities
1. Business Development Strategy, Pipeline & Market Intelligence
- Lead development and implementation of Samvad’s business development strategy in alignment with organizational priorities and long-term objectives.
- Track donor landscape, funding trends, and emerging thematic opportunities across bilateral, multilateral, philanthropic, and private sector actors.
- Translate market intelligence into actionable pursuit strategies, positioning plans, and go/no-go recommendations.
- Strengthen institutional positioning through compelling capability narratives, pitch decks, and donorfacing materials.
2. Donor Engagement and Relationship Management
- Establish, strengthen, and manage relationships with donors and other strategic stakeholders.
- Contribute to proactive outreach and engagement efforts to expand and diversify Samvad’s donor base.
- Develop and implement engagement strategies for priority donors and partners, ensuring sustained relationship management and follow-up.
3. Opportunity Development and Proposal Leadership
- Contribute to end-to-end opportunity lifecycle guided by the CEO and Director, Programmes and Communications: identification, capture planning, positioning and pursuit strategy.
- Actively drive development of concept notes, proposals, and presentations with high-quality, donorready outputs.
- Engage with technical, finance, and program teams to shape win themes, value propositions, and solution design.
- Ensure responsiveness, competitiveness, and alignment of all submissions with donor expectations.
4. Strategic Partnerships, Consortia & Alliance Building
- Identify, and formalize strategic partnerships with NGOs, private sector, academia, and partners.
- Participate in Consortium formation for large-scale funding opportunities, including partner identification and role definition.
- Support the Director in negotiating partnership frameworks, teaming agreements and collaboration structures.
- Strengthen Samvad’s positioning through high-value alliances that open new funding pathways.
5. External Positioning, Visibility & Thought Leadership
- Strengthen Samvad’s visibility and positioning within the global and national development ecosystem.
- Identify and leverage strategic platforms, conferences, and networks to showcase Samvad’s expertise.
- Support dissemination of organizational evidence, innovations, and programmatic learning to donors.
Required Qualifications & Experience
- Master’s degree in Social Work, Development Studies, Public Policy or related field aligned with the mandate of the organisation.
- At least 5 years of progressive experience in responsible experience in business development, strategic partnerships, donor engagement, fundraising or organizational growth within the national and international development, child rights/health or social impact sectors.
- Strong understanding and experience of alternative development finance, blended financing, social impact inventing in the development sector preferred.
- Demonstrated track record of cultivating and securing partnerships and funding opportunities with bilateral and multilateral agencies, philanthropic foundations, corporate foundations, CSR initiatives, private sector entities and other development partners.
- Strong understanding of the development financing landscape in India and globally, including emerging donor priorities, funding mechanisms, partnership models, and trends in public health and development.
- Established professional networks and relationships across donor agencies, foundations, development partners, private sector organizations, academic institutions, and other relevant stakeholders.
- Strong strategic thinking, analytical, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify opportunities, navigate complexity, and drive organizational growth.
Others
a. Salary shall commensurate with experience.
b. Position availability is immediate
APPLICATION PROCESS:
To apply for this position, please share on the following email ID: [email protected] OR [email protected]
(a) Detailed latest CV/Resume;
(b) Cover Note indicating the likely date of joining and expected compensation.
Last date for submission of application is 5:00 pm on 15th July, 2026 (Wednesday)
Only applications of shortlisted candidates will be acknowledged.
Samvad is committed to fostering a workplace that values fairness and respect. We ensure that all applicants are treated with dignity and provided equal opportunities in all aspects of their engagement. Our recruitment system are based solely on relevant qualifications, such as experience, training and overall fit for the role, in adherence to applicable laws. We are dedicated to maintaining an inclusive environment where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
Samvad is a child-safe and youth friendly organization, and the safety and well-being of children and young people is a priority for our organization. We have robust recruitment procedures to ensure that all applicants and staff are suited to work with the children and young people served by our programs and projects.
Samvad is committed to provide protection against sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse to all the individuals at our workplace and to ensure that everyone including our interns, volunteers, associates, partners, vendors and suppliers are treated with equality and dignity.
Work Location: In person
