Program Management Associate – MacArthur Foundation

John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation has been active in India since 1990 and opened an office in New Delhi in 1994. Since 2016, the Foundation’s key focus in India has been to support mitigation interventions that seek sustainable solutions to challenges India faces from climate change. The Foundation makes available resources to established civil society organizations with recognized expertise in the field of climate change mitigation.

The Program Management Associate for the India office will support the Foundation’s programs teams and be responsible for regular office administration. The role serves as a key conduit between the India office of the Foundation and the head office in Chicago (USA). This person will work closely with program, grants management, legal and finance teams at our headquarters in Chicago and liaise with the Foundation’s financial accounting firm in India to ensure smooth operations of the India office.

Foundation’s values
MacArthur’s core values are deeply ingrained principles that embody who we are, what we stand for, and how we work. Our values include Integrity, Creativity, Learning, Empathy and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). These represent a core set of beliefs that guide how our organization conducts itself and builds trust-based relationships with partners and grantees. Read more here.

Job Description
Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Grants Management and Program Support:

• Be responsible for ensuring grantee compliance with the Foundation’s Grants Management System (GMS). This would include assisting the Country Director and Deputy Director in ensuring that grantee due-diligence, briefs, legal compliance, annual reports, and other GMS matters are dealt with properly and timely
• Assist the Country Director and Deputy Director in reviewing financial and regulatory information shared by prospective grantees and ensure that the due-diligence requirements of the GMS are met with adequacy
• Provide administrative support to institutional grantees, including support with reporting requirements, resolving financial issues and information needs
• Ensure that at any given point of time, the Foundation’s India grantees comply with the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) and inform the legal and finance colleagues promptly, in case of any discrepancies
• Join regular calls with HQ colleagues, along with or independent of Country/Deputy Director to ensure smooth communication between the country office and HQ
• Coordinate with potential and existing partners to undertake special projects that further the goals of the Foundation. This includes seeking necessary due-diligence information, contract management as well as post-contract follow-up for requisite deliverables
• Help coordinate the Foundation’s endeavors on the Just Imperative in India and provide support to the Country Director for ensuring that India staff feels confident of living the Foundation’s values of Integrity, Creativity, Learning, Empathy and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI)
• Prepare and manage consultant contracts and payments. This includes coordination with the Foundation’s insurance broker in India, on matters related to the health insurance, provident and Retirement fund for employees and property insurance.

Office Administration and Executive Support:

• Purchase and regularly maintain office supplies, furniture and other material requirements. This also includes liaising with the building management for necessary permissions required for regular upkeep and maintenance of the Foundation’s India office premises
• Coordinate with the India IT Consultant teams, to ensure that there is enough IT support available to India team, at any given point of time. This includes seeking necessary specifications from Chicago office and assisting them in procuring necessary materials for India, general support and trouble shooting and even new deployments
• Plan and coordinate successful execution of Foundation meetings and events including but not limited to Annual Grantee convenings, expert consultations, HQ staff visits etc.
• Supervise selection and onboarding of contractors and effectively manage a team including the Office Assistant and Transport Coordinator
• Coordinate India office administrative budgeting process using Foundation’s systems like Adaptive Planning and Workday), development, monitoring and reporting on budgets, and adjust throughout the year
• Provide executive support to the Country Director and Deputy Director for managing calendars, scheduling meetings with grantees and partners and planning international and local travel

Finance, Accounting and Regulatory Compliance:

• Coordinate with the Foundation’s accountants on necessary compliance with local regulatory requirements such as the Reserve Bank of India, Registrar of Companies and the Income Tax Department, Government of India
• Coordinate as the Foundation’s first point of contact with the Authorized Dealer (AD) Bank – Standard Chartered, on a regular basis for financing needs as well as regulatory compliance
• Support the accountants with preparing office expenses, process monthly office expense payments, salaries and tax payments; and act as liaison with the Foundation’s India accountants on India office accounting and audit matters
• Ensure that the annual audit of the India office is completed by the Accounting firm, in compliance with the local regulatory framework and with involvement of the Foundation’s finance team, based in Chicago.

Other Duties and Responsibilities

• Serve on internal Foundation committees as appropriate
• Perform other duties as assigned

The position is based in New Delhi, India.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent with at least six years of experience in supporting high-level executives
• Able to execute complex projects with a strong attention to detail and to manage multiple projects and tasks and meet deadlines
• Excellent writing, editing, and organizational skills
• Strongly proficient in working in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook), and willing to learn various technology programs
• Diplomatic, flexible, and discrete with confidential information
• Anticipates, takes initiative, and adapts to changing environments and priorities
• Maintains knowledge on all organizational policies and procedures and stays informed on the activities and achievements of the Foundation

Physical Requirements and Work Environment:

The work environment is an office setting.  Intermittent physical activities will include bending, reaching, sitting, and walking during working hours.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable a person with physical disabilities to perform the job.