Programme Lead - Urban Heat

About the Organization:

Our Client is an independent Indian philanthropy committed to building a just, inclusive, and climate-resilient future. Rooted in the values of their founder, their mission is to support organizations and innovations that uplift vulnerable communities and improve quality of life. As they deepen their commitment to climate action, they are investing in urban climate resilience, with a particular focus on building adaptive capacity in heat-stressed cities.

Position Summary:

We are seeking a dynamic implementation lead to manage and scale their growing portfolio under the Urban Heat Resilience program. The role involves coordinating with implementation partners, government actors, and internal teams to ensure effective delivery and learning across projects. This is a hands-on leadership role for someone passionate about execution and public systems change.

In this role, you will engage in the following key responsibilities:

• Program Implementation & Delivery

  • Translate strategy into actionable implementation plans across cities.

  • Oversee project design, budgeting, partner onboarding, and timelines.

  • Troubleshoot implementation bottlenecks and strengthen on-ground capacity.

• Partner & Government Engagement

  • Identify and manage high-impact implementation partners.

  • Conduct due diligence, monitor deliverables, and ensure alignment with program outcomes.

  • Build working relationships with ULBs and state agencies.

• Cross-team Coordination

  • Work closely with the Strategy Lead and other program leads to ensure coherence across

  • interventions.

  • Collaborate with communications, MEL, and grants teams for seamless program delivery.

• Learning & Adaptation

  • Document learnings, support convenings, and contribute to adaptive program design.

  • Feed implementation insights back into the strategic process.

Ideal Candidate Profile:

• Personal Attributes:

  • Deep commitment to equity and climate justice.

  • Values-driven, collaborative, and responsive.

  • Comfort with ambiguity and eagerness to learn.

  • Strong interpersonal skills, humility, and the ability to work across stakeholders.

  • A passion for the issue of climate change and its impact on lives of people with desire to make a tangible difference

  • Flexibility to adapt to changing project demands and dynamic urban conditions

  • Willingness to be hands on for the project execution and close attention to detail

  • Ability to travel and spend time at the project sites frequently

  • High levels of integrity and empathy in handling all professional relationships

• Qualifications:

  • Masters Degree or higher: Development Studies, Urban Planning, Public Policy,

  • Environmental Science, Sustainable Development, Urban Studies, or a related field.

  • Additional certifications: Specialized training or certifications in urban climate resilience, sustainable urban development, project management (e.g., PMP) or related areas are advantageous.

  • 8-12 years of experience in urban resilience, disaster management, or heat/ adaptation programs.

  • Experience working with municipal governments, urban planners, NGOs, etc and managing multi-stakeholder partnerships.

  • Fluency in English and Hindi; Marathi is an advantage.

• Relevant Job Skills:

  • Strong project management skills, including planning, execution, monitoring, and evaluation

  • Strong analytical skills to look at relevant data impacting urban climate and identify evidence-based solutions tailored to cities.

  • Strong interpersonal skills to build and maintain relationships with municipal authorities, urban communities and partners

  • Strong written and verbal communication skills

  • Should display maturity and display mentorship skills to internal team members