Chief Executive Officer, Grameen Foundation India

Location: New Delhi/National Capital Region (NCR)
Status: Full-Time, Regular
Expected Start Date: September/October 2010

Background:  Grameen Foundation USA is establishing a social business to carry out non-financing activities in India and is seeking an experienced and energetic social entrepreneur to lead this effort.  Grameen Foundation India (GFI) will be a wholly owned subsidiary of Grameen Foundation USA and has been set up with the primary purpose of using microfinance and technology solutions to “enable the poor, especially the poorest, to create a world without poverty.” 

Job Summary:  The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) provides leadership, management, and strategic oversight for GFI’s poverty reduction activities across India.  Using microfinance and technology solutions to alleviate poverty, the CEO will oversee execution of GFI’s strategy and operational activities in India, manage the GFI’s human capital and ensure that GFI has the resources in place to achieve its objectives. 

Reporting and Relationships:  Reports to the GFI Board of Directors.  This person directly supervises GFI senior management.

Availability and Location:  The CEO will be based in India.  This individual will need to be flexible to work in local conditions, and be available to work across different time zones.  This position will require frequent travel within India, and periodic travel to the US and other countries, as needed.

Essential Job Functions:
•    Collaborate with the Board of Directors to define and articulate the organization’s strategy for achieving its vision and mission. Acts as the primary interface between Board of Directors  and the staff;
•    Create annual operating plans that support the strategic direction approved by the Board of Directors and correlate with annual operating budgets;
•    Oversee financial strategy  to cover the annual operating budget and reserves;
•    Oversee the successful delivery of GFI’s activities for microfinance and technology projects and ensure corresponding social impact;
•    Stay abreast of current trends related to the organization’s products and services and anticipates future trends likely to have an impact on its work;
•    Oversee the operations of organization and manages its compliance with legal and regulatory requirements;
•    Effectively manage the human resources of the organization by promoting a culture that reflects the organization’s values, encourages good performance, and rewards results;
•    Ensure that the organization and its mission, programs, and services are consistently presented in a strong, positive image to relevant stakeholders within India and globally;
•    Serve as the primary spokesperson and representative for the organization and actively advocate for the organization, its beliefs, and its programmatic efforts; 
•    Act as a liaison between the organization and the community, building relationships with peer organizations when appropriate.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
•    Deep commitment to GFI’s mission and the eradication of poverty in India;
•    Extensive knowledge of microfinance and/or technology, preferably serving the  poorest;
•    A strategic and creative thinker who knows how to establish goals that advance the mission of an organization and then develop concrete plans to achieve them;
•    A skilled executive, capable of providing guidance, support, and leadership to the staff who report directly to this position, as well as the ability to develop systems and procedures that will help all staff increase the effectiveness of their own work; 
•    A superb communicator, especially when explaining the Foundation’s mission, programs, and accomplishments to current and potential funding and programmatic partners;
•    Proven experience leading in a team-oriented, collaborative environment, ensuring internal culture remains open and collaborative; positive “can do” attitude;
•    Highly self-motivated, self-directed, and attentive to detail;
•    Excellent organizational, project management and time management skills.

Education and Experience
•    Advanced degree, or equivalent work experience, in Business, Economics, Public Policy, International Development or a related field;
•    10+ years work experience in related area at a senior level;
•    Successful record of accomplishments in conceiving and running programs, projects or business units internationally; 
•    Experience in microfinance and/or technology, preferred;
•    Fluent in English (Verbal and writing skills); working knowledge of predominant language spoken in country, (e.g. Hindi), highly desirable;
•    Experience living and working in India.

Physical and Environmental Conditions: This position does not require unusual demands for physical effort.  This position may occasionally require physical effort to lift and transport boxes weighing no more than 50 pounds.  Work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts that require normal safety precautions typical of places such as offices, meeting or training rooms, residences, or commercial vehicles; e.g., use of safe work place practices with office equipment, and/or avoidance of trips and falls, and observance of fire regulations and traffic signals.

Additional Comment: The above job description is not intended as, nor should it be construed as, exhaustive of all responsibilities, skills, efforts, or working conditions associated with this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made in appropriate circumstances to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this job.

Please send cover letter and resume to grameenjobs@grameenfoundation.org with ‘GFI CEO’ in the subject line.