Associate Director

About ISDM:

The Indian School of Development Management pioneers a transformative approach to management, envisioning a world that is just, equitable, and sustainable . Established in 2016, it serves as a foundational hub for cultivating a robust ecosystem and a cadre of skilled professionals dedicated to advancing social change globally.

Driven by the conviction that the social sector plays a pivotal role in addressing humanitys most pressing challenges, the school operates on the premise that effective management is essential for achieving significant impact. By nurturing talent in Development Management tailored to the unique needs of the social sector, the school aims to catalyze sustainable socio-economic and ecological progress on a large scale.

Recognising the power of institutions to shape professional ecosystems, the school aims to establish itself as a beacon of excellence in higher education. Through this, it seeks to lay the groundwork for a thriving community of practitioners dedicated to driving positive change in society.

Over the past seven years, the Indian School of Development Management (ISDM) has garnered validation, support, and funding from esteemed individuals and organisations. While numerous programs worldwide aim to cultivate management capabilities for the social sector, they often reside within larger university ecosystems or business schools, where they may receive lesser attention compared to mainstream programs. ISDM stands out as the sole institution globally dedicated to fostering a comprehensive ecosystem for Development Management, focusing on pioneering work in critical areas.

ISDMs initiatives encompass:

1. Knowledge Creation: Establishing a Global Knowledge Hub to create, disseminate, and institutionalize contextual knowledge on building, leading, and managing social purpose organizations, networks, and platforms.
2. Talent Nurturing: Offering the Post Graduate Program in Development Management (PGP-DM) to attract and develop top-tier talent capable of addressing management challenges within the sector.
3. Capacity Building: Providing Strategic Capacity Building programs to enhance individual and institutional capacities in development management, thereby fostering sustainable and scalable social impact.

ISDM has successfully completed its Proof of Concept Phase and is now set for expansion over the next five years. Key achievements include high placement rates for PGP-DM graduates and plans for increased batch sizes, a new campus, international partnerships, and accreditation. The institute is also conducting research and establishing Centers of Excellence in various areas of social impact. Additionally, it offers programs for professionals and resources for grassroots organizations. Know More at www.isdm.org.in .

ISDM invites individuals who share its vision to join in creating a dynamic, catalytic ecosystem and positioning India as a thought leader in Development Management, ultimately enabling sustainable social impact at scale.

Job Description

Associate Director Fundraising and Partnerships will work closely with the Founder Director to design fundraising strategy, engage deeply with corporate houses(U) HNI s, Indian and International Foundations and build a strong fundraising team. The Associate Director will be responsible for managing our funding and business development activities - identifying and developing funding opportunities, responding to proposals and building new programme partnerships.

Key Responsibilities

• Conceptualize, shape and implement a comprehensive and purpose-driven fundraising strategy to engage various corporates (CSR), (U) HNIs/Family offices and Foundations and build long-term sustainable relationships
• Conduct research to develop a better landscape understanding of our target funder groups; analyse their philanthropic interests and priorities and align them with appropriate fundraising opportunities
• Analyse and mine market trends, information and data to identify avenues for fund-raising opportunities
• Engage with internal key stakeholders in the organisation to fully understand the strategic priorities and research focus and co-create project ideas for fundraising across different projects of ISDM
• Develop and maintain a pipeline of prospective funder and corporate partners
• Proactively identify, engage and build strategic relationships with target funder groups; develop and implement strategies for the same
• Work with the marketing team to prepare fundraising pitch materials and proposals tailored to our value proposition
• Participate and Organise networking events and industry forums to position ISDM, build a strong institutional understanding of industry trends and leverage them for partnership opportunities at ISDM
• Track our commitments and reporting requirements, manage deadlines, work with project leads to prepare reports
• Undertake effective Due Diligence on Funding partners, and Individuals to ensure the engagements with partners and donations are legally compliant and in line with codes of practice
• Strive to exceed the set targets for fund-raising annually with the help of the team

Educational Qualifications and Experience Required

• The candidate should have a Master s degree in Management, Business Administration or Economics
• Minimum 15-20 years of work experience preferably B2B sales experience or not for profit fund-raising experience
• Association with philanthropy and fund-raising is a plus
• Outstanding relationship management skills and ability to present and influence at a range of seniority levels
• Comfortable working with ambiguity and adapting to latest market trends
• Excellent written and oral communication and presentation skills
• Ability to collect and assess information rapidly, identifying key points and drawing conclusions
• Strong attention to detail
• Adaptable to changing team needs and the organizational environment.
• Experience of working effectively in a team environment
• Able to conceptualise proposal and pitches for fundraising
• Financial Acumen
• Experience of utilising the organization brand and programmes for donor communication and engagement
• Brings fresh ideas and innovative thinking to the organization
• Understanding of the fundraising landscape - national and global, the issues and challenges to work with HNIs, CSRs and other private and public sector organisations
• Be open to extensive travel

ISDM is an equal opportunity organization with a particular emphasis on affirmative action. The culture of the organization is one of professionalism while also one that greatly values relationships.