Partnerships Manager

Team: Partnerships

Contractor Fee: INR 111,489 per month (non-negotiable).

Location: Remote (India-based), Preference for candidates based in Tier 1-2 cities.

Terms of employment: Contract for two years, renewal by mutual agreement

Closing: 11:59pm IST, 28th February 2025*

*Please note: We will be reviewing applications on an ongoing basis before the closing date, so we recommend submitting applications as soon as possible. We only accept applications through the Google Form application form linked at the bottom of this page.

About Fortify Health

Fortify Health has a vision for a healthier world where everyone has the micronutrients they need to survive and thrive. We work toward this by enabling access to micronutrient-rich wheat flour to reduce and prevent iron deficiency anaemia. We currently work in many regions across India but are planning to expand to new regions in the coming years.

Fortify Health operates through three work streams:

1. Open Market Support: We support millers to cost-neutrally fortify chakki atta in the open market. Details of the regions we operate in and our beneficiaries can be found here.
2. Government Partnership Support: We work with governments in India to mainstream wheat flour fortification through social safety net programs
3. Evidence Generation: We conduct monitoring and evaluation of activities to inform the public about the value of food fortification

To read more about our work and impact, visit our “What we do” section on our website here.

How we work

We take a data driven approach to our work, heavily focusing on how we can have the most impact possible with the resources we have. This forms a core part of our organisational ethos. At Fortify Health, we value each of our team members and support their career development. This commitment to our team's growth and wellbeing extends to fostering strong interpersonal connections, which we prioritise despite our distributed workforce. Since we are a remote organisation, our HR team organise regular online socials in addition to an annual full team retreat to build team cohesion.

About the role

Fortify Health is looking to hire a Partnerships Manager to join our Partnerships team on a full-time basis. The successful candidate will play a pivotal role building and strengthening partnerships with the state government departments and not-for-profits by identifying collaboration opportunities and supporting the implementation of wheat flour fortification programs. Our Partnerships team supports the implementation of wheat flour fortification in programs such as Public Distribution Systems (PDS), Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) and the Mid-Day Meal (MDM) programs.

This is a great opportunity for an individual who would like to work closely with senior leaders at state government level and other not-for-profits, work with and mentor a young, growing team, and enjoy an entrepreneurial environment. The Partnerships Manager will report to Fortify Health’s Associate Director/Director of Partnerships.

Responsibilities and activities

The Partnerships Manager will be responsible for the following activities:

• Identify potential partners for expansion and engage with existing partners
  • Identify, initiate, and cultivate relationships with key government bodies, policymakers, and non-profit organisations to expand fortification programs.
  • Nurture and strengthen existing partnerships with both governments and non-profits by leading conversations and identifying further collaboration opportunities.
  • Lead high-stakes negotiations with senior bureaucrats, policymakers, and industry leaders to secure commitments for fortification initiatives.
• Drive implementation of wheat flour fortification projects
  • Oversee the execution of wheat flour fortification initiatives, from pilot stages to full-scale implementation, by providing strategic direction to the implementation team
  • Work closely with state and district governments to co-design and roll out mid-to-large scale fortification initiatives impacting millions of beneficiaries.
• Strategic Contributions
  • Support in developing financial models and funding strategies to help governments integrate fortification into their existing food programs.
  • Represent Fortify Health in critical discussions with government and non-profit stakeholders, ensuring our programs are positioned as high-impact and scalable solutions.
  • Build and maintain a network of experts, and decision-makers in the public health and food fortification space.
• Building high-quality materials for projects
  • Develop persuasive concept notes, presentations, and one-pagers tailored for government and funding partners.
  • Contribute to white papers, policy briefs, and research collaborations that advance the fortification agenda.
• Team development and growth
  • Mentor and develop junior team members, fostering a culture of excellence and collaboration.
  • Support the hiring and onboarding of new team members to strengthen the partnerships function.

Please note that this job description is a guide to the work you will initially be required to undertake, but does not cover all of the duties the post holder may have to perform. Responsibilities will evolve over time, in discussion with the (Associate) Director of Partnerships.

If you were here right now, you would support with…

• Identify opportunities and oversee officers in gathering background information and engaging with the Rajasthan and Punjab State Governments to facilitate the implementation of fortified wheat flour in welfare programs.
• Coordinate with existing partners like Navjeevan Bala Bhavan and identify other non-profit organizations to integrate fortified wheat flour into their programs.

Candidate profile

Requirements

• Willingness to travel between 30% - 50% of time
• Fluency in English and Hindi
• Expertise:
  • Substantive experience of working with the government or other stakeholders in health, nutrition, education or a related field.
  • Basic skills in Microsoft Office or Google Workspace.
• Execution:
  • Excellent documentation and time management skills.
  • Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Collaboration:
  • Proven ability to manage professional relationships with important stakeholders, with outstanding interpersonal skills.
  • Ability to delegate effectively and motivate a team.
• Communication:
  • Ability to communicate clearly, professionally and persuasively in both verbal and written formats.
• Problem-solving:
  • Ability to make complex decisions to maximise results, including under pressure.
• Growth Mindset:
  • Eager to learn from setbacks and use those insights to improve their work.

Desirable attributes

• Bachelors or higher in a related field (policy, public health, economics etc.)
• Experience working with remote team members and mentoring direct reports.
• Relevant experience in NGO field environment or in the development sector.
• Enthusiasm about our opportunity to improve people’s lives.
• Based in a metro city.

If you're not sure about applying because you don't know if you're qualified,

we would really love you to apply anyway!