Associate Director/Senior Manager, Knowledge & Insight

The Associate Director / Senior Manager, Knowledge & Insight will lead ACF's efforts to help donors make informed, effective, and impactful philanthropic decisions across Asia.

Reporting to the Senior Director for Development & Partnerships, the Associate Director / Senior Manager, Knowledge & Insight will be responsible for ecosystem intelligence and the development of knowledge and networks that strengthen ACF's grantmaking practice. A key focus of the role will be developing the frameworks, networks, and knowledge that help ACF identify and assess funding opportunities. This includes building and evaluating trusted sources of grantmaking intelligence, engaging with funders, experts, practitioners, and nonprofit organisations, and translating these insights into recommendations that support effective philanthropic decision-making.

Working closely with the Grantmaking team and Portfolio Managers, the Associate Director / Senior Manager, Knowledge & Insight will contribute to ACF's evolution as a trusted philanthropic platform that combines operational excellence with strategic grantmaking insight. This role requires strong judgement, intellectual curiosity, excellent relationship-building skills, and a deep understanding of philanthropy and social impact across Asia.

Key Responsibilities:
1. Knowledge and Insight

• Develop and maintain ACF's framework for identifying and assessing trusted sources of grantmaking intelligence and expertise
• Build relationships with funders, intermediaries, issue experts, practitioners, researchers, and nonprofit organisations across Asia
• Assess and map key sources of grantmaking intelligence, including funders, intermediaries, expert networks, and other ecosystem actors
• Identify and assess potential funding opportunities through referral networks, ecosystem research, landscape analysis, and direct engagement with relevant organisations and experts
• Support enhanced due diligence work as needed
• Synthesise insights from networks, research, and organisational experience into actionable recommendations for donors and colleagues
• Contribute to the development of ACF's institutional grantmaking knowledge and expertise over time.

2. Strategic Funding Initiatives

• Lead the design and development of collaborative funding initiatives and thematic funding opportunities where aligned donor interest and organisational priorities exist
• Identify opportunities for collaboration and collective action among donors, funders, and partners
• Convene donors, experts, and partners to define funding priorities, grantmaking approaches, and learning objectives
• Work with Portfolio Managers to track the progress of strategic funding initiatives and ensure learning informs future development
• Work closely with the Grantmaking team and Portfolio Managers to ensure strategic funding priorities, learning objectives, and grantmaking insights are reflected in implementation and portfolio management

3. Grantmaking Insight and Donor Support

• Develop thoughtful grantmaking recommendations that help donors make informed and impactful philanthropic decisions
• Conduct landscape reviews, ecosystem analyses, and opportunity assessments to inform donor discussions and funding decisions
• Translate complex social and development issues into practical funding pathways and grantmaking options
• Prepare donor briefings, recommendations, and other materials that support strategic philanthropy.
• Contribute to donor advisory engagements by providing research, analysis, ecosystem intelligence, and grantmaking expertise
  

4. Learning, Insights and Thought Leadership

• Synthesise insights from ecosystem partners, donor engagements, strategic funding initiatives, and portfolio learning to strengthen ACF's institutional knowledge, grantmaking frameworks, and donor recommendations
• Produce donor briefings, thematic reports, ecosystem analyses, presentations, and other knowledge products
• Identify and communicate emerging trends, opportunities, and challenges relevant to philanthropy and social impact across Asia
• Represent ACF at philanthropic, social impact, and sector convenings as appropriate
• Foster opportunities for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and peer learning among donors, practitioners, and partners

5. Organisational Leadership

• Contribute to ACF's strategic development as a trusted philanthropic platform
• Collaborate closely with colleagues across donor engagement, Solutions (Portfolio Managers and Grantmaking), finance, and communications
• Support the development of tools, frameworks, and processes that strengthen strategic grantmaking and organisational learning
• Mentor and support any team members as appropriate and contribute to a culture of collaboration, curiosity, learning, and continuous improvement

Experience and Skills:

• 10+ years of relevant experience in philanthropy, foundations, international development, social impact, grantmaking, strategic advisory, or a related field
• Demonstrated experience in grantmaking, advising donors, foundation management, ecosystem research, partner assessment or related fields
• Strong understanding of social and development issues across Asia and familiarity with regional philanthropic ecosystems
• Experience conducting ecosystem analyses, landscape reviews, partner assessments, or strategic research
• Strong relationship management skills and the ability to build trust with donors, nonprofit leaders, funders, researchers, and subject matter experts
• Excellent analytical and strategic thinking capabilities, including the ability to synthesise complex information into clear recommendations
• Strong communication, facilitation, and stakeholder engagement skills
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively across diverse cultural and geographic contexts
• Commitment to learning, collaboration, integrity, and continuous improvement
• Fluency in a regional language in addition to English to engage with regional stakeholders
  

Personal Attributes

• Curious and intellectually engaged, with a strong interest in philanthropy and social impact
• Open-minded and thoughtful, with the ability to consider diverse perspectives and navigate complexity with nuance
• Strong problem-solver, able to synthesise information, identify patterns, and develop practical solutions
• Strategic thinker with sound judgement and the ability to navigate ambiguity
• Relationship-oriented and collaborative, with the ability to build trust across a wide range of stakeholders
• Values-driven and committed to advancing effective and responsible philanthropy

To Apply

Interested candidates are invited to send a cover letter and CV. All enquiries will be treated with strict confidence.

ACF is committed to building a diverse and inclusive team. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and are an equal opportunity employer, selecting on merit regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, religion, disability, or any other characteristic unrelated to the role.