Programme Manager

Job Title: Programme Manager

Department: Programmes

Reports To: Chief Executive Officer

Location: Mumbai (Goregaon) | On-site

Employment Type: Full-time

Manages: Programme Officers

About Veruschka Foundation

Veruschka Foundation empowers individuals with developmental disabilities to become contributing members of society through the power of food. Using cookery as a medium, the organisation provides sustainable livelihood opportunities and promotes independence through entrepreneurship, mainstream employment, and life skills development.

Website: https://theveruschkafoundation.org

Purpose of the Role

Veruschka Foundation is growing its reach and deepening its impact, and the Programme Manager will play a pivotal role in driving the success of our programmes for PwIDDs. This role exists to provide focused leadership to ensure that the programme is well-coordinated, strategically aligned, and effectively delivered. The Programme Manager will oversee all aspects of programme planning, implementation, monitoring, and reporting, while also liaising with donors, faculty and key stakeholders. This role is designed as a pipeline to becoming the Programme Head and is critical in steering the organisation toward its mission of inclusion and empowerment.

Key Responsibilities

Programme Design

Lead the overall design, structure, and strategy of Veruschka Foundation's programmes that are focused on hospitality training and enabling livelihood opportunities for persons with intellectual disabilities.

Ensure that the programme curriculum is contextually relevant, data-driven, and aligned with the organisational strategy and long-term vision.

Program Management

Manage the end-to-end implementation of the programmes, ensuring timely delivery within budget and completion of the strategic objectives. Ensure high-quality programme delivery by providing strategic direction, operational oversight, and hands-on support to the team.

Ensure adherence to legal, ethical, and donor requirements in programme execution. Identify potential risks and implement mitigation strategies proactively.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL)

Manage MEL for the programmes to track progress, measure programme outcomes, and identify areas for improvement.

Use data insights to inform programme iterations and support organisational decision-making.

Design the visual impact dashboards and impact reports to communicate the outputs and outcomes of the programme efficiently, both internally and externally.

Independence, Employment and Livelihood Linkages

Support the design and implementation of pathways that connect programme participants to employment, apprenticeships, and entrepreneurship opportunities.

Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to strengthen job readiness of the students trained under the programme.

Fundraising and Communications

Work closely with the fundraising team to share programmatic insights, develop impact narratives, and participate in donor meetings. Support the preparation of proposals, reports, and presentations to secure and steward funding partnerships.

Support CEO and COO with fundraising tasks such as documentation, pitching and due diligence.

Contribute to internal and external communications by providing clear, accurate, and timely updates on programme progress, challenges, and impact. Support the development of case studies, reports, and reading materials that reflect the work of the organisation.

People Management

Lead, manage, and mentor a diverse team involved in the programme design and delivery.

Establish clear roles, foster accountability, build capacity through regular performance reviews and coaching, and facilitate learning through professional development opportunities.

Financial Planning and Compliance

Contribute to the annual budgeting processes by forecasting programme resource needs and aligning them with strategic priorities.

Documentation

Manage the documentation of all the programme processes in a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to ensure consistency, scalability, and knowledge retention.

Maintain and update all the necessary programme documents such as the brochures and concept notes.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Coordinate with other verticals including Human Resources, Finance, Communications, and Fundraising to ensure program needs are integrated into broader organisational planning and support functions.

Key Requirements

Qualifications and Experience

Master's degree in Social Work, Development Studies, or related field.

Minimum 5 years of experience (mandatory) with 1-2 years in programme management (preferred).

Prior experience working in the disability and/or DEI space (preferred).

Skills and Knowledge

People management

Project management

Donor reporting and stakeholder engagement

Curriculum design and implementation

Monitoring, evaluation, and impact reporting

Strong communication and interpersonal skills

Proficient in Project Management softwares (such as salesforce, trello) or Customer Relationship Management tools (such as Zoho, Asana)

Resource Management

Budgeting and financial planning (preferred)

Proficient in MS Office Suite

Analytical and problem-solving skills for data-driven decisions

Desired Attitude and Mindset

Self-starter with collaborative mindset

High emotional intelligence (EQ)

Crisis management and proactive decision-making

Accountability, ownership, and innovation

Growth mindset and deep listening abilities

Key Interaction

The Programme Manager will closely work with the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Programme Officer, Programmes and Partnerships Lead, Fundraising Associate, and Communications Associate.

Why Join Veruschka Foundation

At Veruschka Foundation, we empower individuals with intellectual disabilities through a unique culinary-based model that blends disability advocacy, skill development, and livelihood creation. As we grow, we offer our team:

A chance to build systems from the ground up in a dynamic, scaling organisation

Opportunities to lead, problem-solve, and make decisions

A diverse, collaborative team culture with professionals from multiple sectors

A positive, supportive work environment with strong mentorship and leadership access

Regular team bonding activities, an open-door policy, and an emphasis on personal growth