Senior Manager, Fundraising & Partnerships

Senior Manager, Fundraising & Partnerships

Pratham Education Foundation, Learn Out of the Box

Responsible for establishing and leading the fundraising unit for the Learn Out of the Box program in Pratham Education Foundation, mobilising resources from government bodies, private donors, corporate CSR partners and other partners.

About Pratham

Pratham is an innovative learning organisation created to improve the quality of education in India. Established in 1995 to provide education to children in Mumbai, Pratham has grown in both scope and scale, with programs today reaching children and youth across the country. As one of the largest non-governmental organisations in the country, Pratham focuses on high-quality, low-cost and replicable interventions to address gaps in the education system. Working directly with children and youth as well as through large-scale collaborations with government systems, Pratham programs reach millions of lives every year. Pratham's Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) approach has demonstrated proven impact on children's learning outcomes and is now being adapted to contexts outside India.

Program Summary

Learn Out of the Box is focused on strengthening teaching and learning across India's education system. The program works primarily on capacity building of teachers in government, government-aided, and private schools, while also engaging directly with students and with student-teachers at DIETs. The program has developed solutions that help integrate technology into classroom practice, build competencies, and shift classrooms towards student-centred approaches to learning. The program engages with the government at multiple levels, from large-scale state-wide program implementations to focused, block-level interventions designed for specific contexts and needs. The program implements multiple projects, targeting distinct intervention areas in collaboration with partner institutions.

To deepen and scale its reach, Learn Out of the Box is establishing a dedicated fundraising unit. This unit will be responsible for systematically mobilising resources from government bodies, individual and institutional private donors, corporate CSR partners and other sources.

Position Summary

We are seeking an experienced fundraising professional to conceptualise, build, and lead the fundraising function for Learn Out of the Box. This individual will be the first and, initially, the only member of the fundraising unit working closely with the program's leadership team. They will be responsible for designing the fundraising strategy, building donor and partner pipelines across government, private, and CSR channels, writing proposals and grants, and closing funding commitments. As the unit matures, the incumbent will recruit and mentor a team to scale the fundraising effort.

This role is suited for someone who has operated independently before, understands the full fundraising lifecycle, and is comfortable working in a program that is in the process of defining its resource mobilisation approach.

Mindset Required

Learn Out of the Box has built proven program pathways, and now we want to translate that into a compelling funding proposition. The role demands a builder's mindset and comfort with ambiguity. The incumbent will need to develop fundraising frameworks, systems, and narratives from scratch while simultaneously pursuing active funding conversations. They will need to work across internal teams to gather data, build the case, and meet donor requirements. As the unit grows, they will shift from individual contributor to team leader, hiring and developing fundraising staff.

Key Responsibilities

• Establish and lead the fundraising unit:Design the structure, systems, and processes for the fundraising function. Develop an annual fundraising plan with targets across multiple streams, and ensure the unit operates with clear goals and reporting frameworks.
• Develop and execute the fundraising strategy: Identify priority funding opportunities, define the program's value proposition for different funder segments, and develop a pipeline of prospects. Continuously refine the strategy based on funder feedback and evolving program priorities.
• Mobilise government grants: Map relevant central and state government grant schemes applicable to education and technology programs. Develop relationships with relevant departments and agencies, prepare grant applications, and manage the compliance and reporting obligations tied to government funding.
• Cultivate private donors and institutional foundations: Identify individual donors, philanthropic foundations, and institutional funding partners aligned with the program's mission. Build and manage relationships, develop specific proposals and concept notes, and nurture long-term giving commitments.
• Drive CSR partnerships: Identify corporates with CSR mandates that align with Learn Out of the Box's focus on education and technology. Develop pitches and partnership proposals, negotiate agreements.
• Proposal writing and grant management:Lead the development of high-quality proposals, concept notes, expressions of interest, and grant applications. Ensure timely submission and manage post-award grant compliance, progress reporting, and relationship continuity with funders.
• Build and manage the fundraising team:As the unit grows, recruit, onboard, and mentor fundraising staff.
• Collaborate across the program: Work closely with the program leadership team and the relevant teams to gather data and develop required reports.
• Any other activities as per the requirements of the program.

Required Skills and Experience

• 8-10 years of experience in fundraising, resource mobilisation, or development work, with a demonstrated track record of independently closing funding commitments from diverse sources
• Proven experience working with at least two of the three funding streams: government grants, private or institutional donors, and corporate CSR, experience across all three is strongly preferred
• Strong proposal writing and grant management skills, including experience developing concept notes, full proposals, and post-award compliance documentation
• A degree in management, communications, or a related field
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, manage a pipeline, and deliver results
• Strong interpersonal and networking skills, with the ability to build and sustain relationships with government officials, foundation representatives, and corporate decision-makers
• Experience in leading a small team; comfort transitioning from individual contributor to team manager as the unit scales

Reporting

The Senior Manager, Fundraising & Partnerships, will report to the Program Head. The leadership team will be closely involved with the incumbent, providing programmatic context, facilitating introductions to stakeholders, and actively partnering on funding conversations.

Working Details and Remuneration

• Remuneration will be commensurate with the candidate's experience and demonstrated fundraising track record
• The role will be based in Delhi and is an office-based position
• The role will require regular travel for donor meetings, government engagements, program visits, and external events

To Apply

• Interested candidates should submit their application through the link provided by Pratham
• Link: https://forms.gle/6Wq6daHF8SdTeG146
• Please sign in with your Gmail account to access the link

Further Queries

• For any queries or clarifications, please contact Girdhar Thakur (E.[Confidential Information], M. +91 80108 88092)
• Due to the high volume of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted