Program Director

Program Director LABS, Outreach and Partnership – India/ Vietnam/ Cambodia/ Indonesia

IDH is seeking a dynamic Director for the Life and Building Safety (LABS) Initiative to lead the strategic and operational delivery of this ambitious global program. LABS aims to drive systemic change in building safety across the apparel, textile, and footwear sectors, reducing preventable structural, fire, and electrical safety risks in factories.

As the LABS Director, you will play a pivotal role in managing the operational delivery and expanding the reach and impact of the LABS Initiative globally. In addition to overseeing day to day operations, the Director will be instrumental in shaping the strategic direction of LABS, ensuring alignment with global sustainability goals and industry best practices. This position is responsible for building and nurturing strategic partnerships, onboarding new member brands and stakeholders, and enhancing LABS’ visibility and credibility across the apparel, textile, and footwear industries.

A key focus will be on deepening engagement with existing member brands while proactively identifying and securing new opportunities for collaboration and growth. The Director will ensure ongoing value delivery to the 5 member brands (being VF Corporation, Nike, Walmart, Gap and Amazon) (the ‘’LABS’’ Steering Committee’’), through transparent communication on progress, strategy, country level decisions, challenges and measurable impact, fostering trust and accountability.

Main responsibilities:

Operational Delivery

• Ensure operational excellence in all LABS countries
• Manage a multi country program delivery and delivery of the LABS 2030 strategy.
• Responsible for financial management, budgeting and resource allocation.
• Building and leading a team of local leaders and talent development.

Strategic Outreach & Engagement

• Create strategic partnerships with other safety initiatives, ministries, retailers, brands, multinational organizations, engineering firms, academia and universities to enhance LABS’ credibility and expand its geographic/sectoral reach.
• Lead global outreach efforts to engage new brands, retailers, and industry stakeholders.
• Represent LABS at international forums, conferences, and industry events to promote the initiative’s mission and impact.

Partnership Development

• Identify, initiate, and manage strategic partnerships with industry associations, civil society organizations, and multilateral institutions.
• Facilitate collaboration with global and regional governments, civil society and similar stakeholders to align safety standards and best practices.

Regional Policy Advocacy

• Collaborate closely with the LABS country teams to build and strengthen capacities to embed the LABS Standards locally.
• Manage a transition roadmap for country adoption of safety management practices and advocate for local policy adoption while considering the operational aspects of this.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders, including, brands and retailers, industry leaders, government officials, civil society, and other partners.

Cross-Country Coordination

• Work closely with LABS country teams to ensure alignment of global outreach efforts with local implementation.
• Facilitate knowledge sharing and best practice exchange across countries and regions.

Who you are.

• You are a strategic and adaptive leader who thrives in complex, multi-stakeholder environments.
• Effectively balance multiple priorities and manage diverse tasks across different country contexts and operational demands.
• Adapt quickly to changing priorities, remaining solution-oriented while maintaining focus on long-term goals.
• Be able to build trust and maintain open communication with stakeholders—navigating diverse perspectives and occasionally conflicting interests with diplomacy, transparency, and integrity.
• You are energized by collaboration and impact-driven work, with a natural ability to connect strategy with implementation in a dynamic international setting.

What you bring.

• Minimum 15 years of experience (10 + years at senior leadership positions) in stakeholder engagement, partnerships, or business development, preferably in the apparel, textile and footwear sector.
• Experience with health and safety, technical safety programs and muti stakeholder initiatives.
• Demonstrable ESG, policy, or labour rights knowledge.
• Proven track record of managing a multi country operational delivery and budget management.
• Proven track record of building and managing high-level partnerships across geographies with an entrepreneurial approach.
• Strong understanding of global supply chains, ESG frameworks, and corporate sustainability trends.
• Excellent communication skills and public speaking in English.
• Experience working in multicultural environments and with cross-functional teams.
• Willingness to travel internationally (30%).
• A degree in Engineering – civil/ fire/ electrical is an advantage.

We offer you

A challenging, pivotal role within an impacting, international organisation.

The selected candidate will be based in one of the countries where the LABS Initiative is currently active: India, Vietnam, Cambodia, or Indonesia.

The compensation and benefits package will follow IDH’s policies in the country of employment, ensuring consistency with our global approach while reflecting local conditions.

The offered salary will be in local currency, aligned with IDH’s compensation structure in the respective country (India/ Vietnam/ Cambodia/ Indonesia). As a reference, the annual gross salary is approximately EUR 60,000, adjusted to local market standards.

Interested?

• Would you like to apply? Please follow this link and submit your application. https://stichtingidh.careers.hibob.com/jobs/c396728a-8ee6-402d-a1b1-352bc4dcf986
• We encourage applicants to respond

  before 01/08/2025

  . In the event that the right applicant is found, the application link may be closed earlier.
• Important note: In order to comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), we do not proceed your applications via email/ LinkedIn with attached CVs, and motivational letters. We kindly request that you submit your application link shared as above. This process ensures that we can review your application while safeguarding your personal information in accordance with GDPR regulations.
• For more questions about the role and organization, please contact Phat Nguyen at phatnguyen@idhtrade.org

Who we are.

About LABS:

Life and Building Safety (LABS) Initiative

About IDH:

IDH seeks to transform markets through collaborative innovation, convening and investment in inclusive and sustainable solutions that enable businesses to create value for people and planet. To achieve this, IDH brings together coalitions of committed stakeholders from across global value chains towards joint visions and program agendas for sustainable trade.

IDH’s international presence extends to multiple regions and landscapes, facilitated by a network of around 400 staff including experts who are embedded in key agricultural, manufacturing, apparel and commodity value chains. In 15 years of operation, IDH has mobilized private sector investment and support to test and innovate new business models designed to create better jobs, better incomes, a better environment, and gender equity for all.

For more information, go to http://www.idh.org or follow @IDHTrade on LinkedIn and Instagram. To learn more about the work of IDH Investment Development Team, please visit: https://idh.org/investment-solutions/investment-development

Our commitment to safeguarding

The offer of the role will be made subject to receipt of satisfactory references, proof of relevant qualifications, identification checks and other safeguarding checks including background checks overseas (where appropriate). IDH also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms his/her understanding of these recruitment procedures.

At IDH, we're committed to equal employment opportunity, and we prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, colour, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression, or veteran status. We strive to be a more equal opportunity workplace every day.