Program Lead - Food System, India

Summary

Were looking for a strategic leader to driveour new Food System program in India, focused on building climate-aligned,sustainable food value chains. Our goal is to increaseprivate sector demand for sustainable and responsible food value chains inIndia. Based in New Delhi, this role will shape our strategy, leadhigh-impact partnershipsparticularly in the rice and dairy sectorsand build amulti-stakeholder coalition to accelerate private sector action. Youll workclosely with businesses, policymakers, and civil society to deliver systemicchange, while collaborating with our global teams. Were prioritisingcandidates who can join soon.

About Climate Group

Climate Group is an international organisation, and we wantto reflect that in our staff. People who work for us, and people who apply,need to feel heard, safe, and included. That is why we are committed to equity,diversity and inclusion throughout our application process and in our offices.We welcome applicants that are diverse in terms of age, gender identity, sexualorientation, physical or mental ability, ethnicity and perspective.

Climate Group drives climate action. Fast. Ourgoal is a world of net zero carbon emissions by 2050, with greater prosperityfor all.

We focus on systems with the highest emissionsand where our networks have the greatest opportunity to drive change. We dothis by building large and influential networks and holding organisationsaccountable, turning their commitments into action.

We share what we achieve together to show moreorganisations what they could do. We are an international non-profitorganisation, founded in 2004, with offices in London, New Delhi, New York, Amsterdam,and Beijing.

About the role

Our Food System program aims to catalysesystemic private sector action sustainably in Indias food sector. It will doso by creating a credible evidence base of industry action, engender programmaticalignment between institutions operating in this space, and by enabling greaterimpetus for voluntary corporate commitments. Among allied industry sectors in theFood System, there will be a special focus of engagement with rice and dairysector companies as well.

An immediate objective is to create a multi-stakeholdercoalition of mutually reinforcing partnerships and commitments that will enablehigher ambition and action from the private sector, while also protecting the environment, improvingfood nutrition and addressing livelihood impacts caused due to such changes in ourfood system.

The role will facilitatehigh-level CXO/ CSO dialogues through meetings and workshops for deepening engagementwith the private sector, and with the public sector actors. It will leverage ongoingresearch and existing knowledge to refine our strategies and establishpartnerships with key stakeholders. It will involve the designing of andconvening the multi-stakeholder coalition platform, securing industry partnershipsfrom major food companies, and establishing monitoring mechanisms to measure impactand enhance transparency.

Towards building thecoalition, the role will work with team of associates, a project manager and aresearch organisation partner. Besides driving strategies for extensive industryengagement with food companies in the value chain, the responsibilities alsoentail evaluating sustainability reports, Indias Business Responsibilityand Sustainability Reporting(BRSR) mandates andthe evolving nature of Environment Social and Governance (ESG) imperatives, examiningglobal and domestic standards/frameworks, and establishing a governancestructure for the coalition.

Cultivating philanthropicrelations, expanding programmatic work and nurturing the growth of the FoodSystem team in India are some of the key responsibilities. We are building ournew program on Food, and are hoping to emulate the journey of RE100, EP100,EV100, SteelZero and ConcreteZero. This is an India-focussed role.

Key responsibilities

Therole will report to the Director of Systems Change in India and shall work closelywith our global lead on Food System. Your key activities will include:

Project Management & Delivery

• Lead the Food program in India to ensure timely delivery ofproject milestones and deliverables, financial reporting and budget forecasting,and operational plans. Providing mentorship to the team in delivering ourprojects effectively, and in guiding them in their development is key to thisjob role.
• Manage relationships with internal stakeholders in India andglobally, including regular program reviews and reporting.
• Maintain relationships with external stakeholders such asIndia-based partners including industry associations, NGOs, think-tanks foreffective delivery of our projects.
• Contribute to organizational knowledge through marketresearch, articles and blogs.

Program Development & Strategy

• Develop and expand our strategy with new ways of corporateengagement and advocacy, including engagement with industry associations,coalitions, CSOs, NGOs, research and think-tank organizations, and otherindustry-facing programs.
• Lead the Food System team to drive corporate outreach, engagement,membership design, while liaising with global teams.
• Cultivate positive relationships and communication with businessesto maximize their involvement in our work and leverage it for new membershipdesign for the Food System in India.
• Conduct and lead regular meetings between senior members ofpartner organizations.
• Provide predictive and analytical advice on key issues onenergy, climate policy and the interconnected role of businesses. Provideregular briefings and represent Climate Group at key leadership forums.
• Develop researched material, prepare regular policy briefsand develop or refurbish existing toolkits and templates for effectiveengagement in our ongoing projects.
• Develop the team for thought-leadership and buildorganizational capacities.

Fundraising & Finance

• Develop new concepts whilst ensuring resources are in placeto implement India strategy, while also collaborating with the global fundraisingteam for new project and program development.
• Lead the team to support maintaining funder relations notjust through impactful project delivery, but also with regular check-ins andideation meetings.
• Drive timely financial reporting and budget forecastingrelated projects.
• Working with internal teams to ensure timely payment offinancial commitment from donors, payments to vendors, and monetary contributionsfrom companies.

Communications & Events

• Lead the team in delivering impactful meetings, workshops andconferences.
• Work with the India and global teams to ensure thatcommunications and events align and support the aims of the project and theteams mission.
• Support effective external communication of the programs and theirimpacts through articles, blogs, X feeds, LinkedIn, etc. with support fromIndia and global Communications teams.
• Represent the organization when required to externalstakeholders in conference calls and conferences.

About you

Were looking for astrategic, mission-driven leader with a strong track record in programdevelopment, stakeholder engagement, and team management. Youre passionateabout climate action , and ready to drive change at scale.

You possess an academicfoundation in food systems, value chains, or food technology, complemented byrelevant research or analytical experience with a focus on climate,sustainability, or developmental impact. You have a demonstrable understandingof the food system in India or globally and have engaged with businesses tosupport transitions toward more sustainable practices.

Your professionalbackground includes working with food producers or processing companiessuch asthose in the dairy, rice, or related sectorsand collaborating with publicinstitutions or government stakeholders. You approach complex challenges with asystems lens and are adept at building cross-sectoral partnerships to drivemeaningful outcomes.

We value strengths andthe desire to learn if you meet the majority of the criteria listed below,please apply.

Essential:

• Strategic thinker with experience in program design and delivery
• Strong private sector engagement skills, especially at senior levels
• Proven leadership and team management experience
• Excellent communication and relationship-building abilities
• Ability to work independently and manage complex projects
• Analytical mindset with a problem-solving approach
• Commitment to Climate Groups mission

Desirable:

• Experience in understanding broader climate and sustainability
• Familiarity with ESG, BRSR, and corporate commitment campaigns
• Experience with advocacy, capacity building, or technical assistance
• Experience in developing knowledge products, webinars, and workshops
• Proficiency with CRM tools, virtual platforms, and social media

Our location

Youll be based in our New Delhi office and willenjoy the benefits of flexible and hybrid working: 3 days in the office and 2 days from home.

Therole will require occasional international travel.

What we offer

Our people are at the heart of what we do.Youll be joining a global community of bold, ambitious doers who are committedto driving climate action fast.

This is a full-time position.

Many of our people work flexibly in manydifferent ways, including part-time. Please talk to us at interview about yourpreferred ways of working and if we can make it work for the role and withinthe team then we will.

The salary offered is ₹26,85,899to ₹32,82,700 per annum, based on experience.

In addition to the rewards youll find fromworking with friendly, passionate people wholl challenge and help you grow, weoffer a fantastic benefits package:

Apply now

Submityour application here.

Your application should includeyour CV and a one-page cover letter covering how you can help us shape ClimateGroups strategy on our Food System program in India. It should cover whyyou would like to work with Climate Group and how your experience, skills andknowledge relate to the competencies outlined above.

Ifyou need any further information, require the job advert in an accessible format,or need additional support at any stage of the recruitment process, please contactAtul Mudaliar, Director of Systems Change, India, amudaliar@theclimategroup.org.

Theclosing date for applications is midnight on Tuesday, 22 July 2025. Wellbe holding interviews on a rolling basis, therefore welcome and encourage earlyapplications.

Therequisite eligibility criteria, or work visa to work in India are a requirementfor this position and no relocation and/or sponsorship costs will be borne byClimate Group.