Program Lead

About The Convergence Foundation

The Convergence Foundation (TCF) is an Indian philanthropic foundation dedicated to catalysing rapid and sustained economic growth to enhance the lives of all Indians. Established by Ashish and Manisha Dhawan in April 2021, TCF builds on their legacy of impactful philanthropy, including the founding of transformative institutions like Ashoka University and the Central Square Foundation.

Our mission is clear: to transform the lives of all Indians through rapid, sustained, and inclusive economic growth. To achieve this, we focus on seven key program areas that influence job creation, human capital development through education and skilling, and strengthening state capacity to deliver outcomes.

In each area, TCF works on:

• Building pioneering institutions to address India's most complex socio-economic challenges.
• Shaping the larger ecosystem and sharing knowledge, insights and learning with other philanthropists, governments and key stakeholders

We believe that the government is the key actor for system change, and the role of philanthropy i

Required Qualifications, Skills, and Attributes:

Qualifications -

• Experience: Minimum 6 years of experience, with prior stints in top-tier consulting firms or strategy roles in fast-paced environments (start-ups, VCs, etc.); experience of working with the government is highly desirable
• Education: Bachelors from a top-tier institution; Masters degree preferred

Skills -

• Strategic Thinking: Proficient in creating long-term strategy plans and implementation roadmaps across a variety of verticals and projects. Comfortable with building structure and solutions to complex, ambiguous problems
• Problem Solving: Demonstrated innovative problem-solving skills in complex environments
• Analytical and Technical skills: Able to work with data and tools to generate insights
• Curiosity: Enjoys learning new areas of work through research, experts consultations, etc.
• Ownership: Capable of owning and delivering major initiatives independently
• Communication Skills: Superior communication skills with the ability to negotiate and persuade high-level stakeholders. High quality knowledge outputs, especially presentations and policy briefs
• Project Management: Proven ability to manage multiple workstreams in dynamic, fast-paced environments
• Collaboration and Stakeholder Management: Proficient with engaging and building meaningful relationships. Role requires collaborating with senior and junior govt officials, partner organizations, industries, advisors, and TCF senior leadership
• Leadership: Lead and mentor internal TCF team members as well as guide teams/individuals from partner organizations
• Adaptability: Exceptionally adaptable, with the ability to adjust strategies in response to changing conditions

Attributes -

• Passionate about TCFs mission and driven to make a measurable impact on India's growth trajectory through policy reform and government engagement
• Perseverance and patience to work through challenging problem statements, a variety of stakeholders, and dynamic situations
• Focused on outcomes by being proactive in identifying opportunities/challenges, reaching out to the right set of people, taking required actions, and measuring outcomes
• Integrity and discretion in handling sensitive situations and confidential information
• Credible and trustworthy demeanour that fosters respect, confidence, and lasting relationships with diverse stakeholders

Location: Bhubaneswar; Travel within Odisha on need basis

The TCF Network includes 20+ organisations, each committed to addressing specific areas of India's socio-economic development, from school education and governance to women's economic empowerment and export competitiveness.