Program Manager, Strategic Initiatives

SUMMARY

Conservation International is seeking a Program Manager to lead the launch, implementation, and ongoing management of the Future of Work: Youth Employment in Sustainable Ocean Food Systems program.

Future of Work Program

The Future of Work program (“Program”) is a new multi-year initiative of the Standard Chartered Foundation, with Conservation International serving as its Strategic Partner, focused on empowering youth (ages 18-35) through employment and entrepreneurship in ocean food systems. Through a combination of strategic grantmaking, partnership development, and technical assistance, the Program seeks to develop and support a portfolio of partner-led initiatives that deliver meaningful youth employment and economic empowerment outcomes across priority Southeast Asian markets (Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore).

Program Manager Role

The Program Manager leads Strategic Partner functions, serving as the primary interface between Conservation International, Standard Chartered Foundation, and Standard Chartered Bank colleagues, and a network of delivery and funding partners across priority Southeast Asian markets. The role is responsible for programmatic, administrative, and fiscal oversight of activities across the full Program lifecycle including pipeline development, portfolio and grant management, ecosystem building, and oversight of the appointed Learning Partner’s impact measurement and learning function. The Program Manager ensures alignment with Conservation International and donor governance requirements while advancing the Program’s blue economy and inclusive livelihoods priorities across the region.

The Program Lead reports to the Vice President, Nature Finance, oversees the Strategic Partner Implementation Team comprised of Program Officers based in select priority markets, and coordinates closely with other core implementation functions (e.g. finance operations, grants management, branding and communications, account management teams).

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Project Pipeline Development:

• Together with Standard Chartered Foundation, co-designs program grantmaking strategies
• In collaboration with the selected Learning Partner and Standard Chartered Bank market teams, source strategically aligned projects in priority markets
• Leads due diligence, scoring, assessment, and socialisation of prospective delivery partners and prepares and presents project proposals to the Program Steering Committee in line with agreed templates and meeting cadence

Portfolio Management:

• Ensure compliance with CI and donor due diligence and governance requirements across delivery partner portfolio
• Manage and mitigate risk, safeguarding, and environmental safeguards across the portfolio
• Ensure portfolio compliance with CI and donor financial policies, processes, and reporting requirements
• Manages the grant making process and provides financial oversight across the portfolio
• Facilitates connections between delivery partners and Standard Chartered market colleagues

Impact Measurement and Learning:

• Identifies, onboards, and manages the procurement of the Program Learning Partner
• Coordinates Learning Partner delivery of the Theory of Change, MEL framework, and cross-portfolio MEL reporting
• Ensures learning is translated into programme adaptation and strategic decision-making

Ecosystem Building:

• Together with Standard Chartered Foundation, co-creates and supports thought leadership and amplification activities at the regional level
• Supports market-level and regional media and communications in accordance with donor guidance and ensures delivery partners adhere to agreed communication guidelines
• Collaborate with CI partnerships team and Standard Chartered Foundation to realize the Program’s co-funding and broader partnership ambitions

Governance and Reporting:

• Prepares materials for, and represents CI at, Steering Committee, Working Group, and other Program governance forums
• Provides regular progress reports and updates to Standard Chartered Foundation and CI senior management

PEOPLE AND RESOURCEMANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

The Program Manager provides oversight and direction to the CI Program Implementation Team including Program Officers, and coordinates closely with the assigned Account Manager, finance, grants management, communications, and other relevant CI staff and consultants to ensure deliverables meet CI and donor quality standards.

The Program Manager manages the relationship with the appointed Learning Partner, including scope, deliverables, and performance and provides direction and coordination to delivery partners across anchor markets, working closely within-country CI and partner teams.

The Program Manager will have primary responsibility for oversight and management of the Strategic Partner budget, including any sub-awards, sub-grants, and sub-contracts made thereunder.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Education/Experience: Equivalent combination of a bachelor’s degree and five (5) or more years of relevant experience in youth economic empowerment program design and management in an international development context. Advanced degree in a relevant field is preferred.
• Program Design: Demonstrated experience in design, development, and fundraising for economic empowerment and inclusion programs of similar scale and complexity with a focus on young adults (ages 18-35), gender inclusion, and inclusion of persons with disabilities in a Southeast Asian market context. Familiarity with blue economy sector status and trends preferred.
• Program Management: Demonstrated experience and skills in program fiscal, administrative, and governance management, including oversight of regional, multi-partner portfolios against donor compliance requirements. Proven ability to lead and coordinate distributed, multi-disciplinary teams working effectively across time zones, cultures, and reporting lines to keep dispersed staff aligned toward shared program outcomes. Demonstrated ability to work independently under minimal supervision, exercise independent judgement, and manage dynamic and shifting priorities, and adapt quickly while consistently meeting deadlines.
• Grantmaking; Grants Management: Prior experience managing multi-country grant making programs, including portfolio construction, management, and oversight. Familiarity with grant-making, sub-granting, and due diligence processes, including anti-bribery, sanctions, safeguarding, and financial crime compliance requirements.
• Partnerships & Fundraising: Experience in establishment and effective management of partnerships with public and private sector donors and strategic partners, and delivery and implementation organizations including local and international NGOs, civil society organizations, industry associations, impact investors, startups and MSMEs, and other community stakeholders. Demonstrated experience in successful fundraising for similar non-profit programs and effective management of donor networks.
• Communication: Excellent English-language oral and written communication and presentation skills. Advanced-level presentation development skills using Microsoft PowerPoint. Experience delivering effective oral and written presentations to executive-level audiences. Demonstrated ability to translate and communicate complex concepts, data, and information to a diverse range of technical and non-technical audiences. Proven ability to communicate and build relationships effectively across geographically and culturally diverse teams, adapting style and approach to different cultural contexts and working norms across Southeast Asia.

ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

• Demonstrated experience managing corporate foundation, donor, or DFI-funded programmes, ideally within a Strategic Partner or Program Implementation Team model
• Working knowledge of blue economy value chains (ocean/aquatic food systems) and inclusive livelihoods programming in Southeast Asia
• Familiarity with impact investing and blended finance concepts, models, and approaches applied in emerging markets contexts
• Experience overseeing or commissioning a Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) or Learning Partner function, including Theory of Change and adaptive management approaches
• Existing professional networks across Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, and/or demonstrated ability to develop and manage strategic stakeholder relationships across Southeast Asia
• Experience engaging corporate partners (e.g., banks, foundations) and coordinating within-market corporate colleagues
• Working proficiency in one or more of Bahasa Indonesia, Malay/Bahasa Malaysia, Vietnamese would be advantageous to support engagement with regional stakeholders and programme partners

WORKING CONDITIONS

This position will be based in Singapore with periodic regional travel to anchor markets (Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam). Typical office environment with ability to work extended or non-standard hours to meet Program requirements and deadlines.