Position: National Manager- Individual Partnerships (Acquisition)
Functional Area: Resources
Location: New Delhi
Experience: 10+ Years
Reporting: Chief Resource Officer/Head Individual Partnerships
About Smile Foundation:
Smile Foundation is an Indian development organization working for the welfare of underserved children and their families through intensive programmes focused on education, healthcare, skilling and women empowerment. We work as a catalyst in the cycle of change, complementing and supplementing government efforts, in alignment with the SDGs and ESG. We sensitize and partner with like-minded institutions and individuals to implement high-impact programmes that enable access, enhance quality and help bring long term behavioral change at the grassroots.
Started in 2002 by a group of young corporate professionals, today Smile Foundation has evolved into a national level development organization impacting lives of over 10 million underserved children and families every year. With a project presence in 27 states across India, 10 offices in strategic locations, and we have a team of 1000+ employees including more than 120 programme officers, 4000+ on-ground facilitators from over 350 community-based organizations, besides countless volunteers, well-wishers, and supporters.
The organization holds Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic & Social Council (ECOSOC) since 2012, is a member of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), and is accredited with global organizations like GuideStar, United Way Worldwide, CAF America, Give2Asia, Global Giving, Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA), and TISS. We have also been consistently rated among the top non-profits in the country by several forums.
We have been awarded more than 70 times by reputed institutions such as ASSOCHAM (Associated Chambers of Commerce), ICAI (Institute of Chartered Accountants of India), ICSI, (Institute of Company Secretaries of India), India Today RPG Group, and Business World. Furthermore, continuously for the past three years Smile has been certified as a Great Place to Work! Organization considered a Gold Standard in recognizing great workplace cultures.
Beyond the numbers, in alignment with our bottom-up approach of development and our belief in achieving change that is sustainable and scalable, we have handheld, trained and empowered 1000+ grassroots social initiatives and community-based organizations across the country, many of which are now self-sustainable, and carrying the baton of change forward.
Our vision?
Over the next few years, we are envisioning to scale our impact to reach out to more vulnerable children and their families across India, by inspiring greater social action through a multi-stakeholder approach, involving individuals, businesses, schools, government stakeholders and more.
People, technology and data would be at the centre stage of every endeavour of Smile – we wish to establish as a unique organization in the social development space.
We are aiming at deeper and more diverse partnerships and collaborations with the business world in areas including CSR investment, ESG spending, shared value, impact investment, philanthropic partnerships and social stock investment. In order to create more impact on ground which is not being served through existing CSR Funding, we like to develop a loyal individual supporter base to strengthen the sustainability of the organization.
About the Role
The National Manager- Individual Partnerships would be accountable for building and sustaining channel partner-led donations that generate consistent and ethical unrestricted funding for the organization. The role focuses on activation of funding through SMEs, retail establishments, mallbased, and public donation events, developing individual donor base for the organization who shall become loyal advocates for Smile Foundation.
This role goes beyond execution and requires strategic ownership of channels , scalability, and governance. The incumbent is expected to create repeatable models for donation origination, ensure strong partner relationships, and establish systems that protect donor trust, maintain the highest level of regulatory compliance and enhance organizational credibility.
The role demands deep field orientation, which will include but not limited to engagement with mall owners/authority, retail locations, co-working offices, any other relevant private spaces and potential partner sites. The manager shall be responsible for identifying and onboard agencies across the country who can partner Smile Foundation in ethical individual fund-raising.
It also requires strong internal leadership, aligning teams, managing vendors and volunteers, and ensuring that all channel activities are compliant, transparent, and auditable.
As a functional head, the role carries responsibility for decision-making, GTM, market mapping, marketing strategy, GTM, escalation management, and performance accountability across all avenues of fundraising. Success is measured not only by donation volumes, but also by nurturing channel partners, cost efficiency, compliance strength, and quality of donor experience.
Key Role & Responsibilities
- Provide strategic direction for all channel partner–led donation models.
- Own the end-to-end channel lifecycle: creation, onboarding, performance management, and scale-up.
- Drive innovation in SME and retail donation models and public giving formats.
- Identify, onboard, and manage SMEs, retail partners, malls, and event facilitators as donation channels.
- Build long-term, trust-based relationships to ensure repeat and sustained engagement.
- Act as the final escalation point for partner-related issues.
- Lead planning and execution of mall kiosks, public donation drives, and event-based activations.
- Ensure seamless coordination across permissions, logistics, volunteers, vendors, and partners.
- Review event performance and optimise for efficiency and donor experience.
- Establish and enforce SOPs for partner onboarding, donation handling, reconciliation, and reporting.
- Ensure adherence to internal financial controls, legal requirements, and ethical standards.
- Work closely with Finance and Internal Teams to ensure transparency and audit readiness.
- Lead, mentor, and develop the channel partner and field activation teams.
- Set clear goals, review performance, and build leadership capability within the team.
Skills, Qualification & Experience
- Graduate or Postgraduate degree in Management, Social Work, Development Studies, Commerce, or a related discipline.
- Exposure to retail operations, field fundraising, sales channels, or activation-based models preferred.
- 15 years of experience in channel partner management, retail/SME engagement, field fundraising, or activation-led roles.
- Hands-on experience in creating and managing SME, retail, and mall-based donation channels.
- Experience in planning and executing public-facing donation events, kiosks, or on-ground campaigns.
- Experience in vendor coordination, volunteer deployment, and multi-location operations.
- Working knowledge of donation handling, reconciliation processes, and basic regulatory requirements applicable to nonprofits.
- Practical knowledge of channel partner onboarding and lifecycle management.
- Ability to manage on-ground logistics, permissions, and event operations.
- Familiarity with financial documentation, reconciliation formats, and reporting requirements.
- Working proficiency in basic data tracking, dashboards, and MIS reporting.
- Functional understanding of nonprofit fundraising compliance and internal control systems.
Competency
- Strategic Thinking: Ability to design, evaluate, and scale Individual donations in sustained manner instead of one-time activations. Deep Understanding Channel partner nurturing, retention and expansion.
- Leadership & People Management: Leads teams through clarity, ownership, and accountability. Capable of developing field leaders, managing performance, and building a culture of discipline and ethical conduct.
- Partner Relationship Management: Builds long-term, trust-based relationships with SMEs, retail partners, mall authorities, and event facilitators. Handles negotiations, expectations, and conflict resolution with maturity.
- Operational Excellence: Strong ability to manage complex on-ground operations involving logistics, permissions, vendors, volunteers, and timelines—without compromising quality or controls.
- Governance & Compliance Orientation: Demonstrates high sensitivity to donation handling, reconciliation, audit readiness, and regulatory compliance. Ensures processes are followed consistently across locations and partners.
- Execution with Accountability: Takes full ownership of outcomes. Tracks performance rigorously, addresses underperformance early, and ensures delivery against agreed targets and timelines.
How to Apply:
Share your CV/Profile with a brief note (cover letter) telling why you find yourself a right fit for the role, with the subject line {Your Name}- <Position Applied> at jobs@smilefoundationindia.org Last date of Applications is: (Date)
Smile Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer however women candidates are encouraged to apply.
Please Note: Only shortlisted candidates would be contacted by the Human Resources Team