Program Head - Public Health

About American India Foundation Trust:

About American India Foundation Trust: The American India Foundation Trust (AIF) is committed to improving the lives of India’s underprivileged, with a special focus on women, children, and youth. The Foundation does this through high-impact interventions in education, health, and livelihoods because poverty is multidimensional. Founded over two decades ago, in the aftermath of the devastating Gujarat earthquake, as a humanitarian initiative by the then Prime Minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ji, and the U.S. President, Mr. Bill Clinton, AIF has impacted the lives of 20.47 million of India’s poor across 35 States and Union Territories of India. 

Registered as a Trust in India, with an independent Board of Trustees, AIF adheres to strict financial and governance standards, ensuring transparency, accountability, and responsible management of resources. As per statutory mandates, AIF is registered under 80G and 12A. These registrations and certifications are tangible evidence of the organization's existence, credibility, and compliance with the applicable legal and regulatory frameworks while demonstrating a firm commitment to its vision and mission. Learn more at www.aif-india.org. 

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for AIF’s Public Health portfolio.
• Develop long-term growth strategies and annual operating plans for public health programs.
• Identify emerging opportunities, partnerships, and innovations in public health.
• Ensure alignment of public health initiatives with organizational priorities, donor expectations, and government health agendas.
• Lead the expansion and scaling of successful public health models and interventions.  

• Provide strategic and operational direction for all public health programs, including maternal and child health, HIV/AIDS, and other priority health initiatives.
• Monitor program deliverables, milestones, outcomes, and financial performance across projects.
• Establish monitoring, evaluation, learning, and reporting frameworks for all public health programs.
• Conduct regular field visits to assess implementation quality, strengthen partner capacity, and support problem-solving.
• Provide technical support and mentorship to program teams, fellows, consultants, and implementing partners.
• Facilitate planning, learning exchanges, workshops, and technical reviews with partners and subject matter experts.
• Lead development and management of technical assistance agreements, MoUs, and partner engagements.
• Ensure high-quality donor reporting, program documentation, impact assessments, and knowledge products.
• Support design and implementation of communication and behaviour change interventions where required.

• Develop and implement a long-term fundraising strategy for the Public Health portfolio in alignment with organizational growth objectives. The position needs to closely work with fundraising team. 
• Achieve annual fundraising targets for the Public Health portfolio.
• Lead development of concept notes, grant applications, proposals, budgets, and strategic partnership opportunities.
• Identify and cultivate funding opportunities from CSR partners, foundations, bilateral and multilateral agencies, philanthropies, and high-net-worth individuals.
• Collaborate closely with Strategic Partnerships, Communications, and Program teams to position AIF as a preferred public health partner.
• Support the design of innovative public health initiatives aligned with donor priorities and organizational strategy.
• Ensure timely donor submissions, grant renewals, and funding pipeline management.  

• Serve as the primary relationship manager for key public health donors and funding partners.
• Build, strengthen, and sustain long-term partnerships with donors, foundations, corporate partners, and development agencies.
• Maintain regular engagement with donors to provide updates, share impact, address challenges, and identify opportunities for collaboration.
• Build and nurture relationships with central, state, and local government departments, particularly Health & Family Welfare Departments.
• Represent AIF in meetings, technical working groups, policy forums, conferences, and sector platforms.
• Serve as AIF’s focal point for public health-related engagement with government stakeholders and strategic partners.
• Identify and pursue opportunities for public-private partnerships and government collaborations.
• Facilitate donor visits, government reviews, project launches, and stakeholder engagement events.
• Strengthen AIF’s visibility, credibility, and influence within the public health ecosystem.  

• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing Public Health team.
• Establish clear goals, performance expectations, and development plans for team members.
• Build technical and managerial capacities across the team.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, accountability, and continuous learning.
• Support recruitment, onboarding, succession planning, and retention of talent.
• Ensure adherence to organizational HR policies and performance management systems.  

• Work in partnership with the Finance Head to oversee project budgeting, financial planning, expenditure tracking, forecasting, and reporting to ensure projects are delivered within approved budgets and financial guidelines.
• Lead annual budgeting, financial planning, and resource allocation for the Public Health portfolio.
• Monitor project expenditures and ensure compliance with donor and organizational requirements.
• Oversee grant management, financial reporting, audits, and risk management processes.
• Ensure effective utilization of resources and achievement of program objectives within approved budgets.
• Review quarterly and annual financial reports and support corrective actions where necessary.  

• Represent AIF at national and international public health forums, conferences, and stakeholder meetings.
• Contribute to policy discussions, sector knowledge sharing, and advocacy initiatives.
• Support development of publications, case studies, impact reports, and thought leadership pieces.
• Promote AIF’s public health achievements and strengthen organizational visibility among donors, governments, and partners.  

• Advanced knowledge of public health and development sector issues.
• Strong strategic planning and program leadership skills.
• Proven fundraising and donor management experience.
• Strong government engagement and stakeholder management capabilities.
• Excellent proposal development, grant management, and partnership-building skills.
• Strong financial management and budgeting capabilities.
• Outstanding communication, presentation, negotiation, and networking skills.
• Ability to manage complex multi-state and multi-stakeholder programs.
• Demonstrated experience leading and developing high-performing teams.

• Master’s degree in Public Health, Medicine, Health Management, Development Studies, Public Policy, or related field.
• 12-15 years of relevant experience in public health and development programs, including at least 5 years in a senior leadership role.
• Demonstrated experience managing large-scale public health programs and multi-million-dollar grants.
• Proven track record of fundraising from CSR, foundations, bilateral/multilateral agencies, and philanthropic donors.
• Strong relationships with government health systems and development partners.
• Experience working across multiple states and managing diverse teams.  

• Passion of working for and with the underprivileged and sensitivity to gender and diversity issues.
• Proven analytical skills and strategic thinker, with a vision for sustainability and scalability.
• High level of team management and interpersonal skills and exhibits self-awareness.
• Proficient in MS Office.
• Proven track record of developing and managing high-quality and innovative healthcare programs, with a flair for technology-enabled solutions.
• Excellent written & verbal communication skills; sound representational abilities.
• Aptitude for internal and external networking nationally and internationally. 
• Sound understanding of financial and budget management
• Willing to travel extensively to and within project locations.
• High personal and professional integrity. Exceptional client-service skills.