Country Director - India
Modern People Solutions (MPS) is a Fractional HR and Recruitment Advisory firm. We specialize in working with companies in the heavy equipment industry, not-for-profit, and professional services sectors. Our goal is to connect amazing employees and candidates together for long-term success.
We are proud to support a mission-driven international not-for-profit organization, Operation Eyesight Universal, in the search for a strategic and experienced Country Director – India. This impactful role provides strategic and operational leadership for OEU's programmes across India, Bangladesh, and Nepal, driving governance, compliance, resource mobilization, and sound financial management while strengthening government and stakeholder relationships.
The Country Director – India will drive high-impact programmes across diverse geographies, manage a diverse donor base with strong donor stewardship, and build partnerships with eye health hospitals and grassroots NGOs. This role also leads and mentors a high-performing team, enhances the visibility of OEU's work, and helps build sustainable community eye health systems that eliminate avoidable blindness.
What Does The Opportunity Look Like?
The Country Director – India provides strategic and operational leadership for Operation Eyesight Universal across India, Bangladesh, and Nepal. The role exists to translate OEU's global vision into impactful country strategies, ensuring governance, compliance, resource mobilization, and sound financial management while strengthening government and stakeholder relationships.
Reporting to the Director, International Programmes, Partnerships & Impact - and working closely with the India Board of Directors - this role provides strategic leadership across programme quality, MEL and MIS, resource mobilization, government relations, people leadership, financial management, and HR.
This position is based in Hyderabad, India (Head Office), with frequent travel across project states and periodic travel to Bangladesh and Nepal, supervising the South Asia Team across Programmes, Finance & Administration, HR, MIS, Fundraising/Resource Mobilization, and Communications.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership & Governance:
- Lead strategic planning for OEU India, translating the Global Strategy into an actionable country programme strategy, and lead the Country Programme Management Team in key decisions on programming, finance, and MEL.
- Coordinate closely with the India Board of Directors - reporting regularly against strategy, targets and budget - and ensure FCRA and all other statutory compliance across India, Bangladesh and Nepal.
Programme Management, MEL & MIS:
- Guide programme design and delivery using Theory of Change, Logical Framework, Project Cycle Management, and strong public health and inclusion expertise (gender, disability, vulnerable groups).
- Drive evidence-based decision-making through MIS, data triangulation, and baseline-endline surveys (e.g., RAAB/RAVI), monitoring performance against targets, budgets and donor standards.
Resource Mobilization, Grants & Donor Management:
- Identify fundraising opportunities and lead concept notes, proposals, and grants management across the country portfolio, ensuring compliance with donor agreements and internal controls.
- Manage a diverse donor base - institutional, corporate, government and individual - with strong donor stewardship and reporting at state and national level.
Government Liaison, Representation & Partnerships:
- Provide strong government liaison at national and state levels, building multi-stakeholder alliances with government bodies, hospitals, and NGOs, and leading related workshops and consultations.
- Represent OEU at sector forums such as VISION 2020: The Right to Sight, enhancing OEU's visibility through media engagement and knowledge-sharing.
People, Financial & HR Leadership:
- Lead, build and mentor a diverse team across Programmes, Finance, Administration and HR, with clear targets, regular appraisals, and support for staff growth and well-being.
- Ensure sound financial stewardship and internal controls, and implement key HR policies (e.g., Equal Opportunities, Child/Vulnerable Person Protection) in practice, not just on paper.
What Are We Looking For?
- Master's degree in Sociology, Postgraduate Diploma in Rural Management or Development, MBA, Master of Public Health (MPH), Master of Health Administration (MHA), or MBA in Healthcare with a concentration in community health, health management, or a related discipline.
- 15–20 years of experience in the development sector, including at least 5 years in a senior leadership role with medium-to-large INGOs, NGOs, or development agencies; experience in the eye health sector is an asset.
- Proven track record leading regional, diverse community development programmes at the grassroots level, managing large institutional grants, diverse donor portfolios, and complex, multidisciplinary teams.
- Experience developing funding proposals and reports for grants, foundations, private donors and public funders.
- Experience managing diverse teams spanning Programmes, Finance, Administration and HR.
- A strong strategist, negotiator and team-builder, with strong knowledge of grants management, statutory compliance (including FCRA), MIS/data management, and Theory of Change / Logical Framework / Project Cycle / Monitoring & Evaluation.
- Outstanding written and oral communication and presentation skills in English, with the ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders including advisory groups, coalitions, forums and practitioner networks.
- Nice-to-have qualifications include prior experience in the eye health or broader global health sector, multi-country programme leadership across South Asia, and experience negotiating with National/State/District Administrations.
What's In It For You?
- Opportunity to lead a mission-driven organization's work across three countries, directly advancing the elimination of avoidable blindness.
- A strategic leadership role shaping country strategy, governance, and long-term programme sustainability in close partnership with the Board and global leadership.
- The chance to build and mentor a high-performing, multidisciplinary team across Programmes, Finance, HR, MIS and Communications.
- Influence over a diversified donor portfolio, with the opportunity to shape resource mobilization and grants strategy at a national and regional level.
- A high-visibility role representing OEU with governments, hospitals, NGOs and international forums such as VISION 2020: The Right to Sight.
- Professional growth through cross-country exposure, sector representation, and leadership within a 60+ year-old international development organization.
Location: Hyderabad, India (Head Office), with frequent travel across project states and periodic travel to Bangladesh and Nepal.
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