Senior Lead - Strategic Partnerships and Policy

• Designation: Senior Lead – Strategic Partnerships and Policy
• Organization: SwitchON Foundation
• Location: Kolkata, West Bengal / Hybrid
• Work Experience: 10-12 years in strategic partnerships, policy engagement, government relations, sustainability, development, or related fields
• Compensation: 16-20 Lakhs per annum
• Language Proficiency: Proficiency in English; Hindi and Bengali preferred

Position Summary

The Senior Lead – Strategic Partnerships and Policy will be responsible for building and strengthening SwitchON Foundation's strategic partnerships, institutional relationships, and policy engagement across the climate, sustainability, development, and clean energy ecosystem.

The role will involve identifying and developing high-value partnerships with government institutions, corporates, development agencies, philanthropic organizations, research institutions, industry bodies, and other ecosystem stakeholders. The incumbent will also contribute to SwitchON's policy engagement by tracking emerging policy developments, identifying strategic opportunities, supporting policy advocacy, and representing the organization in relevant forums and stakeholder platforms.

The role requires strong strategic thinking, relationship-building capabilities, policy understanding, business development skills, and the ability to work closely with senior leadership and cross-functional teams to convert strategic opportunities into meaningful partnerships and impact.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic Partnerships & Relationship Management

• Develop and implement strategies to build and strengthen SwitchON Foundation's institutional and strategic partnerships

• Identify potential partners aligned with SwitchON's thematic areas and organizational priorities

• Build and maintain strong relationships with government departments, development agencies, corporates, CSR foundations, philanthropies, research institutions, academia, industry bodies, startups, and other ecosystem stakeholders

• Identify opportunities for collaborative programs, strategic alliances, research initiatives, advisory engagements, and knowledge partnerships

• Manage relationships with existing strategic partners and identify opportunities for deeper collaboration

• Coordinate and participate in high-level stakeholder meetings, consultations, roundtables, conferences, and partnership discussions

• Maintain a structured database and tracking mechanism for strategic stakeholders, partnerships, and engagement opportunities

2.Policy Engagement & Advocacy

• Track emerging policies, regulations, government priorities, and developments relevant to climate, clean energy, sustainable agriculture, green livelihoods, and industry decarbonization

• Identify opportunities for SwitchON to contribute to policy discussions and government consultations

• Support the development of policy briefs, position papers, recommendations, consultation responses, and strategic inputs

• Engage with policymakers, government officials, think tanks, research institutions, and industry stakeholders on relevant policy issues

• Represent SwitchON Foundation in policy dialogues, consultations, conferences, workshops, and sector forums as required

• Translate policy developments into actionable insights for internal teams and senior management

• Support SwitchON's positioning as a credible organization contributing to climate and sustainability policy discourse

3. Business Development & Strategic Opportunities

• Identify new partnership, funding, research, advisory, and program opportunities aligned with organizational priorities

• Track relevant government schemes, donor priorities, CSR opportunities, grants, and institutional funding opportunities

• Lead or support the development of concept notes, proposals, partnership documents, technical proposals, and funding applications

• Work closely with program, finance, communications, and leadership teams to develop high-quality proposals and partnership pitches

• Manage opportunities from initial identification and stakeholder engagement through proposal development and closure

• Explore opportunities for multi-stakeholder collaborations and co-created initiatives

4. Government & Institutional Engagement

• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with government departments, public institutions, and relevant authorities

• Support organizational engagement with central and state government stakeholders

• Identify opportunities for collaboration with government programs and initiatives

• Facilitate meetings, consultations, workshops, and discussions with government and institutional stakeholders

• Ensure timely follow-up and coordination on commitments arising from strategic engagements

• Provide leadership with regular updates on key stakeholder relationships, policy developments, and strategic opportunities

5. Research, Knowledge & Strategic Insights

• Contribute to research and knowledge initiatives related to climate action, sustainability, clean energy, agriculture, livelihoods, and other organizational focus areas

• Support the development of policy briefs, position papers, sector reports, landscape assessments, ecosystem studies, strategic insights, and knowledge products

• Work with internal technical teams to translate program implementation experience into policy and strategic recommendations

• Provide strategic inputs to leadership on emerging trends, stakeholder priorities, and policy developments

6. External Representation & Thought Leadership

• Represent SwitchON Foundation in relevant conferences, industry forums, policy dialogues, consultations, and stakeholder meetings

• Support senior leadership in high-level external engagements

• Develop presentations, briefing notes, partnership pitches, and stakeholder communication materials

• Identify opportunities to enhance SwitchON's visibility and thought leadership across the climate and sustainability ecosystem

• Build SwitchON's network and institutional presence through relevant platforms, forums, and strategic engagements

7. Internal Coordination & Team Collaboration

• Work closely with program, research, communications, fundraising, finance, and leadership teams to align partnership and policy priorities

• Facilitate cross-functional coordination for strategic partnership opportunities

• Support team members working on stakeholder engagement, research, and partnership development

• Establish systems for tracking partnerships, stakeholder engagements, opportunities, and deliverables

• Promote knowledge sharing and collaboration across teams

Qualifications, Experience & Skills

• Education:

Master’s degree or higher in Public Policy, Climate Policy, Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering, Economics, Sustainability, Development Studies, International Relations, or related disciplines.

Additional qualifications in policy, sustainability, management, or development will be an advantage.

• Experience:

Minimum of 10–12 years of relevant professional experience in strategic partnerships, public policy, government engagement, sustainability, climate action, development consulting, institutional partnerships, or related fields.

Demonstrated experience in managing relationships with senior stakeholders and institutional partners.

Prior experience working with government institutions, development agencies, corporates, donors, foundations, research institutions, or industry bodies.

Experience in proposal development, fundraising, business development, partnership development, or institutional engagement.

Experience in policy research, advocacy, or stakeholder engagement will be preferred.

• Skills:

Strong strategic thinking and stakeholder management capabilities.

Excellent relationship-building, negotiation, and influencing skills.

Strong understanding of climate, sustainability, development, and public policy ecosystems.

Strong proposal writing, presentation, and documentation skills.

Ability to identify and convert strategic opportunities into partnerships.

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

Ability to independently manage multiple stakeholder relationships and priorities.

Ability to work effectively with senior leadership and cross-functional teams.

Reporting Structure

Reports To: Executive Director

Travel Requirements

Open to travel as needed for government and partner meetings, field visits, conferences, policy consultations, workshops, and other strategic engagements.

Compensation

• Annual CTC: Rs 16-20 Lakhs per annum
• Additional Benefits: Reimbursements for official travel and expenses as per organizational policy.

Application Process

To apply, please complete the application form and upload your updated CV to this link: ? https://forms.gle/NmTGoJeumhFeSKkj8

About SwitchON Foundation

Established in 2008, SwitchON Foundation is a pioneering non-profit organisation committed to driving sustainable development through innovative solutions in climate-resilient agriculture, clean energy, green livelihoods, and industry decarbonization. With a passionate team of over 175 professionals, we operate across 10 states in India, empowering communities with climate-smart technologies and practices.

Recognized as a Great Place to Work, SwitchON Foundation takes pride in its inclusive and diverse workplace, with strong representation of women in leadership roles. Our impact is amplified through a combination of innovative programs, social enterprises, and strategic policy advocacy aimed at creating lasting change.

To learn more about our work, please visit: www.switchon.org.in