National Director – India

Habitat for Humanity India is looking for a National Director to lead the National Organization in fulfilling its critical, complex role as a housing expert, convener, and lead implementer of innovative housing solutions. Reporting to the Chair of Habitat for Humanity India’s Board of Trustees and Area Vice President, Asia-Pacific, Habitat for Humanity International.

The National Director must be a compelling, transformative leader with significant NGO or development sector leadership experience.

As National Director (ND) you will be responsible for the overall leadership in the development and execution of the country strategy. The ND is accountable to lead, direct, develop, and manage HFH India’s (HFHIN) resources ensuring quality, effectiveness, and accountability in line with HFHI policies, protocols, and standards. This role is also responsible for developing the capacity of the National Organization to fulfil the purposes of Habitat for Humanity in the designated country. The ND enables sound organizational growth throughout the designated country through effective strategic and operational development, with an emphasis on collaboration, innovation, and quality programming in alignment with HFH India’s strategic goals. The ND will be an effective ambassador and fundraiser for the organization, initiating and developing in-country and regional relationships with the aim of increasing funding opportunities to scale the overall program and maximize impact. The National Director models servant leadership to the National Organization, its volunteers and staff, and its programs and partnerships.

About Habitat for Humanity India

Driven by the vision that everyone needs a decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity began in 1976 as a grassroots effort. The housing organization has since grown to become a leading global nonprofit working in more than 70 countries.

In India since 1983, Habitat for Humanity has supported more than 36 million people by helping them build or improve a place they can call home, build improved sanitation units and provide humanitarian aid and disaster-resilient shelter solutions in the aftermath of natural disasters. Through financial support, volunteering, or adding a voice to support affordable housing, everyone can help families achieve the strength, stability, and self-reliance they need to build better lives for themselves. Through shelter, we empower.

As a National Organization (NO), Habitat for Humanity India is a beacon of housing transformation, articulating a clear vision and strategy in support of national housing goals and Habitat for Humanity’s global mission. The NO convenes and leads public and private coalitions to implement innovative, evidence-based, systemic housing solutions; build public awareness and support; and secure institutional funding in support of these solutions. The NO is an expert in developing and implementing scalable housing solutions, empowering local communities in co-creating sustainable solutions, and deepening sector knowledge of potential solutions and their impact on human development and poverty alleviation.

The National Director is to be based in Mumbai, India with an expectation of 30% time spent travelling domestically or internationally.

The role is offered on national terms and conditions and candidates must have the right to work in India.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Cast a clear and transformative vision of the future of housing to build public and donor support

• Lead the organization in developing a clear vision and ambitious strategy informed by articulated, strategic positions to housing deficits, national housing objectives, and Habitat for Humanity’s Theory of Change and Programmatic Framework.
• Lead the organization in developing strategic positions on national housing deficits and intersecting issues (e.g., urban development, climate change) to inform strategy development in accordance with HFHI Asia Pacific Area Office Strategic Framework.
• Leverage a clearly articulated value proposition to drive public and institutional donor engagement and support of sustainable solutions to housing deficits.

Build a top-tier, people-centric leadership team and an agile, resilient organizational culture

• Recruit a leadership team of highly competent, supportive leaders who can clearly demonstrate a history of driving organizational strategy through technical expertise and prioritizing the care and growth of their teams.
• Ensure that the organizational culture is inclusive and safe, finding strength in diversity of culture, background, and talent and respecting all employees equally.
• Champion an agile, transparent, people-centric organizational culture by modelling this culture together with the national leadership team. Build a cohesive, collaborative leadership culture that models effective decision-making and open dialogue.
• Oversee the implementation of effective talent management, organizational development, and change management infrastructure and processes. Together with the leadership team, drive the development of critical mindsets and behaviours that support an agile, people-centric culture and integration of these expectations with talent management and development processes.

Oversee the implementation and growth of innovative, evidence-based programming

• Lead the organization in implementing and growing innovative, agile programming that delivers on organizational and national housing objectives.
• Secure institutional funding to support evidence-based, innovative, systemic housing solutions.
• Guarantee community empowerment and accountability in all programming through the application of the Theory of Change, Programmatic Framework, and refined M&E in all programming.
• Guarantee a responsive and agile approach to all programming through successful leveraging of sophisticated M&E, strengthening community and stakeholder accountability and continuously improving the organization’s evidence-based approach.

Leverage strategic partnerships to drive multi-sector, national and regional impact

• Leverage Habitat’s global influence and coordinate with other regional and National Organizations to grow key partnerships and strengthen advocacy efforts.
• Strengthen relationship and coordination efforts with national and local governments, NGO leaders, and other key development sector organizations.
• Cultivate and drive strategic, multi-sector coalitions for shelter innovation to advance and scale housing solutions.

Champion good governance and the highest standards of accountability, ethics, and operational excellence

• Provide high-quality leadership and exceptional management in all the areas related to the role.
• Oversee the installation of and adherence to high-quality safeguarding, financial management, procurement, monitoring and evaluation, and other quality control measures. Ensure the organization’s ethical standards adhere to HFHl, international development, and national ordinance requirements.
• Champion an organizational culture of safety, inclusivity, and accountability. Ensure quality control measures, ethics, and related measures and practices function are integrated into staff training and talent management processes.
• Leverage previous experience with NGOs and matrixed governance structures to strengthen alignment and collaboration between HFH India’s board of directors and the global Habitat organization.
• Lead coalitions and implementing partners in establishing shared ethical and quality control standards to actively minimize the risk of harm to Habitat constituents and partners.
• Steward with diligence the local registration and permits that enable the operational status of Habitat India.

Collaborate with the Board

• Work with Board Chairperson to effectively engage the Board to use their specific skills and networks to support the organization.
• Assist the Board of Trustees and sub-committees to make decisions, prepare strategic plans, and create/maintain policies.

Collaborate with HFHI’s Area Office

• Collaborates closely with the Area Office in the operationalization of the country strategy, and follows the guidelines and standards of excellence provided by HFH Intl. in the areas of financial management, talent management, procurement, programmatic design, resource development, reporting, etc.
• Keep the National Affiliation Agreement and the Annual MOU with HFH Intl. updated and ensure compliance thereof.

Required Knowledge and Expertise

• Education: Master’s degree required in a relevant field, such as international development or relations, public administration, management, civil engineering, and/or social sciences.
• Significant, successful international experience including proven effective senior management experience, preferably in the non-profit sector and within the region of posting.
• Community development experience is a distinct advantage.
• Experience in non-profit/NGO resource development, plus a local and/or international.
• Programming experience in systems changes and experience working with governments/markets to transform and strengthen systems.
• Experience in developing proposals and successfully executing projects with funding from institutional donors.
• Experience in the development and nurturing of strategic partnerships in both a peer and lead agency role.
• Experience developing and implementing projects funded by complex donors and of working and negotiating with large institutional donors; e.g. DFAT, MFAT USAID, EU, etc.
• A track record of effective and exemplary servant leadership and high-level management.
• Experience in managing people, budgets, and other resources.
• Excellent interpersonal, writing, and public speaking skills.
• Cross-cultural sensitivity, diplomacy, and adaptability.
• Proficiency in English, both written and spoken.
• Proficiency in word processing, spreadsheet, database, and email software applications.
• Proficiency in financial management and accounting.
• In-depth knowledge and understanding of the local culture, society, laws, and customs.
• Experience in Human Resources management.

Habitat for Humanity National Director Leadership Competencies

• Compels others through embodiment and clarity of vision, building widespread internal and external support and driving action through a clear articulation of a value proposition.
• Leads through ambiguity and transformation, modelling agile learning and supporting efforts to prioritize and support employees and stakeholders through change.
• Upholds the highest standards of integrity and ethics while navigating organizational conflict, critical conversations, and decision-making.
• Embodies trust and transparency by promoting a free flow of information throughout the organization and providing teams with the leverage to achieve goals and grow.

Habitat for Humanity National Director Technical Competencies

• Scoping the critical technical expertise to develop and drive a transformative strategy.
• Hiring and developing top-tier leaders who will drive organizational strategy and build the organizational culture needed to achieve this strategy.
• Building and growing strategic relationships with external partners, including multi-sector and multi-cultural leaders, local and national governments, and foundations and institutions.
• Agile decision-making, embracing flexibility and responsiveness is critical to organizational success.
• Align programmatic strategy to India’s National Government strategy for housing where applicable, ensuring this contributes to the achievement of strengthened government systems to support access to safe land and housing.
• Ensure construction and appropriate technology quality control systems are in place.
• Ensure the construction technology adopted is informed by the cultural context of the communities served in India and other Pacific Island nations.
• Aligning goals and strengthening the collaboration between local and international governance within a matrixed NGO system.
• Familiarity with M&E, financial management, and other quality control infrastructure and processes required to maintain effective operations and programming.
• Community development experience is a distinct advantage.

Active support of Habitat for Humanity Values

• Humility – We are part of something bigger than ourselves
• Courage – We do what’s right, even when it is difficult or unpopular
• Accountability – We take personal responsibility for Habitat’s mission
• Safeguarding: HFHI requires that all employees take seriously their ethical responsibilities to safeguard our intended beneficiaries, their communities, and all those with whom we work. Managers at all levels have responsibilities to support and develop systems that create and maintain an environment that prevents harassment, sexual exploitation, and abuse safeguards the rights of beneficiaries and community members (especially children), and promotes the implementation of Habitat for Humanity’s code of conduct.

At Habitat for Humanity International, we embrace a history rooted in creating equity and take our mission seriously by courageously committing to a culture and workplace where all staff feel safe, welcome, visible, respected, supported, and valued. As an equal opportunity employer, we realize that our success depends upon building an inclusive workforce of diverse perspectives and encouraging people of varied races, ethnicities, national origins, tribes, religions, ages, gender identities and expressions, genders, sexual orientations, marital statuses, disabilities, veteran/reserve national guard statuses, socio-economic statuses, thinking and communication styles to work with us