Director – Brahmaputra Programme

WWF India; Sonitpur; On-site; INR 4,000,000 - 7,000,000; Full time

Job summary

WWF-India invites applications for Director – Brahmaputra Programme to steer conservation across Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, aligning terrestrial and freshwater priorities with climate resilience and community livelihoods.

The role requires 15+ years of leadership in conservation or rural development, with excellence in stakeholder engagement, fundraising, policy influence, and executive communication in English (Assamese preferred). The position is based in Assam.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree required (Master’s or PhD) in a relevant field such as management, environment, sustainable development, agriculture or social sciences.
• Minimum 15+ years of progressive leadership experience managing multi-disciplinary conservation or rural development programmes.
• Strong regional understanding of Northeast India (Assam and Arunachal Pradesh).
• Proven donor liaison, government negotiation, coalition-building and conflict-resolution track record.
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills in English; Assamese fluency is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Provide visionary leadership for the Brahmaputra Programme, guiding multi-year strategy and cross-functional execution.
• Lead high-level partnerships with government departments, donors, technical institutions, CSOs and industry leaders.
• Oversee grants management, governance, and financial compliance across a complex portfolio.
• Nurture a multidisciplinary team of ecologists, agriculture specialists, and social scientists.
• Ensure ethical, inclusive conservation delivery through environmental and social safeguards.

Skills

Executive leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Strategic communications

Policy engagement

Team leadership

Public speaking

English proficiency

Assamese proficiency

Education

Master’s or PhD in Management, Environmental Sciences, Sustainable Development, Agriculture, or Social Sciences

Job description

• Industry Nonprofit Charitable Organizations


• State/Province Assam


• Country India

Job Description

BACKGROUND

For three decades,WWF-India has pioneered area-based conservation across the Brahmaputra Basin.To lead its next phase of impact, WWF-India is appointing a Director –Brahmaputra Programme. This high-profile executive role sits at the criticalintersection of terrestrial and freshwater conservation, climate resilience,sustainable agriculture, and community empowerment.

Operating as theinstitutional leader and public face of WWF-India across Assam and ArunachalPradesh, the Director will orchestrate cross-functional teams, cultivatehigh-level technical, political and donor partnerships, and drivetransformative landscape-level conservation strategies.

This includesconservation-related issues (freshwater and terrestrial species and habitatsrestoration & monitoring, addressing human-wildlife conflict andstrengthening protection); social development (community empowerment,sustainable livelihoods); as well as engaging with external drivers such asnature-safeguards in infrastructure, land use change, and agriculturalproduction. Approaches include research & monitoring, capacity building& institutional development, policy & advocacy, and engagement withmultiple partners, including local communities, industries, governmentagencies, and CSOs.

As Director, theperson is expected to drive the implementation of the programme to deliver itsstrategic outcomes in close coordination with the internal Programme SteeringGroup (PSG). The Director – Brahmaputra Programme will have to manage a team of30+ staff, comprising ecologists, agriculture specialists, and socialscientists, working across various districts of Assam.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

VISIONARYLEADERSHIP & STRATEGIC GROWTH

• Strategy Execution: Internalise, evolve, and communicate a compelling multi-year vision for the Brahmaputra Programme acrossWWF-India, the global WWF network, and external partners.


• Innovation &Adaptation: Partner with the Programme Steering Group (PSG) to continually refine landscapeconservation models, integrating cutting-edge approaches to climate adaptation,habitat restoration, and human-wildlife coexistence.


• Resource Mobilisation: Drive strategicfundraising, capital pipeline development, and donor diversification to ensurelong-term financial sustainability for the landscape.

OPERATIONALEXCELLENCE & PROGRAMME GOVERNANCE

• Portfolio Managemen t: Oversee the end-to-endexecution of all committed grants, ensuring technical precision, high-impactdeliverables, and financial compliance.


• Team Leadership &Talent Development: Lead, mentor, and build a high-performing, multidisciplinary team ofspecialists, scientists, and consultants.


• Cross-functionalIntegration: Facilitate coordination between the various cross-cutting teams to alignstrategies and maximise collaboration for seamless project delivery.


• Institutional Safeguards: Embed WWF’s Environmentaland Social Safeguards Frameworks (ESSF) across all field operations, ensuringethical, inclusive, and equitable conservation delivery.

STAKEHOLDERENGAGEMENT & POLICY SUPPORT

• Government & NetworkAlliances: Cultivate strategic relationships with State Departments, including Forests,Water Resources and Agriculture, District Administrations, CSOs, technicalinstitutions, and industry leaders.


• Policy Engagement: Design and execute targetedstrategies to inform sustainable infrastructure, land-use planning, waterresources management and agricultural practices across the basin.


• Community Co-Design : Strengthen grassrootspartnerships with local communities and indigenous institutions to scalesustainable livelihoods and community-led stewardship models.


• Strategic Communications : Position the BrahmaputraProgramme as a global flagship model for river basin conservation throughhigh-impact storytelling and executive positioning.

Requirements

• Advanced Degree: Master’s or PhD inManagement, Environmental Sciences, Sustainable Development, Agriculture, orSocial Sciences.


• Executive Experience: Minimum of 15+ years ofprogressive leadership experience managing complex, multidisciplinaryconservation or rural development programmes.


• Domain Expertise: Deep knowledge of speciesand habitat conservation, river basin ecology, sustainable agriculture,land-use planning, and transboundary policy dynamics.


• Regional Context : Strong strategic grasp ofthe ecological, socio-economic, and political landscape of Northeast India(Assam and Arunachal Pradesh).


• Diplomacy & Influence : Proven track record inhigh-level donor liaising, government negotiation, coalition-building, andconflict resolution.


• Communication Mastery : Exceptional executivewriting and public speaking skills in English. Working proficiency or fluencyin Assamese is essential.

Last date for application - 5 September 2026

WWF-India is an equal opportunities employer. We encourage applications from women and diverse candidates.