Head – Administration

iForest - International Forum for Environment, Sustainability & Technology; Dadri; On-site; INR 2,500,000 - 4,500,000; Full time

Job summary

iFOREST is seeking a Head of Administration to lead all office, facilities and procurement functions across India. The role includes vendor management, travel logistics, asset control, and ensuring donor-compliant procurement practices.

The successful candidate will oversee multiple offices, manage budgets, and coordinate with HR, Finance and IT, while supporting the CEO’s office and ensuring smooth operations during events and travel disruptions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent; master’s degree advantageous.
• 20+ years in administration, operations or facilities management.
• Strong procurement, vendor and contract management knowledge.
• Experience managing travel and event logistics.
• Proficiency in MS Office; familiarity with ERP or procurement software.
• Experience in think tanks, research institutions or donor-funded organisations (desirable).
• Ability to lead and motivate a support team and manage multiple priorities.

Responsibilities

• Lead all administrative, operational and facility functions across iFOREST’s offices in India.
• Oversee procurement, vendor management, travel and event logistics.
• Manage asset and inventory records, compliance, and office policies.
• Coordinate with HR, Finance and IT; support CEO’s office and visitor coordination.
• Support audits with documentation and MIS records.

Skills

Administration

Operations management

Vendor management

Procurement

Travel logistics

People management

MS Office

Education

Bachelor's degree in business administration

Master's degree advantageous

Tools

ERP software

Procurement software

Job description

Location: Noida (on-site), with travel to other iFOREST offices as needed

Experience: 20+ years in administration, operations or facilities management

About iFOREST

iFOREST is an independent, not-for-profit research and innovation organisation established in 2019. It identifies, promotes and scales up solutions for pressing environment-development challenges in India and other developing countries in Asia and Africa.

Our work is rooted in regional priorities. We accelerate environmental action at the sub-national level and use that regional knowledge to improve national policies and plans and strengthen international collaboration. We conduct independent, evidence-based research, develop new knowledge and innovative solutions, convene stakeholders to build consensus, and partner with think tanks, civil society, government agencies, philanthropies and industry to scale up solutions.

The role

The Head - Administration will lead all administrative, operational and facility functions across iFOREST’s offices in India. The role keeps the organisation running smoothly so that research and programme teams can focus on their work. The position covers office and facility management, procurement and vendor management, travel and event logistics, asset management, the CEO's office, and administrative policies and compliance.

Success for Head - Administration would mean well-run offices, transparent and cost-effective procurement that meets donor standards, and reliable support for staff, events and visitors.

Key responsibilities

Administrative leadership and policy

• Lead the administration function across all iFOREST offices in India and supervise the administration team.
• Develop, review and implement administrative policies and SOPs, including procurement, travel, asset and office-use policies.
• Prepare and manage the annual administration budget and track spending against it.
• Report on administrative performance, costs and risks to the CEO and senior management.
• Contribute to institutional planning as part of the senior management team.

Office and facility management

• Ensure management of office infrastructure, maintenance, utilities, housekeeping and security services.
• Oversee office space planning and facility improvements, when needed.
• Manage leases, rental agreements and relations with building management.
• Ensure health, safety and fire-safety standards are met, including emergency preparedness.
• Ensure timely payment of utility and service bills.
• Promote environmentally responsible office practices in energy, water, waste and procurement, in line with iFOREST’s mission.

Travel, events and visitors

• Support logistics for workshops, conferences, roundtables and meetings, including venues, catering, accommodation and on-ground support.
• Support domestic and international travel for staff and the CEO, including bookings, visas, accommodation and travel insurance.
• Ensure compliance with the travel policy and support timely settlement of travel claims.
• Manage guests and visitors at the Noida office.
• Ensure the smooth functioning of the CEO's office, including scheduling, travel and visitor coordination.

Procurement and vendor management

• Manage procurement of goods and services in line with organisational policy, budgets and donor requirements.
• Run competitive quotations and tenders, and maintain a transparent, well-documented audit trail.
• Negotiate, draft and manage contracts and annual maintenance agreements with vendors and service providers.
• Maintain an approved vendor list and review vendor performance regularly.
• Ensure quality, cost efficiency and value for money across procurement.

Asset and inventory management

• Ensure maintenance of the asset register for furniture, equipment and IT hardware, with tagging and allocation records.
• Conduct periodic physical verification of assets with the Finance team.
• Manage asset insurance, repairs, disposal and write-offs as per policy.
• Manage stock of office supplies and programme materials.

Compliance, records and coordination

• Ensure administrative and statutory compliances for offices, including registrations, licences and renewals.
• Maintain administrative MIS, records and documentation for audits.
• Support HR with onboarding logistics, workstations and exits, and support Finance with procurement documentation and audits.
• Coordinate with IT support on equipment, connectivity and access.
• Ensure the confidentiality and security of organisational documents and data.

Qualifications and experience

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, Management or a related field, or equivalent professional experience. A master's degree is an advantage.
• At least 20 years of experience in administration, operations or facilities management, including managing a team.
• Strong working knowledge of procurement processes, vendor and contract management, and office compliance.
• Experience managing travel and logistics for events and meetings.
• Proficiency in MS Office; familiarity with ERP or procurement software.
• Experience in a think tank, research institution, non-profit or donor-funded organisation (desirable).
• Experience with procurement under donor guidelines and audit requirements, and experience managing administration across more than one office location (desirable).
• Strong organisational and planning skills, with the ability to manage several priorities at once.
• Clear communication and a service-oriented approach with staff, leadership, vendors and visitors.
• Negotiation and problem-solving skills.
• High integrity, transparency and attention to detail in procurement and spending.
• Ability to lead and motivate a support team.
• Calm and practical under pressure, especially during events and travel disruptions.

What we offer

iFOREST provides an inclusive and supportive work environment and is committed to professional development through education, training and capacity building.

We offer highly competitive salaries within the think tank space and recognise performance through annual appraisals. The final designation will depend on the selected candidate’s qualifications and experience.

Remuneration

Competitive salary as per the candidate’s experience and proficiency. Final designation of successful candidate will be based on qualification and experience.