Lead Advisor, Development

Title: Lead Advisor, Development

Location: New Delhi or Mumbai, India

Department: India Region + Major Gifts, Global Development

Supervisor: Chief Advisor, India

Overview

The Lead Advisor, Development would work under the leadership of EDF’s Chief Advisor, India and in close collaboration with the global EDF Development team to raise the resources necessary to support EDF’s goals and objectives for India.

The Lead Advisor, Development will be responsible for identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding high-net worth individuals, foundations and corporates, and developing the organisation’s donor pipeline in India.

The Lead Advisor, Development will manage a portfolio of donors and prospects throughout India, and work closely with senior professionals in the global EDF Development team to create fundraising strategies for non-India based donors who have an interest in India.

The ideal candidate should be able to demonstrate an intellectual curiosity for EDF’s mission, programs, and unique selling points. The Lead Advisor would have experience in successfully fulfilling a similar role in non-profit, higher education or healthcare development, or in the family office arenas. Additionally, the Lead Advisor would also possess the ability to work collaboratively and strategically with regional leadership and the wider Development team across the organisation.

Key Responsibilities

• In partnership with US based Development Leadership, and working closely with India team, plan and execute overall fundraising strategy for EDF in India.

• Manage a portfolio of 40-50 major and principal-level donors and prospective donors in India.

• Solicit philanthropic support from individuals, foundations and corporates.

• Identify, cultivate and steward prospects and develop a donor pipeline for EDF in India.

• Coordinate and support the mission team in India on development-related initiatives.

• Represent EDF in India in meetings with high-net-worth individuals, business executives, and other key stakeholders.

• Serve as the primary point of contact for EDF Portfolio Managers who manage non-India based donors interested in supporting EDF in India.

• Work closely with Development’s Communications team and Events team to produce India-centric donor communications and events.      

• Participate in advancing EDF organizational effectiveness and culture goals in which people from all backgrounds and experiences feel connected, included, and empowered to address the environmental and organizational challenges in alignment with EDF values.

• Any other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications:

• A Bachelor’s degree with minimum 10 years of demonstrated success in front line fundraising. Master’s degree or equivalent may substitute for up to 2 years of relevant work experience. 

• Deep understanding of the donor landscape in India, including the behaviours and motivations of Indian philanthropists; an extensive professional network and a demonstrated ability to cultivate and expand new networks.

• Proven expertise in developing and executing effective donor cultivation, stewardship, and solicitation strategies.

• Ability to represent EDF in India as an independent and genuinely Indian organisation, while remaining fully aligned with EDF’s global mission, values, and strategic priorities.

• High level of comfort engaging directly with donors, including discussions involving personal and family financial considerations.

• Demonstrated creativity, energy, confidence, and integrity, along with exceptional discretion and respect for donor privacy.

• Experience using fundraising databases and CRM platforms, such as Salesforce, to track donor engagement and manage pipelines.

• Strong commitment to EDF’s mission, values, and impact-driven approach.

• Fluency in English and Hindi, with excellent written and verbal communication skills; confidence and inclination to serve as an effective, outward‑facing spokesperson for EDF.

•  Strong initiative and independence, combined with the ability to work collaboratively as part of a global team; proven capacity to operate autonomously and to collaborate productively across multiple offices and time zones.

• Strategic thinker with strong big‑picture perspective and problem‑solving capabilities.

• Highly self‑motivated, exceptionally well organized, collegial, and able to perform with professionalism and composure under pressure.

• Demonstrates self-awareness, cultural competency and inclusivity, and ability to work with colleagues and stakeholders across all cultures and backgrounds.

Travel Expectations: Although the Lead Advisor, Development will be based in Delhi/Mumbai, there will be frequent travel in India and occasional international travel, including to the United States.

We offer a strong total rewards package encompassing competitive salary, robust benefits, and professional development opportunities consistent with a modern global organization. We take into account factors such as candidate experience, skills, training, internal team equity and local norms.

Please note that pay ranges are country specific. As a result, the stated currency is not meant be converted into any other currency.