Portfolio Manager – Climate & Environment

Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies (RNP) seeks a proactive, self-driven, and curious Portfolio Manager to join our Climate & Environment portfolio to support our conservation, biodiversity,
and climate change work (https://rohininilekaniphilanthropies.org/field-of-work/climate-environment/). This portfolio makes up a significant portion of our work. With the overarching strategic direction set, this role is centered on implementing and operationalizing our grantmaking philosophy, building deep relationships with partners, and synthesizing insights directly from the ground.
This role is ideal for practitioners with 4–6 years of experience looking to anchor themselves and build a meaningful body of work over the next 2–3 years. Thereafter, the role will evolve based on a strategy refresh.
Key Responsibilities
1. Field Visits, Ground Engagement & Sense-Making
Travel extensively across India to spend meaningful time in the field with partner organizations, local communities, and grassroots actors.
Conduct immersive field visits to observe ground realities, build trust, and develop qualitative insights that inform our ongoing learning approach.
Translate field learnings into actionable internal notes, reflections, and insights for the broader team to refine grant implementation.
2. Partner Relationships & Grant Management
Serve as a reliable point of contact for grantees across the portfolio, fostering collaborative, high-trust, and empathetic relationships.
Manage grant-related communication and support with the timely processing of grants. Oversee end-to-end grant administration, including proposal coordination, due diligence, fund disbursements, and documentation.
Ensure adherence to grant-making processes and procedures. Support partners in navigating operational roadblocks, facilitating connections across the network where appropriate.
Maintain clean, rigorous data records, grant trackers, and documentation to ensure seamless operational continuity.
3. Convenings, Gatherings & Collective Learning
Support the conceptualization, planning, and execution of partner convenings, cohort meetups, and cross-sector dialogues at both the portfolio and organizational levels.
Coordinate logistics, agendas, and participatory sessions that bring partners together to share challenges, align efforts, and cross-pollinate ideas.
Work with the team to curate learning collaterals, briefs, and takeaways emerging from gatherings and field immersion.
Qualifications & Competencies
Experience: 4–6 years of demonstrated experience in program management, grant administration, or field-level initiatives, preferably within climate change, biodiversity conservation, natural resource governance, or environmental livelihoods.
Commitment and Self Driven: A deep commitment to communities, conservation, biodiversity, and climate change. This job is ideal for someone who can work fairly independently and is a self-starter;
Field Readiness: High readiness and enthusiasm for frequent domestic travel (up to 30–40% of the time), often to remote rural and ecologically critical regions.
Project & Grant Management: High operational rigor, detail orientation, and comfort handling concurrent workstreams, contracts, compliance steps, and timelines.
Relationship & Communication Skills: Exceptional interpersonal, active listening, and relational skills. Empathy and humility in partner interactions are essential.
Languages: Fluency in English and any Indian local languages is appreciated. Working proficiency in at least one regional language is a strong advantage given the national scope of field visits.

Work arrangement
No