Head - External Partnerships & Grants

We are seeking an experienced professional with a strong background in grant writing and external funding acquisition. The person is to establish external funding opportunities for our innovative medicines program as well as support the global public health research and development activities. The person will lead and coordinate funding proposal development efforts in alliance with the R&D leads and will seek opportunities for national and international funding opportunities.

The role will be central to strengthening the BSV’s R&D portfolio in women’s and global public health research, implementation, and innovation.

Key Responsibilities :

Lead the end-to-end process of grant proposal development, including opportunity scanning, concept note preparation, proposal drafting, budget development, and submission coordination.

Work closely with R&D teams to identify the funding gaps. Identify, analyze, and track funding opportunities aligned with institutional research priorities.

Collaborate with R&D leads, research teams, and BSV leadership to develop competitive proposals.

Liaise with funding agencies, partners, and collaborators to ensure compliance with submission requirements.

Maintain a strong understanding of global and national funding landscapes and emerging trends in health research funding.

Mentor junior staff and build institutional capacity in proposal writing and grant management. Develop an external garnet funding office of 2-3 people teams.

Coordinate post-award documentation and communication with funders, as needed.

Develop templates, tools, and systems to streamline proposal development and internal review processes.

Qualifications and Experience :

PhD in Public Health, Biomedical Sciences, Health Policy, Life Sciences, or a related field.

5-10years of post-PhD experience in grant writing, proposal development, and securing external funding for research and programs.

Demonstrated success in obtaining competitive grants from Indian national agencies (e.g., ICMR, DBT, DST, CSIR, SERB) or international

funders (e.g., Gates Foundation, Wellcome Trust, NIH, USAID, CEPI, Gavi).

Deep understanding of the health ecosystem, including research priorities, funding trends, and policy frameworks.

Strong project management, communication, and stakeholder coordination skills.

Proven ability to work across interdisciplinary teams and deliver high-quality outputs under tight deadlines.

Excellent written and oral communication skills in English.

International candidates with similar experience willing to relocate will be considered for the roles are encouraged to apply.

Desirable Attributes :

Experience in managing multi-partner, multi-country proposals.

Strategic thinking, analytical capability, and the ability to translate scientific ideas into compelling narratives.

Prior experience in institutional capacity-building or mentoring roles.