Policy Advocacy Director, South Asia

Policy Advocacy Director, South Asia

Women’s World Banking

Delhi or Mumbai, India

Position Summary

Women’s World Banking is looking for a talented Policy Advocacy Director to lead our government engagement and policy influence work for India and South Asia. The role will be based in either Mumbai or Delhi, with a primary focus on India, and a secondary focus on other select markets in South Asia like Bangladesh. Policy Advocacy Director will join a forward thinking, high-performing and collaborative team focused on delivering innovative customer experiences, banking services, products and influencing policy to create business and customer value for low-income women.

This position operates within the South Asia regional structure, reporting to the Regional Head, based in South Asia. The role also requires close collaboration with the Global Director of Policy and Advocacy, based in the United Kingdom.

The ideal candidate will have a successful record of operations within the financial services, economics or technology sectors with a sector expertise of government engagement and policy influence using advisory inputs and research-based evidence. She or he will also understand and be able to manage influence on a broader scale, with relations in Government, regulatory bodies, industry associations and other relevant organizations and stakeholders. She or he will be passionate about women’s economic empowerment and eager to serve as a thought leader in the financial inclusion community. We are looking for assertive and self-motivated person who is eager to seek out opportunities and co-create with colleagues across the organization.

Roles and Responsibilities

Stakeholder Management and Thought Leadership

• Review market stakeholder maps identifying key policymakers, policy environment, points of view, relevant messages, and engagement approaches
• Formulate and refresh Policy strategy for the region, including market stakeholder maps identifying key policymakers, environment, points of view, relevant messages , and engagement approaches
• Actively identify emerging and significant policy issues and engage with government and private sector stakeholders on issues of importance
• Monitor political and social events in India/South Asia and work with cross-functional teams to leverage opportunities or mitigate risks
• Identify and establish relationships with the central bank, other relevant policymakers and regulators, industry associations & leaders, trade associations, and other influencers in line with country/regional strategy
• Participate in regional conversations on digital financial inclusion, Digital Public Infrastructure, and economic empowerment, highlighting the gender perspective
• Working with the Advisory and research team members to synthesize project learnings and field findings to identify opportunities for different stakeholders (primarily Government) to take defined action to advance women’s financial inclusion
• Present information clearly and organized, both internally and externally. Outputs may include webinars, panels at conferences, executive-level briefings, internal presentations, policy briefings, proposals, and more

Policy Advisory and Influence

• Working with the Regional Head of South Asia and Advisory team to set up and operationalize relevant policy advisory projects/program
• Working with the Regional Head of South Asia and Vice President of Network & Development to identify relevant government stakeholders and create a scope that talks to the overall India strategy and also considers funding feasibility
• Identify opportunities for evidence-based policy influence within policymaking institutions
• Liaison with the Global Director of Policy and Advocacy to align Women’s World Banking’s policy position for India and other key markets in South Asia (especially Bangladesh)
• Facilitate the development of women-centered policy by policymakers and regulators
• Work with the Global Leadership and Diversity team (L&D) to provide policy advisory to India-based regulators/policy makers participating in L&D training programs
• Manage policy interactions to reach policymakers with the right messaging systematically and strategically to drive action
• Engage relevant policymakers and local stakeholders in meetings, events, and seminars through media and regional forums
• Track and document activities/outputs to measure and improve program performance per Women’s World Banking’s policy and advocacy M&E frameworks
• Create policy papers and positions on critical regional topics using advisory and data-driven insights

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a relevant discipline – Finance/Economics/Social Science/Public Policy
• 15+ years of relevant work experience in work related to financial services, policy, public affairs and/or advocacy, women’s empowerment, relevant government consulting, or non-profit, with deep expertise and working knowledge of financial inclusion/MSME and policy & regulatory landscapes across India
• Intellectual curiosity and creative problem-solving in research
• Successful track record working within a diverse, multicultural global organization, collaborating with remote colleagues, and delivering high-quality work with minimal supervision
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English
• Ability to travel within India and occasionally to other South Asian countries or our global markets (if required)

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