Program Manager / Senior Program Manager

Position: Program Manager / Senior Program Manager, Climate Centre
of Excellence

Reporting manager: AVP, Climate Centre of Excellence

Location: Bengaluru
(IIM Bangalore campus)

Experience: 10–14 years

Who we are

The N.S. Raghavan Centre for
Entrepreneurial Learning (NSRCEL) is IIM Bangalore's startup hub and incubation
centre, structured as a Section 8 not-for-profit. Its mission is to support
ventures that can create significant economic and societal impact. This
financial year alone, NSRCEL has engaged with 1,106 ventures through 13 program
tracks across 82 towns in India.

NSRCEL is supported by the
Department of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Electronics and
Information Technology, and partners with corporates and foundations to support
idea-stage and early-revenue entrepreneurs in climate-tech, women entrepreneurship
and social impact.

About the Climate Centre of
Excellence

The Climate Centre of Excellence
(Climate CoE) is NSRCEL's climate vertical. It runs a five-pillar platform
(Incubation, Capital, Research, Policy and Global Innovation) and works with
100+ climate startups every year across multiple corporate-sponsored programs,
backed by a network of 250+ mentors.

The CoE works with corporate
partners such as Maruti Suzuki, Hindustan Unilever and Pernod Ricard India
Foundation, and with institutional partners such as KREDL, IISc and UNSW.
Through its Sunrise Sectors work, it also tracks emerging sectors to shape where
NSRCEL incubates next.

The role

You will lead a portfolio of the
Climate CoE's corporate-sponsored programs and own its results: program
outcomes, partner relationships, the P&L and the team that delivers it. You
will also help shape what the CoE builds next, from new program formats to its
work across Capital, Research, Policy and Global Innovation.

We are hiring at Program Manager
or Senior Program Manager level, depending on experience. A Program Manager
(about 6–9 years) owns one or two programs and their budgets. A Senior Program
Manager (about 9–12 years) owns a portfolio of programs and its P&L, leads
a team and drives new partnerships and revenue.

What you will do

Programs and portfolio

· Own end-to-end delivery of your programs,
including design, selection, curriculum, mentoring, outcomes and M&E,
against agreed logframe milestones and KPIs.

· Design new program formats for emerging
climate sectors, drawing on the Sunrise Sectors thesis and what partners and
founders need.

· Set up and maintain the venture metrics
system so the CoE can show what its programs achieve for startups.

P&L and partnerships

· Own the program P&L: topline and net
revenue, direct and indirect cost allocation, overhead contribution, forecasts
and utilisation.

· Be the senior contact for corporate and CSR
sponsors. Run reviews, manage expectations and drive renewals and expanded
scope.

· Lead proposals and pitches for new sponsors
(Senior Program Manager level), and work with legal and finance to structure
contracts.

· Ensure strict financial and compliance
discipline across all programs, including utilisation certificates, audits and
partner reporting.

Across the CoE's pillars

· Connect portfolio startups to capital,
including investors, grant programs and blended finance.

· Contribute to research, policy engagement
with state and central government bodies, and international partnerships.

· Represent NSRCEL at ecosystem forums,
roundtables and conferences, and publish sector briefs and points of view.

Team and operations

· Lead, coach and review a team of Assistant
Managers and Program Associates. Set clear goals that support the CoE's targets
and build their capability.

· Build SOPs and AI-enabled workflows that let
the team run more programs without adding headcount at the same rate.

· Travel to meet ventures, partners and
ecosystem organisations.

What success looks like in your
first year

· Programs delivered against every partner
milestone, with sponsors renewing or expanding.

· Net revenue and overhead contribution targets
met for your portfolio.

· At least one new sponsor or program signed
(Senior Program Manager level).

· A team with clear goals that meets them, and
at least one team member ready for a bigger role.

Requirements

What you will need to bring to
the table

· 10–14 years of overall experience, including
at least 3 years managing programs in incubation or acceleration, VC, CSR or
philanthropy, climate or sustainability, or consulting.

· A track record of owning large budgets and
senior external stakeholders, and delivering against contractual milestones.

· Financial acumen: comfort building and
defending a budget, a forecast and a P&L.

· People leadership experience (required at
Senior Program Manager level).

· Partnership building, structured writing and
strong presentation skills.

· Understanding of India's climate-tech and
startup ecosystem, with relevant networks.

· A Master's degree (MBA, sustainability,
engineering, public policy or related) is preferred. Equivalent experience will
be considered.

· Hands-on familiarity with AI productivity
tools (this is a must).
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What will set you apart

· Having started a business or non-profit, or
led an important function in a startup.

· Depth in one or more climate segments such as
energy transition, mobility, agri and food systems, circularity, water or
climate finance.

· Experience working with government or
multilateral bodies, or running programs across geographies.
​