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Programs Associate, Finance

About us:

The Harish & Bina Shah Foundation (HBSF) is a philanthropic foundation committed to creating meaningful and lasting societal change by supporting high-impact nonprofits and institutions across India. Our work spans education, healthcare, livelihoods, environmental sustainability, and allied social causes, and is rooted in the belief that progress must be inclusive, grounded, and sustainable. Established in 2002, the Foundation works across diverse geographies and communities, partnering with organisations that are deeply embedded in the realities they serve.

At HBSF, we see ourselves not just as funders, but as long-term partners. We work closely with nonprofits, institutions, and ecosystem collaborators to strengthen organisational capacity, leadership, and systems — enabling impact that can endure beyond individual projects. Our approach is patient, professional, and collaborative, shaped by listening to partners on the ground and responding thoughtfully to both long-standing challenges and emerging needs.

As a team, we value discretion, integrity, empathy, and a strong sense of responsibility — both to the communities we work with and to one another. Joining HBSF means contributing to work that is purposeful, behind-the-scenes, and deeply human. It is a space for people who find meaning in enabling others, who care about getting the details right, and who want their work to quietly but genuinely matter.

Location: Mumbai BKC
Work Mode: Full-time | Office-based with periodic field travel
Reporting To: Senior Leadership
Experience: 3–6 years
Compensation: Competitive | Commensurate with experience

The opportunity:

This is not a conventional finance role, and it is not a pure programs role either. This position sits at the intersection of financial analysis, program understanding, and institutional judgment within a philanthropic foundation. You will be expected to move fluidly between numbers and narratives, balance sheets and field realities, compliance and context.

At its core, this is a Programs Associate role with a Financial Analysis focus. You will support the foundation in making informed, grounded grant-making decisions by bringing together financial health and compliance, program design and performance, and on-ground realities and institutional capacity.

Your role is not to "police" partners, but to help align financial planning, program execution, and impact goals — both within the foundation and across its partner organisations. This is a role for someone who can hold detail without losing perspective, and rigor without losing empathy.

Roles & Responsibilities:

Integrated Financial and Programmatic Analysis
•Conduct holistic reviews of nonprofit and institutional partners, combining financial health with program understanding
•Analyse audited financial statements, balance sheets, budgets, and utilisation reports alongside program milestones and outcomes
•Provide integrated insights to inform grant decisions, renewals, and strategic investments
•Work with program teams to ensure budgets and results frameworks reflect realistic, mission-aligned resource planning
Partner Engagement and Capacity Strengthening
•Engage closely with partners to review financial and operational systems in the context of program goals
•Support partners in strengthening internal processes related to finance, compliance, and program delivery
•Liaise with auditors, financial consultants, or advisors where required, ensuring clarity and accountability
Systems, Strategy, and Learning
•Contribute to the development and refinement of MIS tools and dashboards that integrate financial and programmatic data
•Help synthesise trends, learnings, and portfolio-level insights to strengthen the foundation's strategy
•Support internal reviews, board presentations, and documentation of good practices
Cross-Functional Collaboration
•Work closely with program, operations, and leadership teams to ensure financial and programmatic dimensions move in tandem
•Contribute to shaping internal systems and processes as the foundation grows as a professional, learning-oriented institution
•Provide inputs to initiatives that improve efficiency, transparency, and partner support
Field and Ecosystem Engagement
•Travel periodically to partner organisations and project sites to understand how resources translate into execution and outcomes
•Bring field insights back into financial and strategic analysis, ensuring numbers remain grounded in reality

Experience and Qualifications:

•Master’s degree in finance, Commerce, Economics, Public Policy, or related fields

•3–6 years of experience in financial analysis, audit, consulting, or program management

•Strong understanding of nonprofit accounting, compliance, and grant management (preferred)

•Ability to interpret financial data in programmatic and institutional terms

•Proficiency in Excel and comfort working with MIS tools or dashboards

•Clear communication and writing skills, with the ability to present insights succinctly

What are we looking for?

We are looking for someone who 

•Enjoys understanding what financial data is really saying about execution and impact.

•Can connect budgets, utilisation, and outcomes without losing nuance.

•Believes strong systems enable good work rather than restrict it

Apply if you

•Have 3–6 years of experience in financial analysis, audit, consulting, or program-related roles.

•Are comfortable analysing audited financials, budgets, and utilisation reports.

•Have exposure to or interest in the nonprofit, institutional, or social sector ecosystem.

•Can translate financial information into program-relevant insights.

•Value clarity, transparency, and good systems over complexity or control.

Do not apply if you 

•Are looking for a narrowly defined finance or accounting or audit focused role.

•Prefer working only with spreadsheets, with little engagement beyond them.

•Are uncomfortable engaging partners on financial and operational realities.

•Always expect clean data and linear execution.

•Are  looking for a role where financial analysis is done without engaging the field or partners.

Please submit your CV, portfolio (less than 5MB), your portfolio and an accompanying letter explaining your experiences and ambitions, along with expected salaries. Please explain your exact role and contribution in your resume.