Program Manager

Experience - (5–8 years)

About Dhwani:

Dhwani Rural Information Systems (Dhwani RIS) is a Delhi NCR–based technology advisory and consulting firm that partners with philanthropies, corporates, governments, and nonprofits to enhance project and programme delivery through robust M&E and project management solutions. Supported by a 100+ member team of development professionals, technologists, and analysts, Dhwani fosters a collaborative and innovation-driven culture focused on efficiency, scale, and client satisfaction.

About the Programme:

Disaster Relief by Amazon (DRbA) is one of India’s leading private-sector disaster response programmes. Dhwani RIS serves as the Program Management Unit (PMU) for DRbA, providing end-to-end programme governance, stakeholder coordination, reporting, and operational oversight. The programme operates in partnership with Donatekart Foundation (DK) as the operations partner - DK handles on-ground execution including procurement, logistics, NGO coordination, field operations, and last-mile delivery. Amazon (India and Global) serves as the funder and principal. The PMU manages a 12-month implementation cycle spanning five phases - from setup and pre-season readiness through peak disaster execution, transition, and annual closure.

Role Overview:

As Program Manager, you will be the single-threaded owner of the DRbA programme at Dhwani. You will lead end-to-end programme operations: governance and stakeholder coordination, SLA compliance, reporting to Amazon India and Amazon Global, vendor and partner management, Donatekart oversight, data and technology systems, and new initiative scoping. This is primarily a programme governance and management role - on-ground operations and field delivery are handled by DK, while you drive strategy, oversight, reporting, and accountability from Bengaluru. The role demands adaptability across seasons - during peak disaster months (May–October), 60–70% of your capacity will be on operational oversight and activation management, while 30–40% will focus on governance, financial oversight, and programme strategy. During non-disaster months (November–April), the emphasis shifts to planning, readiness, learning, and new initiatives.

Key Responsibilities:

Programme Governance & Stakeholder Coordination:

• Chair weekly Dhwani–DK governance calls; prepare agenda, track action items, and ensure DK accountability.

• Prepare and present monthly programme reviews to Amazon India.

• Lead quarterly SLA performance reviews with Amazon and DK.

• Compile global metrics and conduct quarterly reporting touchpoints with Amazon Global team.

• Manage the escalation matrix across Dhwani, DK, and Amazon.

• Act as the primary liaison between Dhwani, Amazon, DK, NGOs, government agencies, and logistics partners.

Disaster Relief Operations & SLA Management:

• Lead planning, activation, and execution oversight of disaster response operations across the 12-month cycle.

• Monitor and enforce 72-hour delivery SLA compliance; track and report performance.

• Oversee disaster response activations and coordinate with DK on procurement, delivery, and distribution.

• Activate and manage the seasonal Ops Analyst during peak months (May–October); manage ramp-down during

transition.

• Track inventory, warehouse, and logistics operations in the tech platform (DDRF Tool).

• Review field insights and delivery feedback provided by DK to inform programme improvements.

Donatekart (DK) Oversight:

• Review and approve DK’s operational SOPs to ensure readiness before peak disaster season.

• Monitor DK’s NGO onboarding progress against annual targets.

• Validate DK’s quarterly utilization certificates and review the annual audited UC.

• Oversee DK’s capacity building sessions, vendor selection processes, and operational compliance.

• Ensure DK adherence to trademark guidelines and content approval workflows.

• Hold DK accountable for on-ground execution quality, SLA adherence, and timely data submission.

Reporting, Data Strategy & Technology:

• Submit monthly flash reports by the 10th, disaster bulletins within 24 hours of activation, and ensure data refresh by the 15th.

• Prepare quarterly programme reports, mid-year performance reviews, and the annual programme report.

• Compile and submit Amazon Global data reports on a quarterly and annual basis.

• Lead the “Data Piece” workstream: identify data gaps and reporting needs across the programme, define the end-to-end data architecture (what data flows where, who owns it, how it reaches Amazon), and articulate clear requirements for automation pipelines. Dhwani’s SME/ETL team will build the technical solution - your role is the thinking: systems design, data management strategy, and ensuring the solution meaningfully reduces manual effort.

• Drive a data management mindset across the PMU - ensure clarity on data ownership, collection standards, refresh cadences, and quality benchmarks across Dhwani, DK, and Amazon.

• Manage DDRF Tool enhancements, data hygiene, and reporting infrastructure.

• Maintain budget utilization tracking and financial MIS (POs, invoices, spends).

Vendor & Partner Management:

• Conduct vendor onboarding and release Purchase Orders during the pre-season readiness phase.

• Facilitate due diligence for new vendor engagements and oversee vendor performance evaluations.

• Conduct and facilitate vendor training on invoicing processes and Amazon Payee Central uploads.

• Track and process vendor invoices; verify accuracy and contract compliance.

• Perform regular fund utilization reviews and financial audits.

New Initiatives & Learning:

• Lead scoping sessions with Amazon stakeholders to define focus areas, objectives, and KPIs.

• Research global best practices in disaster relief; analyse regional trends and community needs.

• Document success stories, lessons learned, and case studies.

• Prepare next-year planning inputs and programme improvement recommendations.

• Leverage AI for data analysis, insights generation, and reporting innovation.

Programme Lifecycle:

The programme follows a 12-month cycle with seasonal intensity variation:

What We’re Looking For:

Must-Have:

• 5–8 years of experience in programme/project management, preferably in the development sector, CSR, disaster relief, or humanitarian operations.

• Systems thinking & data management: Ability to see the big picture of how data flows across organisations, define data architecture and ownership, identify gaps, and articulate clear requirements for technical teams. You don’t need to write ETL pipelines, but you need to think in systems.

• Stakeholder Management: Demonstrated experience working with corporate clients (ideally MNCs), NGOs, government bodies, and multi-partner teams.

• Governance & Compliance: Hands-on experience with documentation, SLA monitoring, budgeting, and audit processes.

• Operational Oversight: Proficiency in managing operations through partners, including procurement coordination, vendor management, and performance tracking.

• Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication for client-facing reporting, governance documentation, and multi-stakeholder coordination.

• Adaptability: Ability to function effectively in high-pressure, fast-changing disaster response contexts while maintaining rigour during planning phases.

Good to Have:

• Experience with disaster relief, humanitarian response, or DRR (Disaster Risk Reduction) programmes.

• Familiarity with M&E frameworks, Power BI, data pipeline concepts, or reporting automation.

• Experience managing or overseeing third-party operations partners.

• Knowledge of Amazon’s CSR/sustainability ecosystem or similar corporate philanthropy programmes.

• Exposure to AI-assisted data analysis and reporting tools.

Education and Certification:

• Bachelor’s degree required (any discipline).

• Master’s degree (MBA/PGDM) in Business Administration, Rural Management, Public Policy, Development Studies, or Disaster Management from reputed institutions (e.g., IRMA, TISS, XIMB, IIFM, APU, IIHMR) is highly desirable.

• Relevant certifications (PMP, PRINCE2, or humanitarian programme management) are a plus.

Career Development:

Opportunities for career advancement and professional development will be available based on performance and  demonstrated leadership capabilities. This role offers direct exposure to large-scale programme governance, Amazon Global engagement, and CSR operations leadership.

What’s In It For You

• Own a Flagship Programme: Single-threaded ownership of one of India’s largest private-sector disaster response programmes, backed by Amazon.

• Global Exposure: Direct engagement with Amazon Global teams, global disaster relief metrics, and international best practices.

• Build Systems, Not Just Manage Them: Lead data strategy, governance design, and process improvement - not just day-to-day execution.

• Impact at Scale: Your work directly enables relief delivery to disaster-affected communities across India.

• Collaborative Culture: Work with passionate teams at Dhwani focused on impact, innovation, and technology driven development.

• Competitive Compensation: Salary and benefits aligned with experience and industry standards.