Position : Program Country Manager
Salary : PHP 180,000 - PHP 200,000
Working Hours & Conditions: Observing AU working hours
Holidays : Observing AU holidays
ROLE OVERVIEW:
Our client, an established international foundation specializing in social enterprise support, philanthropy, and impact investing, is launching its flagship capability and grant program in the Philippines in partnership with a major global corporate foundation. As the in-country lead, you will spearhead this initiative end-to-end—driving cohort recruitment, managing local corporate partner relationships, orchestrating grant funding, and building an advisory network to help local enterprises scale. This is an opportunity for a senior ecosystem leader to bridge grassroots social innovation with global impact capital and directly accelerate the growth of Philippine impact-driven businesses.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Program Leadership & Operations: Plan, localize, and deliver the nationwide program end-to-end to scope, timeline, and budget, actively managing logistics, program milestones, and risk escalation.
- Corporate & Funder Partner Management: Act as the primary local focal point for the funding global corporate foundation's Philippines office, leading regular governance check-ins, reporting, and staff engagement initiatives such as corporate volunteering, hackathons, and showcases.
- Cohort Recruitment & Selection: Design and execute outreach campaigns across the Philippine social enterprise sector to attract top-tier applicants; lead the end-to-end evaluation, due diligence, and selection pipeline alongside local and international leadership.
- Enterprise Advisory & Support: Serve as the trusted strategic advisor for participating social enterprise founders, pairing them with professional mentors and connecting them to regional funders, investors, and commercial partners.
- Grant Facility Management: Oversee the grant-making lifecycle, including proposal assessments, coordination of due diligence with professional service partners, and milestone-based disbursement tracking.
- Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL): Direct the collection of quantitative impact metrics and qualitative case studies, delivering high-level reports and recommendations to regional boards and executive partners.
- Cross-Border Collaboration: Partner with Australia-based senior program managers, marketing leads, and functional directors to tailor core curriculum and resources to the domestic landscape.
Requirements
QUALIFICATIONS:
- 10+ years of senior-level experience in the Philippines within social enterprise, impact investing, philanthropy, corporate foundations/CSR, or international development.
- Deep Ecosystem Expertise: Comprehensive understanding of the Philippine social impact landscape, including key intermediaries, funding mechanisms, policy frameworks, and market challenges faced by mission-driven businesses.
- Ecosystem Capital & Networks: Established, active relationships with local funders, incubators, government agencies, enterprise intermediaries, and business leaders.
- Program & Budget Management: Proven track record leading multi-stakeholder initiatives or complex grant/investment programs with accountability for budget, schedules, and measurable outcomes.
- Funder & Corporate Savvy: Demonstrated experience managing corporate donor or institutional investor relationships with polish, executive presence, and discretion.
- Communication & Language: Professional written and verbal fluency in both English and Filipino/Tagalog, with strong reporting and presentation skills.
- Operational Readiness: Legally able to invoice as an independent contractor, with a dedicated remote home office, reliable high-speed internet, and self-supplied computing equipment.
DESIRED (NOT REQUIRED):
- Direct operational experience working inside an accelerator, incubator, venture studio, or enterprise capability-building program.
- A tertiary or advanced degree in Business Administration, International Development, Economics, Social Impact, or a related field.
- Hands-on familiarity collaborating with cross-border, distributed teams across the Asia-Pacific region.