HEAD OF PROGRAMS – ASIA

About the Position

The Freedom Fund is seeking an effective, collaborative, and committed program leader to oversee its work in Asia. This senior role will be responsible for a portfolio typically valued at USD 3 million or more, comprising multiple “hotspots”—intensive, clustered investments focused on specific issues and communities. The Freedom Fund’s Asia portfolio currently comprises: the Bangladesh hotspot working to end the commercial sexual exploitation of children; a regional program tackling forced labour in seafood supply chains across Asia Pacific including a hotspot in Indonesia and the Nepal hotspot which supports survivor movements to eliminate agricultural bonded labour. The Freedom Fund is likely to launch a new hotspot in the Asia region in the next year. Aligned with our strategic priority of positioning our staff as close as possible to communities and partners, we are recruiting for this role in the countries where we have established programs: Bangladesh, Indonesia and Nepal.

Our investments prioritise survivor-led and frontline organisations, with an emphasis on building local leadership, fostering collaboration, and enabling programmatic learning. Each hotspot is managed by a Program Manager, with support from a Program Advisor who works closely with partners on the ground.

As Head of Programs, you will lead a lean but impactful team dedicated to delivering both financial and non-financial support that empowers partners, strengthens civil society, and supports the Freedom Fund’s mission to shift power to communities most affected by exploitation. The role requires a careful balance between strategic oversight, team management, and partnership facilitation.

About You

You are a values-driven and experienced program leader with a strong track record in frontline partnership and civil society strengthening. You have a deep understanding of the anti-slavery ecosystem, both regionally and globally, and bring a nuanced grasp of interconnected issues such as climate change, economic justice, education, humanitarian crises, and operating in restricted environments.

You thrive in complexity, and you're skilled at holding organisational responsibility, from managing regional teams and budgets to contributing to the wider leadership of the organisation. You balance this with a genuine commitment to equity and shifting power, ensuring partners are not only heard, but are central to strategy and implementation.

Calm under pressure and collaborative by nature, you are recognised for your ability to make principled decisions, foster inclusive cultures, and manage with compassion. You embody the Freedom Fund’s core values of Collaboration, Courage, Respect, and Excellence, both in your leadership and your day-to-day engagement with teams and partners.

Responsibilities

Program Strategy & Grantmaking

• Lead regional strategy and grantmaking, ensuring all investments align with the Freedom Fund’s values, strategic priorities, grant management frameworks and donor requirements.
• Develop and refine hotspot strategies in collaboration with regional teams and partners, incorporating learnings and inclusive co-creation processes, especially with those with lived experience.
• Lead in the scoping and development of new programs in the region in alignment with the mandate from the Senior Leadership Team.

Partnerships & Impact

• Collaborate with the Partnerships team to secure diverse funding streams, cultivate strategic donor relationships and maintain regional-level donor engagement to support program sustainability and growth.
• Monitor programmatic impact, ensuring it is commensurate with investment and contributing to our mission to drive a measurable reduction of modern slavery.
• Collaborate with the Research team to identify, commission and oversee strategic evaluations, research and learning initiatives across hotspot portfolios, ensuring findings inform program and grant-making decisions.

Safeguarding & Risk

• Hold overall accountability for safeguarding and security management across the regional portfolio, ensuring adherence with organisational policies and procedures and appropriate mitigation measures and incident response processes are in place.

Leadership & Team Management

• Contribute to organisational leadership as part of the Wider Management Team, supporting strategic decision-making and regional implementation.
• Line-manage Program Managers, fostering autonomy, accountability, and a values led culture across all hotspot teams.

Representation & Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as the regional spokesperson, representing the Freedom Fund with donors, governments, and sector networks to build credibility and visibility.

Operations & Budget Management

• Oversee the development and management of regional and hotspot budgets, ensuring financial accountability and alignment with strategic plans.
• Coordinate cross-functional collaboration ensuring effective prioritisation, planning and delivery of organisational objectives.

Reporting & Communications

• Ensure the delivery of high-quality reports and donor engagement materials, showcasing impact, learning, and alignment with Freedom Fund values and strategy.

Qualifications and experience

Essential

• Proven leadership and strategic program management skills
• Alignment with the Freedom Fund’s values and strategic plan
• Expertise in grantmaking systems and processes
• Strong project and portfolio management capabilities
• Highly developed cultural awareness and sensitivity
• Excellent communication and influencing skills
• Commitment to values-led leadership

Compensation

Annual salary:

• Bangladesh: BDT 8,515,600 to BDT 8,739,694
• Nepal: NPR 7,687,182 to NPR 7,889,476
• Indonesia: IDR 1,514,331,008 to IDR 1,554,181,824

Exceptional candidates from other Asian countries may also be considered.

For any other Asian country, the salary will be benchmarked by Birches Group, and the relevant salary range will be shared as we progress with identifying suitable candidates.

Benefits

• Comprehensive healthcare benefits in the country of employment.
• Generous annual leave and sick leave entitlements, in addition to public holidays in accordance with local requirements.
• Annual learning and development budget to support employees’ professional growth.
• Access to mental health and wellbeing platform for employees and their families.

How to apply

Application Procedure -Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Please submit your CV and a one-page cover letter, addressing the skills required above, to cv@ngorecruitment.com quoting #1493167. To request a full information package please email officeadministrator@ngorecruitment.com (no applications here please).

The Freedom Fund is an equal opportunities employer. In line with our values of respect, agility, and excellence, we value the strength of a diverse workforce and strongly encourage applications from people with disabilities, Black, Asian, Indigenous or minority ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQ+ and from different socio-economic backgrounds. Applicants must be eligible to work in the Asian country from where they are applying. The Freedom Fund will aim to meet candidates’ access requirements throughout the recruitment process. If this is applicable, then please notify us.

The Freedom Fund is committed to the importance of meaningful survivor inclusion and leadership. As such, particular consideration will be given to applicants with lived experience of trafficking and/or forced labour.