Are you passionate about making a positive impact on road safety? Do you thrive in a collaborative team environment built on mutual respect and integrity? Are you experienced in managing projects and eager to improve the safety scenario in the country? If so, we have an exciting opportunity for you to join our team at SaveLIFE Foundation.
About SaveLIFE Foundation
SaveLIFE Foundation (SLF) is an award-winning, independent non-profit organization committed to saving lives on roads across India and the Global South. By combining grassroots action with systems reform, SLF has been at the forefront of introducing landmark road safety innovations—such as India’s Good Samaritan Law and the Zero-Fatality Corridor (ZFC) model. Our work has helped reduce road crash deaths by up to 67% on some of India’s most dangerous highways and has been recognized by institutions such as the Skoll Foundation, World Bank, and Government of India.
At SLF, we believe that road crashes are not accidents—they are preventable tragedies. We are on a mission to prove that loss of life on roads is not a price we must pay for mobility.
Join us to help scale this mission.
About the role:
This is a leadership opportunity for a seasoned, strategic, and results-oriented leader to join SaveLIFE Foundation as the Senior Director, Programs.
As the head of all programmatic interventions, the individual will be responsible for the strategic leadership, operational excellence, and impactful execution of all of SaveLIFE Foundation’s programs, leading a multidisciplinary team of technical experts, program managers, and field staff, ensuring that our flagship Zero-Fatality Corridor (ZFC) and Zero-Fatality District (ZFD) models are implemented with the highest degree of quality, fidelity, and effectiveness as we scale.
The individual will be the owner of our program delivery engine, responsible for holding our interventions upright and ensuring they translate into measurable, life-saving outcomes. This is a career-defining role for a leader passionate about building systems, mentoring teams, and driving large-scale social impact.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership & Program Vision:
- Set and steer the long-term vision and strategic direction for all of SaveLIFE Foundations programs.
- Ensure all programmatic goals are closely aligned with the organization's overall mission, Theory of Change, and strategic priorities.
- Drive innovation in our program models, incorporating new technologies, best practices, and learnings to continuously enhance impact and efficiency.
- Provide expert thought leadership on road safety and systemschange, both internally and externally.
Program Design & Development:
- Lead the conceptualization and design of new programmatic interventions and strategic initiatives from the ground up.
- Oversee the continuous improvement and iteration of existing flagship programs like the Zero-Fatality Corridor (ZFC) and Zero-Fatality District (ZFD) models.
- Develop scalable and replicable program models that can be adapted for different geographies and contexts, both within India and internationally.
Implementation Excellence & Quality Assurance:
- Take ultimate responsibility for the successful, on-ground execution of the entire program portfolio, ensuring projects are delivered on time and to the highest quality standard.
- Establish and manage a robust quality assurance framework to maintain the fidelityand effectiveness of our intervention models as we scale.
- Develop and implement standardized program management systems, processes, and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure seamless execution and reporting across all projects.
- Directly oversee and guide the work of program verticals, including road engineering, traffic enforcement, trauma care, and community engagement, ensuring their integrated delivery.
Financial & Grant Management:
- Oversee the annual and multi-year budgeting and financial planning for the entire programs vertical.
- Ensure prudent management of all program budgets, optimizing resource allocation for maximum impact and efficiency.
- Oversee all program-related grant management, ensuring compliance with donor requirements and contributing to high-quality, timely donor reporting.
High-Level Stakeholder Management & Representation:
- Engage and build relationships with senior-level stakeholders critical to program success, including top officials in central and state governments, key funding partners, and technical collaborators.
- Work in close collaboration with other senior leaders in SaveLIFE Foundation to ensure close cross-functional alignment and synergy.
- Represent SaveLIFE Foundation in programmatic work at high-level national and international conferences, meetings, and forums.
Policy Influence & Systems Change (New Section):
- Leverage Programmatic Evidence: Translate on-the-ground findings, data, and key learnings from our programs into actionable insights for policy reform.
- Inform Policy Recommendations: Working in close collaboration with the Policy & Advocacy team to develop evidence-backed policy briefs, reports, and recommendations for government partners.
- High-Level Advocacy: Act as a key technical voice in high-level meetings to advocate for the adoption of evidence-based policies and the scaling of successful intervention models.
Team Leadership & Development:
- Lead, mentor, and inspire a large and diverse team.
- Foster a culture of excellence, high performance, accountability, and collaborative problem-solving within the programs team.
- Build a strong leadership pipeline within the programs vertical by actively coaching and developing direct reports and all other team members.
Academic Qualifications Essential
- A master's or equivalent degree in public policy, management, business administration, social sciences, or a related field is required.
Professional Experience
- A minimum of 15-20 years of progressive professional experience, with a significant track record in program delivery, management, and strategy.
- Leadership Experience: Atleast 5years in a leadership role, with proven experience managing large, multi-layered teams and complex, multi-million program portfolios.
- Sector Experience: Deep experience in the development sector, public sector consulting, or social impact space is mandatory. Direct experience managing large-scale implementation programs that involve extensive government partnerships is essential.
Essential Skills & Attributes
- Strategic Vision: The ability to think long-term, see the big picture, and set a clear and compelling programmatic course for the organization.
- Operational Excellence: A master of execution, with exceptional program and project management skills and the ability to manage complexity at scale.
- Inspirational Leadership: A proven and charismatic leader with the ability to build, mentor, and motivate large, high-performing teams.
- Stakeholder Management: The gravitas and skill to engage, influence, and build trustwith senior-level government officials, donors, andother key partners.
- Financial Acumen: Strong proficiency in budget management, financial planning, and resource allocation for large-scale programs.
- Results Orientation: A relentless focus on achieving measurable outcomes and impact.
- Executive Presence: Unwavering integrity, resilience, and the ability to act as a credible and influential representative of the organization
What You’ll Gain
● A unique platform to lead change at scale, with the ability to directly influence infrastructure and policy in India and beyond.
● The chance to work with India’s only organization that combines system reform with on ground action for road safety.
● Cross-sector exposure across engineering, governance, public health, and civic engagement.
● An entrepreneurial environment that values innovation, courage, and execution excellence.
● An opportunity to be part of a globally recognized movement saving thousands of lives each year.
SaveLIFE Foundation is for you if you
● Crave purpose in your work and want to solve real problems for real people
● Thrive in a high-performance environment where outcomes matter
● Are passionate about improving systems through technology and design
● Want your work to matter—not just for your company, but for your country.
Personal Characteristics
- Clinical Knowledge: Strong, practical understanding of emergency medical response, trauma care protocols, and Basic Life Support (BLS).
- Training & Facilitation: Proven ability to conduct engaging, effective, and hands-on training sessions for audiences with varying levels of medical knowledge.
- Communication Skills: Excellent verbal communication and presentation skills. Must have the ability to explain complex medical concepts in a simple and clear manner.
- Interpersonal Skills: Strong ability to build rapport and professional relationships with senior government officials (e.g., police) and medical professionals.
- Problem-Solving: A practical, problem-solving mindset with the ability to work independently and make sound judgments in a field setting.
- Travel Readiness: Willingness and ability to travel extensively to project sites is required.
- Commitment to Mission: A genuine passion for social impact and a strong alignment with SaveLIFE Foundation’s mission to save lives.
How to apply: Interested candidates can apply for this position by clicking on the following link. https://forms.gle/dCkWHeRTL3P22iTN8
