Sr. Manager - Strategy and Planning

Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS) is looking for a Sr. Manager- Strategy and Planning to join their team in Vijayanagar, Bellary, Karanatka.

Role OverviewThe Strategy & Planning role is a critical function within IIS leadership, responsible for managing a diverse and complex portfolio spanning programme delivery, financial management, donor compliance, partnerships, events, and organisational monitoring. The incumbent works in close coordination with the COO and President's office, managing multiple high stakes workstreams simultaneously across IIS's growing network of programmes and centres.The role demands someone with strong analytical and problem-solving ability, financial acumen, and the operational discipline to drive execution across ambiguous and fast-changing priorities.

Key Responsibilities

• Manipur Judo ProgrammeServe as the primary IIS point of contact for the Manipur Judo Association (MJA), managing the ongoing partnership and ensuring delivery against agreement obligationsOversee annual agreement drafting, review, and execution in coordination with relevant IIS teams and MJAManage programme budgeting and fund disbursement - including processing Fund Request Letters, tracking utilization against approved budget heads, and ensuring compliance with IIS financial guidelinesMonitor MJA's delivery of programme commitments - including branding obligations, athlete kit compliance, competition participation, and reporting requirementsCoordinate IIS obligations under the agreement - including manpower support, procurement of technical equipment and apparel, and athlete incentive disbursementsEnsure timely submission and review of CA-certified quarterly and annual Fund Utilisation Reports from MJAManage Manipur-based programme staff and administrative requirements as applicableSupport event execution under the programme as per agreement deliverables
• Budget Management & Donor UtilizationSupport the COO in organisational budget planning and review cycles, coordinating inputs from relevant departments as requiredMaintain and update IIS-wide expense tracking across departments and programmes, ensuring real-time visibility on budget utilizationMonitor and manage changes to approved budgets across the financial year, flagging variances and coordinating course corrections with relevant teamsOversee donor budget utilization - ensuring programme expenditure aligns with donor-approved budget heads and compliance requirementsCoordinate with Finance, CSR Fundraising & Servicing, and programme teams to reconcile spends, resolve discrepancies, and maintain accurate utilization recordsEnsure timely preparation and submission of fund utilization documentation in line with donor and financial compliance requirementsDevelop and implement systems and processes to improve budget visibility, utilization planning, and financial reporting across the organisation
• Monitoring & TrackingMaintain a centralised monitoring and tracking system to provide leadership with real-time visibility on progress across teams, centres, and projectsCoordinate with department and centre heads to ensure timely updates, flagging delays or risks to the COO and President's officeConsolidate and present periodic progress reports across ongoing and upcoming initiatives for leadership reviewIdentify gaps in project execution and work with relevant teams to course correct
• President's Office SupportProvide direct support to the COO and President across a wide range of strategic and operational priorities as requiredAssist in preparation of reports, presentations, and documentation for internal and external stakeholdersManage and follow through on ad hoc projects, tasks, and escalations as assigned by leadershipAct as a coordination point between the President's office and other departments to ensure timely execution of leadership priorities
• Partnerships & AlliancesMaintain a comprehensive master tracker of all IIS partnerships and alliances, ensuring records are current and accurateManage end-to-end execution of partnership agreements - including drafting, review, execution, and renewalTrack and monitor deliverable commitments from both IIS and partner organisations, ensuring timely fulfillmentCoordinate with relevant internal teams to ensure partnership obligations are met and relationships are maintained effectively
• Events & Intellectual Properties (IPs)Execute end-to-end delivery of IIS IPs and supported events, ensuring quality and adherence to agreed objectivesDraft, execute, and manage agreements with co-organisers and event partnersCoordinate branding requirements, ensuring IIS visibility obligations are met across all events and IPsManage fund disbursement and FUR compliance - processing fund request letters, disbursing payments, and ensuring timely submission of utilisation reportsLiaise with co-organisers throughout the event lifecycle from planning through post-event reporting
• Continuous Improvement & Operational ExcellenceDevelop and maintain SOPs and process documentation across assigned functions, ensuring clarity and consistency in executionIdentify operational gaps and inefficiencies across teams and implement practical improvementsStreamline workflows and standardise processes to improve organisational efficiencySupport cross-functional initiatives aimed at improving systems, tools, and ways of working across IIS

Qualifications & ExperienceEssentialBachelor's degree from a reputed institution - engineering, management, or any analytical discipline3-5 years of work experience in consulting, operations, programme management, or a related fieldAdvanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel - non-negotiableStrong analytical and problem-solving skills with a structured approach to ambiguous challengesDemonstrated ability to manage multiple workstreams independentlyUnderstanding of financial processes - budgeting, expense tracking, and compliance

DesirablePrior exposure to sports, CSR-funded organisations, or high-performance environmentsExperience building processes or systems from scratchFamiliarity with project management tools