Deputy Director of Program Operations

Bonsai Leadership Group is honored to support HERA in identifying its first Deputy Director of Program Operations.

ABOUT HERA

Established in 2023, HERA is a dynamic, global non-governmental organization (NGO) dedicated to protecting the health, income, and dignity of women on the frontlines of extreme heat. Given the significant gap in the understanding of extreme heat and its disproportional effects on women, HERA was co-founded by four women leaders who care deeply about addressing climate change and its impacts on women and vulnerable communities.

In its first two years, HERA has raised more than $20 million to expand its programs and impact. Today, HERA operates in eight countries, including Sierra Leone, Pakistan, Ghana, Liberia, Thailand, India, Kenya, and the United States. With local partners, HERA creates and delivers practical, durable solutions shaped by the experiences and needs of marginalized women toward better health, more income, and sustained dignity.

THE OPPORTUNITY

HERA's programs are expanding in complexity, geographic reach, and ambition. As the organization deepens its presence across multiple regions and brings new partnerships and initiatives online, HERA is investing in the additional capacity needed to sustain that growth. This new role will ensure the organization continues to execute its expanding program portfolio with the same consistency, rigor, and strategic coherence that have driven its program quality and credibility to date.

The Deputy Director of Program Operations (Deputy Director) serves as a key operational and strategic leader within the program team, partnering closely with the Chief Program Officer (CPO) to ensure HERA's global programs are delivered with excellence and in alignment with the organization's mission, values, and priorities. Reporting to the CPO, the Deputy Director leads a team of two direct reports and serves as a senior resource and thought partner to the broader program team. Maintaining a holistic view of the full program portfolio, the Deputy Director drives alignment across organizational functions to ensure complex, multi-geography programming advances with coherence and impact. A critical function of this role is to proactively manage program operations, ensuring the CPO remains fully informed and aware, particularly of anticipated risks or challenges, without requiring the CPO's engagement in every operational detail or constant mediation of program delivery. This allows the CPO to focus on high-level strategy, new partnership development, and external stakeholder relations.

This is a role for a senior leader who brings both operational precision and relational depth, who leads with confidence in dynamic and evolving environments, and who understands that building trust across a global team is inseparable from delivering results. As HERA continues to grow, the Deputy Director will have the opportunity to shape and strengthen the operational infrastructure that will carry its programs into the next phase of impact.

KEY AREAS OF LEADERSHIP AND FOCUS

Program Execution

Execute program strategy in partnership with the CPO, ensuring alignment with HERA's mission, values, organizational priorities, and policies

Maintain strategic oversight of the full program portfolio, anticipating risks and driving accountability across deliverables, contracts, and partner commitments

Partner with the Director of Learning, Monitoring, and Evaluation and CPO to translate program learning and evidence into operational decisions, program adaptations, and informed prioritization across the portfolio

Ensure program documents, partner reports, and written work products reflect the rigor and standards expected of HERA's mission and external reputation

Serve as interim regional or country program lead for new or emerging geographies as HERA expands its global footprint

Program Operational Management

Design and implement operational systems, tools, and templates that bring consistency and efficiency to program delivery across a portfolio of 20-plus partner organizations spanning multiple geographies

Oversee day-to-day program implementation, ensuring programs and initiatives are completed on time, within scope, and in compliance with funder requirements and grant deliverables

Develop and manage program budgets, oversee performance against KPIs and grant deliverables, and communicate outcomes to funders and partners

Lead the design and delivery of special projects, including developing scopes of work, budgets, and timelines in coordination with relevant stakeholders

Assess program team capacity needs, in partnership with the CPO, and develop strategic approaches to address gaps, including the design and management of an internship program that sources talent, defines scopes of work, and integrates participants effectively across the team

Leadership and Collaboration

Build and sustain trusted relationships across the program team, cultivating a culture of cohesion, shared accountability, and continuous learning

Serve as a key resource and decision-making partner for program staff, providing senior-level guidance and decision-making support that enables staff to move forward with clarity and confidence

Work across organizational functions, including Finance, Development, and Operations, ensuring program information is translated and shared effectively across teams

Partner with the Communications team to connect program activities, field insights, and outcomes to external messaging platforms, public-facing communications, and thought leadership pieces

Manage a portfolio of external program consultants, ensuring alignment with program goals and accountability through every phase of engagement

Develop and nurture external relationships in support of specific programs, initiatives, and projects

Represent HERA at conferences, convenings, and partner meetings, advancing the organization's mission and elevating its presence in the extreme heat and climate adaptation field

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

The ideal candidate will bring many of the following qualifications and experiences, though not all are required for consideration.

10+ years of experience in program management or a related field within a complex, multi-partner or multi-country context; experience in the Global South is strongly preferred

Proven ability to build operational systems, tools, and workflows that bring structure and consistency to program delivery in a growing or evolving organization

Skilled writer and editor, with the ability to review, strengthen, and produce clear and compelling program documents, partner reports, and organizational communications

Deep commitment to equity and gender justice, with an understanding of how those values inform program design, partnership, and organizational culture

Sound judgment in navigating complex, multi-stakeholder environments, with the demonstrated ability to make and act on decisions with appropriate authority and discretion

Comfort navigating ambiguity and organizational growth, with the flexibility and pragmatism to build and adapt systems in fast-moving, evolving contexts

Collaborative leadership approach, with experience managing and supporting distributed teams across different levels of experience and expertise

Genuine curiosity and a learning orientation, bringing humility, openness to feedback, and a commitment to continuous improvement in their own practice and in the teams they support

Experience in international development, climate adaptation, gender equality, or related sectors

Fluency in English required; proficiency in additional languages spoken in HERA's program countries is an asset

HERA provides a comprehensive benefits package designed to support the health, well-being, and overall quality of life for its team members.