Ahmad Bari

Experience

• 

  New Concept Information Systems Pvt. Ltd.

  May 2012 - Jul 2014

  -Conducted formative evaluations of adolescents' health, nutrition, and education, and contributed to life skills curriculum development for the Child Fund India initiative.-Led a scoping study on communication strategies for Scheduled Tribes in Rajasthan, commissioned by UNICEF India.-Developed research frameworks and tools, conducted pilot studies, and trained 20+ peer researchers, resulting in comprehensive research reports.-Managed over 10 research and communication projects, adhering to ISO quality standards, and supported campaigns like promoting child rights in Uttar Pradesh with UNICEF.-Led 5+ publication projects, serving clients such as UNICEF, UNIDO, and UNFPA. Show less

  • Senior Project Executive (Communications)

    Apr 2014 - Jul 2014

  • Project Executive (Communication)

    May 2012 - Mar 2014
• 

  EdelGive Foundation

  May 2014 - now

  In the current role, I am currently leading the Grant Making Management Team, focusing on strengthening operational processes and ensuring strategic alignment across the Foundation’s core programmatic areas.Ongoing Responsibilities & Key Initiatives:Leadership & Team Development: Overseeing the recruitment and development of the Grant Making and Management Team, ensuring high standards of performance, while actively mentoring team members to support their professional growth and strengthen their contributions.Operational Management: Responsible for managing the end-to-end operations of the grants team, including the hiring and training of an Operations Manager to streamline processes. I focus on ensuring the efficiency, compliance, and smooth execution of all grant-related operations.Technology Integration: Leading the ongoing design and development of technology solutions that support various operational needs across the Foundation, aimed at enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of monitoring, evaluation, and reporting functions.Fund Management & Cashflow: Overseeing the allocation of funds to NGO partners across for achieving smooth cash flow and financial oversight for over grassroots partners. Show less In this period, I contributed significantly to the strategic direction and operational excellence of EdelGive Foundation. As part of the senior management team, I led and collaborated on multiple key initiatives, with a focus on philanthropy thought leadership, programme management, and grant-making, particularly in the areas of gender.Key Contributions:Flagship Programme Leadership: Spearheaded the conceptualization and engagement negotiation for the UdhyamStree campaign, aimed at fostering women entrepreneurship. I worked closely with the funding partner to secure project approval and successfully onboarded agency partners to execute the campaign. The execution phase was then transitioned to the communications department while I focused on grant-making.Coalition for Women Empowerment (CWE): Co-designed and supported the coalition, which brought together 15 grassroots organizations, three global foundations, and Indian donors, mobilizing over $4 million in funding for women's empowerment initiatives.Grant Portfolio Management: Oversaw grants totaling over $3.5 million annually, supporting 30+ grassroots NGOs. Managed partnerships with global donors, ensured alignment with mission outcomes, and streamlined cash flow operations.Programme Design and Advisory: Co-developed strategic frameworks for various initiatives, including the GROW Fund, focused on building resilience among grassroots NGOs post-COVID-19 and advised on multiple projects.Leadership and Capacity Building: Guided NGOs in strategy evolution, team building, and resource diversification. Mentored new team members and contributed to strengthening partner organizations’ leadership structures.Innovative Technology Solutions: Pioneered the Sankalp platform, an innovative response to gender-based violence, and supported the development of a grant management technology platform for enhanced philanthropic operations. Show less At EdelGive Foundation, I led the development of a comprehensive gender strategy and founded a pioneering women's empowerment portfolio from the ground up. This included independently onboarding 15 grantee organizations, collaborating with donors, and crafting 50+ grant management frameworks. These initiatives focused on gender-based violence prevention, rights advocacy, economic empowerment, and education for marginalized communities. In my role, I was responsible for the end-to-end management of multiple grants, ensuring strategic alignment with the Foundation’s gender mission. I established a robust risk management framework to ensure accountability and sustainability across all projects. My experience also includes supporting internal and external communications and publications, including fundraising collateral and annual reports. I have served as an advisor and mentor to over 20 grassroots organisations. Show less

  • Deputy Vice President, EdelGive Foundation (Head, Sandbox)

    Apr 2024 - now

  • Consultant- Senior Lead Women Empowerment

    Sept 2016 - Mar 2024

  • Assistant Manager

    May 2014 - Aug 2016