CHANEL is a privately-owned company whose values are grounded in creating the conditions for people to perform at their best and feel fulfilled and confident in their work. We care deeply about our employees and strive to create a safe environment that values people’s humanity and uniqueness so that they are free to bring their full selves to work and to their life’s calling.
Inspired by our founder, Gabrielle Chanel, who constantly pushed boundaries in her personal and professional life, there is no one way forward at Chanel. We offer a unique work environment where you are encouraged to better understand the brand, the business, and your motivations, so that together we can unlock the possibility of your growth.
At CHANEL, being a purposeful and human-driven employer means being intentional, meaningful and caring in inspiring our people; fostering environments that reflect our strong values; encouraging and enabling inclusion; and investing in work and workplaces that foster collaboration and well-being. This is critical for the long-term success of our business.
Established in 2011, Fondation CHANEL is the corporate foundation of CHANEL. Its mission is for women and girls to be free to shape their own destiny. By developing partnerships with non-for-profit organisations, the foundation improves the economic and social situation of women and adolescent girls around the world through a multidimensional and holistic approach, addressing issues related to safety and economic autonomy.
Fondation CHANEL currently supports 24 initiatives across Asia, including Japan and India.
We are looking for an innovative and passionate Programme Manager to join the regional foundation team.
As part of Fondation CHANEL, the Asia Programme Manager will work collaboratively with the entire foundation team, based in London, New York, Paris, Mexico City and Singapore, and maintain a cross-functional relationship with the executive management team, Operations, Finance, and Communications Departments, as well as key stakeholders within CHANEL. This position reports to the Head of Asia, Fondation CHANEL and collaborates closely with other Asia team members.
Fondation CHANEL is committed to gender equality and diversity.
Develop and manage a philanthropic portfolio across targeted countries to advance Fondation CHANEL’s theory of change
- Collaborate with the Head of Asia to refine, adapt, and implement the regional strategy in Asia with an eye toward balancing direct service delivery with systems change
- Engage with local external and internal partners to analyse the gaps and map key policy and action priorities in targeted markets that will accelerate gender equality
- Innovate to capture opportunities and/or bridge gaps in Fondation CHANEL’s giving approach through strategic donor partnerships
- Launch and execute partner prospecting initiatives in line with the Asia strategy and in compliance with internal procedures
- Design - in collaboration with partners - grant activities, facilitate conversations around impact measurement and learning, prepare grant selection files for internal approval, and as appropriate, present partnerships to Committee for approval
- Work closely with Operations and Finance teams around compliance, due diligence, grant agreement negotiation, financial administration, and project evaluations
- Organise and participate in site visits, including writing travel insight reports
- Build trust-based partnerships and support partners with capacity building and upskilling, as necessary
Contribute to the deepening and broadening of an ecosystem committed to gender equality
- Identify and participate in key networks in Asia that would be strategic for Fondation CHANEL
- Provide expertise through the creation and internal dissemination of talking points and issue briefs and contribute to discussions in areas of expertise
- Support and serve as a representative for Fondation CHANEL, providing technical and policy advice on prioritised initiatives
- Develop and maintain constructive working relationships with key stakeholders across Asia
- Represent Fondation CHANEL in various gender equality and philanthropic bodies and national and regional conferences, bringing key learnings back to the team
Cultivate and strengthen touchpoints with CHANEL to foster pride among staff and increase understanding about gender equality
- Coordinate with local markets, ensuring key internal and external stakeholders are aware of the Fondation CHANEL’s strategy, initiatives, and partners
- Identify, foster, and organise opportunities to communicate respectfully the work of Fondation CHANEL to the business, and as appropriate, develop engagement touchpoints
- Provide support to the company in areas of expertise.
- Participate in the development and execution of the Fondation CHANEL's communication plan, particularly with creating content for intern dissemination.
- Collaborate and liaise with the USA, Europe, and UK foundation teams on various cross-functional initiatives
What you can bring to the team…
- Knowledge and passion for gender equality and systems change in Asia, with a preference for direct experience in the areas of: gender-based violence, sexual and reproductive health rights, the care economy, or grassroots climate adaptation
- Experience in building movements, supporting advocacy, and collaborating with governments in Asia
- Strong regional networks focused on gender equality and/or collaborative philanthropy.
- Strategic partnership development, project management and stakeholder relationship experience
- Strong attention to detail, commitment to high quality execution, and appetite for innovation
- Empathy, humility, self-awareness, curiosity, and agility
- Ability to multi-task, prioritise actions, and deal with ambiguity in a fast pace environment
- Commitment to mentorship and project-based leadership
Academic / Professional Qualifications
- Post graduate degree in international development, social sciences, economics, or humanities.
Requirements
- Minimum 9-11 years of experience in gender equality focused philanthropy or international development in Asia.
- Demonstrated results in preventing violence against women and girls, protecting sexual and reproductive health rights, in adapting to climate change, and/or expanding women’s economic autonomy.
- Experience catalysing and measuring systems change in Asian markets through policy reform, action-oriented movements, or evolving societal norms.
- Experience building effective multi-stakeholder partnerships that accelerate sustainable change
- Fluency in English is required. Other languages are desirable, particularly those spoken in Asia.
- Willingness to travel frequently (approximately 30% of working time).
Functional Competencies:
Strategic Acumen
- Ability to create a portfolio that balances direct service delivery with systems change to accelerate gender equality
- Strong understanding about feminist theories, randomised control trial insights around women’s safety and economic autonomy, and research gaps in the region
- Respectful and culturally sensitive in communicating Fondation CHANEL priorities to internal and external stakeholders
- Able to gather and draw connections across partners, markets, and initiatives to facilitate learning and capture synergies
- Develop clear and challenging but achievable goals for self, team, and partners
Portfolio Management
- Excellent communication skills with an aptitude for respectful impact story telling at the individual and systems levels
- Resourceful and curious about on-the-ground developments and evolving priorities
- Experience developing in partnership evaluation methodologies and impact measurement frameworks
- Strong self-awareness and interpersonal skills
- Open minded person, committed to teamwork
Operations Management
- Strong project management experience
- Comfort with managing numbers and budgets
- Keen eye for detail and commitment to quality
- Good analytical, strong writing, and excellent presentation skills
- Ability to navigate matrix and willingness to invest in relationships
- Interest and experience in mentoring
Learning Agility
- Innovating - Not afraid to challenge the status quo
- Performing - Remain calm in the face of difficulty
- Adapting - Take time to reflect, learn, and integrate insights without fear of saving face
Key Interactions:
Internal Fondation CHANEL
- Operations, Finance, Global, and Regional teams, and Asia Regional Committee (Asia Board of Directors)
Internal Business
- Sustainability, Communications, Social Commitment, and locally based market teams
External
- Non-profit partners, women’s funds, donor alliances and consultants
At Chanel, we are focused on creating an inclusive culture that nurtures personal growth, contributing to collective progress. We believe the uniqueness of each individual increases the diversity, complementarity and effectiveness of our teams. We strongly encourage your application, as we value the perspective, experience and potential you could bring to CHANEL
