Interim Regional Manager, Southeast Asia

Interim Regional Manager, Southeast Asia
Overview
Global Fund for Children (GFC) works to build a world where all children and youth are safe, strong, and valued. We partner with locally led organizations and invest in bold ideas that advance children’s rights and wellbeing.

We are seeking an Interim Regional Manager, Southeast Asia, to lead and grow our work across the region at an exciting moment of organizational evolution. This is a time bound role during a strategic review period at GFC with an expected duration from September 2026-February 2027. This role temporarily replaces a similar position whose current holder is transitioning to another post within the organization. GFC is undergoing a strategic review period, which is why this post is interim while we clarify our structure moving forward.

Reporting to the Senior Vice President of Programs and working closely with the Regional Director, South Asia, this is a dual-purpose role. Approximately half of the position will focus on leading GFC's Southeast Asia portfolio, including regional strategy and people management. The remaining half will lead a time-bound strategic assessment to inform GFC's future presence, partnerships, and growth in Southeast Asia.

The role is ideal for a collaborative leader who combines strong regional program leadership with strategic thinking, relationship building, and curiosity about how organizations grow and evolve.

As a member of a globally connected team, the Interim Regional Manager will also contribute to cross-team learning, collaboration, and efforts to advance equity, inclusion, and anti-racist practice.

We are looking for someone who brings not only strategic and relational leadership, but also a genuine sense of energy, curiosity, and connection to the joy, creativity, and possibility that children and young people bring to the world.

1. Regional Leadership, Programs and Partnerships (50%)
• Lead GFC's Southeast Asia portfolio, shaping regional priorities and strategy.
• Identify emerging opportunities, risks, and trends affecting children and young people across the region.
• Work in close coordination with the Regional Director, South Asia to ensure alignment, collaboration, and shared learning across the region.
• Support the development of new initiatives and collaborative approaches, including those that span across South and Southeast Asia.

Grantmaking Oversight
• Oversee high-quality grantmaking and program implementation across Southeast Asia that includes participatory grantmaking, peer learning, and capacity strengthening.
• Ensure programs reflect locally led, youth-centered, and equity-driven approaches.
• Provide guidance and support to team members managing partner portfolios.

People & Team Leadership
• Line manage and support two regionally based team members and provide coaching, feedback, and development support.
• Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and values-driven team culture, with attention to wellbeing and a sense of purpose and joy in the work.
• Contribute to coordination and cohesion across the Southeast Asia and broader Asia team.
• Actively engage in cross-team collaboration, learning, and knowledge sharing across functions and regions.

2. Strategic Regional Development and Asia Growth (50%)
Lead a time-bound strategic assessment to inform GFC's long-term presence and growth across Asia.

Responsibilities include:
• Assess opportunities for strengthening GFC's regional presence, including options for establishing a regional hub or legal entity.

• Conduct landscape analysis on operational, regulatory, governance, and organizational considerations across potential locations.

• Identify opportunities for philanthropic, corporate, and institutional partnerships across Asia, with particular attention to Singapore and Thailand.

• Work alongside external consultants conducting donor landscape research, ensuring GFC develops complementary recommendations on regional strategy and organizational presence rather than duplicating external analysis.

• Engage internal stakeholders across Programs, Development, Finance, Operations, and Executive Leadership as needed.

• Develop recommendations to strengthen GFC's long-term strategy, partnerships, fundraising opportunities, and operational footprint across Asia.

• Produce a practical roadmap to inform future organizational decision making.

Equity, Inclusion, and Anti-Racist Practice
• Engage actively in GFC’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism, contributing to ongoing learning, reflection, and practice.
• Bring a thoughtful and self-aware approach to power, identity, and inclusion in relationships with partners, colleagues, and communities.
• Contribute to creating an organizational culture that is inclusive, accountable, and grounded in equity and justice.
Experience and Profile
• Significant professional experience in Southeast Asia, with lived and/or deeply embedded experience and strong contextual understanding of regional dynamics
• Seasoned experience leading programs, partnerships, or grantmaking, including people management
• Fluency in written and spoken English. Fluency in at least one language spoken in the region desirable such as Bahasa Indonesia, Thai or Vietnamese.
• Demonstrated commitment to and experience working with youth-led, participatory, or community-driven approaches
• Demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, and anti-racist practice, with a willingness to engage in ongoing learning and reflection
• Strong strategic thinking, with experience leading organizational, market, or regional development initiatives.
• Experience building partnerships and engaging donors, funders, or external stakeholders.
• Excellent relationship-building, communication, and cross-cultural collaboration skills.
• A collaborative leadership style, with curiosity, sound judgment, and the ability to move between strategic thinking and implementation.
We are a values-driven organization that believes in the power of relationships, community, and joy in the work. We are looking for someone who shares this spirit and brings it into how they lead and collaborate.

Consulting fee: The consulting fee will be determined based on localized benchmarking for the role and will be commensurate with experience), aligned with the USD equivalent minimum of $4000 per month. The average level commitment is expected to be 20 days per month for the duration of the engagement (approximately September 2026–February 2027). Only candidates who are currently residing in and have lived experience in Southeast Asia will be considered for this role.

How do I apply?
In line with our values of courage, passion and inclusion, to apply for this role, please share your thoughts on the following questions along with your CV through the following link: https://global-fund-for-children.breezy.hr/p/f7c3310e1363
Application questions:
1) What excites you the most about this interim role and best aligns with your experience?
2) Where do you see the most significant opportunity for an organization like GFC in Southeast Asia right now?
3) Please discuss an assumption people often make about Southeast Asia's civil society landscape that you think is outdated or wrong.
4) Please provide your preferred daily rate for this engagement.

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis and position is open until filled.

We are excited to hear from you! If you have any questions about the role, please get in touch on careers(at)globalfundforchildren.org.