How to apply for Chief Executive Officer

About Fortify Health

Fortify Health is an India-based NGO laser-focused on eliminating iron deficiency anaemia and neural tube defects by fortifying wheat flour with iron, folic acid, and vitamin B12. Unlike broad-spectrum health NGOs, Fortify Health works at the intersection of market-based solutions and public health policy, partnering with flour mills and governments to embed fortification into the food supply chain. This is a rare chance to lead a high-impact, evidence-driven organisation where every ton of fortified flour directly translates into improved health outcomes for millions.

About the role

As CEO, you will own the multi-year strategy for scaling Fortify Health's operations across India, deciding where and how to expand, and ensuring the organisation remains financially sustainable through diversified funding. You will be the primary external face of the organisation, anchoring relationships with donors, government bodies, and industry partners, while also building a strong leadership team and safeguarding the culture. This is a hands-on, mission-critical role where your decisions directly determine how many people are protected from preventable anaemia and birth defects.

A typical day

A typical day might start with a strategy call with the leadership team on expansion plans, followed by a meeting with a major donor to discuss a multi-year grant. In the afternoon, you might review programme data with the operations team, then prepare for a government stakeholder meeting. You'll end the day mentoring a team member and reflecting on how to strengthen organisational culture in a remote setting.

Who Fortify Health is looking for

• Proven leadership in a mission-driven organisation, ideally in public health, nutrition, or food systems, with experience managing multi-year strategies and expansion into new geographies or markets.
• Demonstrated fundraising success: a track record of securing and diversifying revenue from institutional donors, foundations, CSR, and/or impact investors, with the ability to anchor relationships personally.
• Experience building and strengthening senior leadership teams, fostering a values-driven culture, and managing organisational change in a growing NGO.
• Deep understanding of the Indian development sector, including government partnerships, regulatory landscapes, and supply chain dynamics related to food fortification or large-scale health interventions.

Tips for this application

• Quantify your fundraising impact in your resume and cover letter: specify amounts raised, donor types (e.g., bilateral, foundation, corporate), and how you diversified funding streams.
• Showcase your experience in scaling operations—highlight specific examples of expanding programmes to new states or regions, including the strategic decisions and outcomes.
• Demonstrate familiarity with anaemia and fortification by referencing Fortify Health's model, key partners (e.g., mills, government agencies), and the scale of the problem in India (e.g., NFHS data on anaemia prevalence).
• Emphasise your ability to be both a strategic visionary and a hands-on leader: provide examples of times you built a leadership team while also personally stewarding major donor relationships.
• Tailor your application to Fortify Health's unique market-based approach: explain why you believe in fortification as a scalable solution and how your experience aligns with their theory of change.

What to cover in your cover letter

1. Your personal motivation for tackling anaemia and neural tube defects in India, ideally linked to a specific experience or insight. 2. A concrete example of a multi-year strategy you led that expanded a mission-driven organisation's reach or impact. 3. Evidence of your fundraising success, including the types of donors you secured and how you built lasting relationships. 4. Your philosophy on building and sustaining organisational culture in a remote, growth-oriented NGO, with examples of how you've done this before.

Research before applying

• Study Fortify Health's website, annual reports, and any impact evaluations to understand their current scale, partnerships, and funding sources.
• Research the prevalence and consequences of iron deficiency anaemia in India using NFHS-5 data and understand the role of wheat flour fortification in addressing it.
• Investigate key stakeholders in the Indian fortification ecosystem, including government schemes (e.g., PDS, ICDS), regulatory bodies (FSSAI), and major flour mill associations.
• Look into comparable NGOs or social enterprises that have scaled health interventions in India, and identify lessons learned that you could bring to Fortify Health.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• How would you prioritise geographic expansion for Fortify Health over the next 3–5 years, and what criteria would you use to decide where to grow?
• Describe your approach to diversifying funding for an NGO like Fortify Health, including specific donor segments you would target and how you would personally engage them.
• Fortify Health works with flour mills and government regulators. How would you navigate competing interests to drive adoption of fortified flour at scale?
• Tell us about a time you had to make a tough strategic decision that affected organisational culture. How did you handle it?
• What metrics would you use to measure Fortify Health's success beyond the number of people reached, and how would you ensure evidence-based learning?

Common mistakes to avoid

• Focusing only on high-level strategy without demonstrating hands-on fundraising or operational experience—Fortify Health needs a CEO who can both set direction and personally drive donor relationships.
• Showing a lack of familiarity with the Indian context, such as not understanding government processes, local supply chains, or cultural factors affecting nutrition.
• Overemphasising corporate or for-profit experience without translating it to the NGO context—mission-driven leadership and cultural stewardship are critical here.