BRAC is an award-winning international non-governmental development organization, with the vision of a world free from all forms of exploitation and discrimination, where everyone has the opportunity to realise their potential. BRAC is a leader in developing and implementing cost-effective, evidence-based programmes to assist poor and disadvantaged communities in low-income countries, including in conflict-prone and post-disaster settings. It is an organisation of and for the people of the Global South, pioneering new development and social enterprise approaches to equip communities to achieve prosperity. As well as being the world's biggest NGO by the number of staff and people directly reached, BRAC has regularly been ranked the number one NGO in the world by the Geneva-based NGO Advisor, an independent organisation committed to highlighting innovation, impact, and governance in the non-profit sector. BRAC retained the top spot in 2020 among the top 500 NGOs for the fifth consecutive year.

BRAC was founded in Bangladesh in 1972 by Sir Fazle Hasan Abed. It started its first programme outside of Bangladesh in Afghanistan in 2002 and today has activities in 14 countries across Africa and Asia. BRAC has a holistic approach to development that uses a wide array of programmes that include microfinance, education, health, agriculture, gender, and human rights. BRAC invests in communities’ own human and material resources, catalysing lasting change and creating an ecosystem in which people in poverty have the chance to seize control of their own lives.

About the Ultra-Poor Graduation Initiative

The Ultra-Poor Graduation Initiative (“UPGI”) is a global unit within BRAC that was founded in 2016 to build off the success of BRAC’s Ultra-Poor Graduation programme in Bangladesh. BRAC UPGI aims to position the evidence-backed Graduation approach as a key driver to eradicate extreme poverty worldwide. It does this by:

●      Advocating for uptake of the Graduation approach by policymakers, national governments, multilateral institutions, and non-governmental organisations; and

●      Effective adaptation and implementation of the Graduation approach in countries around the world, supported through technical assistance and capacity strengthening for external stakeholders. 

In 2002, BRAC pioneered the Ultra-Poor Graduation (“Graduation”) approach in Bangladesh — a sequenced, two-year investment that enables people to create lasting pathways out of extreme poverty — after recognising that existing programmes were not reaching the poorest people. Through the provision of a productive asset, basic needs support, and ongoing coaching, the Graduation approach tackles multiple constraints at once and achieves lasting impact. 

Graduation has been adapted and implemented across a wide variety of contexts and countries, with dozens of rigorous evaluations documenting its effectiveness at achieving broad and lasting impact, as well as returns that greatly outweigh the costs. So far, a total of 6.7 million households have been reached by Graduation programs, more than 2 million of which BRAC reached through its flagship Graduation programme in Bangladesh. 

To help eradicate extreme poverty, BRAC UPGI is working with governments across Africa and Asia to scale  Graduation by integrating it into existing government programmes. Alongside governments, BRAC aims to equip  21 million more people to lift themselves from extreme poverty by 2030. 

BRAC UPGI Indonesia team works with governments to integrate and scale the Graduation approach into national and subnational systems. In Indonesia, this involves engaging with multiple ministries and subnational actors to design programmes that align with government priorities, financing structures, and delivery systems. The Senior Specialist will:

●      Support programme design and implementation decisions in close collaboration with the Country Team and government counterparts

●      Act as a bridge between global technical guidance and local realities

●      Contribute to learning and knowledge generation from Indonesia to inform UPGI’s global work

This role requires comfort working in ambiguous, evolving environments, where solutions must be iteratively developed. 

The role requires collaboration across BRAC UPGI Indonesia and global teams, as well as national and subnational government partners, necessitating strong interpersonal skills, a willingness to travel, and the ability to work flexibly. The ideal candidate will enjoy a challenge, think innovatively, and be passionate about contributing to sustainable solutions to eradicate extreme poverty.

This position offers an excellent opportunity for a mid-to-senior level professional to gain hands-on experience in Graduation-style programme design, government engagement, and knowledge management, while contributing to UPGI’s mission to scale graduation programmes to lift people out of extreme poverty at scale.

1. Programme Design and Technical Assistance: Lead and support the planning and strategic coordination  to deliver high-quality technical assistance on graduation programming to government partners in Indonesia, including but not limited to:
1. ensure that government Graduation programmes are designed for scale, with a particular focus on how the design and implementation of the graduation approach can be effectively adapted to Indonesian government-led contexts
2. Provide technical inputs into key programme decisions, working closely with the Country Lead and government counterparts
2. Government Engagement
1. Contribute to building and maintaining trusted working relationships with national and subnational government partners
2. Support government stakeholders in understanding, adapting, and operationalising the Graduation approach
3. Contribute to navigating  institutional structures, incentives, and coordination challenges across ministries/agencies and levels of government
3. Knowledge generation and adaptive learning
1. Develop and consolidate core technical materials (e.g. design notes, implementation guidance, learning briefs, training guidelines and manuals) to support consistent understanding of the Graduation model among government and partner stakeholders
2. Conduct research on government systems, social protection, and livelihood programmes to inform programme design and implementation
3. Contribute to establishing structured learning loops (e.g., reflection sessions, design reviews, adaptation cycles)
4. Internal coordination and collaboration
1. Support the BRAC Indonesia’s MEL Team, in operationalising the development and implementation of in-country cross-learning and knowledge-generation with a focus on identifying and circulating Indonesia–specific lessons and adaptations
2. Support internal coordination and project management by aligning priorities, timelines, and deliverables ensuring effective communication, timely execution of key activities, and proactive management of dependencies and risks in a dynamic, multi-stakeholder environment.
3. Work closely with the PDI Team to strengthen the technical understanding of the Indonesia Country Team and government partners at national and subnational levels on the graduation approach, with the aim to enhance their capacity to adapt and tailor the model to local contexts and government-led delivery systems
5. Other (Safeguarding Responsibilities)
1. Ensure the safety of team members from any harm, abuse, neglect, harassment, and exploitation to achieve the programme’s goals of safeguarding implementation.
2. Practice, promote and endorse the issues of safeguarding policy among team members and ensure the implementation of safeguarding standards in every course of action.
3. Follow the safeguarding reporting procedure in case any reportable incident takes place, and encourage others to do so.

●       Master’s degree in social sciences, economics, international development, public administration, or another related field required

●       A minimum of 7 years of work experience in research and/or development institutions. Demonstrated experience in programme design, technical assistance, research, capacity building, or advisory roles with governments, large NGOs, or multilateral partners.

●       Solid programme management skills, including work planning, tracking progress, synthesising learning, and adapting to emerging challenges.

●       Experience in graduation or economic inclusion programme design and implementation is desirable. Expertise and understanding of any of the following desirable – social protection, gender, livelihoods, or financial inclusion, cash-plus programmes.

●       Experience of working in or directly with the government in Indonesia is highly desirable.

●       Deep appreciation for Indonesia’s political, institutional, and socio-economic context, and the ability to work effectively within it.

●       Strong knowledge of the local context in terms of vulnerabilities and barriers faced by poor populations.

●       Ability to think outside the box and work independently.

●       Excellent written and verbal communication skills in both Indonesian and English, with the ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear, practical guidance for diverse audiences.

●       Strong analytical and research skills.

●       High level of cultural sensitivity and interpersonal skills, enabling effective collaboration across diverse institutional and professional contexts.

●       Ability to travel domestically often and internationally occasionally.

This is an outstanding opportunity to work with BRAC UPGI in Indonesia If you feel you are the right match for the position mentioned above, please follow the application instructions accordingly:

Please submit your resume and cover letter via the below link;

Senior Specialist - Programme Design and Impact – Indonesia

Only complete applications will be accepted, and short-listed candidates will be contacted.

Application deadline: April 01, 2026

BRAC is committed to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share the same commitment. We believe every stakeholder and every member of the communities we work with has the right to be protected from all forms of harm, abuse, neglect, harassment, and exploitation - regardless of age, race, religion, and gender, status as an individual with a disability or ethnic origin. Therefore, our recruitment process includes extensive reference and background checks, self-disclosure of prior issues regarding sexual or other misconduct and criminal records and our values are a part of our Performance Management System.

Only complete applications will be accepted, and short-listed candidates will be contacted.