Head of Meesho Foundation
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
About the Team
Meesho’s ecosystem spans millions of sellers, consumers, logistics partners, and content creators across Bharat — many at early stages of their digital journey. The Foundation takes a 20-year view, leveraging Meesho’s distribution, technology, data, and partnerships to create outsized social impact with limited resources. This is not a traditional CSR function. It is a platform-adjacent social venture built from scratch.
About the Role
Democratise internet commerce for all consumers, businesses, and ecosystem partners, not just limited to Meesho, by bridging gaps that market forces cannot solve — through access, affordability, and resilience.
What You’ll Do
- Build the Foundation from zero: Build the strategy and operating model
- Launch 2–3 pilot interventions in the first 90 days based on Meesho’s strategic advantages (distribution, tech, data)
- Own government and institutional partnerships: such as but not limited to NITI Aayog, state livelihood missions, multilateral funders and credible NGOs
- Leverage Meesho’s platform capabilities to design DPI-style solutions for digital literacy, insurance distribution, seller onboarding, and training at scale
- Catalyse ecosystem change: open-source data for researchers, pilot with govt funding/NGOs, nudge companies to invest in Bharat
- Lead and hire the Foundation team including a cross-functional pod (tech, product, design, data science)
- Manage compliance and governance: CSR committee reporting, board-level impact reporting
What You Will Need
- 10–15 years in the Indian development ecosystem with deep, trust-based relationships across government (central + state), credible NGOs, and institutional funders
- Demonstrated ability to design and execute programs at scale that measurably improved lives — not just grant-making or compliance
- Comfort operating in a fast-paced tech company with quarterly OKRs, product managers, and engineers
- Builder mindset — this is a 0-to-1 role with no existing team, processes, or legacy programs
- Experience at the intersection of technology and development — digital public, social enterprises, or tech-forward corporate foundations
- Experience with micro-entrepreneurs, small sellers, gig workers, or logistics networks
- Familiarity with impact measurement methodologies and financial inclusion programs
- Development Sector Leader - Led programs at a credible foundation (Tata Trusts, Azim Premji, Dell Foundation) with exposure to tech-enabled interventions. Strong NGO and funder networks.
- Social Enterprise Builder - Built or scaled a social enterprise in financial inclusion, last-mile logistics, or digital literacy for Tier 2+ India. Builder’s mindset + ground-level Bharat understanding.
- Govt-to-Practice Leader - Served at NITI Aayog, a state livelihood mission (JEEViKA, Kudumbashree), or policy think tank, then moved into execution. Deep govt relationships.
Ideal Background Archetypes
Why This Opportunity Is Unique
About us
Welcome to Meesho, where every story begins with a spark of inspiration and a dash of entrepreneurial spirit. We're not just a platform; we're your partner in turning dreams into realities.
Curious about life at Meesho? Explore our Glassdoor - our people have a lot to say and they've helped us become a loved workplace in India.
Our Mission
Democratising internet commerce for everyone — Meesho (Meri Shop) started with a single idea in mind: to be an e-commerce destination for Indian consumers and to enable small businesses to succeed online.
We provide our sellers with benefits such as zero commission and affordable shipping solutions in the market. Today, sellers nationwide are growing their businesses by tapping into Meesho’s large and diverse customer base, state-of-the-art tech infrastructure, and pan-India logistics network through trusted third-party partners.
Affordable, relatable merchandise that mirrors local markets has helped us connect with internet users and serve customers across urban, semi-urban, and rural India. Our unique business model and continuous innovation have established us as a part of India’s e-commerce ecosystem.
Culture and Total Rewards
Our focus is on cultivating a dynamic workplace characterized by high impact and performance excellence. We prioritize a people-centric culture, dedicated to hiring and developing exceptional talent.
Total rewards at Meesho comprise a comprehensive set of elements — monetary, non-monetary, tangible, and intangible. Our 9 guiding principles, or "Mantras," are the backbone of how we operate, influencing everything from recognition and evaluation to growth discussions. Daily rituals and processes like “Problem First Mindset,” “Listen or Die,” our Internal Mobility Program, Talent Reviews, and Continuous Performance Management embody these principles.
We offer competitive compensation — both cash and equity-based — tailored to job roles, individual experience, and skill, along with employee-centric benefits and a supportive work environment. Our holistic wellness program, MeeCare, includes benefits across physical, mental, financial, and social wellness. This includes extensive medical insurance for employees and their families, wellness initiatives like telehealth, wellness events, and fitness-related perks.
To support work-life balance, we offer generous leave policies, parental support, retirement benefits, and learning and development assistance. Through personalized recognition, gratitude for stretched work, and engaging activities, we promote employee delight at the workplace. Additional benefits such as salary advance support, relocation assistance, and flexible benefit plans further enrich the Meesho experience.
At Meesho, we are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible workplace where every individual can thrive. In compliance with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, we uphold the following principles:
Equal Opportunity: We ensure that employment opportunities are never denied on the grounds of disability if the candidate is otherwise competent to perform the job.
Accessible Workplace: Our facilities are designed to be fully accessible, with amenities and assistive devices provided to support differently abled individuals in their work.
Inclusive Hiring Process: We adopt a transparent and non-discriminatory selection process, including providing application forms in alternate formats and offering reasonable accommodations during interviews upon request.
Career Growth: We provide adequate training post-recruitment and pre-promotion, with training materials available in accessible formats to enable equal career progression.
Support & Confidentiality: A dedicated liaison officer/committee addresses concerns and grievances, while maintaining strict confidentiality of disability-related information.
Awareness & Inclusion: We conduct awareness programs to promote a culture of inclusivity across the organization.
Meesho welcomes applicants and employees of all abilities and is dedicated to fostering an environment where differently abled persons can achieve their full potential.
Know more about Meesho here : https://www.meesho.io/