Climate Change Technical Area Manager T12

DAI works at the cutting edge of international development, combining technical excellence, professional project management, and exceptional customer service to solve our clients’ most complex problems. Since 1970, DAI has worked in 150 developing and transition countries, providing comprehensive development solutions in areas including crisis mitigation and stability operations, democratic governance and public sector management, agriculture and agribusiness, private sector development and financial services, economics and trade, HIV/AIDS, avian influenza control, water and natural resources management, and energy and climate change. Clients include international development agencies, international lending institutions, private corporations and philanthropies, and host-country governments.

The Climate Change Technical Area Manager/Principal Development Specialist position reports to the Managing Director of the Environment and Energy Sector in Bethesda, MD. This individual will work closely with DAI clients, DAI’s international offices, and lead internal DAI teams for successful business development and contract management. Clients include USAID and other bilateral and multilateral donor agencies, host country governments, and private entities. Experience working with USAID required.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Technical Leadership
• Provide technical leadership to team in areas of climate adaptation, REDD readiness, low emissions/low carbon development.
• Position DAI as a known provider of climate change/adaptation technical services. In this respect, work with DAI’s E&E technical staff and teams from other DAI sectors to develop innovative and effective approaches for assisting national and local governments and communities identify and invest in strategies to mitigate and strengthen resilience to the impacts of climate change.
New Business Development
• Identify, prioritize and position DAI to competitively bid on upcoming opportunities in climate change, adaptation, REDD+, low carbon/emissions development and natural resources management.
• Work with DAI’s international offices to provide support they need to win new contracts in climate change/adaptation/LEDs and NRM areas
• Serve as technical lead in writing winning proposals
• Manage proposal development teams
• Track and follow up on business intelligence leading up to bid opportunities
• Organize and lead reconnaissance efforts in target countries
• Help strategize winning approaches to bid opportunities
• Be capable of working under tight deadlines
Project Management
• Maintain supportive and ongoing communications with field-based senior personnel on DAI-led contracts.
• Manage teams of home office and field based project staff to ensure a high standard of technical and financial excellence in delivery of results according to client expectations
• Maintain regular and supportive communications with clients
• Help set and monitor performance goals and objectives for field and US based staff working on project management teams
• Deliver regular technical and financial reports on project performance to the Managing Director
• Assist field teams in preparing workplans and reports in compliance with contracts
• Serve as a “knowledge management” champion, drawing best practices from projects and channeling relevant best practices to projects as needed
Consulting Services
• Undertake short-term technical assignments, typically ranging from one to six weeks, providing consulting services in the field as well as high quality technical reports, assessments, and recommendations as requested
Corporate Initiatives
• Lead trainings and brown-bags
• Position DAI as a known organization engaged in innovative climate change initiatives through presentations of results of technical work at conferences, publishing of papers or development of videos on specific work being carried out by DAI’s field teams, and through active networking with donors and international NGOs investing in climate change/adaptation and NRM work.
• Participate on cross-group or company process-improvement or strategic planning teams
• Identify and support efforts to build the capacity of DAI’s international offices and their ability to expand business in areas of climate change/adaptation and NRM.

Basic Qualifications:

Basic Qualifications:
• Minimum of 15 years progressively responsible work experience in the international development field with particular emphasis on climate adaptation, natural resources management, biodiversity conservation or related work.
• MA/MS or PhD in climate change/adaptation, natural resources management, environmental economics or related field
• Solid technical understanding of climate change and climate change adaptation and how this is impacting regions, countries, and communities and actions both communities and governments can take to mitigate impacts and improve resilience.
• Solid understanding of competitive proposal development process, project management systems and best practices
• Proven ability to win and manage multi-million dollar USAID or similar contracts
• Able to build, lead and manage teams of professionals
• Strong interpersonal, communication and motivation skills
• Strong written – technical writing and editing – and oral presentation skills
• Demonstrated ability to multi-task in a rapidly changing environment
• Action oriented with strong intellectual agility and ability
• Able to learn quickly and to apply results oriented problem solving methods
• Regional experience in Africa or Asia
• Must be willing and able to travel to all DAI project locations

Must be eligible to work in the United States