Technical Director, Economic Growth & Governance

Job Description

Cardno Emerging Markets is seeking a Technical Director for our Economic Growth & Governance practice unit. The Technical Director will influence the strategic direction and focus of the global economic growth thematic areas and will set objectives by drawing on multi-disciplinary approaches from economic, social and governance pillars that enable businesses and governments to work together to implement reforms resulting in meaningful and wide economic impact. The Technical Director will have strong technical relationships with donors, governments and partners and deliver the analytical insights our leaders use to enable us to innovate and apply technical solutions.

Technical Leadership

• Generates high impact innovative ideas and confidently considers and introduces new approaches to complex problems.
• Confident in ability to take on and apply new and different solutions.
• Anticipates trends and impact of economic and political environment on donor, partners, host governments, and client expectations and feasibility of options.
• Implements strategic direction and management to projects from a technical perspective, from lessons learned, successes, tools, best practices and cross-pollination.
• Demonstrates effective problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Evaluates options with client and produces technical assistance, training and deliverables that reflect donor and beneficiary client needs.
• Ensures deliverables match with engagement scope and client expectations.
• Builds plan for follow-up to ensure that changes implemented will be sustainable.
• Publishes, presents and networks ideas.
• Available, interested, excited and able to share ideas and communicate with colleagues.

Business Development

• Leads technical proposals, writes technical component, conceptualizes and develops technical packets.
• Contributes to business development by growing opportunities in new and current markets, through close collaboration with governments, private sector entities, multilateral institutions, non-governmental organizations, donors and coalitions
• Contributes to current and new technical services initiatives
• Identifies new market spaces and cultivates innovative ways of working by adopting multisector approaches, and by effective partnering
• Provide cutting edge, innovate approaches to program development

Corporate and Financial Management

• Accountable for delivery of work program and ensuring timely delivery and overall quality of technical output in a fiscally responsible manner.

People Management

• Drive and inspire technical excellence by creating an environment of learning and innovation that attracts and develops the best talent reflective of the diversity of our clients.
• Provide strong leadership by example, leveraging strong organizational, managerial, technical, process, and people management skills that can motivate a team.
• Direct and manage external vendors and consultants effectively to ensure accountability and successful delivery for complex projects.
• Identify and nurture talent in technical areas through motivation, mentoring and skills development.

Eminence Building

• Forge partnerships and maintain excellent relationships with government, non-governmental organizations, private sector, and donors to implement the technical agenda.
• Strong willingness to work outside of the office, specifically identifying and developing technical eminence in the field
• Establish a community of practice in technical service line.
• Create visibility and credibility to appropriately position Cardno as a strong leader in technical area.
• Publish work in journals, through development of white papers, in internal Cardno publications

Required Minimum Education

• Required: Graduate degree in economics, international development, finance, public finance or similar
• Preferred Education: PhD

Required Minimum Experience

• 15+ years working in international development, including 5+ years’ experience working in a developing country, and deep, successful experience executing US government-funded programs with proven results.

Knowledge and Skills

• Demonstrated leadership on economic growth, poverty reduction, improving business enabling environments and similar economic development programs
• Deep technical expertise in economics, development, domestic resource mobilization, program based budgeting, SME development, export promotion, trade, improving business environments and investment.
• Experience leading technical initiatives through cross-functional, matrix environments using strong program and project management tools and practices.
• Demonstrated successful experience leading proposal development in response to USAID solicitations.
• Demonstrated skills implementing technical tasks in the field and developing and winning new business.
• Demonstrated success leading, managing and building teams.
• Innovative thinking, practical problem solving and the ability to translate and apply knowledge to program implementation.
• Demonstrated ability to make timely and bold decisions that have broad impact across organizational boundaries and stakeholder groups.
• Proven competency in financial management of programs, including successfully managing complex programs and budgets.
• Published or been a speaker on a topic(s) related to economic growth in the areas of agricultural development, blended finance/financial services, business enabling environment, poverty reduction, PFM, markets systems, and/or small and medium enterprise development.
• Experience managing donor funded programs, preferably in Africa and/or Asia.
• Demonstrated experience navigating varied cultural, political, and societal environments and possesses a high aptitude for working cross-culturally.
• Proven experience working with USAID and other donors.
• Excellent conceptual, verbal and written communication skills.
• Fluency in English (oral and written) required.
• Proficiency in another language desirable.
• Demonstrates integrity, credibility, and a commitment to and passion for Cardno’s mission.

Competencies

• Knowledge and Experience in Development Arena
• Translates technical knowledge into practical applications and contributions to area strategies; experience writing winning proposals.

Navigating the Environment

• Perspective; Dealing with Ambiguity; Organizational Agility; Political Savvy and Strategic Agility

Ensuring Delivery of Results

• Functional Technical Skills; Managing through Systems; Managing and Measuring Work; Negotiating; Information Sharing; Process Management

Leading with Credibility

• Approachability and Developing Direct Reports and Others; Building Teams; Integrity and Trust; Managing Vision and Purpose; Conflict Management; Creating visibility and credibility to appropriately position Cardno as a strong leader in technical area. This will include building and managing trusted relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders and countries, including governments, multilateral organizations, partners, foundations, and other clients and funders.
• Active participation in external events and conferences focused on technical areas.
• As a key representative of Cardno, you must communicate effectively and maintain a strong professional profile and broad, influential network.

Core Personal Competencies

• Ethics and Values; Strong Listening, Presentation, Writing and Communication Skills

Physical Demands

• International travel required +/- 20%

About the Organization

Cardno Emerging Markets USA, Ltd., is part of Cardno’s Emerging Markets Division with international development assistance companies in Brisbane, Brussels, Jakarta, Melbourne, Nairobi, Oxford, Port Moresby, and Washington, DC. Cardno Emerging Markets USA, Ltd. was formerly Emerging Markets Group, Ltd. and brings nearly a 30-year history serving the objectives of bilateral and multilateral donors and private clients. The Emerging Markets Division brings together a broad range of experience and talent; a rich history of innovation, passion and commitment to international development and an established reputation for high quality demand and client driven services. Cardno’s Emerging Markets Division manages more than $750 million in current contracts and grants, brings together over 90 years of collective experience, and engages over 3,700 professionals in more than 100 countries. Cardno’s Emerging Markets Division currently implements over 130 projects globally.