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    • News
    • Aid goes local

    RTI: Professionals with both managerial and technical skills stand out

    Putting together a team of talented international and local staff isn’t easy, but it’s something clients expect implementing organizations to do well, RTI’s Brendon Miller tells Devex. The key is to look for emerging local leaders with balanced managerial and technical experience and for savvy local groups with clear direction.

    By Kelli Rogers // 12 November 2013

    Putting together a team of talented international and local staff isn’t easy, but it’s something clients expect RTI to do well, Brendon Miller, business and partnership development for RTI, told Devex at the 2013 Partnerships Forum in Nairobi.

    The key is to look for emerging local leaders with balanced managerial and technical experience who might just need exposure to those who have been leading projects, he said of finding local talent. Those who are able to manage a project and also possess the technical background to identify what’s going right and what’s going wrong will get looked at first.

    For local organizations looking to work with RTI on donor-funded projects, Miller recommended that they be very clear in communicating what their capabilities are, which means preparing material so that a senior decision maker can understand in two to three minutes who  you’ve worked with and what you’ve accomplished.

    Miller also suggested attending conferences or events organized by implementing partners to “get in front of people who are interested in what you do.”

    Local organizations should also feel comfortable turning the tables and asking international organizations what their goals are, Miller said.

    “You know you have a savvy local partner when they’re asking what you’re trying to accomplish because they care about helping you accomplish your goals and making sure you have alignment,” Miller said.

    Join the Devex community and gain access to more in-depth analysis, breaking news and business advice — and a host of other services — on international development, humanitarian aid and global health.

    See more videos:

    • What RTI is looking for in local partners

    • Speed, analytical rigor have a place in development

    • What local groups bring to the partnership table

      Printing articles to share with others is a breach of our terms and conditions and copyright policy. Please use the sharing options on the left side of the article. Devex Pro members may share up to 10 articles per month using the Pro share tool ( ).

      About the author

      • Kelli Rogers

        Kelli Rogers@kellierin

        Kelli Rogers has worked as an Associate Editor and Southeast Asia Correspondent for Devex, with a particular focus on gender. Prior to that, she reported on social and environmental issues from Nairobi, Kenya. Kelli holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri, and has reported from more than 20 countries.

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