Executive Director, Digital Strategy Implementation and Programs Activity

Project Overview and Role:

The Digital Solutions and Transformation Portfolio within the Data Informatics and Analytical Solutions (DIAS) Community of Practice is seeking an Executive Director to lead an upcoming global project to support USAID’s Digital Strategy and Implementation. The goal of the project is meant to increase adoption and support implementation across the Agency’s technical and regional sectors. The DIAS Practice is a dynamic and innovative group with talented and passionate members, working together to strengthen and harness digital and data ecosystems to accelerate development investments and outcomes and create positive impact. 

The Executive Director will provide strategic, managerial and technical leadership to the project. The Executive Director will shape the trajectory of USAID’s digital development agenda, leading a team of equally passionate digital development professionals and program managers to implement a wide range of activities that promote open, secure, and inclusive digital ecosystems. The Executive Director will have experience developing and implementing organization wide strategies, with strong interpersonal skills to develop and manage complex relationships across various stakeholders in various sectors. Finally, the Executive Director will have demonstrated project management experience to ensure delivery of wide variety of technical activities in service of advancing USAID’s Digital Strategy.

This is a full-time, key personnel senior position based in Washington, DC and is contingent upon award. 

 Primary Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Direct the project’s strategic vision, design, and implementation with the aim of advancing open, secure and inclusive digital ecosystems while upholding the guiding principles of inclusive development, local solutions and human centered design.
  


• Serve as the main point of contact for the activity and with the responsibility of liaising directly with the activity COR on all technical issues.
  


• Oversee the design and strategy of new project buy-ins and workplans, ensuring timely submission to and approval by the client and ensure that agreed activities and targets are fully accomplished, meet expected technical and management quality standards, and are delivered on schedule and on budget.
  


• Develop, manage, and maintain strategic partnerships with USAID, other U.S. government agencies and projects, host-country governments and counterparts, international donors, multilateral organizations, and civil society and private sector partners in developing countries.
  Identify opportunities and negotiate partnership programs to leverage synergistic donor, governmental, and organizational resources.
  


• Manage and mentor a team of senior technical and program management staff and facilitate strong communication and coordination with and between all team members.
  


• Cultivate and provide oversight to a network of diverse local and international project subcontractors and grantees to ensure quality and timeliness of deliverables and facilitate regular communication among implementing partners to encourage maximum participation in the project.
  


• Ensure effective internal systems for adaptive program delivery; results tracking and reporting; staff recruitment, mobilization, and retention; and contracting and financial management to rapidly, efficiently respond to dynamic program needs.
  


• Facilitate proactive technical and programmatic monitoring, evaluation, learning, and adaptation across all levels of the project to mitigate risks to the program and refine program focus to apply lessons learned, respond to emerging needs, and take advantage of new opportunities.
  


• Develop and oversee a system for the identification, packaging and dissemination of good practices and lessons learned from project implementation.

Required Qualifications

• Experience leading large-scale USAID activities that catalyse health, education, governance and economic growth outcomes world-wide; prior experience as Chief of Party, Project Director, Deputy Director, Team Leader, etc., on project(s) of similar scope, scale, and complexity preferred.
  


• Experience cultivating and managing relationships across multiple technical sectors, including digital development, policy and strategy, cybersecurity, and/or digital transformation.
  


• At a minimum, have a bachelor’s degree (master’s degree preferred in business administration, information systems or international development) and fifteen (15) years of experience adaptively managing USAID activities, including contracts and buy-ins, and proven experience building and managing dynamic, flexible teams.
  


• Demonstrated experience in building partnerships to achieve mutual goals and objectives, including with U.S. government agencies, host-country governments and counterparts, international donors, multilateral organizations, and civil society and private sector partners in developing countries.
  


• Strong financial management experience including the ability to develop, track and monitor budgets and overall financial health of the project.
  


• Strong interpersonal skills with a high level of emotional intelligence for effective communication and interaction within the project and to promote and position the project in the broader digital transformation arena.
  


• Sound management skills to guide all project human, technical, and financial resources.
  


• Strong communications, writing, and oral presentation skills in English. Professional fluency in additional languages preferred (e.g. French, Spanish, Portuguese).
  


• Willingness to travel up to 30% of time.