Since formally launching Chemonics UK in May 2019, we have established a strong and diverse portfolio of UK Aid-funded programmes as well as partnerships with European bilateral and development banks. We work with government and development sector counterparts across the world to deliver programmes in sectors including climate action, education, governance, peacebuilding, stabilisation, social cohesion, and research.

Purpose

The Director, Climate & PSE Practice is a director supporting the growth and performance of the Climate & PSE portfolio for Chemonics UK. She/he is responsible for providing senior-level technical oversight, expertise and leadership to identify, position and deliver a Climate & PSE programme, with a focus on FCDO. This includes market positioning, business development, client engagement, project management, and team management and leadership. The senior director will take a leadership role in engaging with FCDO, and contribute to UK and corporate strategies and initiatives.

Key Responsibilities:

Market Positioning and Business Development

• Takes a leadership role in growing Chemonics UK ’s Climate & PSE FCDO and donor portfolio through strategy setting, outreach and network development, proposal development, and positioning with Chemonics’ clients and within the industry.
• Proactively identifies and tracks upcoming new FCDO and donor opportunities, and informs relevant in-house parties of bids in sufficient time to make bidding decisions and effectively prepare for bids.
• Leads proposal teams including through strategy formulation and defining technical solutions and directly contributes to new business by participating in line roles.
• Cultivates strategic partnerships for growth with other organisations and consultants.
• Tracks, analyses, and shares development trends and priorities within the Climate & PSE sector.
• Travels periodically to explore new business opportunities. Interacts with key client and counterpart staff related to new programming opportunities.

Programme / Project Management

• Supports and develops technical work products, reviews and provides comment on programme technical work, and provides technical input to reports and other documents.
• Provides strategic guidance and solutions to address technical and programmatic issues raised on programmes within your portfolio to Programme Directors and Programme teams.
• Serves as acting Team Leader as necessary.

Technical

• Develops effective working relationships with FCDO, partners, consultants and both internal and external stakeholders.
• Applies in-depth Climate & PSE technical expertise to FCDO projects’ technical goals and objectives, new business efforts, projects and Chemonics knowledge base.
• Advances body of knowledge (e.g., innovations, best practices, lessons learned) and quality standards in Climate & PSE and practice networks; formulates approaches to guide FCDO project work, new business efforts, and technical assignments; and advises clients on technical trends and programming priorities.
• Assumes a leadership role(s) in Climate & PSE network of government-related development and professional societies, represents company at donor conferences, and prepares or improves technical and development practitioner publications.
• Ensures quality of project reports and deliverables; ensures project technical objectives are met in partnership with the team leader and troubleshoots when deviations are needed.
• Identifies opportunities to conduct billable assignments; sets billability targets to contribute to a billable project work or technical area.
• Ensures that existing best practices and innovative methodologies are utilised in current Climate & PSE programme/s and proposals.

Client Engagement

• Develops effective working relationships with internal and external clients, counterparts and stakeholders and continually promotes outstanding client service with corporate office staff and project teams; leads discussions as part of quarterly client consultations; leads response on annual client performance reviews in consultation with the team leader and submits the final version in the system.
• Develops a deep understanding of the changing client requirements and priorities and adapt the project as necessary and/or seek opportunities of new funding.
• Provides any relevant client insights to the new business team.

Corporate Compliance

• Will coordinate and facilitate meetings with diverse stakeholders; synthesize and explain technical and administrative requirements based on UK and European regulations and guidance.
• Assists in the development of training materials and lead trainings; develop Climate & PSE compliance frameworks; and communicate effectively with diverse audiences in person and in writing.
• Supervises technical consultants and quality assures deliverables.

Person Specification:

Essential Skills

• Demonstrable experience managing a departmental profit and loss to inform resourcing.
• Fluency in, and demonstrable application of, financial and project management systems.
• Demonstrable experience in managing and Climate & PSE programmes, project leadership experience preferred. demonstrating leadership, versatility, and integrity.
• Experience in the technical design of Climate & PSE programmes designed to work at scale and work systemically.
• Experience in providing direct technical assistance to Climate & PSE projects and to develop and manage short term assignments delivered by technical specialists.
• Demonstrable experience of solving complex technical, managerial, or operational problems and evaluating options based on relevant information, resources, well-rounded experience, and knowledge.
• Demonstrable leadership, management, organisational, and decision-making skills.
• Demonstrable progressive professional experience including positions requiring supervision and mentorship of multiple staff required.
• Fluency in donor/client regulatory and management requirements and demonstrable ability to apply and adhere to those requirements in programme / project management.
• Able to operate at advanced levels of authority and controls significant activities, budgets, and resources to produce and take responsibility for results.
• Advanced knowledge and skills within a relevant technical or professional discipline with broad understanding of other areas within the job area.
• Conceptualises, outlines, performs, and directs the research and writing of technical documents (reports, proposals, professional articles).
• Recognised by others as an experienced international development practitioner in a specific technical area; contributes consistently to mentoring staff.
• Previous experience working in international development and/or living or conducting work in foreign countries preferred.
• Demonstrable awareness of cultural sensitivity and an ability to manage with sensitivity to cultural differences and similarities.
• Able to lead effective meetings and also be able to present information confidently and authentically orally and in writing using multimedia.
• Foreign language proficiency in a relevant region Chemonics operate in preferred.
• Ability and willingness to travel and work abroad up to 3 months per year.
• Ability to comply with corporate and client codes of conduct.

Education / Professional Skills

• Degree in relevant field or equivalent work experience required; advanced degree preferred.

Other

• UK work authorisation or ability to obtain it required.

Apply by: Friday 7th June 2024