Project Director, Digital Strategy Implementation and Programs Activity

Project Director, Digital Strategy Implementation and Programs
Activity

Company Overview:

About Palladium – Palladium is a global group working to create positive impact on
the lives and livelihoods of people around the globe; broaden access to health,
water, power, and infrastructure; build enduring, sustainable, and
transformative institutions and market systems to address global challenges;
and conserve the natural world. We operate in over 90 countries and have a workforce
of 3,000 talented, motivated, and diverse staff of all religions, races,
languages, and gender identities.  We embrace five core principles in
everything we do: 

1. We are One Palladium. We are all accountable, we take responsibility for our actions, and celebrate the positive impact we create.
2. Our business grows when our people grow. We seek out opportunities to develop ourselves, each other, and Palladium.
3. Our strength lies in our differences. We harness our unique strengths by listening to and respecting each other.
4. Making mistakes is part of learning.  We admit our mistakes early, help to make things right, and learn from the experience together.
5. We don’t exist without results.  We’re driven by the outcomes we achieve and stay focused on what matters.

Our Americas’ business team works in Asia,
Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and North and South America as well as the
Caribbean, fulfilling projects and assignments for clients from institutions,
corporations, governments, and foundations based in the Americas. We have
offices in Washington, DC, New York City, and Chapel Hill, NC.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion – We welcome applications from all sections of society and actively encourage diversity to drive innovation, creativity, success and good practice. We positively welcome and seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce; and that all job applicants and employees receive equal and fair treatment regardless of their background or personal characteristics. These include: (but are not limited to) socio-economic background, age, race, gender identity, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, nationality, veteran, marital or Indigenous status.  

Should you require any adjustments or accommodations to be made due to a disability or you are a neurodivergent individual or any other circumstance, please email our team at accessibility@thepalladiumgroup.com

Safeguarding – We define Safeguarding as “the preventative action taken by Palladium to protect our people, clients and the communities we work with from harm”. We are committed to ensuring that all children and adults who come into contact with Palladium are treated with respect and are free from abuse.  All successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced selection process including safeguarding-focused interviews and a rigorous due diligence process.

Project Overview and Role:

The Digital
Solutions and Transformation Portfolio within the Data Informatics and
Analytical Solutions (DIAS) Community of Practice is seeking a Project Director
to lead an upcoming global project to support USAID’s Digital Strategy and
Implementation. 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 Project
Director will be a seasoned digital development professional with experience
leading large-scale digital development projects that catalyze health,
education, governance and economic growth outcomes world-wide.  The Project 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 Project 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 Project 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 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:

• 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.
  
• Experience cultivating and managing relationships across multiple technical sectors, including digital development, policy and strategy, cybersecurity, and/or digital transformation.
  
• Prior experience as Chief of Party, Project Director, Deputy Director, Team Leader, etc., on project(s) of similar scope, scale, and complexity preferred
  
• 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.
  
• Experience leading projects funded by USAID (highly desirable) and other multilateral organizations (e.g. CDC, WHO, World Bank, DFID, etc.)
  
• 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