Cyber Pathways for Women (CPW) Manager

JOB TITLE: Cyber Pathways for Women (CPW) Manager

Project: Critical Infrastructure, Digitization, and Resilience (CIDR)

REPORTS TO: Deputy Program Director

LOCATION: North Macedonia

DATE: ASAP

LEVEL OF EFFORT: Full-Time Employee (40 hours/week)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: Immediate – end of program (currently September 30, 2026)

POSITION OVERVIEW

DAI seek a Cyber Pathways for Women Manager with particular focus on increasing women’s engagement in cyber, critical infrastructure and technology careers in Eastern Europe. This position will support the implementation of the USAID funded Critical Infrastructure Digitalization and Resilience (CIDR) Program’s Cyber Pathways for Women (CPW) activity, which will address the demand of and supply side inhibitors to attract more women across the selected Eastern Europe countries into cybersecurity careers. This program will support Critical Infrastructure Digitalization and Resilience (CIDR)’s workforce development objective: Accelerate the development of the workforce among critical infrastructure entities to protect against and respond to threats from malign actors, particularly cyberattacks. Accelerating women’s participation and contribution in cybersecurity will greatly deepen the talent pool that the Eastern Europe can bring to bear against cyberattacks and for cyber-defense.

The Cyber Pathways for Women (CPW) Manager will provide subject matter expertise to advise the Deputy Program Director and Country Directors to ensure successful implementation of CPW as described above. This will include maintaining comprehensive knowledge of all aspects of workforce development and human capacity building related to cybersecurity in Eastern Europe: awareness public sector education cybersecurity/ICT programs, private sector skills development cybersecurity/ICT training programs, and public policy related to cybersecurity/ICT workforce development. Knowledge of international standards and best practices for cybersecurity education, certification, and professional development will ensure to help Eastern Europe countries to build a competitive cadre of women skills to enter the cybersecurity workforce. Familiarity with Eastern Europe cybersecurity, ICT or critical infrastructure workforce would be an additional asset for this role. The Cyber Pathways for Women (CPW) Manager will execute the work plan, as well as coordinate closely with the Country Director to ensure successful coordination and efficient use of resources.

Responsibilities:

• Provide leadership and guidance to the workforce team to implement CIDR’s Cyber Pathways for Women (CPW) activity.
• Engage relevant Eastern Europe public sector and private sector stakeholders, local universities, and other relevant entities in expert level discussions on cybersecurity workforce development.
• Monitor developments in Eastern Europe, and globally, as related to the cybersecurity professional development and the inclusion of women.
• Build relationships with universities and professional training programs to facilitate curriculum updates including aligning programs with market needs and encouraging women students.
• Build relationships with private sector for engagement in internship and mentorship opportunities for women entering cybersecurity careers.
• Work with stakeholders to develop behavior change campaigns to increase visibility of women in cybersecurity careers.
• Engage in public private dialogues and/or policy dialogues promoting changes in priority reforms that will address expanding females in the technology and cybersecurity workforce.
• Work with other donor organizations and implementers focused on ICT/cybersecurity workforce development to ensure that we are leveraging best-practices, knowledge, and program(s) to build off of what is currently being done in the field.
• Ensure CIDR achieves its technical objectives for CPW activity. Manage and ensure deliverables are met and quarterly reports are completed on on-time and high quality.
• Participate in the design of evolving CIDR activities, in order to ensure that any relevant workforce development issues are included in the dialogue with clients.
• Provide written periodic progress reports to the Program Director on the CPW activities.
• Organize and lead periodic seminars on women’s pathways into the cybersecurity, critical infrastructure, or ICT careers (as appropriate).
• Prepare and plan for short-term technical assistance (e.g., consultants or partners), as needed.

Qualifications

• Minimum Bachelor’s degree in public policy or administration, economics, business, computer science, information systems or related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in workforce development focusing on ICT, cybersecurity, infrastructure, or technology.
• At least three years of experience serving in a technical leadership position, preferably with donor-funded activities.
• Experience researching gender-based issues in at least one of the following fields: workforce development (cybersecurity, critical infrastructure, or technology), gender workforce development, gender mainstreaming, and/or community-based household income projects.
• Experience with curriculum design, development, and revisions.
• Exceptional writing, editing and verbal communication skills
  • Strong ability to draft quarterly and annual reports in English for different audiences.
  • Confident, articulate and professional speaking capabilities and excellent presentation skills

Travel

This position will require some travel to Eastern European countries.