Technical Assistance Director

Title: Technical Assistance Director

Reports to: Project Director

Location: Berlin, Germany

Travel: 35%

Relocation Assistance: Yes, position open to Expat/TCNs

Position contingent on Funding. Anticipated award date: March 31, 2023.

The Near East Foundation (NEF) is seeking candidates for a Technical Assistance Director to be based in Berlin, Germany. For over 100 years, NEF has worked to build more sustainable, prosperous and inclusive communities in the Middle East and Africa through education, governance, and economic development initiatives. Working through a network of country offices and local partners, NEF currently operates in ten countries with Headquarters in the USA, UK, and Belgium. Its programs are organized around three themes: Inclusive Economic Development, Climate-resilient Development, and Stabilization and Peacebuilding.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The Technical Assistance Director is a key member of the Near East Foundation team in Berlin, Germany. The Technical Assistance Director, under the guidance of the Berlin-based Program Director, will oversee project services and activities related to a Technical Assistance Facility in conflict affected regions, including Facility design and deployment, capacity assessments, training and coaching services, systems building, data analysis, and information documentation and dissemination. The director will lead the technical design, implementation, and report writing aspects of this Facility. The Technical Assistance Director will be responsible for (a) overseeing Amman-based technical specialists as well as administrative staff; (b) remotely managing the technical implementation of the Facility;(c) attend relevant working groups as required; and (d) support the Project Director as needed.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Technical Assistance Director is responsible to provide technical supervision and implementation leadership on capacity building efforts on good governance and financing related water, sanitation, and solid waste management project.

The Technical Assistance Director has the following specific responsibilities:

• Design and deploy a Technical Assistance Facility to deliver capacity building services for local government and private sector actors on transparency, inclusivity, and attentiveness to community priorities for the delivery of essential water, sanitation , and solid waste management services;
• Provide cross-cutting capacity building for local government actors, including conducting capacity assessment, identifying institutional needs, and recording the improvements made during the project, including in areas related to public-private partnerships, public procurement, and public services;
• Support the Program Director in the overall management of the project.

The successful Technical Assistance Director must be a self-directed individual with the following qualifications:

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in social sciences (e.g., political science, public administration, public affairs, civic engagement), management, or a related discipline;
• At least 10 years’ experience in the international development working in local government capacity building, organizational strengthening, and/or service delivery improvement;
• At least three years of experience implementing programs in conflict-effected environments.
• Previous experience with remote staff management;
• Previous State Department and/or USAID award management experience;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, analytic skills, interpersonal skills, management skills;
• Ability to travel internationally;
• Fluency in English, both written and verbal.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in in a relevant technical field;
• Experience implementing governance, water, sanitation, and solid waste management programs;
• Experience coordinating local partners including local governance entities and CSOs;
• Experience working on programs implemented in Syria;
• Arabic language, both written and verbal.

Position Criteria:

• Strong analytical and assessment skills, including the ability to analyze development challenges and propose innovative and unique ways to address them;
• Excellent written communication skills including ability to plan, write, integrate, and edit technical proposals on a wide range of development topics, articulating solutions in a clear, concise, and persuasive manner;
• Effective interpersonal and oral communication skills; must possess aptitude for intercultural communication;
• Must be able to work in a fast-paced environment; perform duties under pressure and meet deadlines in a timely manner;
• Work as part of a team;
• Complete assignments independently;
• Take instructions and criticism constructively;
• Exercise problem-solving skills; and
• Interact with co-workers, partners, donors and the public in a professional and pleasant manner.