Country Manager – South Asia

Job Description

RTI International has over 30 years’ experience assisting governments, communities, and the private sector. As a not-for-profit, independent research institute based in North Carolina, USA, RTI has roughly 5,000 employees with global experience implementing international development projects in energy and other disciplines. Around the globe, RTI International is working to develop and implement low emission energy technology alternatives, raise private financing for energy infrastructure, bring efficiency to utilities, work with governments on legal and regulatory reforms to alleviate bottlenecks in energy generation and consumption, and increase access to green energy to sustain economic growth and reduce poverty. We serve as a chosen partner for USAID’s Power Africa program in sub-Sahara Africa and have a growing international energy portfolio of over $250 million across Africa, Asia, and the Pacific Islands.

Project Description

The purpose of the USAID-funded Task Order Technical Support for South Asia Regional Energy Partnership (SAREP) activity is to complement the strategic objectives of the greater Asia EDGE initiative. This sub-regional activity is structured around four objectives: improving performance of energy utilities, increased deployment of advanced energy systems, improved energy procurement, and enhanced regional energy trade and integration.

RTI is hiring Country Managers on the recently awarded USAID-funded Task Order Technical Support for South Asia Regional Energy Partnership (SAREP) activity. RTI plans to hire one Country Manager per focus country. Countries include Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. Country Managers will oversee country-level technical interventions and manage implementation of activities related to all components, through close coordination and support of India-based project teams, consulting with stakeholders, initiating and organizing events, reporting on outcomes, and supporting logistics. The Country Managers will be a local national of each country, will be based in their country of responsibility and report to the Workstream 1/Cross-Cutting Lead based in New Delhi.

Responsibilities of the Country Managers include, but are not limited to:

• Serve as critical points of contact for local technical and government nuances and priorities.
• Proactively co-ordinate and communicate with USAID bi-lateral energy and environment projects, as relevant, in the respective countries. Ensure smooth information flow and communication with the SAREP Leadership Team (LT) and between SAREP and respective country projects.
• Ensure local ownership, capacity building, and appropriate country-level activity design; supported by specialized STTA experts.
• Coordinate country-level activities and make informed, rapid decisions aligned with the LT’s vision.
• Contribute to the development of technically sound and contextually relevant work plans, offering insight on feasibility, recommendations for innovative partnerships, and updates on government priorities.
• Assist relevant ministries, departments, and regulatory agencies to improve key market elements through provision of technical services.
• Support Workstream 1 Tasks by coordinating with relevant stakeholders and disseminating lessons learned.
• Coordinate to collect successes/lessons from bilateral and multilateral programs in the respective countries to share with the SAREP Hub so that accomplishments are shared with stakeholders.
• Coordinate with DCOP/Workstream 2 Lead DCOPs and Objective Leads on technical tasks and deliverables in each of the countries outside of India.
• Support reporting for M&E, contribute to country-level work planning and other deliverables and communication products for country-level activities.
• Support gender mainstreaming for country-level activities.
• Assist with technical and managerial implementation of subcontracts at the country level.
• Build and maintain country-level project networks within the country government, private sector, donor community, and other stakeholders.
• Respond to all requests to support program management and administration requirements at the country level.
• Work collaboratively with Objective Leads; Technical and Operational staff, and other Country Managers.

Required Qualification & Experience

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Energy, Engineering, Economics, Finance, Management, or related field and 8 years of experience; Master’s degree and 6 years of experience.
• 5 years’ experience in coordinating technical and organizational energy programs in South Asia.
• Demonstrated experience maintaining a network among the government and private sector partners to influence change in the energy sector within each country and regionally.
• Demonstrated technical energy experience in one or more of the following key topic areas: regional energy trading, utility turnaround, energy efficiency, renewable energy, smart meters, electric vehicles, private sector investments competitive procurement, clean energy options such as natural gas, decentralized solar, etc.
• Understanding of cross-cutting issues including environment, gender equity, and social inclusion and their overlap with the energy sector.
• Experience coordinating activities, workshops, and trainings.
• Experience with project-based reporting systems.
• Proven ability to work under pressure, and with multiple concurrent demands.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to travel and work in any of the six program countries and difficult terrain/conditions at times.
• Professional proficiency in English is required.

How to Apply

Physical and mental demands of this role include those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job, as outlined above. Examples include: remaining in a stationary position for long periods of time; operating a computer and other office machinery; thinking, learning, and concentrating effectively and frequently communicating with other people, both within RTI and outside of RTI; frequently moving about inside and travel between offices and laboratories; frequently conducting laboratory site inspections (if applicable), ability to handle the stress associated in meeting frequent, multiple and tight deadlines, ability to work in excess of 40 hours per week as workload and deadlines may require, consistent demonstration of mental stability and ability to have regular, reliable and predictable attendance.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job, per RTI procedure 4.2.1.

RTI is an independent organization dedicated to conducting innovative, multidisciplinary research that improves the human condition. With a worldwide staff of more than 5,000 people, RTI offers innovative research and development and a full spectrum of multidisciplinary services in health and pharmaceuticals, advanced technology, survey and statistics, education and training, economic and social development, and the environment. Universities in North Carolina founded RTI in 1958 as the first scientific organization in and centerpiece of the Research Triangle Park.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Further information is available here.

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