Associate Director, Water and Urban Resilience

Research Triangle Institute (RTI) 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. RTI's Sustainable Growth & Resilience (SG&R) technical unit within the International Development Group brings together RTI experts and capabilities across food security, agriculture, energy, environment, water, governance, and economic opportunity. SG&R will leverage RTI's experience designing and delivering multisector programming and technical solutions to respond to climate change, build resilience, and promote economic growth around the world.

SG&R’s Water and Urban Resilience portfolio has delivered innovative, breakthrough solutions in key development sectors, including water sector governance, water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services, pollution, urbanization, economic livelihood development, community engagement, and institutional capacity building.

Position Description:
 

The Water and Urban Resilience portfolio is recruiting for a Associate Director, Water and Urban Resilience. This position is an opportunity for an experienced water and/or urban resilience sector manager seeking to expand their technical implementation, management, business development, and research experience. The work will entail supporting a rapidly growing water and urban resilience portfolio of USAID-funded projects and business development opportunities. The Water and Urban Resilience Associate Director will perform technical assistance, manage programs, support business development, and conduct research while working collaboratively with other SG&R staff.

This position will report to the Senior Director of Water and Urban Resilience and would ideally be based in Washington, DC or the Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (RTI headquarters) or telework within the US.  The position will be expected to travel internationally up to 30% of the time. Candidates must be eligible to work in the United States without sponsorship. 

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION

• Responsible for responsive, compliant, and impactful programming through the monitoring and advising of overall operational and technical quality of deliverables.
• Responsible for the accuracy of project timelines, tasks, milestones, resource requirements, costs, risks and execution for any assigned projects.
• Support the Chief of Party and Portfolio Director in the definition and execution of project activities; the development of plans, schedules, budgets and deliverable; management of grants; and performance issues with project staff and sub-contractors or sub-awardees.
• Monitor and review project budget and expenditures, financial forecasts, working with business partners to ensure compliance with corporate and client regulations.
• Regularly confer with the client for any assigned projects to get performance feedback and to resolve problems or issues should they arise.
• Serve as a mentor and resource to junior project managers.
• Will directly supervise Chief of Party and other Project Management Team staff (Project Managers, Project Coordinators, Project Associates, etc.).

BUSINESS AND PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT

• Serve as Proposal Leader, Lead Technical or Support Writer on water and urban resilience-sector proposals, including those related to climate mitigation and adaptation.
• Serve as a technical contributor for proposal solutioning, conceptualizing technical approaches, teaming strategies, partner negotiations.
• Contribute to proposal capture through engagement in capture trips; preparation of materials in response to client requests for information; and provide inputs to develop technical content for marketing materials pertaining to water and urban resilience projects.
• Actively build and leverage professional networks in the water and urban resilience sectors, to advance team goals.

RESEARCH & THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

• Take leadership role in contributing to the scientific stature of RTI and the water and urban resilience team through research, collaboration, and learning.
• Stay current on trends, tools, and approaches related to water and/or urban resilience topics, such as on climate resilience, urban services delivery, nature-based solutions, market systems, private sector participation, financing and others. Share knowledge both internally and externally through publications, blogs, presentations, conferences, workshops, and other platforms.
• Serve as a thought leader, maintaining an industry presence as a subject-matter expert, representing RTI at industry forums, leading research, publishing regularly, and presenting at annual conferences and meetings.

• Bachelor’s Degree with 15 years of relevant work experience; or Master’s Degree in with 12 years of relevant work experience.
• At least 8 years of professional experience in the WASH, water resources management and/or urban resilience sectors.
• Demonstrated experience managing large and complex USAID-funded projects.
• Experience leading  and/or supporting winning USAID-funded proposals.
• Demonstrated experience managing technically, operationally and geographically diverse teams.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with an ability to communicate complex information to multiple audiences working in the international development.
• Demonstrated skills in building, mobilizing, and leading multidisciplinary teams.
• Proven ability to work under pressure, and with multiple concurrent demands.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong leadership skills across various levels of staff and locations. 
• Must speak, read and write in English. Foreign language fluency in Spanish is required.
• Advanced knowledge and skill with MS Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel.

LI-IF1

For San Francisco, CA USA Job Postings Only: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. Further information is available here.

The anticipated pay range for this role is listed below. Our pay ranges represent national averages and may vary by location as a geographic differential may be applied to some locations within the United States.

RTI considers multiple factors when making an offer including, for example: established salary range, internal budget, business needs, and education and years of work experience possessed by the applicant. Further, salary is merely one element to our offer.

At RTI, we demonstrate our commitment to rewarding individual and team achievement through a total rewards package. This package includes (among other things) a competitive base salary, a generous paid time off policy, merit based annual increases, bonus opportunities and a robust recognition program. Other benefits include a competitive range of insurance plans (including health, dental, life, and short-term and long-term disability), access to a retirement savings program such as a 401(k) plan, paid parental leave for all parents, financial assistance with adoption expenses or infertility treatments, financial reimbursement for education and developmental opportunities, an employee assistance program, and numerous other offerings to support a healthy work-life balance.

Salary : $135,000 - $155,000