Senior Technical Director, SEA at Management Systems International, Inc. in Arlington, Virginia

Job Description:

Management Systems International (MSI), a Tetra Tech Company, is a Washington, D.C. metro area management consultancy with a 40-year history of delivering results for our clients. Our expertise is in the fields of monitoring and evaluation; democracy and governance; peace and stability; rule of law and accountability; education; gender and inclusion; strategic communications; and leadership and organizational development. MSI has implemented projects in 90 countries around the world such as Colombia, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Syria and Ukraine, and works domestically. We support clients ranging from the U.S. Government (e.g., the U.S. Agency for International Development, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Departments of State and Labor, and the Millennium Challenge Corporation) to large bilateral and multilateral donors (e.g., the World Bank and the United Nations Development Program). We also work with national and local governments, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), think tanks, foundations and universities. For more information, please visit our website at www.msiworldwide.com.

Practice Area Summary:

MSI's Strategy, Evaluation and Analysis (SEA) practice area oversees all monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) projects. It is a large and dynamic practice within the company that strives for excellence and innovation across all activities, encompassing a range of sectors, including education, health, economic growth, democracy and governance, gender, capacity building and policy reform. SEA has 20 MEL Specialists in the U.S. and more than three dozen in our field-based projects overseas.

**Please note: U.S. work authorization is required for this position**

Position Summary:

The Senior Technical Director (TD) will work collaboratively with the SEA Headquarters (HQ) and field team colleagues to deliver complex strategic planning, monitoring, evaluation and learning on behalf of MSI's international development clients. This role will also liaise with MSI's Operations Division, Business Development Unit (BDU), and other technical practice areas as required, to deliver SEA's key business objectives. The Senior TD will be a senior member of the SEA practice area. The position will play a key role in technical assignments, business development, and thought stewardship. The Senior TD will be expected to travel to international locations from three to six trips per year, where most trips average between two and three weeks. This role could possibly have longer term assignments, including travel to security-challenged countries.

Resposibilities:

Technical Leadership

• Serve as MSI Headquarters Project Team Lead on one or more long-term MEL projects.
• Ensure the project is well managed, provide adequate support to the field project team, produce high-quality work, is coordinated within the project management team, and meets financial/spending targets.
• Meet regularly with clients and project teams to ensure assignments are implemented properly.
• Develop and implement quality assurance mechanisms to ensure the accuracy, reliability, and validity of project data and reports.
• Conduct regular reviews and audits of project deliverables to maintain high standards and compliance with good practice.
• Troubleshoot technical issues as required.
• Serve as a point of contact for key clients, establish strong relationships, and understand evolving requirements.
• Collaborate with clients to identify opportunities for expanding services and provide advice on leveraging research products to inform decision-making and program improvement.
• Provide strategic guidance and technical leadership to HQ and field project assignments to ensure the implementation of effective MEL frameworks.
• Stay abreast of emerging trends, methodologies, and tools in the field of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) and guide the team in adopting innovative approaches.
• Lead the design and planning of MEL activities.
• Work closely with clients to understand their needs.
• Develop responsive project scopes and apply appropriate planning, research and learning methodologies including performance and impact evaluations, contextual research and assessments, economic studies, population-based surveys, strategic planning exercises, pause and reflect sessions, organizational capacity assessments, third party monitoring, and training on topics related to these areas.
• Contribute to the development of knowledge products, research papers, and thought leadership initiatives.
• Share lessons learned and best practices internally and externally through publications, conferences, and professional networks.
• Assess the training needs of HQ and project teams and develop capacity-building initiatives to enhance their technical skills and knowledge as needed.
• Provide mentorship and guidance to junior staff members, foster their professional growth and development.

Business Development

• Lead ("Honcho") proposals.
• Oversee proposal team planning and technical design, lead recruitment with an MSI recruiter, oversee writing efforts, and review proposal drafts.
• Liaise with BDU to produce technically sound and compliant proposals.
• Serve as a primary technical and management writer for select proposals.
• Conduct research and/or reconnaissance trips for upcoming proposals to meet with funding agencies, government officials, and potential partner organizations.

Qualifications:

• Master's degree in international development, political science, sociology, statistics, economics, or similar fields required.
• Minimum 15 years of relevant experience encompassing international development, including overseeing/managing programs and projects and conducting evaluation, analysis and research required.
• Experience working with the U.S. Agency for International Development, U.S. Departments of State, World Bank, or other international development organizations required.
• Experience building and maintaining positive relationships with clients, including demonstrated instances of responding to clients' needs or working collaboratively required.
• Experience heading task teams to deliver client deliverables in evaluation, assessment, research, performance management, strategic planning, third party monitoring, or scaling required.
• Experience spearheading business development initiatives, such as directing a bid opportunity or serving as the primary technical writer for a bid required.
• Experience designing and leading rigorous, counter-factually based, evaluation studies preferred.
• Experience designing and leading rigorous research studies using advanced analytical methods, such as machine learning, natural language processing, spatial analyses, social network analysis and/or econometrics preferred.
• Strong familiarity with MEL and collaboration, learning and adaption (CLA) tools and methods required.
• Proficiency in statistical analysis software such as Stata and/or R preferred.
• Proficiency in data visualization theory and practice through R, Tableau, or Power BI preferred.
• Ability to convey information clearly, listen actively, and foster effective communication within the team and with external stakeholders required.
• Ability to work well in a team environment, actively participate in group projects, and contribute to achieving common goals required.
• Ability to adapt to changing circumstances, learn new skills, and adjust to evolving priorities and work environments required.
• Fluency in English required. Fluency in French, Arabic, Spanish or Portuguese preferred.

At MSI Tetra Tech, health and safety play a vital role in our success. MSI Tetra Tech's employees work together to comply with all applicable health & safety practices and protocols, including health orders and regulations related to COVID-19 that are mandated by local, state and federal authorities.

MSI is an equal opportunity employer that values diversity and inclusion. We strive to develop and maintain a culture that honors the perspectives and identities of our employees, our communities and those impacted by our work.

We do not discriminate on the basis of any protected attribute, including race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital or veteran status, pregnancy or disability, or any other basis protected under applicable law. In accordance with applicable law, we make reasonable accommodations for applicants' and employees' religious practices and beliefs, as well as any mental health or physical disability needs.

MSI is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action/Americans with Disabilities/Veterans Employer.

Pay Transparency Statement:

We are committed to taking a thoughtful, compliant, and equitable approach to employment compensation. We commit to providing a holistic comprehensive salary analysis, including reviews of individual skill sets and compensable factors related to qualifications, business needs, internal compensation data, and industry and labor market surveys. The anticipated pay range for this position is $165,000 to $190,000 USD.

Reasonable Accommodations:

MSI is dedicated to hiring an inclusive workforce. If you would like to request reasonable accommodations during the application process, please visit Tetra Tech's Disability Assistance Page. Our recruitment team looks forward to engaging in an interactive process to provide reasonable accommodations for candidates.

Only candidates who have been selected for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls, please.

Headquarter position

U.S. Teams and Clients

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (International Development)

Additional Information

• Organization: 216 MSI