Principal Manager, Project Management, Asia

Job Title : Principal Manager, Project Management, Asia (P7)

Department : USG Programs

Reports to: Director, USG Programs Asia

Work Location: Bethesda, Maryland or remote in states where DAI is registered

Position Overview

The Asia portfolio is seeking a Principal Manager, Project Management to work as part of a team responsible for monitoring and managing U.S. Government-funded international development projects in different countries and regions around the world.

The Principal Manager will serve as a key, home office support link to the project implementation team based in a specific country, region, or Washington, D.C. Reporting to the Director, Asia, the Principal Manager provides home office management, financial, operational, and contractual oversight to assigned projects, which in turn helps the project achieve quality programming and development results. The position is responsible for enabling projects to achieve quality programming and development outcomes and is part of a core team of Project Managers providing surge and capacity support to the portfolio with decision-making authority for one or more projects. As a member of the home office project management team, the Principal Manager collaborates with colleagues in the home office, with the project, and across USG Programs at DAI. A Principal Manager is expected to have prior professional project management experience with USAID-funded programs.

This is a full-time position, which requires authorization to work in the United States. This position will close on December 16.

Responsibilities

Project Oversight

• Serves as primary POC for Chief of Party (COP) and Home Office (HO) staff on technical, financial, operational and management issues.
• Manages home office (HO) functions for one or more projects as well as relationships with the project teams.
• Manages resources across these teams and encourages collaboration within broader portfolio.
• Makes timely decisions; escalates to appropriate decision-maker as needed.
• Keeps Senior Portfolio Director (SPDs) informed of key management or technical issues on the projects.
• Executes authorities listed in SOA.
• Participates in management or technical STTAs. May serve as Acting Ops Director. Provide coverage for HO managers or Associates.
  
  
  

Mobilizing Technical Expertise

• Assist in identifying and selecting home office technical experts (e.g., from Development Innovations) that will serve as resources to the COP and component leads on the project.
• With the support of the Recruitment team and field human resources teams, engages in project level recruitment in support of STTA and LTTA vacancies.
• Participates and provides support as necessary to the COP and field team during all strategic planning sessions.
• Manages project extension or modification proposals.
• Contributes to cross-portfolio knowledge sharing and is responsible for promoting project through success stories, DAI website updates, hosting project brown bags, etc.
• Proactively manages relationship with consultant, including reviewing ICA package, tracking LOE, and negotiating with the consultant.
  
  
  

Quality Assurance

• Leads Quarterly Project Review (QPR) process, talks through strategic to prevent risk and and meet client expectations, and raises items to senior management.
• Responsible for identifying issues to be discussed at Client Satisfaction Meeting calls and following up with specific action items and/or taking measures for improvements as needed.
• Serves as Quality Assurance Reviewer on a start up or close down.
  
  
  

Risk Management

• Provides oversight of operational activities, such as mobilization and demobilization of staff, home office-based procurement, etc.
• Troubleshoots complex or cross-departmental problems.
• Ensures compliance with DAI policies and procedures based on advanced working knowledge and foresees and strategizes with the field team to overcome bottlenecks and compliance risks.
• Engages with Human Resources on personnel issues and rarely raises them to SPD.
• Participates in project start-up and closedown and may serve as Start-up or Close-down Manager or Team Leader as appropriate.
• Proactively identifies typical and uncommon areas of risk and proposes solutions to manage them without SPD assistance.
• Ensures compliance with internal and external audit findings.
  
  
  

Contractual Compliance

• Ensures overall contract compliance with client and DAI rules, regulations, and procedures, demonstrating a mastery of current USG regulations.
• Researches and resolves intermediate contractual issues with appropriate escalation.
• Manages contract and subcontract modifications independently.
• Draft routine and complex contractual documents using approved templates.
• Manages subcontractor relationship, including problem solving and negotiation; oversees and manages subcontractor personnel, technical deliverables, and financial invoicing.
  
  
  

Financial Management

• Accountable for managing project financial performance targets (with COP).
• Finalizes and leads monthly project financial review analysis, demonstrates an advanced understanding of project performance against targets, develops and helps implement action plans on intervention and corrective actions.
• Supervises monthly review of project non-billable costs and leads or monitors corrective actions; liaises with COP about minimizing non-billable costs and strategizes mitigation measures.
• Responsible for ensuring accuracy of project financial transactions and monthly project invoices.
• Reviews and approves home office payments (e.g., expense reports, vendor invoices).
• Provides guidance on budget realignment, performs thorough review of realignment, and finalizes it for submission.
• Monitors accuracy of project budget and provides analysis and solutions; demonstrates mastery of financial structure of contract and advises COP and home office on profitability implications.
• Supervises forecast inputs and, in collaboration with the COP, leads strategic decision making; finalizes forecast analysis, demonstrating mastery of forecast and performance implications.
  
  
  

Staff Management

• Supervises, trains and coaches one or more Project Associates/Specialists, engaging in collaborative problem solving with direct reports.
• Ensures Project Associates/Specialists complete the required training as per the Learning Plan and have the skills and support to successfully carry out their SOWs.
• Conducts performance reviews and objective setting meetings for Associates/Specialists and provides clear and timely feedback throughout the year.
• Independently identifies Associate/Specialist knowledge gaps and addresses them through targeted interventions.
  
  
  

Business Development

• Serves as Proposal Pricer for proposals in their portfolio or other portfolios as needed.
• Coaches junior staff on pricing, including a focus on profitability and cost levers, as well as soft skills for working with proposal team.
• Principal Managers are also expected to serve as country-specific information providers around client knowledge, partnering and local staffing.
  
  
  

Additional Responsibilities As Deemed Necessary.

USG Business Unit Core Competencies

All staff hired into positions within the USG Business at DAI are expected to demonstrate these competences throughout their work and interactions with others.

• Collaborates Effectively: Recognizes the benefit of working with others from multicultural backgrounds; believes collaboration can lead to better and stronger contributions to USG; views relationships as long-term and meaningful; Communicates with empathy to cross-cultural audiences.
• Champions Inclusion: Treats others with honesty, respect, and consideration; promotes cross-cultural understanding and inclusion throughout the organization; demonstrates appreciation for the complex environments in which DAI works.
• Performs with Excellence: Thrives in all aspects of your role and fosters an open and energizing environment that motivates self and peers to contribute their personal best and is reflective of USG’s vision and mission.
• Creates Innovative Solutions: Problem solves and broadens perspectives, while overcoming biases to find solutions to complex challenges; seeks opportunities to experiment with new approaches and grow/develop the skills of oneself and others.
• Drives Growth: Able to weigh the costs and benefits of actions both internally and externally and their impact on diverse markets and stakeholders; Understands priorities and behaviors necessary for personal and organizational growth.
  
  
  

Qualifications & Skills

Minimum Requirements:

• Grade 7: Minimum of 7 years of relevant professional USG contract management experience, with at least 5 years managing USAID funded programs and a college degree. Equivalent combinations of education and experience will be considered.
• Experience leading administrative, contractual, financial, and regulatory compliance in USG funded contracts with an overall value of at least $80 million.
• Excellent and up-to-date knowledge of U.S. federal government regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Demonstrated experience supervising home office staff.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office, especially conducting quantitative analysis in Excel.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills with the ability to communicate information clearly and tailor communication style to diverse audiences.
• Able to build and maintain excellent working relationships with staff at all levels of the organization and external clients from diverse backgrounds.
• Able and willing to adjust work schedule, as needed, to support teams located in different time zones/countries.
• Able and willing to travel to any country where DAI currently operates or may wish to operate barring times when DAI Global Security has deemed travel unsafe. Principal Managers are expected to take a minimum of one short-term assignment per year.
• Authorized to work in the United States.
• *Based in one of the following U.S. locations where DAI is registered: District of Columbia, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington.
  
  
  

Preferred, but not required:

• Professional proficiency in a second language (Spanish, French, Russian, or Arabic preferred).
• Experience with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software and other data management systems
• Master’s degree in a relevant area.
• Experience working in host countries.
  
  
  

Supervisory Requirements:

• May supervise one or more Project Associates and Project Specialists .
  
  
  

Compensation & Benefits:

For employees working the United States, the full-time equivalent annual base salary for this position is expected to be between $108,997 to $128,232. Salary for part-time employees will be prorated based on actual hours worked. Actual offers will be based on several factors including, but not limited to, qualifications, relevant education, experience, skills, seniority, performance, and business or organizational needs.

Eligible U.S. based employees will be able to enroll in medical, dental and vision insurance, plus a 401(k)-retirement plan with a company match. Additionally, employees will be eligible for company-paid annual leave (vacation & holidays), sick leave, and parental leave, as well as short- and long-term disability coverage. Detailed information will be provided at the time a formal offer is extended.

For employees working outside of the United States, compensation and benefits will vary based on location .

Equal Employment Opportunity

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or status as a protected veteran.

DAI and its employees are committed to confronting discrimination in all forms, nurturing respect for our interpersonal relationships, and holding ourselves accountable for positive change within the company and in the communities, cultures, and countries in which we live and work. DAI is committed to attracting and retaining the best employees from all races, ethnicities, and backgrounds in our continued effort to become a better development partner.

DAI upholds the highest ethical standards. We are committed to the prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment as well as other ethical breaches. All our positions are therefore subject to stringent vetting and reference checks.