Chemonics – Senior Vice President of Impact

Senior Vice President of Impact

July 2023

About Chemonics International

Founded in 1975, Chemonics is the world’s leading international development partner: we make development work.

As a company, we are committed to connections – global and local, human and technological – that allow learnings to efficiently flow and adapt between experts, projects, and countries. This is how we match the speed and scale of humanity’s most pressing challenges, applying effective education practices from Chile to improve children’s literacy in Tajikistan, or renewable energy lessons from Iraq to support local governments in Lebanon.

In more than a hundred countries around the globe, our network of approximately 5,000 local specialists delivers results. Because with decades of experience operating in the most complex social and political environments in the world, we know how to quickly mobilize resources, seamlessly adapt to change and strategically apply lessons learned across thousands of projects.

With 90% of us working in a community we’ve long called home, our teams reflect a diversity of technical expertise and lived experience, because solving complex development challenges requires both.

We combine broad regional experience with technical depth and unparalleled management skill. Our practices range from agriculture and private sector development to health and education and cut across our regional business units. Our management systems allow us to document, measure and apply both recent innovations and proven best practices across multiple regions and sectors.

Every action we take is driven by a conviction that true service means tomorrow’s work must be better than today’s. So, when others say it can’t be done, we ask when we can start. With curiosity. With an interest in new ideas. With listening. Because the more intractable the problem, the more determined we are to take it on.

The Role

Title: Senior Vice President of Impact

Location: Washington DC, USA with some hybrid working

Salary: Competitive - please contact us for details

Job Summary

The Senior Vice President of Impact at Chemonics reports to the CEO to implement strategic initiatives related to data, knowledge, technology, and innovation, including the oversight and management of the newly created Sustainable Development Impact Lab (Impact Lab) within the Office of the CEO. This position will support the ability of the organization to increase impact at scale through improved harnessing of innovations; utilization of technology and data; and advancement of Chemonics’ solutions in other communities and countries. This is a senior management position requiring demonstrated ability to operate at advanced levels of authority and accountability for achieving results.

The Impact Lab Team provides Chemonics critical resources that both support the core business as well as expand the practice and service lines of Chemonics into the future. Critical focus areas for the Impact Lab Team include:

• Using data and evidence to create impact and value for our business lines.

• Optimizing the flow of knowledge to and from our projects, practices, and proposals and enhance or introduce user-friendly tools that enable global teammates to rapidly contribute, share, and apply knowledge.

• Identify, invest in, and build on internal and external innovations with an eye to scaling for exponential impact and value creation.

• Growing new disciplines and blue sky opportunities to help Chemonics serve its clients by using cutting edge tools, technology, data, insights, media engagement via a customer centric approach.

The ideal candidate is committed to Chemonics’ mission and fosters a workplace inclusive of creating opportunity, serving others, building trust, advancing innovation, and exceeding expectations.

Responsibilities

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty and responsibility satisfactorily. The qualifications listed below are representative of the required knowledge, skills, and/or abilities needed to perform the principal duties.

• Manages the Impact Lab Team by communicating clear performance goals and standards, offering regular performance feedback, and promoting staff development through coaching, mentoring, and facilitating professional growth opportunities.

• Supervises director-level employees (Senior Advisor for Innovation and Investment, Senior Director of Data Analytics, and the Senior Advisor for Knowledge Management) in their management of technical activities and teams across the Impact Lab portfolio.

• Oversees the design, launch, and sustained management of data and insight focused tools

• Collaborates with the CEO, EVPs, and Board of Directors (BOD) to create and lead the execution of Chemonics’ strategic goals related to data, knowledge, and innovation, incorporating input from executives and other functions.

• Serves on the Executive Management Team (EMT), providing strategic advice on impact and operational matters and working with the CEO to design and deliver meaningful, clear presentations to EMT, Board of Directors, and other stakeholders as needed on Impact Lab initiatives.

• Supports other Chemonics leaders to ensure sustainable and effective execution of Chemonics’ strategy in the areas of harnessing data, optimizing knowledge, and nurturing innovations to scale.

• Designs, develops and graduates new ideas and initiatives in service of corporate strategy and key performance indicators.

• Promotes and exemplifies Chemonics values and ethical standards and manages staff to achieve team and development objectives.

• Actively supports or participates in new business activities and proposal teams, when appropriate.

• Performs other duties and responsibilities as required by the CEO, which may include operational, administrative, and management tasks as well as working on special task forces.

• Leads and/or participates in new business opportunities, contributing to successful proposal development, particularly ensuring effective proposal cost strategies, and that new business efforts follow Chemonics’ values, ethics, standards, and best practices.

• Performs other duties and responsibilities as may be required by the President and CEO, which may include, management and technical tasks, as well as working on special task forces or leading corporate initiatives.

Candidate Profile

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty and responsibility satisfactorily. The qualifications listed below are representative of the required knowledge, skills, and/or abilities needed to perform the principal duties.

• Minimum of 15 years of experience working in international development, humanitarian response, or philanthropic ventures including experience living and/or traveling in developing countries required.

• Advanced degree.

• Entrepreneurial mindset, direct experience working with the technical areas of data, knowledge, and innovation.

• Exceptionally strong personal initiative, good business instincts, and comfort with ambiguity.

• Experience ideating, executing, and scaling concepts.

• Strong experience creating and leading data and evidence driven practices and systems within an organization.

• Knowledge of modern data systems and emerging technology capabilities, to include: cloud, APIs, AI, and others preferred.

• Understanding of USAID policies, procedures, and regulations preferred.

• Deep experience negotiating private sector partnerships, experience with venture capital and other funds models is a plus.

• Strong oral, written, and verbal communication skills, including communications for diverse internal and external audiences.

• Demonstrated leadership abilities and organizational skills, able to model maturity, dependability, integrity, initiative, and discretion.

• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work both independently and in a team. Able to lead effective teams, initiatives, and meetings.

• Ability to solve complex technical, managerial, or operational problems and evaluate options based on relevant information, resources, well-rounded experience, and knowledge.

• Ability to identify, focus and unleash key talented “intrapreneurs”.

• Ability to operate at advanced levels of authority and control significant activities, budgets, and resources to produce and take responsibility for results.

• Demonstrated leadership, versatility, and integrity.

• English proficiency required; fluency in a foreign language preferred.

• Regular attendance and availability during normal business hours are required.

• Ability to work in a normal office environment.

• Ability to travel and work abroad in less developed countries for at least 4 to 8 weeks a year.

Competencies

Management and Leadership Competencies

Creates Strategic Vision

Ability to conceptualise in the long-term including outside one’s own area. Utilises perspective to identify and activate the appropriate strategy that positions Chemonics for success. Ensuring strategy is based on a thorough analysis of facts, figures, and qualitative aspects of Chemonics mission, values, and internal/external environment.

Drives Organisational Achievement

Steers the organisation in a direction that enables success based on defined vision and strategies. Demonstrates ability to deliver results within teams and to perform at a high level. Creates a culture where all managers and employees are fully accountable and focus on continuous improvements by defining challenging goals for themselves and for others, exceeding standards of excellence and ensuring effect.

Inspires Team

Eager to lead and empower their teams. Expresses’ ability to handle interpersonal interactions compassionately and empathetically. Ensures employees receive timely feedback and support from them, other managers, or through formal development programmes. Manages others in a manner that builds their confidence, motivation, and independent capabilities, management.

Core Competencies

Works Inclusively and Collaboratively

Promotes and values a culture with a wide variety of people from different backgrounds who can work together to reach better outcomes. Builds and maintains relationships based on respect, honesty, and compassion to create a work environment that is collaborative and inclusive. Shares information and ideas openly, while recognising the importance of listening to and understanding the needs of others.

Competencies

Embraces Continuous Learning

Personally committed to developing themselves and, if relevant, their employees. Gives timely and balanced performance feedback and coaching to others, enabling continuous professional and personal development. Demonstrated eagerness to learn and apply new knowledge and skills to accomplish work activities and goals in improved and more effective ways.

Reinforces Transparency

Demonstrates openness across all job functions and responsibilities. Willing to explain decision making processes, outcomes and direction to others. Operates under an open-book policy, principled in performance and ethically sound. Honest in all interactions and transactions; remains steadfast when challenged.

Thinks Critically

Builds a logical approach to address problems or opportunities. Leverages their own knowledge and experience and proactively seeks input and information from key resources and stakeholders for thorough analysis. Willing to apply ingenuity and creativity into problem solving, offering novel ideas that challenge the status quo. Effectively translates findings to resolve issues in a way that yields a positive impact on key performance indicators and organisation objectives.

Drives Results

Goal oriented, innovative and passionate about finding ways to get things accomplished, even when faced with challenges. Drives with focus and proactivity to identify and accomplish goals and does so in a timely fashion. Demonstrates accountability, showing ownership and commitment towards achieving results.

Operates with Agility and Resiliency

Adapts quickly and positively to change and different approaches when needed. Demonstrates resilience and flexibility in undefined and consistently changing environments. Takes initiative through uncertainty or conflict by engaging and inspiring others to explore opportunities that will shape the future, even if opportunities come with risks in order to deal with important problems.

How to Apply

All correspondence, at this stage, should be via Oxford HR. To apply for this post, click on the “Apply” button on the job advert page, complete our online application form, and submit your CV and cover letter. Please provide a CV and cover letter in two different documents, which should be prepared before applying as they will be considered in the application process. The cover letter should be no more than two pages long and explain why you are interested in this post and how your skills and experience make you a good fit.

The document should be saved in PDF in the following format: Your First Name-Your Last Name-Document NameDate (mmyy) e.g., Pat-Jones-CV-082023-Chemonics-Impact or Pat-Jones-CoverLetter-082023-Chemonics-Impact.

Timeline

Closing Date: 13 August 2023

First stage interviews: Weeks of 21 & 28 August 2023

Final interviews: TBC

Selection Process

All candidates will receive an update regarding their application after the closing date. We advise candidates to add the role email to their safe senders list and regularly check their spam folder.

Chemonics is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Chemonics is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and does not discriminate in its selection and employment practices. All qualified applicants will receive

consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, age, or other legally protected characteristics. Military veterans, AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, and other national service alumni are encouraged to apply.

Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision

Chemonics will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by Chemonics, or (c) consistent with Chemonics legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)

Queries

If you have any queries on any aspect of the appointment process, need additional information, or would like to have an informal discussion, please email at chemonics-seniorvp-impact@oxfordhr.com in the first instance.

About Oxford HR

Exceptional leaders can inspire change and propel purpose-led organisations towards reaching their world-changing goals. Finding such leaders can be a challenge; and yet their transition into leadership is vital to an organisations mission and success.

Oxford HR is a global leadership consultancy dedicated to searching for and supporting remarkable leaders and teams in purposeled organisations.

We understand the nuances of purposeled leadership because we’ve worked in organisations across the breadth of the sector ourselves. We’ve also worked with such organisations since 1995; so we appreciate just what benefits impactful people can bring.