Director of Digital Transformation Design and ...

Mindseeker is looking for a Director of Digital Transformation Design and Implementation to join the Mindseeker Team and support our client. Our client has contracted with us for the provision of Personal Services Contractor (PSC) staffing to selected areas of the agency. The selected candidate will work as a PSC member of the client's Sector Operations Division, Digital Collaboratives for Local Impact (DCLI), which is responsible for supporting our client's country teams in the design and implementation of investments, including local policies, skills and systems needed to support a thriving local digital ecosystem and a secure, interoperable, inclusive and open Internet. Mindseeker will be the employer of record.The PSC will be based in Washington, D.C. and will work with the Managing Director and the DCLI team on key technical and administrative components of the work. Specifically, she/he will focus on technical knowledge and project development, while supporting day-to-day coordination, sequencing, planning and follow through on the objectives of the DCLI team, partner countries, DCLI implementation partners, and contracted support and consultants.Key responsibilities include:Contribute to achieving the objectives of the client and the DCLI team.Responsible for understanding country-specific digital transformation opportunities, strategies and needs and, by building and sustaining relations, for advancing the interest, participation and commitment of relevant country, regional and global stakeholders (government, NGO, private sector, and other) in the design and implementation of activities that strengthen country digital ecosystems.Coordinate evolving thinking about how to develop country digital transformation strategies and how investments to achieve them may be implemented, working to ensure country buy-in and program / platform sustainability; and regularly validates these assumptions through stakeholder engagement.Assist in drafting scopes of work for consultants, preparation of budgets, issuance of technical directives, and review and acceptance of consultant deliverables.Lead, support, and/or coordinate with other DCLI team members and implementing partners to develop terms of reference (TORs) or scope for contracts, cooperative agreements and federal assistance awards.Work with the Managing Director and other DCLI team members as well as the Contracts and Grants Management (CGM) division in selecting project implementation partners by assessing different options for satisfying the best value for the Government based on technical proposals, outcomes expected and timeline constraints.Support onboarding, development of work plans, and management of contractors, consultants, and/or implementing partners.Provide implementation partners technical direction (related to digital development projects and initiatives); and actively track the progress toward agreed-upon deliverables, schedules, and budget.Provide timely technical review of draft deliverables and coordinate with the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) and CGM when issues/challenges arise.Identify, track, and manage key risks and opportunities.Shape our client's approach to digital development, steps to assess country' counterpart digital readiness, and internal due diligence tools to aid in assessing the merit and potential impacts of potential digital investments.Coordinate activity with DCLI team management, other colleagues, country and external partners.Transfer relevant lessons learned from the DCLI and programs to other countries and to the international community, with a specific focus on digital transformation and development for economic growth.Plan and participates in meetings, work sessions, and workshops with the DCLI team and country teams, implementation partners, and internal and external stakeholders.Undertake research and inquiry and provide analytical support to produce a variety of reports, briefing materials, presentations, blogs, charts, data, visualizations, infographics and statistical materials to communicate with internal and external stakeholders.Perform a variety of assignments associated with the design, development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of investments to strengthen local digital ecosystems.Perform related duties as assigned.QualificationsOfferors must meet all the required qualifications described below by the closing date of this announcement. Desired qualifications will only be considered once all required qualifications are met. Offerors must demonstrate that they possess the following:Required Qualifications:A master's degree in computer science, telecommunications, systems engineering, or another related field; or international business with a significant level of experience in IT-related technical settings; or significant high-level work experience, in lieu of a master's degree, in similar fields.Knowledge of and first-hand private sector experience in implementation of carrier-level internetworking, including the regulatory environment for telecommunications and Internet connectivity.Knowledge of digital public infrastructure (DPI) and particular expertise in at least one of the essential functional areas of DPI: Digital identity, digital payments, and data exchange systems.Knowledge of machine learning and artificial intelligence, and how these may be used in a developing-country context.Understanding of digital and network security, and readiness to explain the importance of cybersecurity and how this may be enhanced in developing countries, at technical, regulatory and policy levels.At least 3 years of practical experience leading tasks, projects or programs (i.e., project management) including the ability to define specific tasks, sequences and drive technical progress by tracking technical milestones, budgets and timelines.Experience overseeing tasks and projects promoting and advocating for digital development in developing economies.Knowledge of the economics of digital transformation and how economic justification may be provided for strategic investments.Experience in working in a developing country-context (emerging economy with nascent digital ecosystem) and cross-cultural environment, including collaborative planning and negotiations with foreign counterparts and implementation partners.Experience managing project risk including anticipating, mitigating and resolving problems or conflicts resulting in practical approaches and solutions that are in the best interest the project.Experience working on teams and interacting with a variety of stakeholders including donors, the private sector, and non-governmental organizations.Excellent written and oral communication skills. Ability to communicate effectively in writing, while maintaining appropriate confidentiality and tactfully discussing issues/operations with internal and external stakeholders.Desired Qualifications: Knowledge of international development programs/projects. In particular, knowledge of and interest in the potential for digital development to accelerate or augment country and regional development programs.Understanding of or prior work with or in a U.S. Government agency, including knowledge of U.S. Government contracting mechanisms and how these can be used to direct funding to appropriate programs. Prior work in East or West African countries on digital development. French language capabilities would be beneficial but are not required. Experience with data principles and uses, particularly open data. Experience conducting research and preparing briefing papers, speeches/remarks, talking points, data visualization tools, status reports and background information.

Created: 2025-01-16