Head of Strategic Engagement and Partnerships

• Lead strategic engagement & partnerships - accelerate multi-donor APAC growth
• Provide innovative solutions to development challenges, help transform lives
• Suits senior international development professionals in Australia or Bangkok

The Organisation

Adam Smith International (ASI) is a global advisory, an employee-owned B Corp company that transforms lives by making economies stronger, societies more stable, and governments more effective. Headquartered in London, ASI has an Asia-Pacific regional office in Sydney, established in 2012 to lead multi-donor business growth and project delivery across the region. In 2021, ASI Australia established a regional representative office in Bangkok, Thailand, to service our growing Southeast Asia portfolio.

ASI currently operates across fifteen countries in the Asia Pacific and partners with local governments, businesses, and civil society organisations to create and deliver custom-made solutions in some of the most complex, challenging, and fragile international environments.

ASI works on behalf of governments, foundations, and companies that share their ambition to take on the biggest challenges facing the world and drive meaningful impact internationally.

Benefits & Culture

• Senior leadership team opportunity driving significant growth for a global international development advisory company.
• Agile, nimble, and mission driven culture, collaborative team environment.
• Attractive salary package available. Frequent travel within the Asia Pacific region required. Expatriate and relocation packages are not provided.
• Australia: Sydney preferred (hybrid), Canberra, or other Australia locations (remote). Bangkok: (hybrid).
• Work rights required for Australia. Sponsorship considered for outstanding candidates in Bangkok.

The Role

ASI is seeking an exceptional strategic senior leader to drive further expansion across Southeast Asia and the Pacific. As Head of Strategic Engagement and Partnerships for Asia Pacific, you will lead, design, and execute ASI's regional engagement and partnership strategy, championing high-impact collaborations and securing major funding opportunities.

You will own the full bid lifecycle, from opportunity identification and strategic assessment to innovative submissions. The primary focus will be Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and other key bilateral and multilateral donors, and you will represent ASI at the highest levels of engagement as the partner of choice in the region.

Other key responsibilities are to:

• Cultivate, strengthen, and secure strategic partnerships with DFAT, FCDO, EU, ADB, and other multilateral development banks, major donors, and consortiums.
• Monitor and analyse donor pipelines, market trends, and emerging opportunities to maximize success rates.
• Oversee technical and financial proposal development, ensure the establishment of prime and subcontracting arrangements and compliant and timely bid submissions.
• Champion cross-business collaboration across the Asia-Pacific team and ASI's global business.

Skills Required

You are a commercial, influential, and driven leader, with at least 10+ years in a comparable international development senior business development role in the Asia Pacific region, and you relish the opportunity to contribute to build and position ASI for further significant growth.

Ideally you hold a master's degree in international development, international affairs, or a related field, and your track record establishing and sustaining credible and effective relationships with diverse, multicultural stakeholders includes securing major bids and tenders, which have met or surpassed organisational growth targets.

You are adaptable and collaborative, skilled at inspiring teams to drive innovation and achieve excellence. Your clients include DFAT and other key bilateral and multilateral donors, multilateral development banks, government officials, and strategic partners.

Your other key skills and experience include:

• Demonstrated understanding of donor procurement cycles, particularly DFAT.
• Proven ability to design and execute successful regional or global growth strategies.
• Comprehensive knowledge of international development programs and strategies.
• Significant success addressing complex development challenges across diverse thematic program areas for core Asia Pacific clients.
• Exceptional communication skills, able to negotiate at executive and board levels.

ASI values diversity and encourages applications from candidates of all backgrounds and identities.

If you want to lead ASI's growth strategy and make a lasting impact across the Asia Pacific region, please apply by submitting a CV and cover letter, responding to the skills and experience required, quoting # Alternatively, call Lois Freeke in Melbourne on for a confidential discussion, or to request a full information package please email: (no applications here please).

Please note there is no formal closing date for this role, if you are interested, we would encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

NGO Recruitment values equitable recruitment practices and is committed to representing candidates reflective of the diverse organisations and communities we work with. We welcome and encourage applications from all backgrounds, ages, and identities, and are happy to adjust our recruitment process to support accessibility needs. If you are interested in this position and have most of the skills or experience we are looking for, please go ahead and apply.