Specialist for Water and Sustainable Cities (WSC) Practice

Chemonics International is seeking a Specialist for the Water and Sustainable Cities (WSC) Practice in Washington, DC. This role focuses on advancing technical excellence in water security, sanitation, and hygiene through collaboration with local partners. Responsibilities include managing IDIQs, providing technical support, fostering knowledge-sharing, and engaging with stakeholders to implement projects. The position emphasizes inclusive management and staff development while overseeing project-related activities and resources.
About the position

The Asia Business Unit at Chemonics is seeking a Specialist for the Water and Sustainable Cities (WSC) Practice Management Team (PMT). This role is pivotal in advancing Chemonics' technical excellence and development impact through a multidisciplinary approach. The WSC PMT collaborates with local partners and service providers to tackle complex and interconnected challenges, aiming to achieve lasting water security and sustainable access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene for all. By enhancing governance, increasing financing, improving evidence, and expanding private sector participation, Chemonics aims to deliver catalytic change across the sector. The WSC Practice also offers urban-specific expertise, including solid waste management, recycling, and climate resilience planning, to bolster municipal governance and accountability, enhance domestic resource mobilization, and improve essential service delivery. Currently, the WSC PMT manages a portfolio of over $220 million in USAID programming, alongside interdisciplinary programs focused on water security, sanitation, and hygiene (WSSH) and urban resilience. The team also advises on a robust forward market through the $1 billion Water and Development II IDIQ and other standalone opportunities. The Specialist will be a demonstrated leader who proactively engages in core practice responsibilities, including managing IDIQs, providing technical support to new business and ongoing projects, fostering internal knowledge-sharing, and engaging with the development industry. This position requires a commitment to inclusive management, fostering an environment that promotes opportunity, trust, innovation, and exceeding expectations. The Specialist will also be responsible for managing workloads, developing practice budgets, and promoting staff development through coaching and mentoring. The role involves significant collaboration with various stakeholders, including USAID technical staff, strategic partners, and internal teams, to ensure the successful implementation of projects and initiatives.

Responsibilities
• Undertakes technically relevant line roles in proposal development and helps influence program design aligned with technical best practices and evidence.
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• Participates in strategy sessions early in capture to guide teams on the competitive landscape, client preferences, potential partners and personnel, and innovative or evidence-based approaches.
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• Reviews solicitations and draft proposals, providing teams with technical input and guidance customized to the opportunity.
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• Supports relationships and engagement with clients, consultants, and partners to advance successful new business opportunities.
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• Oversees data entry and record keeping to enable the Practice to track, analyze, and share development trends and sector performance.
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• Develops demand-driven resources to address knowledge gaps identified in partnership with new business teams, based on previous proposal decisions and the forward market.
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• In collaboration with Advisor or Senior Advisor, provides demand-driven technical support to projects in the technical portfolio.
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• Supports development and delivery of demand-driven training courses, learning resources, knowledge sharing events, and ad-hoc technical discussions.
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• Facilitates connections among Chemonics' projects implementing similar approaches to learn from one another.
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• Researches cutting-edge tools, frameworks, or approaches available within the industry for potential project use.
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• Helps identify and maintain records for a cadre of staff and consultants globally with expertise in varying sub-specialties within the technical area.
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• Collaborates with project leadership, other technical and cross-cutting practices, and evidence and learning team to support integrated applied research initiatives.
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• Captures project innovation and learning to repurpose for proposal, other project, and external use.
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• Supports collaborative working relationships with USAID technical staff, strategic partners, and stakeholders.
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• Provides routine management, reporting, and oversight to Chemonics' Indefinite Quantity Contracts, as assigned.
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• Identifies opportunities and supports efforts to highlight the work of our global practitioners in international fora.
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• Represents Chemonics at external events and industry meetings.
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• Partners with new business and outreach teams to position Chemonics externally for forward market opportunities.
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• Supports feedback or input on client's draft policies, strategies, frameworks, or technical documents.

Requirements
• Minimum 3 years of technically relevant work experience required.
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• Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree preferred in related field.
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• Knowledge of client and industry trends in the technical discipline.
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• Demonstrated experience supporting business development efforts for USAID or other donors.
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• Strong verbal and written communication skills; ability to effectively lead meetings, give presentations, and network within the industry.
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• Demonstrated ability to build and manage working relationships with internal and external counterparts, including clients, partners, and technical experts.
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• Willingness to travel and work abroad a minimum of 4-8 weeks per year; experience working on technical programs in developing countries preferred.
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• Demonstrated ability to supervise and mentor staff.
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• Strong analytical skills.
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• Self-starter with entrepreneurial mindset, creativity, and demonstrated leadership skills.
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• Strong knowledge of MS Office applications.
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• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
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• Foreign language proficiency preferred.

Nice-to-haves
• Foreign language proficiency preferred.

Benefits
• Paid time off
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• Medical/dental/vision insurance
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• Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
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• 401(k) plan
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• Comprehensive benefits package for US-based employees.