Country Representative, Mongolia

Location: Mongolia
Deadline: November 17, 2023
Type: Regular employment

The Asia Foundation is a nonprofit international development organization committed to improving lives and expanding opportunities across Asia and the Pacific. Informed by decades of experience and deep local expertise, our work across the region is focused on good governance, women’s empowerment and gender equality, inclusive economic growth, environment and climate action, and regional and international relations.

The Asia Foundation is a nonprofit international development organization committed to improving lives and expanding opportunities across the Indo-Pacific region. Informed by decades of experience and deep local expertise, our work is focused on good governance, women’s empowerment and gender equality, inclusive economic growth, environment and climate action, and regional and international relations. While the Foundation operates through offices in 18 countries, we administer programs in more than 20 countries across Asia and the Pacific.

The Foundation seeks a dynamic and experienced professional to serve as country representative for Mongolia in Ulaanbaatar. This is the senior-most Foundation employee in Mongolia and leads all programs, external relations, and operations in accordance with organizational strategies, policy, and guidelines.

The country representative oversees all aspects of the Foundation’s work in Mongolia, including new program development, design, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting of program activities, and the development and cultivation of effective working relationships with the host government, donors, partner agencies, diplomatic missions, national and international institutions, and the media. This position also oversees fundraising and the diversification of donor support, financial and grant management, administration, and security, along with recruitment, supervision, and appraisal of staff. The country representative is based in Ulaanbaatar and reports to the executive vice president/chief operating officer in San Francisco.

Responsibilities

Strategy and Program Development and Management

  • Tracks and analyzes updated information on socio-economic, political, and foreign policy dynamics and trends in Mongolia, with a clear understanding of challenges and opportunities facing the country and region.
  • Leads implementation of an integrated country strategy in compliance with the Foundation’s program, operational, and financial strategies and priorities.
  • Develops and implements proactive fundraising strategies to diversify funding sources and achieve program and management objectives.
  • Oversees the preparation of proposals for programming in accordance with Foundation and donor protocols, builds and maintains effective diplomatic and donor networks in support of fundraising goals.
  • Oversees comprehensive program management (design, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting), ensuring programs achieve donor, Foundation, and partner objectives and comply with all necessary programmatic and financial regulations.
  • Assures the quality, impact/scale, and cost-effectiveness of the country program through a combination of grants, technical assistance, and direct Foundation-implemented activities.
  • Works closely with other country offices and relevant headquarters and program units to design and carry out multi-country programs, events, and/or exchanges on issues of regional and international importance.
  • Mobilizes in-country, regional, and international technical expertise and resources from Foundation staff and external consultants as required for program development, implementation, and evaluation.
  • Maintains, updates, and ensures the availability of accurate program information, documentation, and publications, including submission of high-quality plans and reports to donors and within the Foundation.

Representation

  • Establishes and maintains effective, professional, and senior-level relationships with the host government, national institutions, program partners, development assistance agencies, donors, diplomatic missions, national and international NGOs, professional associations, and academic and national institutions.
  • Establishes and maintains effective relationships with major donor organizations and diplomatic missions, including bilateral and multilateral donor agencies, embassies, and private sector donors. This entails engaging regularly in events and meetings to ensure visibility of the Foundation’s work with key stakeholders and donors, engaging and building the capacity of staff to also carry out such representational roles, and attending representational functions during working and evening hours.
  • Establishes and maintains constructive public relations in Mongolia, ensures a professional standard of Foundation facilities, assures a positive profile through media coverage of programs and events, and takes remedial action where needed in the case of any reputational risk to the Foundation. Participates in meetings and events to enhance awareness of the Foundation and to expand the Foundation’s professional network and access to relevant information.
  • Participates in meetings and events to enhance public awareness of the Foundation and to expand the Foundation’s professional network and access to relevant information.
  • Works with the Foundation’s Global Communications unit to produce and disseminate effective materials showcasing Foundation programmatic impact and thought leadership.
  • Prepares articles, written materials, and documentation for publication, contributes to scholarly or development community knowledge about Mongolia and the region, development programs, issues, and trends.
  • Participates in Foundation meetings and other relevant professional forums and events.

Office and Operational Management

  • Oversees and ensures successful office operations, including compliance with the Government of Mongolia’s regulations, establishment and maintenance of legal standing agreements, and development and strengthening of operational policies and systems.
  • Provides leadership to staff – maintaining morale, fostering teamwork, and ensuring an understanding of the main elements of the office’s strategy, as well as an awareness and connection to the broader Foundation.
  • Ensures that staff understand and comply with Foundation policies, including but not limited to ethics, conflict of interest, prevention of fraud, gender equality, child protection, and prevention of sexual exploitation and harassment policies.
  • Oversees safety and security of Foundation staff and facilities, ensuring compliance with Minimum Operating Safety and Security (MOSS) Standards and additional requirements as determined by regular risk assessments.

Financial Management and Administration

  • Responsible for ensuring the development of project budgets, the fiscal year country budget, and spending projections, making optimal use of resources through cost-effective decision-making, ensuring that budgets and spending projections are kept up-to-date and relevant, ensuring expenditures are within approved budgets, and that revenue and spending targets are met.
  • Ensures compliance with all financial and accounting policies and procedures, and grant and contract requirements, prepares and submits timely financial reports to the Foundation and donors, and promotes financial accountability and transparency.
  • Establishes and maintains operational, administrative, grant management, and financial policies and practices within established Foundation requirements, and ensures proper systems are in place for the control of all assets, funds, equipment, property, and facilities.

Supervision and Staff Development

  • Maintains office staffing to ensure the optimal match between the office’s current work and prospective plans and the available skills, experience, and qualifications among its staff.
  • Oversees and complies with appropriate recruitment, orientation, training, supervision, and promotion of office staff, consultants, and interns.
  • Establishes and maintains transparent personnel management, benefits, and compensation policies and practices in accordance with Foundation policies and local labor laws.
  • Oversees staff performance evaluation and planning systems and processes, and identifies opportunities for their own professional development and the professional development of staff.
  • Designs and implements an effective staff organizational structure including clear reporting lines consistent with Foundation policies and commensurate with scale and scope of program and operational requirements.
  • Promotes staff morale to ensure a healthy atmosphere in the office.
  • Encourages and supports all staff to utilize the Foundation’s knowledge management tools to promote collaboration, teamwork, and an open exchange of ideas.
  • Sets the tone for all staff to utilize the Foundation’s knowledge management tools to promote collaboration, teamwork, and an open exchange of ideas.

Other

  • The country representative should ensure their performance and values align with those of the Foundation and frequently look for means of growing their own skills and abilities as related to technical expertise and organizational management.
  • Keeps headquarters and other senior Foundation staff, as necessary, informed about significant developments affecting Mongolia, the Foundation’s role, the safety and welfare of staff, program events, and any other relevant matters.
  • Participates in Foundation-led initiatives, task-force teams, committees, and strategic planning processes, as needed.
  • Provides support, as warranted, to other Foundation offices in program development, proposal writing, representation, or other activities.
  • Undertakes other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

  • Ten (or more) years of experience working on international development, international policy, international business, or a related field in Asia (preferably in Mongolia).
  • Strong understanding of Mongolia and current challenges and opportunities.
  • Demonstrated personal capacity to work effectively at a policy level (locally and regionally), including a demonstrated capacity for building trust and influence with officials in government, industry, and policy analysis circles.
  • Must possess the ability to strategically assess important challenges and opportunities that contribute to the Foundation’s core areas of work.
  • Demonstrated ability to evaluate and summarize complex information into simple concepts for broad communication to multiple types of audiences and stakeholders.
  • Outstanding verbal and written communication skills in English. An ability to communicate in Mongolian is desired.
  • Experience working for or with multilateral, bilateral, or international non-governmental organizations is preferred.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills, ability to develop important relationships with key stakeholders and good conflict management skills.
  • Skilled at leading, motivating, and managing teams, as well as running effective meetings.
  • Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite preferred.
  • A bachelor’s degree is required and a master’s degree or higher is preferred in a relevant field, such as International Development, International Relations, Government, Business, Public Policy, Foreign Affairs, Political Science, Law, Public Policy, International Development, and Economics.

Who are we looking for?

The ideal candidate is passionate about leading people and programs in a collaborative, innovative, and culturally sensitive way that advances the impact of the Foundation’s work. You are adept at harnessing the talents and ideas of teams and Foundation partners and excel at fostering a culture of mutual respect and learning. The successful candidate is a strategic thinker, an excellent manager, and a clear communicator who establishes shared goals and ensures accountability in carrying out programs to the highest standards. You have a strong ability to build relationships and networks with host country representatives in government, academia, civil society, and the private sector. You are adept at analyzing and solving problems, managing multiple responsibilities, prioritizing issues, and maintaining relationships while addressing competing demands.

Why work at The Asia Foundation?

You will have the opportunity to work with a team of leading professionals who contribute to the development, stability, and growth of Mongolia and across the region. You will help promote a more effective and constructive engagement between government and citizens, strengthen the role of women and minorities, and advance learning and awareness about the country.

HOW TO APPLY

Send the proposal to [email protected] by November 17, 2023.

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