About The Asia Foundation
The Asia Foundation (TAF) is an international nonprofit organization working to solve the toughest social and economic challenges in Asia and the Pacific. Informed by more than 70 years of experience and deep local knowledge, we work with partners across more than 20 countries through 17 offices to solve together for lasting progress.
In Timor-Leste, TAF partners with government, civil society, the private sector and communities to deliver programs spanning governance, gender equality and disability inclusion, ending violence against women and children, labor mobility, security and justice, knowledge sector, and economic development. Our Dili office consists of approximately 60 staff, consultants, and interns.
The Opportunity
TAF is seeking an experienced and dynamic Deputy Country Representative (DCR) to help lead our Timor-Leste office. Reporting to the Country Representative (CR), the DCR plays a pivotal leadership role across both operations and programs – ensuring strong organizational systems, high-quality program delivery, and the continued growth of TAF's portfolio and people. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to strategy, strengthen partnerships, and lead teams in a collaborative, mission-driven environment.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership
- Contribute to office-wide strategic planning, programs, and operations.
- Identify and oversee the implementation of approaches that increase synergies and efficiencies within and between programs and operations in alignment with TAF's strategic objectives and fiduciary responsibilities.
- Strategic and proactive engagement with a diverse array of stakeholders to identify emerging trends and issues and opportunities for TAF programming.
- Ensure alignment of systems and processes with organizational objectives and goals, as well as national regulations, donor and TAF requirements.
Operations
- Develop and track office-wide operational budgets and expenditures in collaboration with the finance and program finance units.
- Oversee operations team, ensuring compliance with grant and contract requirements, financial policies, and practices, as well as related regulations and procedures ensuring alignment with TAF policies and country regulations. This includes:
- Due diligence requirements of sub-grants and sub-contracts;
- Financial procedures and reporting;
- Personnel management;
- Workplace ethics, safeguarding, and health and safety;
- Organizational risk management and mitigation measures.
- Engage with TAF headquarters and other country offices to identify, design and implement operational best practices.
Programs
- Thought leadership on emerging areas for programmatic engagement for TAF.
- Provide technical guidance to existing programming to ensure the achievement of long-term outcomes for TAF and its programs.
- Directly manage projects, as required, across the full program cycle (from design and implementation to close out).
- Contribute to or lead the development of fundraising strategies and plans; prepare proposals in accordance with TAF and donor protocols and guidelines.
- Accountability for all project expenditures under their direct purview, ensuring alignment with donor and TAF policies.
- Responsible for developing budgets and spending projections for existing and potential new programs.
- Oversees the development of high-quality program reports, knowledge products, and external communications materials to strengthen program visibility and organizational goals.
Supervision and Staff Development
- Participate in the recruitment, orientation, training, supervision, and development of staff under their purview, including developing job descriptions and terms of reference, as needed.
- Undertake staff performance reviews and identifies and coordinates opportunities for the professional development of staff.
- Utilising a mentoring approach, provides regular, ongoing performance feedback to staff.
Representation
- Assist the CR in establishing and maintaining effective and professional 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.
- Participate in TAF meetings and other relevant professional forums and events.
Qualifications
Education
- Master's degree or equivalent advanced degree
Experience
- 10+ years of relevant professional experience, including team leadership, program development and management in international settings.
- Experience leading operations management (including personnel, finance, and administration), preferably in international development organizations.
- Experience in program design and implementation, as well as financial and grants management.
- Demonstrated experience identifying emerging areas for programming and leading proposal development and project inception.
- Experience with program- and organization-level monitoring, evaluation, and learning.
- Experience managing diverse teams and supporting staff professional development.
- Demonstrated ability in team management, team building, and supervision through a mentoring approach.
- Demonstrated analytical and problem-solving skills, and comfortable moving between managing day-to-day tasks and strategic office-wide initiatives within a dynamic environment.
- Demonstrated ability to evaluate and summarize complex information into simple concepts for broad communication to diverse audiences and stakeholders.
Skills
- Excellent oral communication skills in English and Tetum are required. Indonesian and/or Portuguese skills are an asset.
- Excellent writing skills in English and Tetum, with the ability to clarify and convey complex ideas
- Strong strategic, analytical and problem-solving skills
- Effective people and culture skills, with an empowering and supportive leadership style
- Ability to build partnerships across sectors and stakeholders
- Sound operational and organizational management skills
- High emotional intelligence and impartial judgement in sensitive situations
- Nonpartisan, with strong political awareness to navigate complex stakeholder environments
- Strong commitment to gender equality and social inclusion, both programmatically and within the workplace
- Demonstrates initiative, integrity, and commitment to quality and continuous improvement
How to Apply
Applications are only accepted when submitted through our portal. Go to https://asiafoundation.org/career/deputy-country-representative-timor-leste/ and click APPLY NOW.
Phone calls, email requests and in-person enquiries will not be entertained.
Please submit an application including:
- A cover letter addressing how you meet the criteria and responsibilities of the job
- A CV with three contactable references
