Manager - Strategy & Partnerships

Job Description

Title: Manager - Strategy & Partnerships

Company Name: Swisscontact Bangladesh

Vacancy: --

Age: Na

Job Location: Dhaka

Salary: --

Experience:

• At least 8 years
• The applicants should have experience in the following business area(s): NGO

• Masters

Master’s degree in Economics, Social Science, Development Studies, Public Administration, Management, or a relevant field.

• At least 8 years
• The applicants should have experience in the following business area(s): NGO

The individual must conform to the following qualifications and expertise:

Technical Competencies

• Minimum 8 years of relevant professional experience, including at least 3 years in a leadership or managerial role.

• Proven experience working with municipalities and oversight ministries (e.g., LGD), preferably in secondary towns like Jashore.

• Strong communication skills in both English and Bangla, with excellent computer literacy (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).

• Willingness to travel regularly to Jashore and other field locations.

• Committed to Swisscontact’s core values, with demonstrated integrity, gender sensitivity, and respect for diversity.

• Familiarity with inclusive planning approaches and secondary town development dynamics.

• Experience in engaging with local institutions to embed participatory practices.

Project Management

• Demonstrated ability to plan, manage, and report on multi-stakeholder development initiatives.

• Proven experience in preparing and managing large-scale project budgets.

• Skilled in applying adaptive management tools for systemic, result-oriented implementation.

• Strong analytical, negotiation, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.

• Familiarity with the working principles and methods of SDC is an asset.

People Management

• Proven capacity to lead diverse teams and build collaborative partnerships with stakeholders.

• Experience in mentoring and coaching young professionals in dynamic project environments.

• Skilled in managing relationships with public agencies, private sector actors, and development partners.

Swisscontact was established in 1959 as an independent foundation by notable figures from the worlds of commerce and science in Switzerland. It is exclusively involved in international development co-operation and has carried out its own and mandated projects since 1961. Based in Zurich, Swisscontact currently employs over 1,100 staff worldwide and manages projects in 41 countries on behalf of public and private donors.

Swisscontact is inviting applications from experienced development professionals for the position of Manager – Strategy & Partnerships for an ongoing project called SHOMPRITEE, which focuses on Locally Led Cooperation for Climate Migrants in Bangladesh.

The project is a pioneering pilot that seeks to strengthen the capacity of secondary towns—starting with Jashore Municipality—to plan for and respond to climate-induced migration. By embedding inclusive planning tools, strengthening institutional coordination, and supporting service co-creation with local actors, the project aims to establish a scalable model of Climate Resilient Municipality (CRM) governance. The project addresses critical challenges at the intersection of climate change, displacement, and urbanisation, while promoting gender-responsive and socially inclusive systems. Drawing on evidence and learning from the field, the project will also contribute to national policy dialogues and lay the groundwork for long-term systemic change in how urban areas manage climate migration in Bangladesh.

Location: Dhaka, with regular travel to Jashore and other relevant project locations

Reports to: Team Leader, SHOMPRITEE, Swisscontact Bangladesh

The Manager – Strategy and Partnerships will play a pivotal role in leading strategic engagement, partnership building, and systems integration for the Shompritee project. The position is responsible for translating the project’s locally led cooperation (LLC) model into practical strategies, developing and managing partnerships with government, donors, service providers, and knowledge platforms, and supporting the integration of project learnings into broader policy dialogues and potential scale-up pathways. S/he will ensure that Shompritee’s vision of inclusive, climate-resilient urban governance is grounded in strategic evidence, locally anchored partnerships, and adaptive implementation.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

1. Strategic Design and Implementation

• Lead the strategic planning and roll-out of the project’s intervention model, ensuring alignment with the CRM approach and the principles of locally led cooperation (LLC).

• Provide technical leadership in operationalising CRM tools such as the MAP, LCAC, and MSWGs in coordination with municipal institutions and field teams.

• Ensure integration of project learning into Jashore Municipality’s systems and facilitate alignment with national frameworks and donor strategies.

• Collaborate with the Team Leader to design scalable approaches that strengthen institutional ownership and inform policy-level dialogues.

2. Partnership Development and Stakeholder Coordination

• Build and maintain strong working relationships with Jashore Municipality, relevant ministries and public authorities, local civil society actors, private sector players, and relevant development partners.

• Facilitate co-creation processes with the municipality and community stakeholders for inclusive and sustainable service delivery.

• Support the institutional embedding of participatory, climate-responsive planning and service delivery mechanisms within the municipality.

• Coordinate efforts to ensure project support is gradually transitioned to local institutions in a sustainable manner.

3. Policy Engagement and Knowledge Influence

• Support the Team Leader in documenting pilot learnings and generating evidence to influence national planning frameworks.

• Represent the project in national and regional platforms on climate mobility, urban resilience, and local governance.

• Liaise with knowledge institutions and networks for south-south learning and policy advocacy.

4. Staff Management and Capacity Building

• Maintain a coherent and gender-sensitive team structure for effective delivery.

• Mentor and coach project staff on technical and operational issues.

• Promote a learning-oriented team culture and oversee structured staff development plans.

• Ensure Swisscontact’s Code of Conduct and core values are followed by all project staff and partners.

5. Monitoring, Reporting, and Compliance

• Collaborate with the MRM team to track and report on partnership and systems outcomes.

• Support the Team Leader in donor reporting, strategy reviews, and adaptive management cycles.

• Ensure all strategic activities adhere to Swisscontact and donor policies, including compliance and fiduciary standards.

6. Financial Oversight and Operations

• Ensure alignment of annual plans and budgets with strategic priorities.

• Support efficient and transparent use of project resources within approved budgets.

• Contribute to internal and donor reporting, especially on strategic outcomes and partnership performance.

• Ensure compliance with Swisscontact and donor operational guidelines.

Physical Demand

• Field visits play a large part in the incumbent’s activities; as such, it is expected that the incumbent is willing and able to take part in such activities, as needed and sometimes under short notice.

Working Conditions and Environment

• This will be applicable in accordance with the Swisscontact Business Administration Manual.