Executive Director

Company Description

The Why: NEPAL aspires to graduate from least developing country to a lower middle-income country by 2026. However, the development community’s excessive focus today on socio-political empowerment has not yielded the desired economic transformation.  In reaching the 2026 national target, shall we wait for institutions of power to become accountably productive or shall we bolster innovations of people to bring inclusive prosperity?  How do we strengthen grassroots-government collaboration in shaping an equal and enterprising future?

The How: DAAYITWA, with a focus on economic empowerment, envisions an enterprising Nepal where every youth has opportunities for a prosperous future. Daayitwa is a part of the Daayitwa Abhiyaan which consists of four organizations: Daayitwa, Governance Lab, Nepal Leadership Academy based in Nepal and Nepal Rising (Daayitwa-US) based in the U.S. Inspired by shared values of innovation, collaboration, and service, it promotes the socio- economic development of Nepal. The movement fosters inclusive and equitable economic growth by accelerating grassroots innovations, strengthening government institutions, and revitalizing a virtuous cycle of democracy and development through grassroots-government collaboration.

Our Focus Areas: 

1. Promote enterprise-led employment creation 

2. Design evidence-based policies for improved decision-making 

3. Build state capability for effective policy implementation 

4. Foster stakeholder collaboration for governance innovations

Daayitwa runs several programs and initiatives aimed at our focus area. These key programs include:

Growth Entrepreneurship and Employment Program (GEEP): GEEP accelerates rural enterprises for boosting employment and income growth in rural Nepal. GEEP is executed through a partnership among Daayitwa, Gandaki and Koshi provincial governments, 10 local governments and the Nepali diaspora. GEEP’s objectives are to accelerate growth-oriented rural enterprises, build state capability for effective policy implementation  and foster stakeholder collaboration for governance innovation. GEEP builds on Daayitwa’s decade-long experience in governance innovation and accelerating growth-oriented enterprises in rural Nepal to create jobs and amplify income through the Rural Enterprise Acceleration Program (REAP). 

Daayitwa Nepal Public Service Policy Fellowship Program: Daayitwa supports bureaucrats and parliamentarians in making policy decisions by conducting policy research, building capability of government and strengthening research ecosystem. Through the Daayitwa Nepal Public Policy Fellowship (DNPPF) Program and Daayitwa Nepal Public Administration Fellowship (DNPAF), Daayitwa identifies service-minded talented Nepali youth, capacitates them to conduct policy research, connects their policy recommendations with government actions and builds an evidence-based policy ecosystem. Since 2013, DNPSF has supported 189 talented Nepali youth trained in 32 countries to conduct research projects for 28 parliamentarians and 74 government organizations in all 7 provinces (42 municipalities). 

Policy and Governance Research: Daayitwa has conducted research on several topics including youth employment, enterprise ecosystem, as well as women’s political and economic empowerment. 

Leadership for Economic Governance Program: Daayitwa enables local governments to promote local economic development by enhancing their policy leadership capability and fostering trustful collaboration with other municipal ecosystem stakeholders. Through the Leadership for Economic Governance (LEG) program, a joint initiative of Daayitwa, Governance Lab and Nepal Leadership Academy, we run an executive policy leadership course for local governments, supports them to identify major economic challenges, and facilitates them to implement innovative policy pilots using the Problem-Driven Iterative Adaptation (PDIA) and Rapid Results Initiative (RRI) approaches. So far, LEG has supported 3 municipal governments of Lumbini province to promote youth employment and women’s economic empowerment.

National Governance Symposium: The National Governance Symposium (NGS) is an annual event organized by Governance Lab at Daayitwa Abhiyaan, with Daayitwa as the organizing partner. This program strives to be an intellectually rich and politically unbiased learning platform for celebrating, studying and contextualizing models of innovation and collaboration in public service delivery that can enable governance stakeholders to think freshly and act productively. NGS has been conducted since 2022 in partnership with the Office of Prime Ministers & Council of Ministers, Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration, Ministry of Finance, and National Planning Commission. 

Policy and Governance Dialogues: Daayitwa has been organizing policy and governance dialogues to enhance the governance ecosystem of the country. These dialogues aim to foster greater shared clarity, commitment, and capacity among key stakeholders such as the Federal Parliament of Nepal, academic institutions, civil society organizations, and the private sector. Through such dialogues, Daayitwa aims to bring together stakeholders on crucial policy matters related to Nepal's economic development. Daayitwa also brings together local leaders, national and international experts, and development practitioners from various fields to gather unique insights and perspectives. 

Job Description

The What: YOU, as the Executive Director, will provide results-oriented, strategy-driven leadership and management of Daayitwa’s strategy, programs, and operations.  You will strive to make Daayitwa a great place to work, where we build strong teams, where people are challenged to do their best, and where everyone makes a difference.  Exceptional people deserve the best work environment that we can provide.  You will work with other Abhiyaan teams to support our people to learn, grow and contribute to our shared vision of an equal and enterprising Nepal.  As an ambassador of Daayitwa Abhiyaan’s vision, values and principles, you will accelerate its impact by accelerating results, exploring innovative avenues and building new partnerships at Daayitwa, while supporting the synergistic growth of the other Daayitwa Abhiyaan organizations. Reporting to the Board, your role will include but are not limited to the tasks listed below.

1. Strategic Growth Leadership: Drive the strategic direction of Daayitwa in alignment with Board policies and guidelines. Develop action plans for projects, foster partnerships with local, national, and global stakeholders, and lead fundraising efforts. Communicate the organization's impact to the Board, partners, and target groups to ensure sustained growth and success.

2. Program Strategic Supervision:  Supervise the implementation of all programs, offering technical guidance and conducting site visits as necessary to monitor progress and ensure alignment with goals. Develop and implement strategies to enhance program effectiveness and impact.

3. Business Development Leadership: Identify and capitalize on opportunities for collaboration, building and nurturing strategic partnerships with key local, national, and global stakeholders. Lead fundraising initiatives and represent Daayitwa at various national and international forums.

4. Impact Communication Leadership: Mobilize the communications and outreach team to create impactful materials that effectively convey the organization's achievements to stakeholders. Represent Daayitwa at relevant events, panels, meetings, and forums as needed.

5. Team Management: Cultivate a productive and supportive environment that encourages team members to learn, grow, and thrive, while fostering alignment with Daayitwa’s core values and commitment to our mission.

6. Research Leadership: Oversee and lead a diverse range of research initiatives across multiple programs, providing strategic direction and leadership in research design, implementation, analysis, and dissemination, while guiding research teams throughout the process.

7. Financial Oversight & Compliance: Collaborate with the Finance and Admin lead to ensure effective financial management, compliance with donor regulations, and adherence to organizational policies. Oversee financial integrity and the management of grants across all projects.

8. Integrity & Compliance: Uphold and promote Daayitwa Abhiyaan's high standards by ensuring that the program team adheres to logistics, procurement, HR, and finance protocols. Coordinate with internal and external audit teams to ensure compliance and maintain accountability.

Qualifications

Qualifications & Skills: YOU must be a people-loving, growth-oriented, impact-minded, young dynamic team-builder with following qualifications:

• Masters degree in Development Studies, business administration, public policy, economics or other related field

• Minimum of 8 years of relevant professional experience 

• Impeccable managerial and interpersonal skills, with proven record of effectively interacting with senior management

• Recognized expertise in rural development, community engagement, government collaboration and private sector development

• Proven experience in managing multiple projects simultaneously, ensuring effective coordination, timely execution, and alignment with organizational goals

• Understanding of social issues related to youth employment, youth entrepreneurship, and community-driven development

• Independence in working on complex problems in the field of specialization consistently applying creativity and independent judgment

• Experience working in an institution focusing on international development and/or dealing with government officials. 

• Excellent client orientation, diplomatic skills, and drive for results are essential

• Demonstrated ability to lead teams under pressure in a diverse, uncertain environment. Experience of having led start-up teams will be a plus point.

• Strong motivation and organizational/time management skills.

• Proven ability to handle multiple tasks at a time within deadlines.

• Growth mindset - exceptional willingness to take risks and work hard.

• Excellent oral and written communications skills in Nepali and English

Additional Information

Compensation: Daayitwa will provide compensation on a monthly rate basis. The rate will be mutually agreed upon, commensurate with the level of the required deliverables, the qualifications and experience of the candidate. 

If you're keen on this position, kindly complete the form below by 20th May 2025. To access the page, please click on the provided link and right-click to go to the link.

https://tinyurl.com/3aexyy6p

In the subject line, put “ Job Title followed by your first and last name (e.g., “XXX – Sabina Nepali ) and attach the following documents. All documents must be compiled in a single file, in the same order and saved in PDF format:

• Cover letter (one page max)

• CV 

• Academic transcripts/certificate for most recent qualification

Deadline: 20th May 2025. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. The vacancy may be closed prior to the deadline if a suitable candidate is found. Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

Daayitwa is committed to promoting workforce diversity and actively encourages applications from individuals belonging to marginalized and discriminated groups, including women, Dalit, Janajati, Madhesi/Terai, and other minority communities. The organization values inclusive representation and strives to create a diverse and equitable working environment.