Program Director (Team Leader), Prospera Phase 2

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KEY INFORMATION
Job Title: Program Director (Team Leader)
Position Location : Jakarta, Indonesia
 
 
SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT
The Australia-Indonesia Partnership for Economic Development (Prospera) is Australia's flagship economic governance program in Indonesia. Phase Two builds on three decades of bilateral cooperation in this area and will further contribute to Indonesia's sustainable, inclusive and climate-resilient growth. Its estimated value is $420 million over 10 years, with a budget of around $200 million to December 2030.
 
Prospera combines managing contractor-led policy advisory and institutional strengthening services with numerous partnerships among Australian and Indonesian government agencies (G2G partnerships). It works with central agencies and other key Indonesian stakeholders to help the Government of Indonesia (GoI) strengthen macroeconomic policy, financial sector development, public financial management including tax policy and administration, markets, investment, labour and skills, the digital economy and broader digital transformation, and Indonesia's engagement in regional and international trade and economic institutions.
 
Cross-cutting priorities include gender equality, disability and social inclusion (GEDSI), climate resilience and energy transition, data, digitalisation, and locally led development.
 
Prospera is implemented by Cowater International on behalf of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) in close collaboration with Australian Public Service (APS) agency partners.
 
 
SUMMARY OF THE POSITION
The Program Director provides overall leadership of Prospera and is responsible for ensuring it delivers high-quality, trusted policy engagement with GoI, contributes to further strengthening of the bilateral relationship, and achieves the Program's strategic outcomes.
The role combines strategic policy leadership, partnership building, and executive management of a large, complex multi-disciplinary program.
The Program Director will:

• Lead Prospera's strategic engagement with Indonesian partner institutions, DFAT, APS and other Australian stakeholders.
• Ensure the program delivers high-quality, evidence-based policy advice and capacity building that supports economic reform and transformation in Indonesia.
• Provide inclusive executive leadership for program strategy, governance, delivery and performance.
• Foster partnerships among Indonesian institutions, Australian agencies and the broader policy ecosystem that further deepen bilateral trust and cooperation.

The Program Director reports to Cowater's Prospera Contractor Representative and works closely with DFAT, APS and Indonesian government counterparts.
 
 
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Strategic leadership and policy engagement

• Lead Prospera's strategic engagement with Indonesian partner institutions to support economic policy reform aligned with Indonesia's national priorities and areas of Australian value add.
• Provide intellectual and strategic leadership to ensure the program delivers high-quality, evidence-based policy advice across Prospera's core domains including macroeconomic policy, financial sector development, public financial management, markets and investment, labour markets and the digital economy.
• Ensure Prospera's analytical work supports partner institutions to design and implement reforms that contribute to sustainable, inclusive and climate-resilient growth.
• Contribute to strengthening bilateral engagement between the two governments, and represent Prospera in senior policy dialogue with Indonesian and Australian counterparts, and development partners.

Partnership and relationship leadership

• Maintain trusted relationships with senior officials across key Indonesian economic institutions, including coordinating ministries and line agencies.
• Support effective collaboration among Indonesian and Australian institutions including for the Australian Embassy in Indonesia and through Prospera's G2G partnerships.
• Promote collaboration with Indonesian research institutions, think tanks and civil society to strengthen the broader economic policy ecosystem in Indonesia.
• Support DFAT in maintaining a constructive and strategic bilateral partnership with the GoI on economic reform priorities.

Program leadership and delivery

• Provide executive leadership to Prospera's senior management team and technical leadership cohort.
• Oversee the development and implementation of Prospera's annual work plans, strategies and major initiatives.
• Ensure program activities contribute to the achievement of the program's End-of-Program Outcomes (EOPOs) and Intermediate Outcomes.
• Drive a culture of analytical excellence, collaboration, transparency, inclusion and learning across the Program including with APS partners.
• Ensure programming remains responsive to evolving policy priorities and political economy dynamics, while balancing this responsiveness with delivering longer-term, sustainable outcomes and ensuring value-for-money.

Governance, performance and risk management

• Ensure Prospera operates in accordance with DFAT contractual requirements and governance arrangements.
• Support DFAT and GoI partners through effective governance processes.
• Ensure robust systems are in place for monitoring, evaluation and learning, enabling evidence-based decision making and adaptive management.
• Maintain strong oversight of risk management, safeguarding, financial management and compliance.

Integration of cross-cutting priorities

• Ensure GEDSI, climate resilience, digitalisation and locally led development are meaningfully integrated across Prospera's policy engagement and program operations.
• Promote inclusive economic policy analysis that considers differentiated impacts on women, people with disabilities and marginalised groups.
• Ensure program strategies support sustainable institutional strengthening and Indonesian leadership in reform processes.

 
 SELECTION CRITERIA
Candidates will demonstrate most or all of the following:
 
Essential

• Extensive senior-level experience in economic policy, public policy reform or economic governance.
• Experience working in Indonesia, or at least with Indonesian partners.
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex policy advisory programs or institutions.
• Strong understanding of macroeconomic policy, economic reform processes or public sector institutional development.
• Exceptional relationship-building and stakeholder management skills, particularly with government institutions.
• Experience working in complex political economy environments and navigating reform processes.
• Proven leadership and management experience in multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong strategic thinking, communication and influencing skills.

Desirable

• Familiarity with large development cooperation programs and donor-funded policy advisory platforms.
• Experience engaging with government-to-government partnerships and international policy institutions.
• Understanding of cross-cutting development priorities including GEDSI and climate resilience.

Personal Attributes
The Program Director will be a strategic leader who:

• Demonstrates intellectual credibility and policy judgement.
• Builds trusted relationships with senior decision-makers.
• Operates effectively to support a bilateral partnership in politically sensitive environments.
• Leads diverse teams with integrity and inclusiveness.
• Balances strategic vision with practical delivery.

 
 
APPLICATION PROCESS
Candidates are encouraged to apply by April 28, 2026/as soon as possible.
 
For your application to be considered, please upload your documents as followed: Candidate Last Name, First Name, date, Title of the Position.
 
Cowater international strives to maintain a fair, transparent, and human centered recruitment process. As part of our commitment to responsible hiring practices and compliance with evolving recruitment regulations, we may use AI assisted tools to support limited aspects of our talent acquisition workflow, such as reviewing or shortlisting applications. These tools are used only to enhance efficiency and consistency in our processes. All assessments, interviews, and final hiring decisions are made exclusively by our human recruiting managers. Candidates may request additional information about the use of these tools or reasonable accommodations during the recruitment process.
 
Cowater International is an equal opportunity employer, basing employment on merit and qualifications as they relate to professional experience and position expectations. Cowater does not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, religion, sex, gender identity, disability, age, or any other basis protected by law.
We thank all applicants, however only those shortlisted will be contacted.
 
 
ABOUT US
Founded in 1985, Cowater International is a leading global development consulting company. Headquartered in Ottawa and with corporate hubs in Auckland, Berlin, Brussels, Helsinki, London, Madrid, Manila, Nairobi, Singapore and Stockholm, Cowater International has successfully delivered a portfolio of over 2500 projects and assignments in more than 95 countries. We work with governments, private sector actors and communities implementing projects that support socio-economic development, institutional strengthening, environmental improvements and advance equal opportunities for all. We are a diverse and experienced team committed to building a better tomorrow for the people we serve. Our adaptive approach to management has led to our yearly award-winning work and recognition as one of Canada's Best Managed Companies since 2017.
 
We thank you for your interest in building a better tomorrow.

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