UNPAID VOLUNTEER - Strategy Officers (Principal / Senior / Officer)

UNPAID VOLUNTEER – Strategy Officers (Principal / Senior / Officer)

Role Titles: Principal Strategy Officer / Senior Strategy Officer / Strategy Officer
Role Type: Unpaid Volunteer
Number of Positions: Multiple
Office: Director-General’s Office – Strategy
Location: Home-based / Remote
Reporting To: Strategy Director / Director-General’s Office

THIS IS AN UNPAID VOLUNTEER ROLE.

About DTID

The Digital Technology Institute for Development (DTID) is an international non-profit institute advancing the responsible use of artificial intelligence, blockchain and emerging digital technologies to support sustainable development and policy implementation.

DTID brings together professionals, researchers, technology specialists and other stakeholders to generate research, develop practical solutions, strengthen partnerships and support informed decision-making at the intersection of technology, climate change and sustainable development.

The Role

DTID is seeking analytical, commercially aware and solutions-focused professionals to join the Strategy function within the Director-General’s Office as Principal Strategy Officers, Senior Strategy Officers and Strategy Officers.

The Strategy team supports DTID’s institutional growth by analysing strategic opportunities, developing organisational and business-development proposals, supporting partnerships and helping senior leadership translate priorities into practical initiatives.

Successful candidates will work across DTID to assess organisational challenges and opportunities, conduct research and analysis, develop recommendations and support implementation of strategic initiatives.

The role also includes a strong business development and partnership-development component, particularly identifying opportunities for institutional collaboration, sponsorship, programme development, government engagement and other forms of strategic support.

Candidates should be comfortable working as internal strategists and management consultants: understanding complex problems, analysing evidence, challenging assumptions and presenting practical recommendations to senior decision-makers.

Appointments will be made at Principal, Senior or Officer level according to the candidate’s qualifications, experience, assessment performance and demonstrated level of strategic capability.

Key Responsibilities

Depending on appointment level, responsibilities will include:

• Conduct research and analysis to support DTID’s strategic planning and institutional development.
• Assess new organisational, programme, partnership and business-development opportunities.
• Develop strategic proposals, concept notes, business cases and implementation plans.
• Support the development of sponsorship, partnership, government and institutional engagement proposals.
• Analyse organisational challenges and provide clear, evidence-based recommendations.
• Evaluate short-, medium- and long-term strategic initiatives.
• Support senior leadership in assessing options, risks, opportunities and implementation approaches.
• Conduct market, stakeholder, policy and organisational research where required.
• Prepare discussion papers, executive briefings, presentations and strategy reports.
• Work with Divisions to translate strategic recommendations into practical implementation plans.
• Identify and develop opportunities for partnerships with governments, international organisations, foundations, research institutions, companies and other stakeholders.
• Support stakeholder engagement and strategic relationship development.
• Monitor implementation of selected strategic initiatives and identify emerging risks or barriers.
• Contribute to organisational improvement, growth and sustainability initiatives.
• Support cross-divisional projects and other priority activities assigned by the Strategy Director or Director-General’s Office.

Appointment Levels

Principal Strategy Officer

The Principal Strategy Officer will operate at a senior strategic level and may:

• Lead complex institutional strategy and business-development assignments.
• Provide strategic advice and recommendations to senior leadership.
• Lead analysis of major growth, partnership or programme opportunities.
• Develop high-level business cases, proposals and implementation strategies.
• Lead selected strategic partnerships and institutional-development initiatives.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary teams working on strategic projects.
• Review and provide guidance on strategy work produced by other officers.
• Present findings and recommendations to senior management.
• Support development of DTID’s medium- and long-term institutional strategy.
• Mentor and provide guidance to Senior Strategy Officers and Strategy Officers.

Senior Strategy Officer

The Senior Strategy Officer will independently manage strategy and business-development workstreams and may:

• Conduct detailed strategic, organisational and market analysis.
• Develop business cases, proposals and strategic recommendations.
• Lead selected partnership or institutional-development initiatives.
• Coordinate cross-functional strategy projects.
• Prepare executive reports, presentations and decision papers.
• Analyse risks, opportunities and implementation options.
• Support stakeholder engagement and partnership development.
• Provide guidance to Strategy Officers where required.

Strategy Officer

The Strategy Officer will support research, analysis and implementation across the Strategy function and may:

• Conduct desk research, market research and stakeholder analysis.
• Gather and analyse information to support strategic decisions.
• Prepare draft strategy papers, presentations and proposals.
• Support business-development and partnership research.
• Maintain strategic opportunity, partnership and implementation trackers.
• Support preparation of meetings, consultations and stakeholder engagements.
• Monitor agreed actions and strategic initiatives.
• Assist Principal and Senior Strategy Officers with assigned projects.

Requirements

Skills and Abilities

Candidates should demonstrate:

• Excellent written and spoken English.
• Strong analytical and critical-thinking skills.
• Strong problem-solving capability.
• Ability to analyse complex information and identify practical recommendations.
• Excellent research skills.
• Strong written briefing and presentation skills.
• Ability to develop clear, structured and actionable proposals.
• Strong organisational and prioritisation skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines.
• Strong interpersonal and stakeholder-management skills.
• Ability to build constructive professional relationships.
• Ability to communicate confidently with colleagues from different professional disciplines.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently and take ownership of assignments.
• Ability to collaborate effectively across organisational boundaries.
• Ability to operate effectively within a remote and internationally distributed organisation.
• A proactive, commercially aware and solutions-focused mindset.

Candidates for more senior appointments should additionally demonstrate strong leadership, strategic judgement, influencing and stakeholder-management capability.

General and Specialist Knowledge

Candidates should have knowledge or experience in several of the following areas:

• Corporate and institutional strategy.
• Management consulting.
• Business development.
• Strategic partnerships.
• Organisational development.
• Market and stakeholder analysis.
• Programme and project development.
• Business-case development.
• Proposal development.
• Partnership and sponsorship models.
• Institutional growth and sustainability.
• Performance analysis.
• Organisational improvement.
• Project and programme management.
• Government or public-sector engagement.
• International development.

Knowledge of climate change, sustainability, climate finance, artificial intelligence, blockchain and emerging digital technologies would be advantageous.

Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Teams is expected.

Experience with project-management, data-analysis, CRM or business-development systems would also be advantageous.

Education and Training

Candidates should preferably possess a degree in:

• Business Administration.
• Strategic Management.
• Economics.
• Finance.
• Management.
• International Business.
• Public Administration.
• International Relations.
• Public Policy.
• International Development.
• Project Management.
• Another relevant discipline.

Principal Strategy Officer

A Master’s degree, MBA or equivalent postgraduate qualification would be highly desirable, together with substantial strategy, consulting, business-development or institutional-management experience.

Senior Strategy Officer

A relevant degree and significant professional experience in strategy, consulting, business development or a related area is expected. A postgraduate qualification would be advantageous.

Strategy Officer

A relevant Bachelor’s degree or equivalent qualification is preferred.

Candidates with strong transferable professional experience and demonstrated strategic capability may also be considered.

Relevant professional qualifications in strategy, management consulting, finance, project management, business analysis or programme management would be beneficial.

Professional proficiency in English is required.

Knowledge of an additional international language would be advantageous.

Experience

Depending on appointment level, candidates should ideally demonstrate experience in areas such as:

• Strategy development.
• Management consulting.
• Business development.
• Institutional partnerships.
• Project or programme development.
• Organisational analysis.
• Market or sector research.
• Proposal development.
• Stakeholder engagement.
• Business-case development.
• Organisational improvement.
• Strategic project management.

For Principal Strategy Officer appointments, candidates should demonstrate substantial experience leading complex strategic assignments, advising senior decision-makers and developing or implementing significant organisational initiatives.

For Senior Strategy Officer appointments, candidates should demonstrate experience independently managing strategic projects, developing recommendations and working with senior stakeholders.

For Strategy Officer appointments, previous strategy or consulting experience is desirable, although candidates with strong research, analytical and business skills may also be considered.

Experience within a management consultancy, international organisation, nonprofit organisation, public-sector institution, research organisation, technology organisation or corporate strategy function would be advantageous.

Benefits

What Difference Will You Make?

DTID’s ability to grow and deliver its mission depends not only on strong research and technical expertise, but also on identifying the right opportunities, making sound strategic choices and building sustainable institutional relationships.

As part of the Strategy team, you will help DTID understand where it should focus its efforts, which opportunities it should pursue and how strategic ideas can be translated into practical initiatives.

You will help strengthen the connection between strategy, business development, partnerships and implementation.

Your contribution will support DTID’s institutional growth, strategic decision-making, organisational effectiveness, partnership development and long-term sustainability.

Benefits

What Will You Gain from Volunteering with DTID?

Although these positions are unpaid, volunteering with DTID provides opportunities to:

• Gain practical experience in institutional strategy and business development.
• Work on complex strategy and organisational-development challenges.
• Contribute to partnerships and institutional growth initiatives.
• Work closely with senior leadership and colleagues across different Divisions.
• Develop strategy, consulting, research and business-case development skills.
• Strengthen executive writing, presentation and analytical capability.
• Gain exposure to international organisations, governments and institutional partners.
• Work at the intersection of emerging technology, climate action, sustainable development and organisational strategy.
• Develop international professional networks and strategic relationships.
• Gain experience within a globally distributed organisation.
• Contribute directly to DTID’s growth and institutional development.

Selection Process

DTID is committed to identifying talented individuals with both demonstrated expertise and strong potential.

Candidates may be appointed as Principal Strategy Officer, Senior Strategy Officer or Strategy Officer depending on their qualifications, experience, assessment performance and demonstrated level of capability.

The selection process will normally include:

1. Application screening
2. Written or technical assessment
3. Interview and/or technical discussion for shortlisted candidates
4. Final selection and onboarding

The assessment will focus particularly on analytical thinking, problem-solving, strategic judgement, business-development thinking, written communication and the ability to convert analysis into clear and actionable recommendations.

Candidates who successfully complete the assessment will be invited to progress to the next stage of the recruitment process.

Important Notice

These are unpaid volunteer positions.