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Chief Operating Officer, EMBARQ
World Resources Institute
Washington, DC US
Categories: Admin/ Gen Mgmt Program Management
Skill Level: Senior Level
Position Type: Full Time
EMBARQ - The World Resources Institute (WRI) Center for Sustainable Transport - acts as a catalyst for socially, financially, and environmentally sound solutions to the problems of urban mobility.
Working through public-private partnerships with politically and financially empowered decision makers in major cities around the world, EMBARQ reduces the cost, risk, time, and complexity of finding and implementing sustainable transport solutions.
EMBARQ has created Centers for Sustainable Transport in Mexico and Brazil which manage its day to day interactions with leadership of cities in those countries, and has significant project activities in China and Turkey. Typical solutions which EMBARQ helps cities achieve include: clean fuels/clean vehicles/clean lungs strategies; improved transit services such as Bus Rapid Transit, demand management and promotion of non-motorized transport. EMBARQ also helps find and arrange financing for the solutions it proposes.
Through the formation of public-private partnerships, EMBARQ has turned the attention of the private sector towards the needs of cities, their citizens, and their environment. EMBARQ has also proven that the design and implementation of sustainable urban transport strategies in the developing world can translate into economic opportunities for the forward-thinking business.
EMBARQ has been moving from a start-up to a going concern and has now commenced the process of scale-up to a size commensurate with the mission.
Position Overview:
The COO is a new position within EMBARQ, created to contribute to the design and direction of the organization's ambitious and innovative growth strategy. EMBARQ is presently operating in four major markets, Mexico, Brazil, Turkey and India, but is only at scale in Mexico and Brazil while India and Turkey are basically still at start-up. The incumbent's experience in finance and business development will steer EMBARQ's portfolio of opportunities - which cities, partners, projects, products, research, or investments we should pursue out of the myriad that are possible, in order to best ensure we meet our mission, at scale, in a financially sustainable way.
The COO reports to the EMBARQ director. He or she will serve as the managing director of EMBARQ, and will be the second in charge, representing, as needed, EMBARQ in WRI management team meetings, quarterly financial review sessions and related interactions with WRI senior management. He or she will participate in EMBARQ advisory board meetings and take the lead on preparing reports for the board.
The senior managers within EMBARQ will report to the COO, including the LA program director, the Asia & Europe program director, and the EMBARQ program manager.
EMBARQ's annual budget in 2008 is $4 million, growing to $5 million or larger if the scale-up is achieved faster. A key motivation for opening this position is to try to achieve a faster scale-up of EMBARQ and its network.
EMBARQ core is comprised of 13 staff, based in Washington DC, with the exception of 3 who are based in Istanbul and 2 based, in India. The EMBARQ Network also includes two independent Centers for Sustainable Transport, which it established overseas: CTS-Mexico has 7 full-time staff and 11 part-time staff; CTS-Brazil has 7 full-time staff. While the centers are independent NGOs incorporated under their national laws, it is part of EMBARQ's strategy to keep the centers well integrated with EMBARQ / WRI.
Responsibilities:
In partnership with the EMBARQ Director, design and execute the strategic and tactical (5 year) business plan for EMBARQ, with emphasis on growth, efficiency, portfolio management, innovation and delivery;
Ensure the smooth and efficient operation of EMBARQ and its network, delivering optimum performance from all its resources (coming from WRI, EMBARQ, the Centers and externally) to enable the organisation to deliver its strategic objectives most effectively;
Oversee EMBARQ's work related to helping cities attract and structure finance for transport corridors and related urban land development.
Key Accountabilities:
• Managing the organization for sustainable growth and implementing recognized business planning methodologies, annual budgets and performance reporting based on key performance indicators; Ensuring core business processes are in place and are working effectively;
• Establishing quality assurance and customer satisfaction standards/benchmarks and achieving compliance there of, for EMBARQ as well as the centers;
• Implementing risk management, business performance and standard operating procedures to protect organisation's projects and assets;
• Analyzing different current trends within the urban transport sector and determining their impact on the sector, designing and executing the most appropriate approach strategy for EMBARQ and creating the EMBARQ value proposition(s) and maximizing opportunities;
• Securing all essential relationships with alliances and strategic partners for the short term and long term growth;
• Establishing organizational structure for EMBARQ, how it fits within WRI and how it functions in conjunction with the centers, and developing operating systems to ensure achievement of the strategic direction;
• Fostering an achievement-oriented culture based on continuous learning principles where employees are motivated and rewarded for both individual and team contributions.
Special Challenges
• EMBARQ is an organisation that seeks to bring together the best of a business, "bottom line delivery" approach, with the not-for-profit "inclusiveness" approach.
• EMBARQ is also delivering service at a point in the supply chain for transport planning that, at present, is a missing market - low or no demand for quality planning services by developing country cities. EMBARQ tries to create a market for up-front planning so as to improve selection and outcome of urban transport-sector projects over the long-term;
• The EMBARQ Network is comprised of EMBARQ core staff located in Washington DC and several Centers for Sustainable Transport which EMBARQ has set-up around the world. The centers serve as the day-to-day managers of projects and front-line partners with cities and private sector in local markets. These centers, for reasons of law and culture, have varying degrees of independence and affiliation with EMBARQ / WRI and the management and quality control of EMBARQ Network products and processes is less direct than would be in corporate setting.
Experience required:
• Proven track record of around 15 years of progressive, entrepreneurial management experience within the private, public, or non-profit sector, or some combination, with evidence of 1) managing growth of an organization; 2) deal-making skills, particularly between public and private sector; and 3) overseeing the development and growth of a portfolio of knowledge-intensive products and services;
•Proven track record of developing, financing and managing investment where a high level of commercial/financial acumen in combination with deep insights on social and environmental impacts has been instrumental in achieving successful outcomes. This should ideally include the creation and development of Private Finance Initiatives (PFI) and Public Private Partnerships (PPP);
• Preference will be given to candidates with experience in urban land or infrastructure development;
• A track record demonstrating the candidate is mission driven, and committed to the mission and values of EMBARQ and WRI;
• Successful track record in communicating and working effectively in cooperation with a wide range of stakeholders, developing a positive personal and organisational profile and building partnerships that add value to the achievement of outcomes;
• Evidence of success in establishing effective performance measures and a performance culture that has achieved organisational objectives in a comparable activity;
• Demonstrable track record of effective communications at all levels that has ensured that resources have been coordinated and deployed effectively;
• Understanding of organisational change and how to manage change for optimum outcomes.
Competencies required:
• High level of communication skills, commercial and financial acumen, and social and environmental skills; • Strong leadership and people management skills, including the ability to delegate effectively, in order to successfully lead multi-functional teams; • Awareness of the Urban Transport sector, its scope, structure and dynamics, including its context within broader social and environmental issues; • Strong ability to:
o be strategic, creative, innovative and imaginative in developing commercial, technical and/or organisational solutions to urban transport problems; o deliver results and outcomes in highly complex political environments; o broker/forge partnerships, joint ventures and comparable complex deals; o develop positive relationships that generate confidence and respect at various levels with a diverse range of individuals and organisations.
Personal style and behaviour
• Strategic thinker with credibility and an entrepreneurial approach to promoting, developing and delivering effective solutions and new projects. • Structured, well-organised communicator with highly developed oral and written presentation skills. • Personal and professional demeanour/credibility to command the respect of the Board, the Centers, local governments, key partners and stakeholders, diverse communities and key public and private sector organisations. • Able to work as a member of a team and act and think corporately, with a collaborative style that engages people at all levels and promotes positive relationships. • Highly motivated and not easily discouraged with resilience and tenacity but also tact and diplomacy.
About WRI: The World Resources Institute's mission is to move human society to live in ways that protect Earth's environment and its capacity to provide for the needs and aspirations of current and future generations.
Every project undertaken by WRI seeks to contribute to one or more of the following goals:
People and ecosystems. Reverse rapid degradation of ecosystems and assure their capacity to provide humans with needed goods and services.
Climate change. Protect the global climate system from further harm due to emissions of greenhouse gases and help humanity and the natural world adapt to unavoidable climate change.
Markets and Enterprise. Harness markets and enterprise to expand economic opportunity and protect the environment.
Access. Guarantee public access to information and decisions regarding natural resources and the environment.
Institutional excellence. Support and enhance WRI's ability to achieve results.
In all of its policy research and work with institutions, WRI tries to build bridges between ideas and action, meshing the insights of scientific research, economic and institutional analyses, and practical experience with the need for open and participatory decision-making.
WRI's work is carried out by a 130 member interdisciplinary staff augmented by a network of advisors, collaborators, partners, and cooperating institutions in more than 50 countries.
World Resources Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is WRI's policy to recruit, hire, and provide opportunities for advancement in all job classifications without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation, parental status, or disability.
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