Position:   Director, AIT Solutions
Work Location: Asian Institute of Technology
Deadline:  15 February 2019

Job description:

This Director Position is a leadership role that assist the Executive Director of AIT Solutions in developing and executing AITS’s long as well as short term plans.

He/She will help carry out the following responsibilities: (i) Developing a strategic plan to advance AITS’s mission and objectives, and to promote revenue and growth as an organization; (ii) Overseeing AITS’s operations to ensure cost-effective management of resources, clients’ satisfaction, and superior project quality; (iii) Steering AITS to greater success and shall oversee, manage and direct all current and future projects through his/her inspirational leadership, managerial, analytical, and professional skills; (iv) Developing and maintaining successful relationships with internal stakeholders and external partners, and has the ability to develop, retain, and attract a high performing team as well as to effectively negotiate with multiple levels of executive management within prospective client organizations; (vi) Using in-depth knowledge and insight of key competitors to create compelling reasons for prospective clients to engage with AIT Solutions; (vii) Attending board meetings with the Advisory Board.

Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership. Shall assist the Executive Director in:

  • Developing a strategic plan to advance the AITS’s mission and objectives and to promote growth as an organization.
  • Identify problems and opportunities and address them; bring those which are appropriate to the President of AIT and Board members and/or its committees; and, facilitate discussion and deliberation.
  • Plan, develop, and implement strategies for generating resources and/or revenues, initiating new projects, for the AIT Solutions.
  • Informs the Board and its committees about trends, issues, problems and activities in order to facilitate policy-making.

Business Focus. Shall assist the Executive Director in:

  • Overseeing project initiatives and attend meetings for and communicate as well as maintain relationship with other AIT professionals, partners and external resources involved in the development of projects.
  • Act as an evangelist for new and emerging engineering technologies by identifying and working with key stakeholders
  • Ensure the AITS is appropriately organized and staffed and to have the authority to hire and terminate staff as necessary to enable it to achieve the approved strategy
  • Promote and review the consulting service offering and engagement processes
  • Attend meetings with clients/partners for business development.
  • Collect feedback from clients and partners, and drive improvement and innovation programs, in strong collaboration with external stakeholders.

Service and Operational Excellence Leadership. Shall assist the Executive Director in:

  • Ensure that the AITS’s technology, engineering, environment, development, and management solutions meets clients’ requirements for quality, efficiency, and effectiveness.
  • Resolve issues (with a great sense of urgency and escalation ownership for the business- critical ones) and find options to meet new business requirements.
  • Approve AITS operational procedures, policies, and standards.
  • Make sure the project complies with legal requirements

Financial Leadership. Shall assist the Executive Director in:

  • Measuring and reporting on actual financial performance as compared to the budget, as well as forecasting future performance.
  • Provide the appropriate review and payment of service invoices, ensuring that unit costs and usage align with business consumption and contractual agreements.
  • Ensure that expenditures of the AITS are within the authorized annual budget of the AIT.
  • To assess the principal risks of the AITS and to ensure that these risks are being monitored and managed.
  • Responsible and accountable for financial management and outcomes.
  • Present financial status to Unit Heads of AITS at quarterly finance meetings.

People Leadership. Shall assist the Executive Director in:

  • Demonstrates an attitude that is defined by taking responsibilities and loyalties very seriously. Assumes a sense of personal accountability for one’s direct results as well as co- workers’ actions, without seeking to blame or provide excuses for failures.
  • Enthusiastically keeps on top of seemingly chaotic demands, rapid and overlapping priorities and displays intensity for getting everything done now.
  • Honors interpersonal commitments, maintains the courage of high-minded convictions, values living rightly and plays by honorable rules.
  • Emphasis is on appropriate compromise, demonstrating tact, maintaining emotional control and interpersonal tolerance rather than making demands.
  • Promote AITS through social media, expert blogs, written articles and personal appearances at seminars, trainings, and conferences.

ACECOMS Duties

  • Oversee the Unit Head of ACECOMS to effectively plan, manage, organize, execute and lead in the unit activities.

Habitech Centre Duties

  • Oversee the Director of Habitech Centre to effectively plan, manage, organize, execute and lead in the unit activities.

ILAB Duties:
Shall Assist The Executive Director in guiding the innovators/ researchers at AIT Solutions, expanding the online knowledge platform and technology commercialization:

  • Connecting the ideas/ innovations to emerging industry trends and identify the most significant/ feasible/ scalable opportunities.
  • Developing sound/ strong solutions and business models.  Guide in identifying the areas of funding from local and international agencies.

Online Knowledge Platform Duties:

  • Through the Knowledge Lab guide and develop new approaches to expand on existing online knowledge platform
  • Promotion of existing program offering Professional Masters in Structural Design of Tall Buildings.
  • Identify relevant partners within AIT as well as external parties (universities and/ or corporates) in developing and expanding online program offerings.

Job Specifications:

  • Ph.D. in Engineering or relevant field with at least 20 years of professional experience.
  • Age below 50-year.  A rich experience of managing and executing projects.
  • Demonstrated technical leader.
  • Top candidates will have exceptional business acumen, enabling them to operate credibly with senior most operating leaders.
  • Strong collaboration, influencing and negotiation skills are required. Use change management techniques to convince and influence.
  • Ability to stay abreast of emerging technology and assess immediate vs long term application either internally for the AITS, the associates or for our clients, partners, and broader stakeholders.
  • Strong skills in developing and managing capital and expense budgets
  • Having adequate experience of building and leading high performing teams in a cross- cultural context.
  • Excellent verbal and written English communication skills.
  • Having broad experience in managing projects throughout Asia.
  • Must have an entrepreneurial spirit.

Job Performance Standards:

  • The Director shall know in detail about AIT’s policies and procedures and shall adhere to them when engaging in projects.
  • Support active and positive approaches to working with employees.
  • Contribute to a fair and equitable work environment.
  • Ensure that all employees have a work plan and performance objectives that identify the tasks/activities and expected results for future performance.
  • The performance of each employee is fairly assessed, at least annually, at the end of the work plan or performance period
  • Follow decentralized and participative management style to encourage team members to generate maximum number of ideas.

Only shortlisted candidates will be notified. Applicants can submit their curriculum vitae and letter of application to:

Clarisa Cuares Lagura

HR Coordinator
Tel. no: +(662) 02 524 1211, +(662) 02 524 1011
Email: clarisa.aits@ait.asia