•  The Associate Partner will play a crucial role in business development activities in Public Finance Management (PFM). This involves proactive opportunity identification, scouting for partnerships with various stakeholders, proposal development, development of concept notes, and supporting senior management/leadership in business development activities. The focus areas will encompass a range of subjects, including but not limited to
  
•  Having worked with and knowledge of government budgeting and financing processes, Treasury single account (TSA), real-time/need-based disbursement of funds, chart of accounts (CoA), real-time/ need-based disbursement of funds, fiscal reporting, fiscal policy, expenditure management, etc.
  
• Enhancing transparency and accountability in public sector financial operations, budget preparation and execution, financial reporting, public expenditure management, and fiscal policy
  
•  Proficiency in using/ leveraging digital tools and technologies to improve governance, enhance service delivery, and promote transparency
  
•  Understanding of local government operations, decentralisation processes, service delivery, and capacity building
  
• Designing strategies for improving the efficiency, accountability, and responsiveness of state institutions
  
• Strong analytical and strategic planning skills to identify and address complex financial management issues.
  
•  The person is expected to provide guidance, help to build a team with the required skills and competencies, and support the staff within the area of responsibility to ensure that the team delivers their roles to an appropriate level of quality and according to the approaches and frameworks set by MSC.
  
•  The Associate Partner will also play an essential role in executing existing projects and making presentations to clients and donors. This role requires a consultant to develop and implement strategies to improve public sector financial management systems and processes.
  Detailed responsibilities
•  Business development
  
•  Proactive opportunity identification: Identify potential business development opportunities by staying informed about industry trends, market dynamics, and emerging issues in PFM, digital governance, and related focus areas. Conduct risk assessments, recommend mitigation strategies for public financial management processes, and collaborate with stakeholders to develop strategies and action plans for enhancing the digital PFM system
  
• Proposal development: Lead in developing comprehensive concept notes/proposals, including conceptualising, drafting, and refining proposals for potential projects, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives.
  
• Relationship building: Build relationships with existing and potential clients (government and private stakeholders) such as think tanks, DPI firms, etc. and donors/funders such as philanthropies, multilateral, and bilateral, etc. Take initiatives to develop and enhance communication with clients to strengthen client relationships.
  
• Knowledge and expertise building: Provide thought leadership and contribute to the development of best practices in public financial management. Continuously enhance knowledge and expertise in public finance management through ongoing learning, training, and participation in relevant forums.
  
• Brand marketing: Author/ co-author publications capturing innovative ideas, new trends, and future scope of work. Engage actively in marketing activities and participate in digital media dialogues linking MSC’s work and publications
  
• Business/ project execution
  
•  Planning and implementation: Take a leadership or supporting role in planning and implementing medium/large technical assistance assignments, ensuring efficient execution in line with project requirements. Assess existing financial management systems and processes within public sector entities. Advise on and support the implementation of reforms to improve fiscal management, efficiency, transparency, and accountability in public expenditure management.
  
•  Client relationship building: Establish strong rapport with various contact points within client organizations to facilitate successful assignment execution, fostering effective communication and collaboration.
  
• Quality control and publication contribution: Review and ensure the quality of deliverables, including report writing, data analysis, training courses, research papers, curriculum development, and technical assistance. Additionally, contribute to the development of the organization's tool kits and publications.
  
•  Human capital development
  
• Feedback and continuous improvement: Conduct "Quality of Delivery" assessments with team members post-assignment, adhering to quality control guidelines. Seek inputs and guidance from colleagues, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
  
•  Knowledge sharing and mentoring: Share valuable knowledge with team members and actively create mentoring opportunities within the organization, contributing to the professional development of colleagues.
  
• Personal development and skill acquisition: Take ownership of self-development by actively acquiring skills and knowledge that bring added value to the organization, contributing to the enhancement of human capital within the team.
  
•  Knowledge development and thought leadership
  
•  Develop thought leadership content, including policy briefs, research papers, and blogs, on key topics such as social protection, poverty reduction, and governance reforms.
  
•  Stay abreast of trends in government programs, public policy, and digital transformation to inform MSC’s advisory services.
  
•  Contribute to MSC’s learning agenda by sharing insights from projects and global best practices.
  
•  Collaboration with MSC Global Teams
  
• Coordinate with MSC’s global practice leads and regional teams to develop strategies and approaches for government advisory services.
  
• Collaborate closely with MSC’s cross-functional teams during project execution to leverage internal expertise and ensure seamless delivery.
  
•  Contribute to the development of MSC’s global knowledge repository by documenting insights and learnings from projects.
  
• Participate in global strategy discussions to identify opportunities for scaling MSC’s government advisory services.
  
•  Team Leadership and Development
  
• Build, mentor, and guide the team, fostering their growth and professional development.
  
•  Build a collaborative and inclusive work environment that promotes knowledge sharing and innovation.
  
•  Provide technical and managerial oversight to project teams, ensuring alignment with client expectations and MSC’s quality standards.
  
  

Requirements

•  MBA or Master's in economics, finance, public policy, public administration, accounting, impact analysis, digital governance, or related fields.
  
• Demonstrated expertise in business development, including proactive opportunity identification, proposal drafting, and engagement in high-level business development activities. Strong interpersonal and communication skills for effective collaboration with clients and stakeholders.
  
• Proven project management skills, with experience in planning and executing medium/large technical assistants assignments with a deep understanding of PFM systems, tools, and methodologies
  
• Proficient in conducting detailed sectoral and thematic research, able to analyse complex data and translate findings into strategic insights.
  
• Strong analytical and strategic planning skills to identify and address complex financial management issues.
  
•  Ability to provide innovative solutions to financial management challenges in the public sector.
  
•  Proficient in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Proficiency in other data analysis, digital, and AI tools will be an advantage.
  
•  Excellent ability to prepare reports and presentations.
  
•  Excellent verbal and written communication skills to effectively convey complex information to diverse audiences, including high-level government officials.
  
•  Strong presentation skills, including developing and delivering compelling presentations to clients and donors.
  
• Substantial experience conducting in-depth PFM and thematic research, government consulting, independently developing concept notes, and contributing to creating knowledge documents.
  
• 12+ with consulting firms, think tanks, or donor/development agencies and directly with the government, or multilateral/donor agencies in public financial management, government consulting, or related fields