The Position

This unique opportunity will provide the successful candidate the opportunity to help World Vision Australia achieve scale and sustainable impact in its livelihood programs around the world, with the focus being on our Africa portfolio. The Economic Development Technical Specialist applies deep sector expertise to support the design, adaptation, and implementation of high-quality programs, ensuring technical integrity in service of impact.

The role focuses on applying World Vision’s inclusive Market Systems Development (iMSD) technical approach in specific contexts via our inclusive Markets for Communities (M4C) model. This will involve working on different related focus areas including green growth, access to finance and women’s economic empowerment.

The role within the Economic Development Team exercises professional technical judgement in service of impact, supporting program quality and business development.

• Maximum Term opportunity – 12 Months

Key Responsibilities

Applied technical expertise and program support  

• Provide technical support and quality assurance for economic development programs across the project cycle, including design, implementation, monitoring, learning, adaptation, and evaluation
• Support field and program teams to adapt World Vision’s core iMSD project model - inclusive Markets for Communities (M4C) -to different to contexts
• Contribute to resolving technical challenges during implementation through analysis, advice, and problem-solving
• Strengthen the technical capacity of field office teams through coaching, mentoring and training

Technical contribution to acquisition and business development

• Contribute technical inputs to priority bids, concept notes, and designs, as coordinated through Acquisition Management and Continuous Improvement teams
• Draft or review technical sections of proposals, logframes, theories of change, and related documentation

Implementation support, learning and adaptation

• Support monitoring, reflection, and adaptation of ongoing programs by contributing technical insights and lessons learned
• Contribute to technical learning products, briefs, or internal knowledge-sharing activities as required
• Contribute sector-specific learning, insights, and reflections from program design and implementation support into organisational learning and evidence processes

Professional Practice and collaboration   

• Work collaboratively within the economic development team and cross-functionally across technical teams (climate action, gender equality, disability and social inclusion (GEDSI)), acquisition colleagues, and field teams.
• Represent World Vision Australia in relevant technical forums, networks, and partnerships

World Vision Australia currently supports 26 economic development projects in 23 countries. Projects are in diverse sectors including agriculture, aquaculture, agroforestry, energy and others. Key donors include the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), European Union (EU), Food Agriculture Organisation (FAO), GIZ and others. For more information on our work, please visit the website.

About You

You are a technical expert with strong track record in quality remote and in country technical support across the project cycle. You are experienced with business development and project design and are a strong collaborator, able to balance multiple priorities and adept at engaging diverse internal and external stakeholders.

You will have:

• Core technical skills and experience in market systems development (MSD), value chain development, and other economic development programming approaches;
• Hands on experience (at least 5 years) working in MSD and value chain programs across the program cycle, including design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation
• Exposure to different types of MSD programs is an advantage (e.g. agri-food systems, climate resilience and green growth, financial systems, gender, disability and social inclusion (GEDSI)/WEE)
• Strong capability in supporting project design and implementation, including MEL integration and adaptive management
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills and experience working with private sector actors, financial institutions, governments, and development partners
• Experience in knowledge sharing, training, and capacity building with partners and internal teams
• Experience contributing technical input to program design processes, including theories of change, logframes, and MEL considerations
• Substantial experience working in fragile, developing, or resource‑constrained contexts
• Understanding of the donor landscape and key actors in the humanitarian and development sectors
• Experience implementing economic development programs in markets in crisis settings is an advantage.
• Exposure to different program modalities (grants, commercial contracts, and blended finance) is an advantage
• Ability to interpret and apply research and evaluation findings to inform decision‑making and program design
• Relevant degree or equivalent experience in relevant sector discipline, i.e. international development, economic development, business etc.

Working for World Vision means you are making the world better

It’s not every day that a job comes along that lets you change the world. Working for World Vision means looking forward to turning up at work because you know you’re about to do something meaningful. It means working with 35,000 staff and 3.3 million supporters in 100 countries who will stop at nothing to help children live better lives. Join a team that is bold and courageous, and where job satisfaction goes beyond financial reward.

The selection process

For your information, the interviews may start immediately, and the role may be filled before the closing date.

We embrace diversity, employing people from a variety of cultural and religious backgrounds. We are committed to all children and adults being safe, well, and empowered through our programs, activities, management, and governance. All successful candidates will undergo all required pre-employment checks which is inclusive of a criminal record check. 

Who we are

World Vision is a Christian organisation that empowers everyday Australians to create meaningful change for children through relief, development and advocacy work. 

We offer great benefits such as salary packaging, flexible working arrangements, free on-site parking and an onsite café for our employees.

For more information on World Vision and the work we do, please visit our website: https://www.worldvision.com.au/about-us