Head of Strategic Engagement and Partnerships - Asia Pacific | ADAM SMITH INTERNATIONAL

February 25, 2026

The Organisation

Adam Smith International (ASI) is a global advisory, an employee-owned B Corp company that transforms lives by making economies stronger, societies more stable, and governments more effective. Headquartered in London, ASI has an Asia-Pacific regional office in Sydney, established in 2012 to lead multi-donor business growth and project delivery across the region. In 2021, ASI Australia established a regional representative office in Bangkok, Thailand, to service our growing Southeast Asia portfolio.


ASI currently operates across fifteen countries in the Asia Pacific and partners with local governments, businesses, and civil society organisations to create and deliver custom-made solutions in some of the most complex, challenging, and fragile international environments.


ASI works on behalf of governments, foundations, and companies that share their ambition to take on the biggest challenges facing the world and drive meaningful impact internationally.


Benefits & Culture

  • Senior leadership team opportunity driving significant growth for a global international development advisory company.
  • Agile, nimble, and mission driven culture, collaborative team environment.
  • Attractive salary package available. Frequent travel within the Asia Pacific region required. Expatriate and relocation packages are not provided.
  • Australia: Sydney preferred (hybrid), Canberra, or other Australia locations (remote). Bangkok: (hybrid).
  • Work rights required for Australia. Sponsorship considered for outstanding candidates in Bangkok.


The Role

ASI is seeking an exceptional strategic senior leader to drive further expansion across Southeast Asia and the Pacific. As Head of Strategic Engagement and Partnerships for Asia Pacific, you will lead, design, and execute ASI’s regional engagement and partnership strategy, championing high-impact collaborations and securing major funding opportunities.


You will own the full bid lifecycle, from opportunity identification and strategic assessment to innovative submissions. The primary focus will be Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and other key bilateral and multilateral donors, and you will represent ASI at the highest levels of engagement as the partner of choice in the region.


Other key responsibilities are to:

  • Cultivate, strengthen, and secure strategic partnerships with DFAT, FCDO, EU, ADB, and other multilateral development banks, major donors, and consortiums.
  • Monitor and analyse donor pipelines, market trends, and emerging opportunities to maximize success rates.
  • Oversee technical and financial proposal development, ensure the establishment of prime and subcontracting arrangements and compliant and timely bid submissions.
  • Champion cross-business collaboration across the Asia-Pacific team and ASI's global business.


Skills Required

You are a commercial, influential, and driven leader, with at least 10+ years in a comparable international development senior business development role in the Asia Pacific region, and you relish the opportunity to contribute to build and position ASI for further significant growth.


Ideally you hold a master’s degree in international development, international affairs, or a related field, and your track record establishing and sustaining credible and effective relationships with diverse, multicultural stakeholders includes securing major bids and tenders, which have met or surpassed organisational growth targets.


You are adaptable and collaborative, skilled at inspiring teams to drive innovation and achieve excellence. Your clients include DFAT and other key bilateral and multilateral donors, multilateral development banks, government officials, and strategic partners.


Your other key skills and experience include:

  • Demonstrated understanding of donor procurement cycles, particularly DFAT.
  • Proven ability to design and execute successful regional or global growth strategies.
  • Comprehensive knowledge of international development programs and strategies.
  • Significant success addressing complex development challenges across diverse thematic program areas for core Asia Pacific clients.
  • Exceptional communication skills, able to negotiate at executive and board levels.


ASI values diversity and encourages applications from candidates of all backgrounds and identities.

  • Lead strategic engagement & partnerships - accelerate multi-donor APAC growth
  • Provide innovative solutions to development challenges, help transform lives
  • Suits senior international development professionals in Australia or Bangkok

Share this article

Other recent placements

March 19, 2026
The Organisation Australian Eggs is a member owned not-for-profit company providing marketing, research and development services for the benefit of Australian egg farmers. Working together with the egg industry and the Australian Government, Australian Eggs strives to deliver value to industry and the public by investing in programs that increase consumption and ensure industry sustainability. Australian Eggs programs focus on delivering research and innovation for improving farming practices, and marketing activities that promote eggs as a nutritious, safe and versatile source of protein for all life stages. Benefits & Culture North Sydney location, close to public transport Full time permanent role with hybrid work options Generous monthly mobile phone allowance Opportunity to attend events and industry gatherings The Role Reporting into the Finance Manager, you will have a pivotal role providing office administration, secretarial and financial administrative support. Working closely with members and industry stakeholders, you will also be responsible to:- Respond to calls and monitoring of website and email enquiries, referring promptly to the relevant team internally Undertake general office operations including facility coordination, supplies management, equipment maintenance and new starter inductions Support the finance manager with processing invoices, accounts payable / receivable, month end journals and bank reconciliation Assist with board reports and organise travel requirements for the directors Provide ad-hoc administration support to the engagement manager and managing director Coordinate social activities and internal engagement to drive a positive culture in the workplace Skills Required You have proven experience in office coordination and administration and ideally knowledge of member-based or not-for-profit organisations. You will also have:- A flexible and proactive approach to problem solving Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and an understanding of basic financial transactions A clear, professional verbal and written communication style Strong attention to detail and ability to recognise and deliver on the needs of internal stakeholders and external members Highly organised with excellent time management skills.
March 17, 2026
The Organisation The Australia Institute is an independent public policy think tank that conducts high impact research and advocates for progressive policies across a range of social, economic, and environmental issues. For thirty years, The Australia Institute has been publishing independent evidence-based research, combined with impactful advocacy, which shapes the public policy debate and drives positive change for a better Australia. This newly created position offers an opportunity to play a central role in shaping digital campaigning and fundraising for one of Australia’s most respected progressive organisations. Benefits and Culture Supportive, inclusive work environment that values creativity, innovation & collaboration Work in new modern offices, close to bus routes Genuine commitment to professional development, training and learning Employee Assistance Program Competitive salary with tax effective packaging and cultural leave available The Role In this pivotal new role, you will develop and execute strategies to grow supporter engagement, increase donor acquisition and ensure donor conversion and retention. Managing a small digital team of two, you’ll drive the supporter-facing fundraising program to grow and engage the supporter list in the work of the organisation. Additionally, you will: Identify and create opportunities to drive small dollar donations and support via digital mobilisation Proactively identify and respond to political events to sustain supporter engagement Deliver persuasive and engaging digital communications, collaborating cross organisationally to ensure alignment of messaging and maximise impact Develop and implement data segmentation and strategies to increase the relevance and performance of campaigns Analyse and report on campaign performance, using insights to optimise future results Skills Required You’re an agile collaborative leader with experience in digital communications, digital marketing, digital campaigning or fundraising, and you have delivered on successful issues-based campaign strategies in a not for profit, advocacy or political context. You also bring: Proven success growing supporter engagement and acquiring new donors through digital channels Persuasive writing and storytelling skills Proficiency in CRMs, digital analytics platforms and digital engagement metrics and insights Awareness and understanding of Australian politics, policy advocacy and the barriers to progressive change A hands-on approach to mentoring and motivating a team within a fast-paced, dynamic environment
March 17, 2026
The Organisation The Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) is the peak national body for community and social services and a leading advocate for people affected by poverty and inequality. With more than 300 organisational members – from major charities to small not-for-profits across metro, regional and remote Australia – ACOSS is a powerful voice for change. Through policy and research, public advocacy and campaigning, ACOSS and its members work closely with government, the media and key stakeholders to tackle poverty and inequalities and support people directly affected to be at the centre of policy debates. Benefits and Culture Supportive, collaborative and inclusive small team culture Nationally recognised peak body with strong values and purpose Learning and development encouraged Opportunity to contribute to meaningful social impact Additional leave and above-award conditions under ACOSS’s enterprise agreement The Role This newly available position plays a vital role in ensuring smooth coordination of ACOSS’s membership operations and political engagement activities. Reporting to the Director of Development and Operations and working closely with the Manager of Parliamentary Engagement, the role combines administration, project coordination, stakeholder communication, and CRM management. You will act as a key administrative hub across two focus areas: supporting ACOSS’s broad and engaged membership base and assisting with the coordination of meetings with ministers, other members of parliament and senators and departmental secretaries. Key areas of responsibility include: Managing the ACOSS member inbox, processing applications, renewals and queries Supporting the membership survey and assisting in drafting board reports Overseeing the CRM (CiviCRM), inputting and managing stakeholder records and data integrity Contributing to general organisational administration and support as required Managing parliamentary and departmental engagement and tracking this engagement using Advoc8 Skills & Experience Required You are an experienced and organised administrator with a warm, people-focused approach and a genuine interest in social impact. You’ll have a background in coordination or administrative roles, ideally in the not-for-profit, community, political or membership-based sectors, and will be comfortable managing competing priorities in a fast-paced environment. You’ll bring excellent communication skills, be confident working across internal teams and external stakeholders, and have the initiative to take ownership of a busy and varied workload. Strong digital literacy and CRM experience will be highly regarded, as will a natural ability to manage process, detail and data with care and accuracy. Additional qualities that will support your success include: A calm and positive attitude when dealing with change, shifting priorities or tight timelines Confidence in managing stakeholder enquiries with professionalism and warmth A proactive approach to problem solving and improving systems Experience coordinating logistics and diary management (ideally including high-level meetings)