GDCI IS HIRING! Program Manager (South East Asia)

[GDCI Careers]

Job Title: Program Manager

Start Date: Q1 2026

Salary: Compensation is based on the country of hire and within the range of the local nonprofit/NGO industry. 

Location: Vietnam or Malaysia

The Global Designing Cities Initiative (GDCI) is seeking to recruit a Program Manager for the Southeast Asia region to join its mission to transform streets around the world. This role will support GDCI’s road safety work by providing in-country program leadership for GDCI, managing and delivering technical assistance activities, and supporting GDCI on other cross-cutting initiatives and work in selected cities in the region.

 Who we are

The Global Designing Cities Initiative (GDCI) was launched in 2014, with a mission to transform streets around the world. We inspire leaders, inform practitioners, and invite communities to imagine what’s possible when we design streets that put people first.  We are a team of designers, planners, and urban strategists committed to reimagining streets as places for people, shaping cities that are safe, healthy, accessible, and equitable for everyone. 

GDCI is fiscally sponsored by Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (RPA) and employs staff in nearly twenty countries, having supported over seventy cities worldwide. The strategies and best practices in our Global Street Design Guide are the foundation of our work, and they have been applied in cities across the globe, helping to update policies, build local capacity, implement and evaluate projects, and scale up impact.

What you’ll do

The Program Manager will work closely with local stakeholders in Vietnam and/or Malaysia alongside the full GDCI team, reporting directly to the Asia Regional Program Lead and collaborating closely with various project and city leads. 

This role will lead technical assistance in up to three cities in Southeast Asia. This role is expected to develop strong relationships with city staff and work closely with other members of the GDCI team to ensure the production quality and technical accuracy of the team's technical assistance and design recommendations. This includes developing technical, written, and visual content, organizing capacity-building sessions, and representing GDCI in external meetings, presentations, and events.

More specifically, you will do activities such as:

Program and Project Management 

• Manage and oversee city-level technical assistance projects in alignment with road safety goals.

• Coordinate project timelines, deliverables, reporting, and internal communications with senior staff and funders.

• Understand, manage, and foster relationships with various stakeholders, including city officials, government agencies, vendors, and partners, to secure buy-in, permits, and ongoing collaboration.

• Represent GDCI in stakeholder engagements and ensure timely follow-up and documentation (reports, contracts, proposals, etc.).

• Work directly with city agencies to plan, design, and implement street transformation and road safety projects, including monitoring and metrics collection.

Capacity Building and Knowledge Sharing

• Organize, facilitate, and manage workshops, trainings, and briefings for a diverse range of stakeholders, including city agencies, designers, consultants, and community members.

• Deliver guidance based on GDCI’s technical resources (e.g., Global Street Design Guide, Streets for Kids, Designing for Safe Speeds) and adapt best practices to the local context in close coordination with the Design and Research Team.

• Support capacity-building content and logistics, including preparation of materials and community engagement activities.

• Identify needs for new research, technical resources, or case studies and coordinate with internal or external experts as needed.

Technical Support and Content Development

• In close coordination with the Design and Research team, produce and review technical drawings, designs, and visual materials using AutoCAD, SketchUp, Adobe Creative Suite, and similar tools.

• Support site analysis, design evaluation, and implementation, including setup for transformation and post-implementation metrics collection.

• Research and interpret local, national, or international design codes and guidance; identify areas for improvement or adaptation.

• Contribute to GDCI publications and presentations by integrating technical examples, case studies, and data visualizations.

• Assist with project documentation, data collection (e.g., observational studies), and preparation of reports and presentations.

Staff Supervision and Collaboration

• This role may supervise Program Associates and consultant work whose primary focus will be providing technical assistance and production support to the program’s selected cities.

• Evaluate and support the growth of staff members through mentoring, coaching, and overall support.

  Who you are

  GDCI is seeking a highly collaborative individual who is well-organized and passionate about designing streets, with a background in transportation, urban design, and planning, and exceptional street design skills. You are comfortable working across countries and teams within GDCI, partners, and government agencies. Given our globally based team and frequent external meetings that align with US working hours, this role will likely require a schedule that is adjusted, with some meetings ending at 9 PM local time. You are a self-motivated individual who can operate independently, but recognize when and how to ask for assistance if needed. Some regional travel may be required, but it is not a frequent expectation of this role.

  To be successful in this job, you will excel in these areas:

  • You have worked within transportation or urban design space, focusing on streets, and can speak authoritatively about the role streets can play in the livelihood of cities. 

  • Experience working with city governments. You have been effective in working with city governments to convey these principles, translating them into local action, and have valuable insights on how to navigate local politics to achieve road safety outcomes. 

  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills. You have experience communicating technical concepts to a diverse audience through verbal, visual, and written means. Fluency in the local language (either Vietnamese or Bahasa Malaysia) is required. You also effectively communicate with teammates to clarify the project scope and provide timely updates on progress.

  • Proficiency in design. You can create site plans, sketches, sections, and other materials to communicate street design concepts to various audiences using AutoCAD, Adobe Suite, SketchUp, and other 2D and 3D visualization software. Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and counterparts on Google, such as Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, etc.

  • Organized and accountable.  You can work on and stay organized with multiple projects simultaneously, being accountable for meeting deadlines.  Able to organize activities and deadlines with teammates and partners. 

  • Aligned with GDCI’s values of leading with imagination, striving for positive impact,  acting with empathy, promoting collaboration and accountability, and celebrating diversity and inclusion. 

    Baseline Experience

    At GDCI, we do not have minimum requirements for education or relevant professional experience.  We encourage all candidates with relevant and differing experiences and professional backgrounds to apply.  

    Generally, we expect qualified candidates would have the following baseline experience as a Manager:

    • Six years of relevant professional experience; OR

    • Four years of relevant professional experience with an undergraduate degree; OR

    • Two years of relevant professional experience with a master's degree

    • Working knowledge of AutoCAD, Rhino 3D, or SketchUp is preferred. Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign may be needed for specific projects.

    • Proficiency in AutoCAD, InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, PowerPoint, and G Suite is required.

    • A working knowledge of Rhino 3D or SketchUp may be required for specific projects.

    How to Apply

    • Deadline for applications: Applications accepted on a rolling basis—please don’t delay! The final deadline is January 30, 2025.

    • Submit applications: Through GDCI’s application portal.  If you need support, please contact car...@gdci.global.

    • Attachments: Include a cover letter and resume (CV) detailing relevant work experience. Additional attachments demonstrating street design or presentation skills are encouraged.   

    • Benefits: GDCI offers a competitive compensation and benefits package, including health coverage, retirement benefits, paid sick leave, vacation, and holidays. Salary is based on local markets within the nonprofit/NGO industry and commensurate with experience and skills. 

    • Use of AI: At GDCI, we are excited about the further use of technology to advance our mission. However, we expect all submissions for this role (and subsequent interview materials) to include transparency of the applicant's use of AI (if any) in any written or visual materials. If AI is used to produce any element of the application, please acknowledge that in the content.