Overview

The US-ASEAN Business Council is the premier advocacy organization for U.S. corporations operating within the dynamic Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), serving as the leading voice of the U.S. private sector in promoting mutually beneficial trade and investment relationships between the United States and Southeast Asia. The Council is the only U.S.-based organization recognized in the ASEAN charter as a supporting organization of ASEAN. The Council's members include more than 170 of the most successful and innovative corporations in the world, including Apple, Boeing, Citi, The Coca-Cola Company, Google, and Microsoft. Combined, these 170+ companies generate over $7 trillion in revenue and employ more than 13 million people worldwide.

Cradled between China, India and Australia, ASEAN is the third-largest economy in the Indo-Pacific and the fifth largest in the world with a GDP of $2.8 trillion and a population of 650 million. As a critical hub for global trade, more than $3.4 trillion in global trade transits through ASEAN each year. In 2019, ASEAN became the 4th largest goods export market for the U.S. after Canada, Mexico, and China, reaching over $105 billion in exports in goods and services. It has also attracted more U.S. investment than any other destination in the whole of Indo-Pacific, receiving almost $329 billion in investment, more than the United States has directed to China, India, Japan, and South Korea combined.

Position Overview

The Manager Position – Indonesia is a hybrid, full-time position, reporting to the Indonesia Country Representative. The incumbent prepares and reports results to the Chief Country Representative. The position may require occasional domestic and/or regional travel. Currently, there are no supervisory responsibilities.

The Manager supports the Council’s programs and initiatives pertaining to specific countries and industry sectors represented by the Council’s members.  The successful candidate will be responsible for crafting and executing effective advocacy strategies that generate growth and value for our member companies. He/she will stay on top of the latest trade and investment developments in Southeast Asia and be a part of solving public policy challenges that strengthen the US-ASEAN economic relationship.

Responsibilities:

• Work cross-functionally to position corporate messages, create advocacy among stakeholders and reinforce efforts to properly position private sector views.

• Develop and lead public initiatives around trade policy in Indonesia.

• Apply critical thinking skills in monitoring media/press in Indonesia, regionally, and internationally, conduct quantitative and qualitative research on political, economic, business, and trade trends; and produce and publish intelligence reports and regular analytical updates to ensure members and colleagues are aware of the latest developments in the industry or issue area s/he is assigned.

• Coordinate analysis and communication pertaining to bilateral and multilateral trade agreements, particularly related to the Indonesia-US Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) and ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) implementation.

• Work directly with Council members to drive initiatives in countries across ASEAN by identifying local government priorities and expanding on public-private engagement opportunities such as regular dialogues and consultations.

• Apply entrepreneurial skills to develop programming such as roundtables, briefings, seminars, and workshops that advance the objectives of the member companies and transfer knowledge.

• Develop surveys and use data in educational workshops, research papers, formal and ad hoc meetings, and events required to achieve objectives.

• Build and sustain relationships with U.S. and ASEAN government officials, multilateral organizations, trade and industry associations, key policymakers/influencers, and other key stakeholders.

• Support other Council initiatives, when necessary, including other sectoral portfolios.

• In concert with the Chief Representative, work with the staff in Indonesia, Washington, DC and throughout Southeast Asia, to undertake necessary and appropriate steps to provide strategic advice on policy matters.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited university or college in Economics, Business Administration, International Relations, Political Science, Asian Studies, or a related field. A master's degree is a plus.

• A minimum of 4-6 years working with government policymakers on sectoral issues, ideally in government, companies, consultancies, or trade associations, with demonstrated knowledge and working experience in public policy, international business, and international trade.

• Demonstrable research skills, with the ability to learn quickly and present findings systematically and effectively. Excellent working knowledge of Internet research and MS Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint is required.

• Exposure to U.S. companies and/or education in the United States is preferred.

• Demonstrated ability to interact with senior corporate leaders and policymakers effectively and comfortably (C-suite/executive level).

• Must be comfortable with uncertainty and able to rise to the opportunity of challenging environments.

• Must be able to work independently without significant direction and achieve concrete results.

• Must be organized, detail-oriented, and able to successfully handle multiple tasks simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.

• Demonstrated technical knowledge of policy trends and issues in Southeast Asia as a region and ASEAN as an institution, including its history, culture, politics, and business environment.

• Demonstrated experience successfully managing programs, events, and budgets; strong sense of logistics to plan, run, and execute programs; and experience tracking and advocating on key policy issues.

• Basic management experience with people from different backgrounds.

• Must be able to interact and build effective communication with all organizational levels, including senior management of member companies, senior business leaders from ASEAN countries, senior government leaders from ASEAN countries, academics, think tanks, and media.

• Must be member-focused and maintain good, open working relationships with the Council's 170+ member companies and their representatives.

• Must be willing to work beyond normal business hours to coordinate with colleagues in the United States and Southeast Asia, and to participate in regular staff calls and consult with Council members globally.

• A minimum requirement for this ASEAN-based position is the ability to work legally in Indonesia on a permanent basis and have a valid passport to be able to travel to the U.S. and throughout ASEAN.

• Must understand and abide by the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of the United States and USABC’s Commitment to Diversity, Anti-Discrimination, and Anti-Harassment Policy.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Must be fluent in English with excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to produce high-quality English-language publications.

• Must be fluent in the use of AI-generative tools, including reviewing and ensuring the accuracy of any generative AI-facilitated work outputs for the Council.

• A strategic thinker and hands-on operator who understands key variables, moves seamlessly between strategy and day-to-day execution, and can drive plans forward to advance members' issues.

• Experience in working on policy or advocacy work in USABC’s key industry sectors (e.g., ICT, healthcare, energy, food & agriculture, financial services, defence).

Application Procedures

To apply to the Council's Manager - Indonesia position, please submit a cover letter, resume, and a brief advocacy strategy memo (no more than two pages). For the memo, select one regulation from the list below and address: (1) analysis of the regulation's issues and impact on U.S. businesses operating in Indonesia, citing at least one primary Indonesian-language source; (2) a stakeholder map naming specific government offices, associations, or individuals relevant to this issue, with your rationale for why each matters; (3) a proposed advocacy strategy and recommendation; and (4) a brief note on what was most difficult about researching this issue and what source or contact gave you the most useful insight.