Team Lead - Budget and Debt Management

Prospera; Jakarta Pusat; On-site; IDR 550,000,000 - 900,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Prospera is seeking a Team Lead for Budget and Debt Management to guide a national-level team. The role oversees strategy, workplans, and delivery of fiscal policy work, collaborating with GoI units and DFAT to ensure rigorous, practical budget and debt advice aligned with priorities.

The position emphasizes leadership, cross-team coordination, and high-quality analysis to support macro-fiscal decision-making.

Qualifications

• Postgraduate degree in Economics, Public Finance, Public Policy, Finance or related field.
• 10+ years of progressively senior experience in fiscal policy, public finance or related field.
• Proven ability to lead a technical team, plan work, and ensure delivery quality.
• Fluent in English and Bahasa Indonesia with strong written and spoken communication.

Responsibilities

• Articulate and communicate a clear strategic direction for Prospera’s Budget and Debt Management agenda.
• Develop and plan the team strategy and annual workplan with responsibilities.
• Lead, mentor, and develop the Budget and Debt Management Team.
• Oversee design, implementation, and evaluation of Budget and Debt Management activities.
• Build effective relationships with ministry units and development partners.
• Represent Prospera in meetings on budget, fiscal and debt-management issues.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Fiscal analysis

Policy advice

Team leadership

English & Bahasa Indonesia

Education

Postgraduate degree in Economics/Public Finance/Public Policy/Finance

Job description

Long-term personnel Closes 7 November 2026

Prospera is seeking a Team Lead - Budget and Debt Management provides technical and managerial leadership for Prospera’s Budget and Debt Management Team under EOPO1. The team supports Indonesian institutions on long-term fiscal sustainability, spending quality and effectiveness, regional growth strategies, sovereign debt management, investor relations, thematic financing and other emerging fiscal-policy priorities.The Team Lead is responsible for the team’s day-to-day management, technical direction, work planning, activity delivery and workstream-level stakeholder relationships. The role brings together fiscal strategy, budget policy, debt-management, economic, data and project-delivery expertise and ensures that the team’s advice is rigorous, practical and responsive to agreed Government of Indonesia and Australian Government priorities.The Team Lead reports to the Portfolio Director (Macro-Fiscal, Finance, and Climate Resilience), works closely with the Lead Economist on technical quality, and coordinates with the Macroeconomic Stability, Financial Sector Policy, Public Financial Management, Revenue Mobilisation and Climate Resilience teams on cross-cutting fiscal issues. Matters requiring portfolio-level judgement, significant resource trade-offs or senior escalation are referred to the Portfolio Director.

KEY INFORMATION

Job Title : Team Lead - Budget and Debt Management

Position Type : Long-Term Personnel ( National level)

Duration/level of effort : 12 months, with possibility of extension

SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT

Prospera is Australia's flagship economic governance investment in Indonesia, supporting the Government of Indonesia (GoI) to advance inclusive, sustainable and climate-resilient economic reform. Implemented by Cowater International in partnership with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and the Government of Indonesia, the program runs from 2026 to 2035. Prospera is a dual modality program comprising partnerships between Australian and Indonesian government agencies along with distinct but interrelated Managing Contractor-led (Cowater) advisory and support services.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Vision Setting

• Articulate and communicate a clear strategic direction for Prospera’s Budget and Debt Management agenda.
• Align the team’s direction with Prospera’s overall objectives and the Indonesian Government and Australian Government strategic priorities.

Strategic Planning

• Develop and plan for the implementation of the team strategy and annual workplan, including activity sequencing and allocation of responsibilities.
• Identify emerging fiscal-policy and financing priorities and opportunities for innovation and improvement in the team’s agenda.

B. Operational Management

• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing Budget and Debt Management Team.
• Foster a collaborative and inclusive team environment, including effective collaboration with other teams in Prospera.
• Manage team personnel, including setting expectations, allocating work, providing regular feedback, supporting professional development, and maintaining clear accountability for delivery.

Program Delivery

• Oversee the design, implementation, and evaluation of Budget and Debt Management activities.
• Lead the team’s work on fiscal sustainability, spending quality and effectiveness, regional growth, debt management, investor relations, thematic financing and related fiscal and financing priorities.
• Ensure fiscal and debt advice is technically sound, practical and responsive to broader macroeconomic, expenditure, revenue, financial-sector, climate and GEDSI considerations.
• Manage team delivery, risks, budgets, procurement and reporting, and coordinate across EOPO1, EOPO2 and relevant program functions.
• Ensure activities are designed and outputs delivered in accordance with Prospera’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and standards, including technical quality standards, and donor requirements.

C. Stakeholder Engagement

Government and Partner Collaboration

• Build and maintain effective relationships with relevant Ministry of Finance units and other government counterparts, particularly those responsible for macro-fiscal policy, fiscal balance, fiscal risk and debt management.
• Engage effectively with DFAT, relevant Australian Government partner agencies, development partners and other stakeholders.
• Represent Prospera in relevant meetings and forums on budget, fiscal and debt-management issues.
• Promote evidence-based approaches to fiscal policy, spending quality, debt management and government financing.
• Translate robust analysis into practical policy advice that supports government decision-making and reform implementation.

SELECTION CRITERIA

• Postgraduate degree in Economics, Public Finance, Public Policy, Finance or another relevant discipline.
• At least 10 years of progressively senior professional experience in fiscal policy, public finance, sovereign debt management, regional economic policy or a closely related field.
• Strong expertise in fiscal analysis and policy, with substantial experience in one or more areas such as fiscal sustainability, debt management, government financing, regional growth or government financial statistics.
• Substantial experience producing or overseeing high-quality analysis and providing practical advice to senior government decision-makers.
• Demonstrated experience leading a technical team or complex workstream, including work planning, delegation, quality assurance, performance management and delivery oversight.
• Strong understanding of Indonesia’s fiscal institutions, policy-making processes and political economy.
• Extensive experience building effective relationships with senior government officials, market stakeholders, and development partners.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and Bahasa Indonesia.
• Experience working with Indonesia’s Ministry of Finance on fiscal strategy, debt management,
• fiscal balance or related reforms.
• Experience with fiscal strategy, spending quality and effectiveness, debt-sustainability analysis, sovereign investor relations, thematic bonds or public-sector balance-sheet issues.
• Experience in regional economic diagnostics, place-based growth strategies or coordination across national and subnational governments.
• Experience working in an economic policy advisory organisation, international development program, international organisation, financial institution or research institution.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Cowater international strives to maintain a fair, transparent, and human centered recruitment process. As part of our commitment to responsible hiring practices and compliance with evolving recruitment regulations, we may use AI assisted tools to support limited aspects of our talent acquisition workflow, such as reviewing or shortlisting applications. These tools are used only to enhance efficiency and consistency in our processes. All assessments, interviews, and final hiring decisions are made exclusively by our human recruiting managers. Candidates may request additional information about the use of these tools or reasonable accommodations during the recruitment process.

Cowater International is an equal opportunity employer, basing employment on merit and qualifications as they relate to professional experience and position expectations. Cowater does not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, religion, sex, gender identity, disability, age, or any other basis protected by law.

We thank all applicants, however only those shortlisted will be contacted.

ABOUT US

Founded in 1985, Cowater International is a leading global development consulting company. Headquartered in Ottawa and with corporate hubs in Auckland, Berlin, Brussels, Helsinki, London, Madrid, Manila, Nairobi, Singapore and Stockholm, Cowater International has successfully delivered a portfolio of over 2500 projects and assignments in more than 95 countries. We work with governments, private sector actors and communities implementing projects that support socio-economic development, institutional strengthening, environmental improvements and advance equal opportunities for all. We are a diverse and experienced team committed to building a better tomorrow for the people we serve. Our adaptive approach to management has led to our yearly award-winning work and recognition as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies since 2017.

We thank you for your interest in building a better tomorrow.