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Occupation Summary

The Systems Thinking Practitioner (STP) operates in contexts where intricate problems cannot be resolved by a single organization or individual, necessitating cross-boundary collaboration among various entities.

Typical employers for STPs include central and local government agencies, multilateral organizations, defense sectors, educational and research institutions, healthcare services, multinational corporations with complex supply chains, international banks, NGOs, social enterprises tackling societal issues, and consulting firms collaborating with these sectors.

The primary goal of this role is to assist decision-makers in strategic and leadership capacities to comprehend and tackle complex, often "wicked," problems through expert systemic analysis, advice, and facilitation.

Examples of such challenges include integrating health and social services to create a seamless support system for vulnerable populations; reducing carbon emissions in the manufacturing sector by implementing sustainable practices; developing sustainable urban transportation systems that involve cooperation between local governments, private transport companies, and residents; enhancing corporate social responsibility initiatives that align with community needs and regulatory frameworks; addressing cybersecurity threats through collaboration between technology firms, government agencies, and consumers; optimizing supply chain management to adapt to global disruptions while ensuring ethical sourcing; creating inclusive hiring practices that promote diversity within organizations, requiring collaboration between HR, leadership, and community organizations; and combatting climate change through joint efforts between corporations, governments, and NGOs to implement renewable energy solutions.

These issues lack a singular owner or cause and do not present straightforward solutions; they require multidisciplinary and multi-organizational responses, considering diverse perspectives, behaviors, cultures, and political landscapes.

The intricate nature of these challenges makes traditional organizational change methods inadequate. Instead, a skill set focused on collaborative inquiry and analysis is essential, utilizing systemic models and tools to gather and synthesize varied evidence, develop intervention and investment options, facilitate dialogue, and empathetically navigate power dynamics and political contexts.

While the ultimate aim is to address highly complex issues involving multiple organizations, sectors, communities, and even nations to develop sustainable solutions, the Systems Thinking Practitioner does not assume direct responsibility for these outcomes. They facilitate collaboration among stakeholders, both organizations and individuals, applying their specialized systemic knowledge and skills to assist decision-makers in comprehending challenges and co-developing effective interventions.

In their day-to-day activities, Systems Thinking Practitioners engage with decision-makers, strategists, and policy-makers, often in senior positions within public or private sectors, as well as individuals and groups (both internal and external) invested in the defined system, now or in the future.

They also collaborate with peers, change agents, and consultants addressing similar challenges. Typically, they operate with a high degree of autonomy, allowing them to connect broadly with various stakeholders in their operational environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide expert solutions for complex problems that span multiple organizations and government entities, as well as private sector challenges.

• Collaborate with colleagues, stakeholders, and decision-makers to establish shared methods for defining, interpreting, and understanding the system of interest through models, visuals, narratives, and maps.

• Analyze patterns, dynamics, power structures, and interrelationships within the system using systems thinking methodologies, rigorously applying relevant tools and theories (such as systems science, complexity science, social psychology, and action research) to uncover new insights and perspectives.

• Partner with key actors to co-design effective experiments and interventions, including activities, policies, new products or services, and governance structures, while assessing their fitness and effectiveness.

• Investigate outcomes and consequences while facilitating collective learning.

• Ensure that intervention and engagement strategies comply with ethical and legal standards.

• Assume the role of co-learner and active participant within the examined system, recognizing the iterative nature of their work and the influence of their actions on the system dynamics.