Delivery Manager - Advisory

We don’t just talk, we do. Lead the change with us.

At the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, we work with political leaders around the world to drive change. We help governments turn bold ideas into reality so they can deliver for their people. We do it by advising on strategy, policy and delivery, unlocking the power of technology across all three. And by sharing what we learn on the ground, so everyone can benefit. We do it to build more open, inclusive and prosperous countries for people everywhere.

We are a global team of nearly 800 changemakers, operating in more than 30 countries, across five continents. We are political strategists, policy experts, delivery practitioners, technology specialists and more. We speak more than 45 languages. We are working on over 100 projects, tackling some of the world’s biggest challenges. We’re all here at TBI to make a difference.

In a world of ever more complex challenges, we believe diversity of background and perspective is a strength. We pride ourselves on a culture that values and nurtures difference. We are dedicated to unlocking potential, not only for the countries we work in but also for each of our team members. No matter where you’re from or who you are, if you’re passionate about the transformative power of progressive politics, we invite you to build a better future with us.

Role Summary

In the current landscape of heightened geopolitical uncertainty, political leaders are navigating complex challenges and opportunities on the global stage. Our Institute is committed to providing strategic guidance that aligns with our re-imagined state value proposition in geopolitics. We recognise the imperative of robust diplomatic efforts to forge meaningful regional and international partnerships. Our geopolitics offering has a dynamic global advisory team, providing specialised technical expertise to our country's foreign policy advisory leads and assisting executive political leadership globally.

We are looking for a seasoned, experienced, and visionary Delivery Manager Foreign Policy, to join our TBI Kenya team, where they will engage and facilitate government-foreign policy efforts and initiatives. The Delivery Manager will collaborate closely with the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary, the Principal Secretary State Department for Foreign Affairs, and respective Heads of Directorates on peace & security, climate, and multilateral relations, among other government's Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) foreign policy priorities. The successful candidate will contribute as a technical expert, providing senior government officials with high-level advice (Prime Cabinet Secretary, Principal Secretary, and Directorate Leads) at the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs (MoFDA) in shaping Kenya's diplomatic priorities. TBI’s embedded delivery manager seeks to enhance the following:

Strengthen MoFDA delivery capacity through the effective deployment of a delivery approach aligned to Foreign Policy and Peace and Security Initiatives of the institute

Instill a delivery culture through the introduction and adoption of structured planning and coordinated project performance management systems (digital delivery dashboard utilisation).

As a high-performing foreign policy advisor within TBI Kenya, they will play an important role in delivering presentations on selected subject matter areas of interest to the Institute to enrich TBI country and regional teams. Their role will facilitate government diplomatic outreach initiatives, contribute to project design development, and ensure the integration of TBI's best practices into foreign policy-related work. Engaging closely with TBI's government advisory leadership and staff, collaborate with our Policy & Politics, Geopolitics team, and Strategy & Partnerships divisions. This collaboration will leverage an ever-expanding network of partnerships and expertise to boost our programmatic visibility and client support.

The Delivery Manager will work closely with the Country Director (CD), Deputy Country Director (DCD), and government counterparts to ensure agreed on areas are delivered timely and on track and compile comprehensive insightful reports. These reports will serve as a crucial tool for informing the country's programmatic interventions, aligning with the government's economic transitional agenda within the relevant ministry. The postholder will also bring consulting methodologies to provide high-quality implementable advice to the Delivery unit.

Key Responsibilities

This is a technical advisory role within TBI Kenya, specifically tailored to align with Kenya's foreign policy as outlined in the economic transformation agenda for Kenya and the region. The ideal candidate will be well-versed in Kenya's foreign policy, geopolitical trends, and dynamics, as well be able to translate geopolitical insights into practical policies and initiatives. The key responsibilities are as follows:

A. Design and delivery:

Align foreign policy initiatives with Kenya’s and the region’s economic transformation agenda

Maintain consistency with set objectives by ensuring coherence between foreign policy decisions and broader government goals

Collaborate with MoFDA internal teams, including Communications, Africa & AU, and Multilateral Directorate Leads, to refine and implement Kenya's foreign policy strategy

Collaborate closely with Global Client Solutions, geopolitical, and PI teams to develop client-focused solutions and establish a digital delivery dashboard for project tracking

Provide technical expertise in the development and implementation of foreign policy initiatives, with a focus on economic growth, trade, and investment opportunities

Collaborate with stakeholders to formulate strategies that promote economic growth which are aligned to key priorities such as peace and security, climate change, and digital diplomacy

Participate in the identification and review of project deliverables, prepare status reports, and establish effective project communication plans as well as their proper execution aligned to government priorities and leveraging TBI value proposition.

B. Alignment with Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda:

Ensure that Ministries Departments and Agencies, through State Department for Foreign Affairs, align the government's foreign policy decisions and actions with the overall goals and objectives, with a particular focus on the economic transformation agenda

Collaborate with relevant stakeholders to formulate strategies that promote economic growth, trade, and investment opportunities, reflecting the economic transformation agenda.

C. Foreign Policy Collaboration and Refinement:

Coordinate and develop advisory notes for managing diplomatic relations with key countries and international organisations to advance economic interests

Foster strategic partnerships and collaborations supporting the economic transformation agenda, including trade agreements and investment partnerships

Collaborate with the Heads of Communications, Africa & AU, and Multilateral Directorate within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to continuously refine Kenya's foreign policy strategy

Focus on priority issues such as peace and security, climate change, and digital diplomacy, ensuring a cohesive and well-communicated approach.

D. Communications: Intelligence and Insights gathering:

Collaborate with the Communications, Africa & AU, and Multilateral Directorates to refine Kenya's foreign policy strategy and continually align it with economic transformation goals

Engage with Kenya's strategic foreign stakeholders to advance projects and solutions, ensuring the incorporation of the best of TBI into our work

Gather and analyse regional and global economic trends, identifying opportunities and challenges for Kenya

Collaborate with the State Department for Foreign Affairs to provide policymakers with insights on economic trends, market opportunities, and potential risks.

E. External Engagement and Partnerships:

Collaborate with Global Client Solution (GCS) colleagues across functional and sectoral areas to address complex challenges and opportunities within the subject matter of expertise

Engage with the Ministry and Kenya's strategic foreign stakeholders to advance projects and solutions, supporting advisory leadership in providing high-quality advice.

F. TBI Integrated Expertise with GCS:

Work as a technical expert and thought partner with advisory teams to advance a portfolio of work on senior political leaders’ priorities in foreign policy, with a focus on Kenya's regional and international diplomatic efforts in relevant matters

Monitor and report to the DCD on the implementation status of the agreed-upon government priorities aligned with the country's programmatic OKR

Create innovative solutions to client problems and persuasively articulate them, assisting leadership in providing high-quality advice.

Identify trends and opportunities, develop innovative solutions to improve senior government officers' decision-making, and document best practices to broaden our impact

Generate innovative solutions to client problems and articulate them persuasively, supporting advisory leadership in providing high-quality advice

Identify trends and opportunities, generate innovative solutions to enhance senior government officers' decision-making, and capture best practices that can deepen our impact.

Qualifications, Experience and Person Specification

The post holder will be an experienced candidate with:

Possess a Master’s degree in international relations, Foreign Policy, International Development Studies, or any related fields of study/disciplines

Extensive practical experience working in the foreign policy or geopolitical risk sectors, either as a government official or as a senior consultant to government or corporate clients

Deep subject matter knowledge in at least one area that contributes to the formation of foreign policy - economics & trade, peace & security, innovation & technology

A complete toolkit which enables you to design a delivery strategy and identify creative ideas informed by range of country clients and their global goals & agendas

A track record of providing foreign policy advice to heads of state and government ministers

Skilled diplomatic tact and communication, with the ability to influence from the executive office down to the technical level

Exceptional attention to detail for written deliverables and proven ability to deliver quality outputs under tight deadlines

Ability to represent the Institute on a global scale as a thought leader through publications and exclusive events

Effective leadership skills, including a willingness to be hands-on and go above and beyond to achieve exceptional results

Ability to navigate ambiguity and function and influence in a matrixed, team-oriented environment to assist teams in achieving scaled impact under pressure

Experience in cultivating and maintaining strategic alliances and partnerships across public, social, and private sector organisations and ability to convert conversations into action

Experience working in multiple geographies across Africa, Middle East, and Europe

Fluency in English; with proficiency in an additional language an advantage

A willingness to travel internationally approximately 30 percent.

Closing Date:2024-05-23

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