Tony Blair Institute for Global Change
Focus of the Role
Are you excited by the prospect of designing and implementing high impact transformation programmes from the centre of government at the interface of government and industry? Do you have experience advising senior political leadership on policy, delivery, technology, and strategic communications? Do you have experience of consulting – or working in – the public sector and of leading teams of consultants or government advisors?
Job Introduction
Our main objective in this strategically important role is to provide support at the centre of Government, working with the Presidential Delivery Unit, the Office of the President and Cabinet, and senior government officials to design and implement public sector transformation programs. The Advisor will provide contextualised support and advise to all other advisors as they work to drive implementation for their government counterparts with quick documentation turn-around time. This is a senior role requiring an exceptional candidate with relevant experience in politics, diplomacy and geopolitical research and analysis. The candidate must be able to demonstrate the capacity to effectively communicate policy and delivery issues to a wide range of audiences and ability to work across a whole range of stakeholders.
Key Responsibilities
Geopolitics Advisory
- Researching records, facts, and historical data to draw critical insights.
- Networking and liaising across a wide range of national and international stakeholders.
- Implementing strategy to achieve goals and monitor its success or failure.
- Analyse economic and politico-economic developments, recognizing opportunities as well as periodic reporting on relevant developments.
- Alignment with overall TBI Malawi practices and collaboration with other advisors.
- Work with Delivery Practice and Tech for Development Practice to ensure alignment and consistency in language from the lens of public opinion
- Provide context to the TBI Malawi team on political and geo-political issues
- Inspire and engage within TBI and externally on geopolitical matters
- Shape and embody a culture that drives innovation and results-orientation
Key elements of the role include:
Dialogue Activities: Create, coordinate, and monitor dialogue activities relevant to social and geopolitical dialogue. Propose and develop new dialogue projects in consultation with Country Director and Advisers.
Networking: Cultivate relevant networks among policymakers, the thinktank community, senior government officials and development partners. Contribute to partnership growth and resource mobilization.
Policy Research and Analysis: Assist with policy work and work on initiatives with leading members of the industry, policymakers, senior government officials and interested parties, and diagnose how policies will affect public perception of partner governments through a robust data-driven and hypothesis-based analysis.
Counterpart Management: Ensuring effective and trusted relationships with senior politicians in government, such as Presidents, PMs, Ministers, and Special Advisers, and ensure alignment of political and diplomatic strategies across counterparts.
Person Specification
This is a role in a fast-paced team, working within complex policy areas that are highly scrutinised. We are looking for enthusiastic and resilient individuals with a “can-do” outlook and the ability to consistently achieve results in a fast-paced environment. We are looking for an experienced leader with:
- Significant multidisciplinary experience, cutting across advisory, policy, communications, politics, research and analytical skills. This should include international relations, international law, economics, political science, research or a related field
- Geopolitical advisory experience (preferred) or significant experience in the international settings
- Strategic problem-solving ability, can challenge the status-quo and develop plans for successful delivery of challenging objectives
- Political sensitivity, with the ability to exercise discretion, judgement, and confidentiality
- Through knowledge of conflicts and security issues in the Malawi context preferred
- Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise work to meet deadlines, and a concern for order and accuracy
- Excellent communication and influencing skills from executive office level through to technical level; is adept at speaking to senior leadership; knows how to navigate ambiguous environments; is comfortable at managing up and beyond hierarchy
- Has worked or consulted in developing and emerging economies and is sensitive to a diverse range of cultural and regional norms, and fosters a positive spirit of collaboration between the countries and the global TBI government advisory practice
- Postgraduate degree favoured
About The Institute
The Tony Blair Institute (TBI) is a mission-driven not for profit organisation. We exist to equip political leaders and governments to build open, inclusive and prosperous societies. We work hard, every day, to make a difference. When governments work well they are able to create economic and social change in a way that promotes fairness, social justice and opportunity. We work relentlessly to support leader and governments with the challenges they face. Giving them practical solutions and actionable insights, that once implemented, can be transformative for their people
We do this within two connected divisions:
Government Advisory
Our Government Advisory teams work directly with political leaders and governments around the world to implement reforms that improve the lives of their citizens. It works with a variety of partners and its outputs cover a range of disciplines and projects across countries in Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and South Asia.
Policy Futures
Our Policy Futures work encompasses three broad areas:
- Renewing the Centre: developing a bold and innovative domestic policy programme to help renew the centre ground of British politics;
- Tech and Public Policy: exploring the policy challenges and opportunities presented by the technological revolution; and
- Extremism Policy Unit: creating solutions designed to tackle the threat of extremist ideologies in the UK and around the world.
As an organisation, the core beliefs we all embrace are:
- Open and Progressive: you’ll believe in the value of teamwork
- Bold and Pragmatic: you’ll approach everything you do with integrity and authenticity
- Optimistic Changemaker: you’ll be focused on results
TBI believes embracing diversity and inclusion make us a better place to work. It’s our goal to reflect everyone in society and we actively welcome applications from individuals and groups who are under-represented in the workplace. We celebrate difference be it ethnicity, religion, age, gender or gender identity, sexual orientation or disability. We will only ever assess you on your abilities and fit for a role. We’re happy to discuss any adjustments you need to ensure a level playing field during recruitment and, if you\’re successful, discuss any adjustments you might need to thrive in your role.