Advisor - Delivery

Focus of the Role

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.

We encourage early application as we reserve the right, if required, to close this role ahead of the date advertised.

Job Introduction

Are you excited by the prospect of designing and implementing high impact transformation programmes from the centre of government? Do you have experience advising senior political leadership on strategy, policy, delivery, and technology? Do you have experience of consulting, or working in the public sector and of leading teams of advisors?

The Tony Blair Institute (TBI) has been working with the Government of Zambia since 2022. Working hand-in-hand with the Office of the President of the Republic of Zambia, the project is led by a Country Director, with a team currently consisting of diverse professionals supporting the government in across different ministries.

We are hiring a Delivery Advisor/Manager to support the Presidential Delivery Unit (PDU) established under the Office of the President, particularly on instilling and running a delivery mechanism to steer the implementation of the government’s transformation and digital agenda.

The position is full-time, with a minimum duration of 2 years and based in Lusaka, Zambia and starts as soon as possible on the identification of a suitable candidate. 

The President of Zambia officially announced the establishment of a Presidential Delivery Unit (PDU) and his commitment on driving delivery of strategic matters through the PDU. TBI supported the establishment of the PDU and is now focused on developing the Delivery Agenda contributing to the seven outcome areas identified by the President – Job Creation; Increasing Household Income; Efficient Value Chains; Value Addition; Export Diversification; Enhanced Public Services; and Project Delivery. 

The Delivery Advisor/Manager will work closely with the Senior Delivery Advisor, who will be heading the PDU project for TBI under the guidance and supervision of the Country Director. The Advisor/Manager will contribute to setting the strategic direction for the project; responsible for developing measurable workplans and delivery of result. The Advisor/Manager is expected to lead on stakeholder engagement and management across the broader ecosystem; serve as a thought partner and go-to person for the leadership of the PDU and critical implementing partners. You will also be accountable for managing the performance and delivery of Associates working under their supervision and expected to work closely with other Project Advisors/Managers in the team.

We would consider supporting applicants not currently based in or with a right to work in Zambia to relocate for this role.

Key Responsibilities

1. Management

• Take responsibility for the quality and timeliness of key deliverables of the project
• Mentor and coach Delivery Associate(s)/Analyst(s) to help them to perform their roles effectively and to support their personal development
• Role-model best practice in people management – recruiting Associate(s)/Analyst(s), motivating them and creating a culture of high performance, leading regular team meetings, setting individual objectives, allocating tasks and monitoring progress against objectives and workplans

1. Driving delivery of priority outcomes

• Support the PDU leadership in instilling fundamental delivery mechanism for tracking performance, problem-solving and for stocktaking of progress and learning
• Work with relevant public institutions to track progress of priority interventions against implementation plans, using data-driven and effective monitoring tools
• Hands-on support to relevant public institutions to problem-solve and fast-track implementation of priority interventions, identifying and overcoming bottlenecks and obstacles to delivery (including capacity gaps)
• Analyse data to identify whether priority interventions are on track to achieve their goals and to predict the impact of interventions
• Contribute periodic delivery reports, summarizing progress of priority interventions, identifying obstacles and recommending solutions
• Support relevant public institutions to prepare for stock-take meetings with His Excellency the President or his representative
• Prepare reports and briefings pertaining to relevant priority interventions as directed by the Head of Unit

1. Client and stakeholder engagement

• Advise the Head of the PDU (and stakeholders) on priority delivery issues, including identifying issues which require their intervention
• Build strong and collaborative working relationships within the delivery unit and with core ecosystem actors, including implementing government institutions, civil societies, cooperating partners
• Providing as needed briefings and summary documents to the Ministry’s senior leadership in advance of key meetings
• Other duties as assigned by the Minister and Permanent Secretary

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 individual competencies and experience:

Key competencies:

• Relationship building and stakeholder management
• Coaching and people management
• Strategic planning and decision-making
• Problem solving and analysis
• Written and verbal communication

Knowledge and experience required:

• Significant experience on working in a ‘Delivery System’ and/or implementing a ‘Delivery Mechanism’
• An excellent academic record, including a Bachelors degree (required) and a Masters degree (desirable)
• A good understanding of Government systems and/or relevant sector expertise
• A prior experience working at the centre of government such as Presidents/Prime Ministers Office and with Senior Government Counterparts such as Ministers/Permanent Secretaries/Directors (desirable)
• Good knowledge of Microsoft Office products Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Fluency in English is required

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