Delivery Advisor

Focus of the Role

The Tony Blair Institute (TBI) has been working in the Gambia and supporting the President’s Office in The Gambia since 2017. The administration of President Barrow has been looking to strengthen the capacity of the government to implement his vision for development. Following the 4 December 2021 Presidential election, TBI is looking to enhance its support to the Government of The Gambia, as the administration implements its plans for unity and development.

TBI has been a key partner to the Presidency helping to strengthen its delivery and implementation mechanisms, primarily through the establishment of the Department of Strategic Policy and Delivery (DSPD) and supporting reforms in other areas such as private office, communications, and cabinet administration.

In addition to strengthening delivery in the Presidency, the project seeks to strengthen the connections with other key ministries and agencies, both in the centre (the Ministry of Finance Economic Affairs) as well as key sector Ministries, such as the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Trade, the Gambia Investment and Export Promotion Agency (GIEPA) and others.

We are recruiting a Delivery Advisor as a key team member to lead Centre of Government support with a focus on The Gambia’s agriculture sector. The successful candidate will play an important role in the team, working closely with the Country Head and key counterparts at the Office of the President and strategic ministries within the Government of The Gambia.

This is an initial fixed term contract of 1 year.

For successful candidates not based in Gambia, a relocation package will be provided if required.

Key Responsibilities

The Delivery Advisor will work alongside key counterparts from the Government of The Gambia and other stakeholders to implement priority initiatives. The Advisor will also be expected to support the wider work of TBI Gambia, including targeted interventions into key departments to support delivery of the National Development Plan, as required. Specific duties include:

• Work with senior leadership at the Office of the President, including the Department of Strategic Policy and Delivery (DSPD), and key strategic ministries (such as Ministry of Agriculture) as a lead delivery advisor, applying TBI’s delivery framework as a mechanism to drive delivery
• Cross government delivery coordination and support
• Provide analysis and insights on key priority sectors as required to unlock delivery challenges in implementing the government’s agenda
• Support senior government counterparts in mapping, engaging, and managing relevant key stakeholders, including foreign and domestic investors, development partners and various government institutions
• Undertake institutional and capacity assessments with a view to support government counterparts to put in place effective and sustainable structures, systems and skills that will underpin the implementation of national priority projects
• Support deployment of technology solutions for delivery and productivity in the civil service and agriculture sector where possible
• Support the Country Head and other team members on various strategic and management issues, including contributing to skills development and of local counterparts in order to foster effectiveness at the centre of government
• Contribute to the wider Centre of Government and Delivery (COGD) Practice, sharing expertise and learning from other TBI projects, contributing to thought leadership and external events etc.
• Other tasks as may be agreed with the Country Head

Person Specification

We are looking for an experienced Advisor:

• Minimum of 5 years relevant experience
• A master’s degree in public policy, international development, finance, economics, business or social sciences, or a bachelor degree with equivalent practical experience
• Can operate at the highest political levels to provide delivery and centre of government strengthening expertise to the Government of The Gambia
• Who can provide some prior experience in key sectors of importance to the Presidency such as agriculture, industry, investment or digitalisation
• Technical experience driving change in the agriculture sector is desirable
• Experience and knowledge of institutional development and organisational management, including process and system engineering and capacity development.
• Strong analytical and management skills, including sound knowledge of data analysis, strategic planning, and project management tools
• Effective communications skills, including delivering high quality presentations as well as effective cross-cultural and interpersonal communication
• Strategic thinker who can challenge the status-quo and develop plans for successful delivery of challenging objectives
• Experience of living and working in developing countries, and The Gambia in particular, is strongly desirable
• Fluency in English is required and fluency in French is an asset
• Above all, we are looking for individuals with high levels of enthusiasm, resilience, and a can-do attitude.

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.