Managing Director, Asia

Focus of the Role

The Advisory practice within the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBI) advises reforming political leaders and governments on strategy, policy and delivery and in so doing achieves significant and positive impact for citizens around the world.  In recognition of TBI Advisory’s growing impact and size, it has restructured its leadership model, with new Managing Director roles providing leadership of strategy and operations across large geographic regions.

A growing element of our Advisory Practice is our work in Asia.  This includes a track record of success in Central Asia, a new large-scale project in Indonesia, and multiple new opportunities in Asia. This represents an exciting and newly defined geographic management area for TBI, with exciting growth plans for 2022 and 2023 to expand our impact, FTE size and footprint. 

Reporting to TBI’s Global Managing Director, Advisory, the Managing Director, Asia, is a key and senior role, leading and managing our practice in the region. The Managing Director is responsible for supporting and executing on a high ambition growth strategy for the region, with success measured by the positive impact our advisory work has had on people’s lives.  The scope of this role’s ambition includes enhancing existing operational structures and creating systems to support growing operations across Asia.

The postholder will work closely with the Managing Director, Africa and Managing Director, Middle East and Eastern Europe, and we envisage further Managing Director positions being created as we expand our work globally.

The role is supported by senior regional management and requires close working relationships with the Institute’s Executive Chairman, CEO, global advisory colleagues in other regions, our Tech for Development, Policy Futures, External Relations and Institute Resources teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Executive leader of the TBI Asia Advisory Practice
• Build, lead, coach and direct a team that operates in a globally integrated way across TBI Advisory and the Institute to:
  • deliver on TBI’s unique value proposition of providing exceptional quality advice to reforming political leaders on strategy, policy and delivery – with the enabling power of technology enhancing our offering across all three pillars
  • establish, review and maintain the strategy, objectives and key results for the practice, with a clear measurement framework focused on in-country impact
  • establish effective and trusted relationships with senior politicians in government, including Presidents, Prime Ministers, Ministers and Special Advisors
  • act as a thought partner to teams to help provide innovative solutions across a range of policy and delivery challenges faced by governments
• In partnership with senior TBI colleagues expand our work, with a particular and proactive focus on the enabling power of technology through TBI’s Tech for Development initiative
• Ensure high quality delivery of existing workstreams
• Ensure the growth and development of a high-performing culture and provide a continued focus on learning, development and employee well-being
• Oversee and be accountable for recruitment across the practice
• Ensure all necessary risk, legal and financial processes are in place for the safety and security of employees, delivery of work, and protection of TBI’s reputation
• Manage and be accountable for the division’s budget, ensuring expenditures are in line with budget, with robust management accountability established amongst budget delegations
• Develop and lead coherent fundraising strategies
• Act as a representative of TBI, including public-speaking and media engagements
• Build strong, collaborative relationships across TBI and actively champion TBI’s progressive values
• Provide direct advice and serve as strategic partner to the Global Managing Director, Advisory, Executive Chairman as well as CEO, Board and wider leadership team

Person Specification

The Managing Director will be an experienced and successful leader:

• With a track record of leading high-performing teams and proven ability to build, inspire and retain teams to achieve exceptional objectives
• With a minimum of 10-15 years experience in government, management consulting or other organisational leadership.  Multidisciplinary experience is an asset
• With a personal passion for politics and government, bringing demonstrable expertise in public policy or administration, economics, international relations or another similar field.  Experience in technology is an asset
• Who is strategic, entrepreneurial, can challenge the status-quo and develop plans for successful delivery of challenging objectives
• With a track record of success in generating new business and developing an organisation
• Who is a skilled communicator and influencer, from executive office level through to technical level, is adept at speaking to senior leadership, knows how to navigate ambiguous environments and is comfortable at managing up and beyond hierarchy
• Who 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