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Senior Policy Adviser

Employer
Tony Blair Institute for Global Change
Location
London (Central), London (Greater)
Salary
Competitive Package
Closing date
20 Jun 2019

Senior Policy Adviser                                                                                                                    London

About Tony Blair Institute for Global Change:

At the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change we are dedicated to making globalisation work for the many, not the few. We do this by helping countries, their people and their governments, address some of the most difficult challenges in the world today – beginning with those where we think we can break new ground, offering leaders new thinking and new approaches. Our staff – over 200 of them, based all over the world – are working on some of the most intractable problems around issues of co-existence, governance, the peace process in the Middle East and renewing the centre.

Focus of the Role:

Our work focuses on promoting co-existence and countering extremism by tackling the ideology behind violence, not just the violence itself. We do this by seeking to understand the ideology, then address it through disrupting its spread and reducing its appeal and building resilience to its messaging.

We are currently recruiting a Senior Policy Adviser with experience and specialism in international education sectors to lead on our new global advocacy initiative and support our flagship education programme.

The new global advocacy initiative is focused on securing a global commitment to education reforms that will enable the development of global citizenship and tolerance and will help prevent violent extremism. The role will play a leading role in shaping the strategy and delivering the implementation of this initiative, in support of the leadership of the Institute. This work will include developing global partnerships, leading on policy development, providing briefings for events and meetings to take the initiative forward and working with colleagues across the institute to deliver an evidence base and public engagement plan.

The role will also support the policy influencing, partnership development and government engagement of the Generation Global programme, which is an online dialogue programme for secondary school students and teachers which currently has over 1,200 registered schools in over 40 countries. The programme equips teachers and students with the skills of dialogue and provides practical opportunities to practice them with peers around the world via a virtual platform, to build open-mindedness and prepare young people to navigate an increasingly complex globalised world. The programme tests different delivery models in various contexts (e.g. through student-led approaches in New York; through local government in Kashmir; through national governments in Italy and Jordan; through lead teachers in Ukraine). Our advocacy is grounded in a practical and proven solution to bringing these skills to the classroom, and challenging learning by rote or teaching to the test norms.   

The successful candidate will have a proven track record in engaging and influencing governments (local and national) and the international community on global development issues. Education is preferred but experience in other sectors will be considered if accompanied with demonstrated understanding of the current challenges in education sector reform. The ideal candidate will have significant progressive experience in government and policy advisory work, including in conducting political economy analysis, conflict analysis and social analysis, developing policy recommendations and designing advocacy campaigns. The candidate should have direct experience of working in developing and fragile contexts and should demonstrate excellent understanding of the need to work across the Institute to maximise synergies, influence and impact. The candidate should also be flexible and adaptable, always open to changing approaches in response to changing situations on the ground, and able to work at pace to juggle competing priorities.

The Senior Policy Adviser will report to the Director of Programmes and the role will require some overseas travel.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Ongoing development, and implementation, of an advocacy and campaign strategy for the Institute’s Generation Global Commitment: to prevent violent extremism and promote global citizenship.
  • Support the education team (Director of Programmes, Head of Project, Head of Education, Education Advisers and Country Coordinators) to deliver the three-year business plan for Generation Global for 2019-21.
  • Support the development of the Institute’s education policy development by the Institute as required by the Executive Director and the Executive Committee.

What We Look For in Our People:

       EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS:

  • A Master’s degree qualification in a relevant discipline preferably in social sciences, international studies, political and security studies, or related area, or equivalent experience.
  • Extensive relevant international work experience in a similar working environment

       ESSENTIALS SKILLS:

  • Proven ability to plan strategically and collaboratively.
  • Demonstrable ability to work well as a team player in a large international / split site team.
  • Thorough understanding of challenges to education reform and global debates on quality education.
  • Excellent and evidenced political astuteness and knowledge of political and government systems and core governance concepts, and ability to apply this analysis to influence strategic planning and programmatic decisions.
  • Proven experience in briefing senior politicians.
  • Strong interpersonal skills, well-networked in international development/governance contexts and highly skilled in stakeholder engagement.
  • Effective verbal and written communication skills.
  • Fluent in English. Additional language skills is advantageous

    PERSONAL SPECIFICATIONS:
     
  • Passion for innovation and producing high quality work.
  • Creative thinker and problem-solver, with a proven track record in influencing policy.
  • A personable and dedicated team player.
  • Politically savvy.
  • Adept at building effective relationships and partnerships.
  • Committed to advancing evidence-based policy and practice.
  • Interested in complex social challenges, passionate about educating young people and committed to generating evidence of impact to influence wider social change.
  • Willingness to travel internationally

To apply please visit our website via the link
Close date: 20 Jun 2019

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