Summary

The Deputy Director /Technical Director in the Insights Team will be responsible for leading our programme of work in Tanzania, bringing technical understanding of industrial policy and practical experience of what works to build capacity in this area. They will need to further cement organization’s position as a trusted partner and build up the team to deliver on a wide-ranging programme of work. This role will need excellent strategic and critical thinking skills, with the ability to quickly identify opportunities and risks from different courses of action. Importantly, this role will require excellent mentoring and coaching skills, both for internal staff and external partners.

Responsibilities

1. Provide technical leadership of organization’s work in Tanzania

• Analysis and evidence. Ensure that organization’s work is based on strong foundations of analysis and evidence – using strong data/economics skills and bringing qualitative information as well as more entrepreneurial mindsets into decision-making.
• Build capacity externally. Build the capacity of partners to implement targeted and coordinated sector transformation efforts, building on learning from organization’s approach and examples of sustained economic growth and effective industrial policy from elsewhere.
• Sector and project strategies. Provide technical oversight of work alongside the government to design and support the design and implementation of sector transformation strategies or key cross-cutting project principles and plans.
• Private-sector engagement. Develop processes for pragmatic, timely and adaptive engagement of the private sector – consulting on prioritisation, on problem solving and on outcome evaluation to enhance support for business-led growth.
• Design effective monitoring systems. Lead the development of mechanisms for oversight, accountability and evaluation that can drive delivery and performance on economic/sector development activities.

2. Design and lead programme delivery in Tanzania.

• Policy making. Build a highly nuanced picture of the context, political economy and the different stakeholders and personalities who influence decision-making across government, to maximise the effectiveness of organization’s work.
• Tanzania programme strategy. Lead organization’s engagement strategy in Tanzania, identifying aligned opportunities and developing an offer for organization’s work with different partners to deliver against these long-term goals.
• Programme delivery. Responsible for delivery against the outcomes and impact goals of the programme and for planning staffing, budgets and timeframes to ensure we have the capacity to deliver.
• Manage project teams. Establish and lead teams of staff, bringing in external consultants where needed, to deliver the planned work effectively.
• Manage relationships. Establish critical senior-level relationships, governance systems, ongoing communication and ways of working with partners to enable effective design and then delivery of the different elements of the project.
• Coaching and mentoring. Provide coaching and mentoring support to our Tanzanian team, helping them to become more expert in industrial policy, in understanding different sectors, in evaluating potential interventions to support business, etc.  
• Finance and operations. Oversee the financial and logistical operations of the programme, in line with the organization’s policies and procedures, working closely with the operations and finance team to ensure value for money and proper use of all funds.

3. Engage in broader Organization Insights Team workstreams.

• External representation. Represent organization externally at local, regional and international conferences, seminars and events.
• Produce high quality think pieces and comms materials from our projects for sharing internally and externally to highlight organization’s work.
• Thematic learning. Support work to deepen organization’s thinking on critical areas such as inclusive and resilient growth, environmental issues or sector selection.
• Internal planning & reporting. Contribute to Insights team’s internal strategy, reporting and monitoring, evaluation, learning and reflection.
• Contribute effectively to organization’s Leadership Group to help ensure efficient running of the organisation and the development of a learning culture.

Education and Qualifications

• Broad experience and understanding of leading private sector development (and market systems development) programmes.
• Deep exposure to and understanding of broader debates around economic growth and the role of industrial policy.
• Proven experience of economic analysis and of influencing government decisions with evidence-based advice in sector transformation and industrial policy.
• A detailed grasp of political economy challenges, particularly in East Africa.
• Experience leading cross-cultural teams, showing sensitivity to cultural differences.
• A network of contacts across the development and investment sectors in East Africa.
• At least 12 years' relevant experience with substantial project management expertise and in-depth experience in East Africa.
• Relevant higher education qualification at bachelor’s degree level or above.
• Kiswahili language skills.

Characteristics

• Excellent strategic and critical thinking skills, with the ability to quickly identify opportunities and risks from different courses of action.
• Strong economic analysis skills with a focus on industrial policy and experience in the application of research to identify solutions to economic problems.
• Strong leadership and personnel management skills, including a deep commitment to staff development and coaching, and the ability to supervise, plan and prioritise.
• Excellent core project management with the ability to develop and articulate a clear & compelling vision for the programme, translating this ambition into phased strategies.
• High-level communications and influencing skills to work closely with senior leaders, build trusted relationships and be seen as a credible, authoritative resource.
• Initiative and the ability to work independently, taking personal responsibility for results with commitment to high standards of professional performance and integrity.
• A private sector outlook on development, and an entrepreneurial attitude to develop creative ways to engage potential partners.

Personal Attributes

• Able to reflect on the variety of likely impacts or outcomes from an activity and to determine pragmatic approaches to getting results.
• Creative and able to generate innovative solutions to evolving situations.
• A self-starter, able to meet deadlines under pressure and balance conflicting priorities.
• A genuine team-player who is consultative and collegiate in making decisions regarding programme direction when needed.
• Demonstrates professionalism and empathy with the mission and values of the organization.
• Adaptability and comfort with ambiguity and change.  
• Values driven, with unquestionable integrity, honesty and respect.