Overview
The Head of Engagement Team is a senior role responsible for leading and shaping the initiative's political engagement, cultivating networks, and strengthening high-level relationships. The role also oversees the Governance Committee and supports the Director's public positioning.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and expand high-level external engagement, positioning the initiative in priority political and institutional arenas.
- Advise the Director with political intelligence, stakeholder analysis, and strategic counsel.
- Lead the consolidation of engagement-related information flows.
- Steward the effective functioning of the Governance Committee.
- Shape and evolve the initiative’s overarching narrative.
- Model and champion systemic leadership mindsets.
- Drive and institutionalize learning across leadership and engagement functions.
Required Experience
- At least eleven years of progressively senior leadership experience advising or supporting high-level officials in complex international, political, or multi-stakeholder environments, shaping strategy, informing decision-making, and stewarding high-stakes institutional relationships.
- Demonstrated international experience forging and sustaining collaboration with diverse partners—including governments, International Financial Institutions, UN agencies, civil society, private sector, and academia—across regions and organisational hierarchies.
- Proven experience leading high-level political and institutional engagement, including navigating sensitive contexts, managing tensions, and representing senior leadership with diplomacy, judgement, and contextual intelligence.
- Track record of shaping and strengthening governance bodies (e.g., steering committees, advisory groups), including designing agendas, synthesizing strategic inputs, framing decisions, and ensuring robust follow-through for senior actors.
- Substantial experience driving strategic communications and narrative development, including crafting executive messages, speeches, and strategic materials that influence institutional partners, donors, and opinion leaders and enhance organisational positioning.
Qualifications
Advanced university degree in Public Administration, International Development, International Relations, Organizational Development, Business or Management, Political Science, Public Policy, or another relevant field; or a first university degree with additional years of relevant professional experience and/or advanced training.
