Engagement Manager London, England
Job description
Focus of the Role
We don’t just talk, we do. Lead the change with us.
At the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, we work with political leaders around the world to drive change. We help governments turn bold ideas into reality so they can deliver for their people. We do it by advising on strategy, policy and delivery, unlocking the power of technology across all three. And by sharing what we learn on the ground, so everyone can benefit. We do it to build more open, inclusive and prosperous countries for people everywhere.
We are a global team of nearly 800 changemakers, operating in more than 30 countries, across five continents. We are political strategists, policy experts, delivery practitioners, technology specialists and more. We speak more than 45 languages. We are working on over 100 projects, tackling some of the world’s biggest challenges. We’re all here at TBI to make a difference.
In a world of ever more complex challenges, we believe diversity of background and perspective is a strength. We pride ourselves on a culture that values and nurtures difference. We are dedicated to unlocking potential, not only for the countries we work in but also for each of our team members. No matter where you’re from or who you are, if you’re passionate about the transformative power of progressive politics, we invite you to build a better future with us.
Job Introduction
The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBI) supports governments on strategy, policy and delivery with tech as an enabler. As the Institute grows, partnerships are a strategic path to deliver greater impact at greater scale by bringing expertise, resources and technologies that will accelerate economic and social development and secure lasting change for countries.
Under our flagship programme, The Tomorrow Partnership, we partner with governments, experts and innovators to bring about transformative change. We support leaders, countries and communities to harness the power of technology for good.
Within this portfolio we deliver strategic partnerships and initiatives with; leading global technology companies. The Engagement Manager roles are a critical leadership role for the success of the Tomorrow Partnership. Each Engagement Manager will work closely with leadership in TBI and with tech partners to build the partnership, trouble-shoot challenges, expand its impact, and evolve our strategy.
The Engagement Manager will report directly to the Director, Global Partnerships, and can expect to work closely with senior leadership across TBI, including the Executive Director, Partnerships and Initiatives; the Director, Global Innovation Unit; and the Director, Tech and Digital Transformation. On a day-to-day basis, the Engagement Manager will work closely with colleagues across our embedded Global Advisory Country Teams serving senior political leaders and in our Advisory Global Client Solutions Team. GCS brings the best of TBI across sectors and partnerships at scale to support country teams deliver impact and house solutions manager for incubated, “market-ready” partnerships.
The Engagement Manager will work in highly matrixed organisation and the ability to collaborate and deliver with colleagues across structures will be crucial.
This role sits within the Strategy & Partnerships (S&P) Department of TBI. S & P is one of three external facing business critical departments: Policy & Politics and Global Government Advisory. The S&P department leads and oversee the Institute’s strategic direction and growth, with specific responsibility for futureproofing growth, developing scalable partnerships, innovating in tech and securing financial resources to measurably advance the Institute’s operational goals and drive sustainable impact.
Please do forward your application as soon as possible, applications will be reviewed and process will commence from the 26th May 2023.
Key Responsibilities
The Engagement Manager has sight of and captures the status of all activities between the tech partner and TBI, ensuring we are escalating issues as needed and driving progress against shared goals and objectives. This role is critical in helping define and align the necessary “flying formation” to ensure the partnership and necessary leaders (in TBI and at the tech partner) get the critical info at the right time to keep us advancing at pace.
- Strategy setting
- Support joint partnership goal setting (OKRs and quarterly reviews) to define shared objectives;
- Identify new strategic opportunities for the partner and TBI’s joint offer;
- Support TBI Solution Managers and/or technical experts in Advisory on strategy and relationships with the tech partner, as required;
- Support strategic review and evolution of the partnership strategy and engagement to accelerate impact, including as part of TBI’s wider partnership ecosystem;
- Provide direct support to emerging growth opportunities, particularly in new markets and with new products, with opportunity for travel to project countries to support client engagement;
- Lead process of assessing new market and client opportunities for the partnership.
- Relationship Management
- Working closely with counterpart relationship manager at the tech partner, develop and manage systems for coordination across multiple teams and projects, including trackers and regular leadership meetings;
- Manage coordination systems for TBI, ensuring timely inputs from all TBI Solutions Managers for the partnership and TBI teams;
- Develop and consolidate inputs for partnership meetings;
- Support the collation and gathering of client/product and user requirements;
- Working with appropriate teams in TBI and with the partner, tell a joint story of impact for the partnership;
- Escalate issues to Director, Global Partnerships, and ED, Partnerships & Initiatives.
- Partnership Delivery
- Lead weekly project meetings with tech partner and relevant TBI colleagues which align key actors to progress, blockers, and next steps;
- Develop, improve and maintain partnership management tools (currently in Monday.com) which enable joint visibility on tasks/tickets and progress/backlogs. Encourage and lead a culture of agile ways of working for our team;
- Work closely the Director, Global Innovation Unit, and the GIU team on co-development of solutions with the tech company, as appropriate;
- Trouble-shoot and escalate issues across delivery with the tech partner’s counterpart and within TBI to the relevant leadership.
- Internal enabling Systems
- Support TBI’s leadership to enhance the organisational strategy within TBI which supports the growing partnership;
- Advise TBI leadership on the health of the portfolio and provide briefings for leadership on the partnership;
- Develop and support internal TBI communications on the partnership, including to work with TBI and the partner’s teams to oversee the development of materials and resources that deepen TBI’s understanding of our joint offering and value proposition for governments;
- Proactively identify challenges internal to TBI and lead teams to solutions;
- Coordinate sit reps for TBI leadership on the partnership (eg weekly update for Executive Chairman, OKR reviews, DEI outputs, etc), working with relevant delivery leads across the Institute responsible for their updates and delivery;
- Set agenda and content for weekly internal leadership meeting on the partnership, as appropriate;
- Input into TBI’s impact reporting on the partnership through appropriate channels and support TBI’s strategic communications on the partnership.
Person Specification
This is high profile role requiring an exceptional candidate with experience of:
- Significant experience working on the delivery of technology solutions, including for public sector clients is essential
- Demonstrated project management experience, with ability to keep multiple trains running on track
- A natural networker and convener and can manage a multitude of relationships navigating a matrixed internal organisation
- Strategic and can challenge the status-quo and develop plans for successful delivery of challenging objectives
- The ability to operate in rapidly changing and growth business environment
- Proven ability to oversee numerous projects and initiatives, delegating and performance managing the details
- Brings experience in the mechanics of partnerships
- Ability to translate technical concepts into language that others understand and can relate to
- Impact focused, you will have a background of delivering operationally with a positive impact
- Demonstrated ability in problem analysis and problem resolution at both strategic and functional level
- Proven experience of providing creative and innovative approaches in developing new initiatives/systems that contribute towards set goals
- Skilled written and verbal communicator and influencer
- A proven self-starter and is entrepreneurial in spirit
- Bachelor’s or postgraduate degree or equivalent practical experience
- Open to travel and curious to learn from colleagues across our global team
- Keenly interested in the work of TBI and share in our mission and values
We would consider supporting applicants not currently based in or with a right to work in the UK or Ghana to relocate for this role.
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