OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE
Senior Project Manager – Politics and Governance
Contract: Fixed Term (6 months)
Salary: £41,575- £51,466 per annum
Location: London
Ref: PoGo/07/20
An independent, global think tank, working for a sustainable
and peaceful world in which every person thrives.
About ODI
ODI is an independent, global think tank, working for a sustainable and peaceful world in which every person thrives. We harness the power of evidence and ideas through research and partnership to confront challenges, develop solutions and create change. (odi.org)
About the Politics and Governance team
Within ODI, the Politics and Governance team addresses how politics and power shape development, conflict and fragility. We help partners understand and navigate the politics of the places they work, the issues they deal with, and the organisations and systems they operate within, identifying levers for change that can deliver on aid’s promise of empowering the poor and sustaining peace.
Building on decades of empirical research on governance, fragility, and ways of working in the aid sector, we work with a variety of donors and implementers on how to move towards more agile and politically smart ways of working, and how to measure the impact of complex aid programmes. Our work provides a constructive critique of SDG 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions), looking beyond the formal state to explore the role and function of justice, inclusion, and violence. We research political settlements; the political economy of justice, service delivery, and the aid industry; the dynamics of inclusion and legitimacy in democracies and fragile and conflict affected situations; and how bureaucracies (beyond aid agencies) take decisions, adapt to changing contextual realities, and use new technology.
We use these perspectives and more to influence global debates in two main areas: migration, and fragility. We contribute to cross-institute work shaping the international governance of migration and displacement, building on our team’s research on migrant and refugee decision-making and the relationship between migration and development. Drawing on our largescale empirical research on conflict, livelihoods, and governance reform we work with our colleagues in the humanitarian and public finance fields to help policy makers understand the dynamics of fragility and post-conflict recovery.
Our projects range from long-term empirical research programmes with partners around the world, to advisory services on embedded political economy analysis; programme design, theories of change and MEL systems; and innovative approaches to operationalizing the evidence from research. A sample of our ongoing projects includes:
- The Global Learning for Adaptive Management initiative identifying, operationalising and promote rigorous evidence-based approaches to adaptive management, particularly MEL tools and approaches, within DFID and USAID.
· The Learning Evidence and Advocacy Partnership in DFID Nigeria’s Partnership to Engage, Reform and Learn (PERL). ODI researches the impact of governance and service delivery programming, lessons for future large adaptive programmes, and provides technical advice on learning approaches.
- Secure Livelihoods Research Consortium a ten-year global research programme on livelihoods, basic services and social protection in conflict-affected situations (South Sudan, Uganda, DRC, Afghanistan and Pakistan).
- Lessons for Peace, drawing lessons from past engagement in Afghanistan and peace processes globally to advise policy makers and stakeholders in Kabul and national capitals.
About you
As Senior Project Manager, you will oversee the work of a team of project managers, and have oversight responsibility for our largest and most complex projects. You will manage donor relationships; ensure strong connections between technical, operational, and strategic decision making in large complex projects; and ensure project decisions are informed by with insititutional strategies and vice versa. You will help cement operational systems for financial and risk management collaborating with the team of managers. You will also play a role in developing new business for the team, collaborating with technical leads to build multi-donor platforms for the work we do and overseeing the quality and commercial viability of reactive bids submitted by the team.
You’ll also have:
- Master’s Degree or equivalent in a relevant subject area, for example, within international development
- Deep technical knowledge in at least one politics and governance field; or broad knowledge in multiple politics and governance fields.
- Extensive knowledge of the development landscape, especially the fundraising and donor coordination landscape.
· Experience working in high-value multi-year, multi-partner or multi-country projects in the developing world, including fragile states.
- Ability to lead and work in diverse teams, maintaining relationships with partners and colleagues at various levels of seniority
- Skills in negotiation, listening, communication of ideas, problem solving, decision making and conflict resolution.
Closing date: 29th of March 2020
Interview date: Week Commencing 6th of April 2020
For more information, please download an application pack from here and please include links for your most relevant publications. If you are experiencing difficulties downloading, please telephone 020 7922 8234 or email humanresources@odi.org.uk.
ODI is an equal opportunities employer Charity Reg. No.228248
How to apply:
For more information, please download an application pack from here and please include links for your most relevant publications. If you are experiencing difficulties downloading, please telephone 020 7922 8234 or email humanresources@odi.org.uk.
ODI is an equal opportunities employer Charity Reg. No.228248