About the job

This role may be located out of OPM's offices in Kenya or Tanzania

As a team, we implement a range of different projects that span the policy cycle and different aspects of social protection and social services. We work globally and have team members based in Kenya, Indonesia, Pakistan and the UK, supported by a wide network of trusted associates. Our current work includes largescale data and poverty analysis to end extreme poverty, conducting regional analysis of social protection across 17 countries, looking at shock responsive or adaptive social protection, anticipatory and forecast based action, and nutrition sensitive social protection, and research to understand the impact of social assistance mechanisms in Rwanda.

As part of our growth strategy, we are looking to hire a senior consultant for OPM’s Poverty and Social Protection team to take on business development, technical leadership, bidding ownership, client relationships and contributing to strategic delivery. Our experienced team supports governments, donors and development partners in low- and middle-income countries to develop social protection systems that are fair, inclusive, effective and efficient, nationally-owned, sustainable, and tailored to the local context (see below and our flier).

We are looking for a colleague who has strong research skills, analytical rigor, a solid technical understanding and experience of working on social protection in multiple countries and with various development clients. We are seeking someone who possesses a well-established reputation within the social protection sector. You will have the opportunity to work across and lead a range of projects that are on-going within the team and later, to build a pipeline of work through bidding for new projects.

We are looking for someone who is technically competent but who is also able to develop and deliver projects by mobilizing specific and cross-cutting expertise from across the company and external networks. Project management expertise, including team and budget management, as well as experience with client management, engagement and networking is essential, as is experience in developing and implementing projects. We are looking for an individual who wants to further develop their profile and reputation as a thought leader for OPM. The ideal candidate would also have some experience of leading the delivery and implementation of social protection projects in a team leader role.

This role requires demonstrable line management experience, supporting the development and expertise of junior colleagues. The candidate will actively participate in developing the team’s strategy and taking responsibility for growing and overseeing an area of our work.

If this sounds like an interesting challenge to you, come and join us!

What we do

Our areas of expertise include:

• Poverty, inequality, and vulnerability measurement and analysis, including the use of big data and new techniques to improve the granularity and frequency of measures;
• Mapping and diagnostics of existing social protection policies and systems;
• Supporting the development of financially and politically feasible social protection strategies, encompassing social assistance, social insurance, social services, and labour market policies;
• Supporting the design of integrated national programmes and their delivery systems;
• Supporting effective programme implementation with a focus on operational elements of delivery, (including targeting mechanisms; information systems and digitisation; monitoring and evaluation frameworks; service standards, accountability mechanisms and performance management; and institutional reform);
• Supporting shock-responsive social protection including a focus on humanitarian linkages and building resilience;
• Supporting economic inclusion or graduation approaches which combine social assistance with support to strengthening human capital and livelihoods; and
• Strengthening programme implementation and the global evidence base through rigorous independent monitoring and evaluation of impact, process, and costs.

What we are looking for

• Client engagement - You know how to engage with senior government officials and development partners and how to build and sustain good relationships. Supporting the market development initiatives, including fostering good relationships with lead / prime organizations, clients including donor agencies and partner government ministries, taking an active role in developing new areas of work and potential new relationships through existing or new networks and contacts.
• Technical - You bring experience in research methods (quantitative, qualitative and/or mixed methods). You will also have experience in delivering and managing effective and evidence-driven approaches to ensure high quality policy advice and technical assistance.
• Strategic - Leading social protection projects, comprising the direct provision of technical inputs and/or managing inputs from other sectoral or cross-cutting specialists, as required.
• Line management – You have demonstrable experience managing junior team members, supporting their development and career progression through constructive conversations and performance management.
• Interpersonal skills– You can flex your working style to meet the needs of the client, colleague or partner to achieve desired outcomes. You are a confident communicator, able to get complex ideas across in simple terms. You have attention to detail and can quality assure deliverables to meet expectations. You work collegiately.
• Business development – You can lead on or contribute to bidding for medium / large PSP projects (often cross-country or cross-practice), by effectively collaborating cross-business with OPM’s Bid, Finance, Legal, HR and Implementation Teams.
• Risk management – You are comfortable and experienced with compliance and risk management requirements, adhering to internal policies, processes and procedures including reporting, HR and financial management systems.
• Reputation management – You have done or are willing to participate in the practice’s external influencing activities, such as delivering seminars, both internally and externally, publishing in peer reviewed journals, and presenting at conferences.
• Flexibility – You are comfortable undertaking other duties reasonably required by the Practice lead.

Qualifications and essential experience

• Academic - Post-graduate degree in a relevant discipline.
• Sector - Proven experience in a relevant social policy area with at least 7 years’ directly relevant experience in social protection;
• Technical - Track record of leading and delivering high quality and impactful research, evaluation and technical assistance projects in low- and middle-income countries focusing on the development, strengthening and implementation of policy relevant to social protection;
• Business development - Demonstrable and successful experience in business development and competitive bidding across a variety of clients;
• Communications - Excellent writing and communication skills in English, with sound attention to the quality of written or visual materials, reports and documents, strong stakeholder engagement ability and excellent interpersonal skills particularly in handling challenging situations and people;
• Client - Experience of working with/delivering project with/for a range of clients, which may include UNICEF, WFP, UNHCR (and other UN agencies), development banks (such as WB and ADB), FCDO, EU/European donors, and private foundations;
• Project management - setting up workplans and budgets, delivering projects within time and budget constraints, and managing teams of consultants, both internal and external;
• Flexibility - Ability and willingness to travel internationally (travel restrictions permitting); and
• Location - The right to work in OPM’s country office. Please note this role is required in Tanzania or Kenya.

Desirable additional experience

• Network - Extensive and active professional profile/networks with stakeholders working in this domain internationally, including consultants, potential partner organisations and client/donor institutions;
• Profile - Evidence of relevant publications (e.g., research/evaluations, articles, blogs, books); and
• Languages - Ability to work in at least one relevant additional language to English