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.

Role Summary:

Strategy & Partnerships (S&P) is one of 3 external facing business critical departments, alongside Policy & Politics and Global Government Advisory. The S&P department leads and oversees the Institute’s strategic direction and growth, with specific responsibility for future proofing growth, developing scalable partnerships, innovating in tech and securing financial resources to advance the Institute’s operational goals and drive sustainable impact.

To enable the Partnerships and Initiatives team to successfully achieve its vision, we are looking for a well-rounded Associate who can support the effective management and communications for one of our partnerships.

The Engagement Associate role offers a unique opportunity for successful candidates to take on a pivotal role and the chance to make a meaningful impact through close collaboration with cross-functional teams inside and outside the organisation.

In this position, you will play a critical role in supporting the successful development of a partnership with a tech company by leading on coordination and communications both externally and internally.

In this role you will be expected to support the Engagement Manager and other relevant teams across the organisation to connect the dots, managing all internal and external requests for info, and making sure that the right information flows on time. This position requires strong written and verbal communication skills, as well as the ability to escalate the right issues on time.

The Associate role requires proficient stakeholder and project management skills which requires a high level of attention to detail and the ability to effectively prioritise and manage competing demands. Additionally, you should have experience working in stakeholder management, ideally inside tech companies, to ensure effective triage and efficient handling of requests.

It is essential you have the Right to Work in the country you are applying to.

Please note: We will be screening and interviewing candidates from 28th July 2023 onwards so please do submit your application as soon as possible.

We encourage early application as we reserve the right, if required, to close this role ahead of the date advertised.

Key Responsibilities:

Reporting to and working closely with Engagement Managers, Strategic Advisors and Directors within the Partnerships and Initiatives team, responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

• Support the team to successfully drive current and future projects with a tech company, supporting TBI’s overall goals and objectives forward and to achieve our annual objectives and key results
• Develop and execute the production and distribution of a range of internal communications (including editing and writing content)
• Ability to orchestrate communication efforts around partnerships and key initiatives with precision and a deep understanding of the organisation’s strategic vision
• Collaborate with key stakeholders, both internally and externally, to ensure a coordinated response to partnership-related inquiries and facilitate seamless communication between all relevant parties, maximising the effectiveness of the organisation’s efforts
• Lead liaison and work in the development and maintenance of TBI’s CRM and related tools (‘One Truth’), keeping a clear, organised means for tracking partnership dashboard and pipeline of engagement.
• Act as a first point of contact for information queries from TBI teams and POCs inside our tech partner organisation.
• Support partner impact reporting providing key performance indicators for the portfolio.
• Embrace the distinctive principles of TBI, supporting the organisation’s culture and values.

Key internal relationships: S&P department leaders and their teams; PI leadership and department; Global Advisory; key country teams; Community Engagement Team; Global Client Solutions, particularly the Regional Tech Advisors; Legal department.

Key external relationships: Tech Company counterparts.

Person Specification:

This is an Associate role requiring candidates who are looking to expand their experience across a growing portfolio and who have experience of:

• Experience similar to working as a project manager, advisor or management/strategy consultant; for foundations/NGOs, public sector, or private sector organisations.
• Experience working at a tech company, ideally supporting the development of partnerships with governments or impact-focused organisations.
• Strong communication skills and ability to work collaboratively with stakeholders to drive TBI’s overall goals and objectives forward.
• High-level writing and editing skills (including copy writing), as well as oral communication skills with strong PowerPoint skills
• Proficient Project Management skills with a high-level of attention to detail and manage different workstreams at a time.
• High-level information management skills, with a keen ability to serve as a first point of contact for information queries from TBI teams.
• Experience working with CRMs and other tools to track partnership pipelines and engagement
• Experience in partner impact reporting, and ability to scale important issues in a timely manner
• Experience in supporting the development and maintenance of partnerships portfolios is preferred
• The ability to operate in rapidly changing and growing business environment
• A natural convener and team player who can support the management of a multitude of external relationships navigating a matrixed internal organisation
• 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
• Experience of providing creative and innovative approaches in developing new initiatives/systems that contribute towards set partnerships’ goals
• An internal communications background, though not essential, would be beneficial to this post (50% of role Comms focused)
• A proven self-starter and is entrepreneurial in spirit
• Open to travel and curious to learn from colleagues across our global team (10%)
• Keenly interested in the work of TBI and share in our mission and values
• It is essential you have the Right to Work in the country you are applying to