Senior Consultant / Assistant Programme Director at Oxford Policy Management

Job Code: EPP/NRE/NIG/FOS/PD
Level: Senior Level Consulting
Job Type: Fixed Term Contract
   
Description

• OPM opened its office in Abuja in 2014, having had longstanding experience of working in Nigeria prior to that. Currently OPM operates on two fronts in Nigeria: the provision of high quality survey and evaluation services to a wide range of donors and NGOs via OPM’s Statistics, Evidence and Accountability Portfolio (SEAP) and, for the past 7 years, support to DFID from OPM’s NRE Portfolio to improve the transparency and governance of the oil and gas sector.
• The latter work currently involves the NRE Portfolio managing a complex £19 million DFID-funded project known as FOSTER (Facility for Oil Sector Transformation).
• Now in its second 5-year phase, FOSTER is designed to address weak management and poor transparency and accountability in the Nigerian oil and gas sector, that leads in turn to reduced government revenue take, systems losses, sub-optimal production, barriers to investment, and conflict and environmental degradation in the Niger Delta.
• The current project’s goal is to ensure £1 billion in additional extractive industry revenues are safeguarded through the identification of potential revenue or the prevention of losses, and that improvements are made in the overall management and governance of the sector. FOSTER works to achieve these outcomes through three streams of activity:
  • The reform of Ministries, Departments and Agencies for effective sector management;
  • The deepening and widening of understanding of the oil & gas sector by demand-side accountability partners (CSOs, the media, etc.) for focused public scrutiny;
  • The strengthening of sector oversight and scrutiny by governance institutions and other statutory accountability bodies (e.g. the National Assembly, the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), and the Nigeria Natural Resource Charter).

The Role
We are looking to recruit a dynamic and talented Senior Consultant into the Natural Resources & Energy Portfolio who will be based in Abuja and who displays a keen interest in developing their skills across a wide field of energy and extractives activity ranging from the management of (non-renewable / extractive) natural resources to the delivery of renewable energy, energy efficiency and energy access. The successful candidate will play two roles for OPM in Nigeria:

• Assistant Project Director for FOSTER (75% FT), working with the FOSTER team in Abuja and supporting the Oxford-based Project Director to provide strategic oversight of this important and influential project. The role will involve taking overall day to day responsibility for the management of an established and high performing team, the identification and mitigation of associated risks on behalf of OPM and the client, and the overall quality of reporting and strategic communications with DFID. The role will work closely together with the Team Leader and the Programme Manager.
• A business development role for the NRE Portfolio and OPM’s Economic Policy Programme more broadly in Nigeria (25% FT). The role will focus on (1) developing and identifying market opportunities and convert them into projects; and (2) nurturing existing donor relationships and actively scope and identify new partnerships and collaborative opportunities that enhance the quality, depth and reach of OPM’s work across both the energy services and the extractives sector as well as economic policy more broadly.

The Successful Candidate

• We are looking for a Senior Consultant with an operational and change management, and business development, background ideally in a relevant development-related environment.
• You will have a proven track record of successfully providing leadership to fast growing teams, high performing staff and large projects.
• You will also have the ability to build and develop relationships with existing and potential clients and partners.  In additional successful candidates will also be able to demonstrate the following skills and qualifications:

Academic qualifications:

• Masters' Degree in relevant discipline (Economics, Development Economics, Energy related field or other appropriate discipline).

Essential experience:

• At least 10 years' experience of managing significant scale international development projects, including at least 5 years on large DFID-funded works and at least 5 years on projects involving substantial policy and regulatory change at a national level.
• At least 10 years' experience of working in sub-Saharan Africa
• Demonstrated ability to think and work strategically and to use political economy analysis and evidence-based strategies to evaluate options, impacts, and risks and to design and manage adaptive policy oriented programmes in a rapidly changing environment.
• Proven leadership qualities with a strong team working ethic and the skills to support and add value to an existing and high performing team
• Strong networking skills
• Demonstrated ability to understand political and reputation risk from both OPM and DFID perspectives.

Desirable experience:

• Experience of working on policy and governance issues in the oil and gas sector.
• Experience of working in Nigeria

Essential interpersonal skills and approach to work:

• A highly structured and communicative approach to managing projects;
• Ability to use initiative and approach problems in a positive and constructive way, such as high levels of flexibility to changing demands and shifting priorities;
• Strong verbal and written communications skills and the capacity to communicate with clarity, conviction and enthusiasm to internal and external stakeholders;
• Good negotiation skills and sensitivity to the clients’ needs and expectations, with an ability to develop an in-depth understanding and knowledge of how FOSTER fits as part of the UK Government’s broader anti-corruption programming in Nigeria.
• Proven ability to collaborate with international experts;
• Work collaboratively, supportively and effectively with other team members towards a common goal; and
• Ability to use time effectively, able to manage competing priorities, work effectively under pressure to meet tight deadlines to a high standard, and maintain a good work/life balance.

Remuneration

• A competitive salary, OPM offer a rewarding, interesting and collaborative work environment, with excellent benefits including 30 days holiday entitlement and a good pension scheme. But don’t take our word for it, listen to what our colleagues have to say (link) !