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Centre for Disaster Protection – Policy Engagement Lead

City/Country Location Details London, UK; Apsley, UK; Nigeria; Pakistan

Employment Status Fixed Term

Job Type Project

Centre for Disaster Protection - Policy Engagement Lead

Background

The Centre for Disaster Protection works to prevent disasters devastating lives, by helping people, countries, and organisations change how they plan and pay for disasters. We focus on disaster risk financing to help ensure that money and plans are in place before a disaster strikes, so that the poorest and most vulnerable people are better protected. We are committed to work in partnerships across sectors and geographies to drive more impactful and more equitable disaster risk finance that leaves no one behind. Specifically, through a focus on:

· Delivering excellent client outcomes and promoting lasting disaster risk finance expertise. We provide clients with impartial and evidence-based advice, quality assurance and training that meets their needs and drives more effective disaster risk finance.

· Quality evidence and learning. We work to strengthen the evidence base for prearranged financing and document and share what shows the greatest potential to achieve system change.

· Impactful communications and global policy engagement. We seek to engage and influence through evidence-led policy and inclusive policy dialogue that bridges both ‘local to global’ and the humanitarian development climate nexus, targeting the bottlenecks key to effect transformative change of the international crisis financing architecture.

Additionally, we are focused on building effective systems and processes for people and operations that support the Centre to rapidly, yet strategically, scale and grow in a way that supports our people to do their best work through safe challenge, promoting and integrating diversity, equity and inclusion.

The Centre is funded with UK aid through the UK government. Read more about us in ourupdated strategy (https://static1.squarespace.com/static/61542ee0a87a394f7bc17b3a/t/639c9fb7ea712d52df9e711b/1671208891110/Centre_Strategy_24-11-22+%286%29.pdf) (2022-2025)and find out more atwww.disasterprotection.org (https://dai0-my.sharepoint.com/personal/lydia_poole_dai_com/Documents/Desktop/www.disasterprotection.org) .

The role

This role will shape the Centre for Disaster Protection’s engagement in global and regional policy processes and international fora, focusing on development and climate finance diplomacy and reform and engaging with a broad range of stakeholders, including governments, multilateral agencies, civil society networks, and others. The role will form a bridge between elements of our policy evidence work, external relations and engagement. Specifically, the role will help to translate evidence-led policy insights, through leading and shaping the Centre’s external affairs.

The ideal candidate will have a technical policy background with good knowledge of development and climate finance, and/or humanitarian finance, and demonstrable experience in engaging with and influencing policy decision makers. Understanding and knowledge of key intergovernmental processes and forums such as G7/G20/COP will be essential, as well as understanding of multilateral institutions (e.g., the UNFCCC, World Bank/IMF, V20) and key initiatives such as the ‘Bridgetown Initiative’.

The Policy Engagement Lead will work closely with Evidence Project Leads and other specialist team members within multidisciplinary teams of Centre staff, external consultants and partner organisations. The Policy Engagement Lead will also work closely with colleagues leading our communications and partnerships, in support of Centre priorities.

Role responsibilities

· Lead the development and implementation of policy-influencing, diplomacy and engagement strategies on key Centre priorities, co-designed in close collaboration with expert colleagues, that help to drive change at the international-system level, and through key regional forums.

· Lead engagement with a broad range of internal and external stakeholders from across sectors and geographies, and a diverse range of professional, cultural, and social backgrounds.

· Identify and exploit opportunities for strengthening the Centre’s strategic engagement with key stakeholders and for influencing decision-making.

· Undertake analysis and monitoring, providing global, regional and sectoral insights, and communicating them verbally and in writing to a variety of senior internal and external stakeholder audiences.

· Distil and clearly articulate complex messages to a range of audiences - providing high-quality written outputs, including briefings and communications products.

· Lead connectivity to policy and partner networks and represent the Centre in meetings with partners, in particular in connection to the development finance reform and climate finance agendas.

· Contribute to advancing the Centre’s policy thought-leadership agenda through effective storytelling (working closely with the Head of Communications), showcasing the Centre’s evidence, expertise, creativity, and learning.

· Work closely and proactively with colleagues from across the Centre’s multidisciplinary team, to increase knowledge and capacity in policy engagement and influencing, with a focus on upskilling.

In addition to role-specific responsibilities, thePolicy Engagement Leadwill be required to:

● Uphold the Centre’s values and contribute to a positive organisational culture.

● Build the Centre’s external reputation through managing relations with key stakeholders and partners across the development, humanitarian, climate, financial, civil society and academic sectors.

● Collaborate effectively with teams of Centre staff and consultants.

Skills and experience

Successful candidates will be able to demonstrate a range of the following skills and experience:

• Demonstrable strategic leadership on policy, influencing and engagement, and astrong understanding of the key actors and policy environment of the international development and climate policy architecture.

• Willingness to learn key principles, features and functions of disaster risk financing to a level where you can critically engage and challenge.

• Ability to communicate complex information in creative, precise and engaging written and visual formats.

• Demonstrable experience of representing organisations externally at senior level, managing relationships with policy-makers and influencers, and of engaging with intergovernmental/multilateral processes and events.

• Work collaboratively, with experience of building networks and coalitions of support with a broad range of internal and external stakeholders from across sectors and geographies – including with low- and middle-income countries -and a diverse range of professional, cultural, and social backgrounds. Experience co-delivering successful policy outcomes, in collaboration with formal and informal partner networks.

• Experience multitasking and managing multiple priorities to competing deadlines, thrives on diversity of a role.

• Demonstrate a clear commitment to the Centre’s values and mission.

• Welcome diverse feedback, take initiative and work proactively and effectively as part of a dynamic, multidisciplinary team in a hybrid working environment.

Whilst a significant amount of travel is not anticipated, applicants should be willing, as required, to travel to international locations.

The offer

This role is expected to be offered on a fixed term contract basis, anticipated to start in September 2024 and continuing to June 2029, with an initial probation period of up to 4 months. The role will be contracted by DAI Global UK (or local partner/representative), who are the Centre’s managing agent.

The position is offered in the first instance as a position based in the UK, Nigeria or Pakistan. Whilst the role is primarily remote, regular visits to the Centre’s office in the City of London will be required and preference will be for candidates who can commit to working from the London office at least two days a week. Flexible, part-time and remote working arrangements will be considered. Applicants for the role must already have the right to work in the UK/Nigeria/Pakistan as relevant.

Other locations of employment may be considered, subject to feasibility. Candidates based elsewhere who fulfil the above skills and experience and person specification criteria and have interest in the role, may contact the Centre on the enquiry e-mail below in the first instance, to enquire whether the role could be offered in their preferred location.

A competitive salary and benefits package will be offered depending on experience (indicative gross salary range between£60,000 to £80,000per annum where the role is based in the UK). The proposed salary will be confirmed at the offer stage.

The Centre is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace and so we particularly encourage applications from diverse backgrounds that are typically under-represented in this sector and from citizens of countries affected by disasters.

DAI is a global development company with corporate offices in the USA, the UK, the EU, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Palestine, and project operations worldwide. DAI tackles fundamental social and economic development problems caused by inefficient markets, ineffective governance, and instability; it works on the frontlines of global development, transforming ideas into action—action into impact. DAI is committed to shaping a more liveable world.

Application process

Interested applicants should apply via DAI’s recruitment portal. (https://www.dai.com/careers/working-at-dai) All applications must include a concise CV as well as a covering supporting statement (no more than two pages) outlining your motivation for applying and the key qualities you would bring to the role.

Any reasonable adjustment requests or questions about the role or the recruitment process should be sent to: jobs_centre@disasterprotection.org (please do not send applications to this email address).

The deadline for receiving applications is 11:59 pm (UK time) on 21 July2024.

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