Consultant, Intelligence & Analysis, Public Policy

2023-05-26

Africa Practice

Lagos

Full Time

Description

Position: Consultant, Intelligence & Analysis, Public Policy

Location: Flexible

Remuneration package: TBC, based on experience and competence

Manager:

The company

Africa Practice is a strategic advisory firm operating at the nexus of industry and government in Africa. We supply insights and advocacy solutions to corporations, investors, governments and foundations in Africa, enabling them to see more clearly, engage with confidence and unlock value to drive sustainable, equitable development.

Guided by our vision – an influential and prosperous Africa, inspiring the world – we empower organisations to deploy capital and execute development programmes at scale.

Our solutions are rooted in a deep appreciation of stakeholders and a conviction that sustainable performance depends on building trust, respecting the environment, solving social problems and creating opportunity.

We operate as one company, with a diverse team working on a hybrid basis in Abuja, Lagos, Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Gaborone, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Conakry and London. Our people are strategists, political analysts, economists, journalists, policy advisors, lawyers and communications specialists by background. We blend these disciplines to deliver customised and integrated consulting solutions for our clients. Over 80% of our staff are African and over 50% are women.

The position

The consultant will be part of our Intelligence and Analysis, and our Public Policy and Regulatory Affairs teams, advising clients in Nigeria and contributing to projects in other markets where relevant. They will support and manage complex intelligence and risk consulting projects and provide expert political and policy insight, working with a range of clients in the development and private sectors, while also building, managing and maintaining a network of government, industry and civil society contacts.

The ideal profile

You…

Have a professional and academic background in political science, international relations, risk management, public policy or any other discipline relevant to the role.
Are passionate about politics, policy, media and development in Nigeria and Africa more broadly, and have an active network of relationships in Nigeria specifically to reflect this.
Understand Nigeria’s political structures, policy, media and civil society environment and can translate that knowledge into strong, actionable analysis and insights.
Have previous technical training or experience in structured advisory or analysis.
Excel in intellectual thinking and creative solutions design and proactive in execution.
Are capable of managing multiple projects and project teams, interfacing with clients and making presentations.
Thrive in a fast moving environment where you have to multi-task and determine internal and external priorities for execution, and are able to quickly understand previously unfamiliar and complex issues and circumstances.

Your responsibilities

Client servicing and management

Manage and support complex political, policy and commercial intelligence and analysis projects.
Develop creative consulting solutions for clients facing specific challenges or opportunities in the region.
Participate in (or lead where needed) client briefings on political, policy and commercial developments in the region.
Advise clients on relationships with key stakeholders and stakeholder engagement planning and implementation.
Oversee and coordinate for our clients mutually beneficial relationships with stakeholders built on a firm understanding of strategic priorities.
Ensure that consulting projects are conducted and delivered within the required timeframe while simultaneously satisfying Africa Practice’s quality standards.
Build, maintain and expand strong and profitable client relationships.

Research and analysis

Produce regular, high-quality analysis on political, policy and commercial developments across sub-Saharan Africa, with a focus on Nigeria, including on the sub-national level.
Maintain a high level of local expertise through in-country intelligence gathering and open source research.

Networking

Maintain a high level of national expertise (Nigeria) through in-country network expansion, including the development of state-level contacts where required.
Develop relationships with key stakeholders and decision-makers in Nigeria to gather insights on their attitudes, current plans and upcoming actions, feeding into our wider work.

Personal growth and leadership

Challenge yourself by offering out-of-the box solutions to clients, which might go against your and their preconceptions, and are likely to change attitudes across the board.
Build your curiosity and courage, not only in terms of project-related themes and issues, but also vis-a-vis new technology, methodology, business practice and thought leadership.
Proactively take advantage of learning opportunities within and beyond Africa Practice, especially in fields outside business intelligence.

Team management

Mentor team members across different ranks, taking responsibility for their professional growth and recognising their idiosyncrasies.
Identify team members’ training needs, devise and lead on subject-matter training sessions.
Proactively take advantage of learning opportunities within and beyond Africa Practice.

Our requirements

Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline, postgraduate degree preferred.
At least 5 years’ experience working on and analysing African politics and/or specific political systems.
Outstanding verbal and written communication. An ability to write clearly, concisely and authoritatively to tight deadlines, with little editorial assistance, is crucial for this role.
Excellent investigative and analytical skills, combined with a genuine interest in public policy and current African affairs.
Proven track record working with private sector clients and a genuine interest in furthering the development of industry on the continent.
Proven ability to manage project delivery on highly dynamic, sensitive and challenging briefs.
A robust network of contacts with local and regional political experts, government officials and private sector players, as well as enthusiasm about expanding these contacts.
Excellent influencing, persuasion and engagement skills.
A self-starter, able to work on their own initiative on complex issues
Diplomacy, tact and understanding of priorities to achieve common goals.
Ability to adapt well to changing demands or ambiguous situations, with an eagerness to seize opportunities.
Ability to cultivate strong trust-based relationships with people at all levels within the company and its regional hubs, as well as client organisations and the wider business and political ecosystem.
Experience in project management and business development is preferred.
Fluency in English, French – an added advantage.

Our offer

We are a dynamic consultancy with a blue-chip book of clients. This position would offer:

Competitive remuneration
Hybrid working model
Overall degree of flexibility in ways of working
Immediate opportunities for growth
A highly collaborative, diverse and qualified team
Competitive annual leave and additional study leave

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of colour are much less likely to apply for a position unless they meet every single qualification. So this notwithstanding, if you are excited about this role, we would love to hear from you. At Africa Practice, we are dedicated to building an inclusive, diverse and authentic workplace. You might just be the new team member we are looking for - for this or other roles.

Do you want to join a dynamic, purpose-driven and ambitious company? Please send in your application by clicking on the” I’m Interested" link below. Do include a cover letter explaining why you think you are suited to this position and indicating your availability. Your documents must be entitled with “*your name*West Africa consultant” to [email protected].

The vacancy is immediately open for suitable applications and will be closed as soon as a suitable candidate is identified. Early applications are advised.

Preferred browser for application use Edge or Google Chrome

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