Policy Officer – Tax – Natural Resources and Sustainable Climate Finance at Tax Justice Network - Africa (TJN-A)

Role Purpose:

• As a Policy Officer at TJNA, your primary purpose is to provide strategic leadership and expertise in advancing the organization's policy advocacy and research initiatives. You will be responsible for driving the development and implementation of TJNA's policy agenda, fostering partnerships, and ensuring the effective delivery of programs aligned with our global advocacy and policy influence agenda as outlined in our Strategic Plan. Through your seasoned leadership, innovative thinking, and collaborative approach, you will elevate TJNA's position as a leading voice in advocating for transformative policy changes that promote social justice, economic equity, and sustainable development at both national and international levels on the thematic area of tax and its intersection with natural resource governance and sustainable climate finance. Your role is instrumental in shaping policies, influencing decision-makers, and catalyzing meaningful change towards achieving TJNA's mission and vision.

Key Responsibilities
Policy Analysis & Research

• Collaborate closely with the Policy Research and Advocacy Manager to ensure an unparalleled level of understanding and expertise in the designated area of work, leading the dissemination of viewpoints to key stakeholders, governments, media, and other organizations at various forums. 
• Produce exceptionally high-quality analytical and research outputs that profoundly shape TJNA's position on relevant issues, decisively direct advocacy campaigns, profoundly inform national and global policy, and wield substantial influence over decision-makers.
• Lead the development of TJNA publications, including bi-annual issues papers, newsletters, blogs, news articles, and policy briefs, setting the standard for excellence and impact in the field.
• Champion engagement in tax policy debates and discussions, elevating TJNA's policy influence through dynamic and incisive participation, setting the benchmark for thought leadership.
• Provide strategic direction and oversight to external consultants, while directly managing delegated policy and research projects aligned with TJNA's themes as outlined in the annual work plan, ensuring unparalleled quality and impact.
• Developing and maintaining relationships with partners
• Identify, establish, and cultivate relationships with critical international institutions and platforms vital for TJNA's objectives and programs, taking a lead role in fostering transformative strategic collaborations.
• Serve as TJNA's primary representative at various networks, workshops, seminars, and policy events, driving unparalleled organizational presence and impact through masterfulrepresentation and networking.
• Initiate and lead formal collaboration initiatives with targeted partners and TJNA members on international tax themes, leveraging extensive expertise and network connections to forge transformative alliances.
• Actively nurture and strengthen strategic relationships with key Civil Society Organization (CSO) leaders, partners, and networks, engaging them at a senior level for invaluable feedback and input in planning, implementation, and evaluation, setting the gold standard for partnership engagement.
• Provide expert technicalsupport and oversight in designing and executing key activitiesto identify strategic spaces for TJNA engagement, devising comprehensive action plans in close consultation with the Policy Research and Advocacy Manager, ensuring unparalleled impact and effectiveness. Programme Planning, Coordination and Reporting
• Take a lead role in the design and development of the thematic pillar work plans, ensuring meticulous planning and the timely delivery of advocacy and research work in international tax themes, setting the benchmark for excellence and impact.
• Lead the organization of TJNA's international, regional, and national events, as well as global movement and constituency-building activities, overseeing all aspects of planning and execution with unparalleled effectiveness.
• Assume full responsibility for managing contracts with consultants and service suppliers within the program, ensuring strict adherence to timelines, budgets, and quality standards, setting the standard for excellence and accountability.
• Collaborate closely with finance staff to maintain meticulous financial records, proactively identifying variances and recommending corrective actions to ensure financial integrity, setting the benchmark for financial stewardship.
• Coordinate and oversee all thematic-related programs, meticulously tracking key performance indicatorsto ensure alignment with TJNA's overarching strategy, setting the standard for program management excellence.
• Generate comprehensive program reports at regular intervals in accordance with the work plan, providing detailed insights into program performance and impact, setting the benchmark for transparency and accountability.

Key Accountability Areas

• Policy analysis and research on tax, natural resource governance and sustainable climate finance
• Programme planning coordination and reporting.
• Developing and maintaining relationships with partners.

Competencies
Corporate Competencies

• Demonstrates unwavering integrity, embodying TJNA's values and ethical standards across all interactions and decisions.
• Champions TJNA's vision, mission, and strategic goals, driving alignment and commitment among team members.
• Displays exceptional sensitivity and adaptability to cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality, and age diversity, fostering an inclusive and supportive work environment.

Functional Competencies

• Cultivates strong, mutually beneficial relationships with TJNA’s stakeholders, delivering exceptional impact and results through strategic engagement.
• Embraces feedback with positivity and responsiveness, consistently delivering timely and considered responses to inquiries and suggestions.
• Approaches all tasks with boundless energy and a positive, constructive attitude, inspiring colleagues and stakeholders alike with unwavering enthusiasm.
• Communicates with clarity, precision, and persuasiveness, both orally and in writing, effectively conveying complex ideas and influencing diverse audiences.
• Demonstrates a remarkable openness to change and an innate ability to navigate complexities with ease and confidence, driving continuous improvement and innovation across all facets of work.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in economics, political science public policy or a development-related discipline.
• Master's degree in economics, political science public policy or a development-related discipline will be an added advantage.

Core Skills and Experience

• At least seven years of related work experience in an NGO or CSO working at regional level; or Government.
• Strong Programme management skills.
• Work experience in tax-related issues, especially governance, transparency, and accountability.
• Knowledge of finance and Programme budget monitoring and tracking.
• Stakeholder development and management.
• Research and analytical skills.
• Ability to communicate and work in English (French is an added advantage).
• Flexible, creative, and strategic thinker.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Ability to communicate clearly and work cooperatively in a cross-cultural setting with several longdistance working relationships; and
• Willingness to travel for at least 25% of the time.

Desirable

• Knowledge of tax and its intersection with natural resource governance and sustainable climate finance in relation to development; tax justice; and development financing.