Strategic Partnerships Lead at Africa Management Solutions Limited (AMSOL)

As part of the organization’s 5-year strategic plan from 2023 – 2026, The Institute will be investing in strategic partnerships to increase the influence of the research work done by early career African women researchers in its network. The proposed Strategic Partnerships Lead will work closely with the Board’s Programmes and Impact Committee (PIC), Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Director of Programmes (DoP) to ensure that the “Big Ideas” and voices of early career African women researchers are heard in places where impact work and solutions are developed to address critical issues on the continent and beyond.
Specifically, an outcome driven approach anchored in the organization’s 4-year strategic plan, and supported by the theory of change, log-frame and Fellows/Alumni commitments to action (C2A), will be used in identifying and securing the strategic partnerships. Potential partners will include communication and media partners, development partners, industry players, research and innovation partners, government and policy makers, universities, and donors and funders. Examples of desired outcomes are, public dissemination of Fellows/Alumni ideas through public engagement and communication partnerships, adoption and implementation of evidence generated by Fellows/Alumni through policy engagement, and adoption and implementation of Fellows/Alumni evidence-based innovations through placements and pilot projects.
The Strategic Partnerships Lead will report directly to the Director of Programmes and will be supported by Fellowship Programme team leads and associates, who will help in meeting programmatic goals. The lead will:

Programme Design

• Design and deliver a strategic partnerships framework to guide the process of identifying, forming and maintaining strategic partnerships.
• Create supporting tools and materials for managing strategic partnerships within the institute’s Connects Network at local, regional and global levels.
• Develop a workstream for yearly strategic partnerships that will help meet the organization’s strategic goals, with key objectives and expected results to guide implementation of the Institute’s Connects Network.
• Assess Fellows/Alumni Commitments to Action (C2A) and identify actionable priorities and areas of partnership/activities to achieve the organization’s strategic outcomes.
• Develop a matching framework that identifies potential partners and matches them to Fellows/Alumni C2A outcomes.
• Support in partnership design and re-design to suit the Institute’s Connects Network and Fellows/Alumni changing and emerging needs.
• With the support of the Research and Analytics Lead, conduct market research and analysis to identify potential partners, including communication and media partners, development partners, industry players, research and innovation partners, government and policy makers, universities, and donors and funders.
  Programme Management
• Oversee implementation of the strategic partnership’s framework, working closely with Team members across the Institute
• Develop a yearly work plan for implementing the workstream, working closely with all team leads to ensure long-term success and ensuring alignment with the broader Fellowship and Voices work plans.
•  Oversee all projects in the work plan with strategic partners.
•  Lead delivery of expected outcomes, and working closely with the MEL team to track indicators of progress and success, as well as partner metrics.
• Identify and respond to challenges in executing the work plan in a timely manner.

Strategic Leadership & Relationship Management

•  Support in identifying, building and managing strong partnerships with strategic actors in government, research and academia, private sector and other key partners.
•  Facilitate Fellows/ Alumni engagement with strategic partners.
•  Manage contract development and negotiations including preparing memorandums of understanding (MOUs) to secure mutually beneficial arrangements that provide an opportunity for long-term growth.
•  Manage relationships with partners to ensure that all parties are meeting their obligations and benefitting from the relationship.
•  Support the Leadership Team in identifying new opportunities for partnership with existing partners.
• Support relationship management between partners and the Institute.
•  Support the engagement with other leaders in the ecosystem to meet the organization’s strategic goals.
  Knowledge Management and Engagement
• Support the development of knowledge products from Fellows/Alumni C2As in partnership with the Communications and the Institute’s Voices teams.
• Work with the Communications and Voices Leads to ensure consistent and impactful messaging around partnerships and Fellows/Alumni engagement.
• Support the CEO and DoP in the representation of the Institute in interviews, events and workshops with partners.

Safeguarding and Risk Management

• Commit to the Institute’s mission and vision, including ensuring the safeguarding of Fellows/ Alumni in partnerships and zero tolerance to abuse and harm.
• Work with the Institute’s Safeguarding Officers to review and approve the strategic partnerships framework. Ensure that partnerships are developed and managed in line with the Institute’s safeguarding policies and procedures.
• Identify and manage risks associated with partnerships, and work with the Director of Programmes to mitigate risks.

Qualifications

•  A Master’s degree in a relevant field, such as business administration, international development, or a social science discipline.
•  A minimum of five years of experience in partnership development, preferably in the field of international development, social enterprise, or a related field.
•  Demonstrated ability to develop and manage strategic partnerships with diverse stakeholders, including communication and media partners, development partners, industry players, research and innovation partners, government and policy makers, universities, and donors and funders.
•  Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to think strategically and identify opportunities for partnership development.
•  Excellent negotiation, communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage and influence a wide range of stakeholders.
• Proven ability to manage complex projects and initiatives, with a strong results-driven approach.
•  Familiarity with the African research and innovation landscape and the challenges and opportunities facing early career African women researchers.
•  Experience working with theory of change, log-frame, and impact measurement frameworks.
•  Strong verbal and written communication skills in English
•  Curious individual with ability to work both independently and collaboratively, and to seek assistance with projects as required
• An interest in continual learning and professional growth
•  The ability to thrive in a role with a great deal of autonomy in an environment that is highly collaborative, communicative, and team-oriented.
• Commitment to the Institute’s mission and values.