Governance Advisor (Transport) Full-Time

The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to making globalisation work for the many, not the few.We offer new thinking and new approaches to address some of the most intractable problems that leaders wrestle with today.

The Institute works to provide policy and strategy advice in support of a vision of globalisation designed to improve the well-being of the people, economically, politically, and socially. Our focus is on tackling the big challenges which hold such a vision of globalisation back:

• Poor governance which stops the benefits of globalisation being shared because countries cannot build the institutional strength and resilience to transform their situation and deliver for their people
• Extremism which stops the co-existence and cultural open-mindedness essential for social integration
• Conflict which entrenches sectarianism and paralyses progress, particularly in the Middle East
• Western politics which is in urgent need of a new agenda to provide radical but sensible answers to the new challenges presented by globalisation, technology, and the rise of a new false populism

i) Analyzing the integrated transportation strategy for the country;

ii) Identifying priority projects, and processes to ensure their delivery, while balancing short- and longer-term time horizons;

iii) Supporting policy coordination and delivery of the integrated transportation strategy across key ministries;

iv) Working with the Ministry of Transport, donors and the private sector to secure investment and financing for priority infrastructure.

You will also support the Government on its transport policy and regulatory framework, institutional and private sector development. You will work with the Ministry of Transport in close cooperation with the Country Head, the Energy Advisor, and staff in our London headquarters, including with the Private Sector Development and Inclusive Growth practice.

This will involve working in a collaborative and diplomatic sensitive manner; actively contributing to the delivery and success of the Mozambique project to build capacity in the Government of Mozambique; and feeding into the wider work and development of the TBI. You will develop and maintain close relationships with the Minister of Transport, the Director General, and regulators, and will be expected to foster strong ties to other Ministries, donors and the private sector. You will report to the Mozambique Country Head.

 Responsibilities

The Transport Advisor will be responsible for:

1. Planning: support the government to perform a detailed analysis of the “Strategy for the integrated development of the transport system”, while identifying the main bottlenecks to deliver the strategy;

2. Prioritization: within the different transportation systems, the advisor will be expected to identify and prioritize the following:

• Prioritize transportation systems and key infrastructure projects that have 1) the most impact on the population, and 2) are the most pertinent for national economic development;
• Of those projects that are economically viable, identify those which can be developed with the involvement of the private sector and begin to build links with partners;
• Of those projects which are transport services and infrastructures that are currently non-viable, identify innovative models, solutions and approaches to facilitate their development;

3. Delivery: develop an integrated roadmap, complete with appropriate systems, structures and processes to ensure the implementation of priority projects;

• Doing the above while building the capacity and delivery systems of government, and bringing added value and expertise to the transport sector and areas of overlap with other workstreams e.g. energy;
• Improving collaboration by supporting the Ministry of Transport and other government actors to work more effectively together to resolve bottlenecks to the development of the transport sector. This will require collaboration with Government officials, the TBI Country Head and the TBI Energy Advisor;
• Providing independent and objective advice to the Minister of Transport and his designated focal point while recognizing that policy decision-making and implementation of initiatives is the sole responsibility of the Government of Mozambique;
• Contributing to the success of the Mozambican project, by supporting the Country Head, including contributing to prudent financial management, individually and for the project, monitoring and evaluation of the project work, team-building exercises (e.g. organizing team briefings, outings, etc.);
• Scoping opportunities within the transportation sector in order to assess possible future avenues for TBI work in the transport workstream in Mozambique;
• Contributing to the development of the Private Sector Development and Inclusive Growth Practice.

Requirements

• At least 5+ years’ experience in the transport sector (rail, maritime, airports) is required, in particular in transportation infrastructure development and transport business models. Experience in institutional capacity development, public private financing and working in Africa is highly desirable
• Experience working in and/or with the private sector, and delivering major infrastructure projects is desirable;
• An understanding of the needs of senior officials, both while office based and travelling; the ability to work and interact at the highest levels of public life; strong political skills are desirable;
• An ability to work independently, think strategically and translate strategies into concrete and implementable plans; an acute attention to detail with excellent analytical, organizational, and communication skills;
• Excellent inter-personal skills and ability to work both independently and as part of a wider team;
• Ability to liaise with partner governments, the private sector, and key stakeholders (e.g. donors) to deliver the requirements of the post;
• Willingness to travel, sometimes at short notice;
• Experience of identifying and resolving project implementation bottlenecks;
• Strong sense of ethics, discretion and perseverance required;
• Fluency in Portuguese and English is required.