Climate and development knowledge network: director of policy and programme

Purpose of job

A dedicated senior professional post is required in CDKN to drive forward the agreed thematic focus across outputs and regions; build a coherent and responsive strategy; provide quality control and advice across the programme, enhance external representation and support the CEO and management team.

The main thrusts of the CDKN Director of Policy and Programmes role will be to deliver a coherent global programme within CDKN based around the three thematic areas identified, and secondly, to provide strategic advice across CDKNs programmes. This means leading the two streams of global work through managing in and out house resources whilst linking with the related core areas of the regional and output led portfolios. The post-holder will have a strong external focus.

The Director of Policy and Programmes will work closely with and report directly to the CEO alongside other members of the Management team, also working closely with both Outputs Leaders and Regional Directors on CDKN Strategy and Business Plan delivery. The post holder will provide oversight of key output areas of CDKN, ensuring that the output teams deliver high quality and up scaled programmes.

Main duties and responsibilities

The post-holder will contribute to the overall strategy of CDKN and lead CDKN’s global programme, in a matrix structure which includes both regional heads and output leaders responsible for research, knowledge management, partnerships and technical assistance. Specifically, the post-holder will:

- Act as the focal point in CDKN relating to climate compatible development policy, building credible CCD capacity within CDKN, particularly in the focal thematic areas
- Manage and develop a global programme of policy research and knowledge management for CDKN focussed around the themes of CCD strategies, climate finance and disaster management
- The post holder will lead CDKN’s research, and knowledge management work streams providing strategic direction, staff management and budget responsibilities for the ODI programme outputs
- Represent CDKN externally engaging in international fora, building key relationships and helping to shape international consensus on climate and development
- Contribute to CDKN strategy and programme development, including annual Business Plans;
- Contribute to regional and output plans, to ensure quality and consistency across outputs and regions;
- Contribute to individual project design, monitoring and evaluation, for key, strategic engagements in agreement with regional and output leaders;
- Carry out other duties as requested by the CEO;
- Recruit, induct, develop and support directly managed staff;
- Carry out annual appraisals and probationary reviews within the performance management system of ODI and CDKN;

Person specification

Knowledge and Qualifications

- A degree and post-graduate qualification in a discipline relevant to climate change and international development

Experience

- A high degree of professional competence in climate compatible development, attested by publications and extensive professional experience;
- Excellent networks in the climate change and development policy arena
- Experience in analysis and application of new knowledge for policy makers

Skills/Abilities

- Ability to lead a research, policy advice and public affairs team,
- Demonstrated capacity to manage staff and budgets in professional advisory services including encouraging good and managing poor performance;
- Demonstrated capacity to work productively in a matrix management structure;
- Experience in external relationship management and representation, including at international meetings, conferences and seminars;
- Experience in building professional communities of practice;
- Experience in communicating in a variety of ways
- Project Management Skills