The Commonwealth Secretariat seeks to appoint a Senior Director for our Strategy, Portfolio, Partnerships and Digital (SPPD) Division. The SPPD Division, supports the Secretary-General in devising strategies, policies and innovative institutional mechanisms and practices to implement the Secretariat’s programme of work as mandated by member governments.
It puts together the Strategic and Delivery Plans, and ensures programme quality and coherence through monitoring, evaluation, learning and organisational reporting. It also leads on developing international and Commonwealth partnerships and assists in mobilising resources. Furthermore, it is the custodian of the Secretariat’s ICT and Innovation agenda.
The Senior Director is also responsible for matters related to the Governing Boards. In that capacity, they are responsible for the Secretariat’s relationship with member states and provides oversight of the Secretariat to the Governing Bodies of the Commonwealth and supports higher level governance mechanisms such as Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) and ministerial meetings.
The Senior Director SPPD will provide vision, leadership, and guidance to the Division and the Secretariat. Reporting to the Secretary-General, they will be a member of the Senior Management Committee, playing a leading role in shaping Secretariat strategies and policies, as well as those of the Division.
As the leader of the Division, the Senior Director will manage a diverse team of highly experienced professionals and support staff who deliver specialised knowledge and interventions in their respective fields of specialisation.
To be considered for the position you will need to have a post-graduate degree in in Business Administration, International Relations, Policy Studies, Strategy or Management. A PhD in a relevant discipline is preferred. You will also need clear evidence of at least 15 years of leading in a substantive senior executive role, in a similar multilateral organisation or government role with results delivered in areas of work relevant to this role.
Other requirements to be met in order to be considered include: experience in management and leadership roles and evidence of being accustomed to working and succeeding in complex political and governmental settings; ability to provide effective, specialised advice on strategic planning, evaluation and related issues; substantial people management skills and experience including experience in recruiting and developing high performing and diverse teams, and in managing and supporting change. You will need to have the ability to think strategically, including experience in planning and offering sound operational and tactical advice where required to achieve strategic goals.
You will need to possess financial management skills and experience including planning and oversight of budgets; excellent communication skills including public speaking skills that are persuasive and confident in style; good negotiating skills, with demonstrable experience in navigating successfully between differing demands and stakeholders; experience in working within different jurisdictions in the Commonwealth; and experience with working with a diverse workforce.
The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 54 member governments and provides guidance on policy making, technical assistance and advisory services to Commonwealth member countries. We support governments to help achieve sustainable, inclusive and equitable development.
Please apply by submitting a CV and cover letter. Covering letters should be structured to address the key criteria required in the person specification, giving clear examples.
To join us, you must be a citizen of a Commonwealth country.
Closing date: 29 December 2021 at 17:00 GMT