We’re looking for a part-time (2 days a week on average) free-lance driven Senior Fellow and Task Force Leader, for a duration of 2 years.  Travel within Africa and Europe connected to Task Force meetings. Residing in Africa is an advantage.

Africa and Europe need to revise and re-energise their relations. In a world of increased geopolitical competition with new and old actors jostling for influence across the continent, Europe and Africa must act urgently to modernise and revitalise relations. European and African narratives about each other need a fundamental reset.

Funded by the European Union, this project brings together a leading African think tank, the Mo Ibrahim Foundation renowned for its work in supporting good governance and exceptional leadership in Africa, a leading and innovative European think tank working on a more inclusive, sustainable and forward-looking Europe, Friends of Europe, and IPEMED, a respected academic institute. Together, this consortium has a vast depth of expertise on African and European policymaking and the investment environment across both regions as well as extensive networks of high level political and business contacts.

At the heart of this project is a mission to develop strategic policy and programming priorities for partnership in priority areas of cooperation, with climate change and green transition as transversal themes. The project aims at reaffirming a framework for a structured continuous and strategic dialogue between both regions’ stakeholders from business, politics and civil society. Four task forces are being set up in the following key sectors and themes: digital economy; transport and connectivity; sustainable energy and sustainable agriculture.

As project coordinator, Friends of Europe is recruiting a Senior Fellow and dedicated Task Force Leader for Sustainable Agriculture.

Here is what we expect from you.

WHAT WILL YOU BE DOING?

Responsibilities and main duties:

Overall responsibility

The Task Force leader has the overall responsibility for driving, leading and supporting the strategic development, coordination and delivery of one Africa Europe Alliance’s Task Force, in order to meet agreed impact targets, develop action-able recommendations at a policy and programming level, secure buy-in from multi-stakeholders and contribute to the overall visibility for the Alliance.

Accountabilities, responsibilities and main duties

1. Strategic Leadership: provide leadership for the creation, development and action of the thematic Task Force

• Building an effective dialogue process across the membership of the Task Force;
• Preparing the Task Force meetings with a focus on a strategically focused and action-oriented agenda;
• Working with the AEA Director of Strategy to develop effective partnerships including with the EU and African regional institutions in the domain of sustainable agriculture and Rome-based UN agencies for agriculture and food security;
• Working with the co-chairs of the Task Force meetings, to ensure the agenda is effectively facilitated and delivered.

2. Expertise and Team Leadership: provide sector expertise to drive the content of the Task Force

• Developing and maintaining an effective regional network on the thematic focus of the Task Force with a strategic focus on engaging with Africa-based think-tanks, civil society networks and institutions working in the domain of sustainable agriculture;
• Contributing to professional forums and debate which increase the profile of the Alliance and the Task Force work;
• Contributing to effective knowledge sharing to build capacity across the Alliance;
• Providing a mentoring role to the designated Project Manager for the Task Force thematic.

3. Technical Leadership: provide professional rigour for the implementation of the work plan of the Task Force

• Ensuring coherence, regional relevance and professional rigour around the development of the Task Force;
• Assessing, evaluating and editing outcomes of research, and providing guidance on where the evidence-base can be further strengthened;
• Orientating the research and work of the project managers on mapping of existing practice;
• Contributing to effective monitoring, evaluation and communications for the overall project; and based on the work of the Task Force.

Behaviours

• Creating shared purpose and connecting with others, building trust and understanding with people who have different views;
• Making it happen, achieving stretching results when faced by change and major obstacles;
• Working together, creating an environment in which others who have very different aims can work together;
• Being accountable, showing real dedication to the long-term mission and expected outcomes of the Alliance.

Skills and Knowledge

• Proven record of dialogue facilitation and partnership development for high impact outcomes;
• Experience of successful strategic dialogue processes which build shared views around common issues of concern;
• Familiarity with facilitating dialogue processes face-to-face and from remote through digital platforms;
• Strong understanding of Africa-Europe cooperation, its development challenges, diverse country contexts, investment practices;
• Excellent analytical, writing and editing skills;
• Fluent English speaker; good working level of French is considered an asset.

Experience

• Proven ability to develop relations and dialogue processes which deliverable measurable impact;
• Professional sector expertise in the Task Force thematic and in the domain of Africa-Europe relations;
• Active and up-to-date network of contacts in the theme of the Task Force;
• Proven ability to present well in professional forums, conferences and strategic meetings;
• Experience of working effectively in a matrix management structure.