HEAD OF POLICY AND RESEARCH December 2023
THE AFRICA-EUROPE FOUNDATION
ABOUT THE AFRICA-EUROPE FOUNDATION For a NEW position, in the context of the
Europe relations at the nexus of climate and
realisation of its growth strategy, the Africa
development. These Strategy Groups form the
Europe Foundation is seeking a NEW Head of
backbone of AEF’s work to catalyse innovative
Policy and Research to enable greater impact,
partnerships and unlock untapped areas of
provide thought leadership and optimize existing
cross-continental cooperation, from the future
standards and governance.
of health and the reform of financial systems to energy, agri-food and blue economy, with
This new role builds on AEF’s successes and
investment in youth leadership as a cross-
bolsters the realisation of the Foundation’s
cutting priority. AEF’s #AUEUTracker aims to
strategic ambition.
complement existing efforts to monitor and facilitate the implementation of political and
The core purpose is to head the development,
financial commitments of the cross-continental
coordination and delivery of the Foundation’s
partnership; and through its strategic research
policy and research programme, building
and outreach programme AEF is reaffirming the
the intellectual backbone of the muti annual
Africa-Europe relationship at the multilateral level.
programming and enacting the broader mission for a transformative partnership between Africa
With a strategic mind set and acting as an
and Europe.
honest broker, the successful candidate will have the aplomb to engage as a credible leading
The Africa-Europe Foundation is an independent
interlocutor, demonstrating relevant expertise
platform for multistakeholder dialogue, frank
on Africa – Europe relations with the requisite
debate and strategic analysis, working to
political sensitivity and drive.
strengthen the partnership between Africa and Europe. During its inception phase (2021-
She/he will enhance the positioning and profile
2022), multistakeholder Strategy Groups were
of AEF as the leading and go-to organisation in
set up and mandated to offer a safe space
this field.
for exchange on complex issues of Africa-
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THE AFRICA-EUROPE FOUNDATION
THE ROLE TITLE:
Head of Policy and Research
LOCATION:
Brussels
REPORTING TO:
AEF Executive Director
This role offers a competitive compensation package. The Africa Europe Foundation practises equity, diversity and inclusion.
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THE AFRICA-EUROPE FOUNDATION
ROLE SUMMARY Reporting to the Executive Director the new Head of Policy and Research will: • advance the agenda of the organisation by using research to craft policy formulations and have the ability to find consensus across diverse opinions on politically sensitive topics, • lead the multi-disciplinary team of fellows and colleagues, unlocking the potential of the network in its research mission, • work with external partners on research whilst ensuring the control and increase of high quality output leading to greater effective impact, • harness the knowledge and experience of the sectoral expert dialogue platforms, and, • enhance the positioning and profile of the Foundation as a leading and reliable go-to organisation.
THE KEY OUTCOMES OF THE ROLE ARE:
• An annual policy and strategic research programme aligned with AEF’s multi-annual programme. • The successful execution of research initiatives and product, in collaboration with senior fellows and programme managers. • A high-quality production of the annual flagship research studies and in-depth policy studies on strategic topics (360-degree reviews). • The effective relationship-building, management and coproduction with research organisations and strategic partners working on policy contents. • An evidence-based approach to strategic programming, increasingly embedded across the Foundation.
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THE AFRICA-EUROPE FOUNDATION
RESPONSIBILITIES MAIN RESPONSIBILTIES OF THE ROLE:
• Develop a coherent annual work schedule for the AEF policy and
• Develop, coordinate and maintain an effective AEF research strategy
research programme, ensuring alignment with the outputs of the
which aims to impact public policy and programming at the cross-
Foundation’s multi-annual programming agreements with strategic
continental and multilateral level, and shift decision-makers towards
partners and that the programme is planned sufficiently in advance,
new ideas and partnership opportunities for Africa and Europe.
implemented effectively and efficiently, and maximises impact.
• Head policy development at AEF, working in close collaboration with
• Draft strategic research and develop the contents for AEF large-scale
a small team of managers responsible for programming, outreach
research initiatives on strategic topics which hold the largest promise
and strategic communications, ensuring that our organisational focus
for impact, win-win solutions and partnership action at the cross-
of unlocking new opportunities for the Africa-Europe Partnership is
continental level.
embedded throughout the AEF research work. • Ensure policy and research coherence to the work of the AEF,
• Review and edit all policy and research outputs, and ensure that they are reflective of the wider policy and research environments in which
leveraging the value and work of the AEF teams and networks. This
the Africa-Europe Partnership operates. - Work in close cooperation
includes AEF’s sectoral expert dialogue platforms (strategy groups and
with the Outreach Team to present complex information clearly,
working groups), research output of co-founding organisations (Mo
tailoring the presentation of findings to meet the different needs of both
Ibrahim Foundation, Friends of Europe, African Climate Foundation,
technical and non-technical audiences appropriately, as required.
ONE Campaign), as well as technical leads and experts (CoChairs of
• Assume responsibility for the development of the Terms of Reference
the Strategy Groups, Senior Fellows, research associates). • Collaborate with the Co-Secretary Generals and contributing to good governance at the Foundation. • Represent and promote the Foundation’s research programme and
for policy studies and research initiatives, drawing on inputs from AEF’s team of senior fellows and programme managers, and negotiating agreements on ToRs with strategic partners. • Map and identify potential research partners that could partner in the
outputs at internal and external meetings, and maintain an up-to-date
co-production of initiatives with AEF. - Working closely with AEF’s
knowledge of strategic topics and sectors relevant to a stronger Africa-
Commitment Tracking Team, leverage existing data, information and
Europe Partnership.
analysis on the implementation of AU-EU commitments, to underpin
WITH THESE RESPONSIBILITIES THE NEW HEAD OF POLICY AND RESEARCH WILL: • Take ownership for the quality of research outputs, maintaining and
areas of AEF research. • Provide research guidance and technical assistance to AEF colleagues, sectoral experts and senior policy fellows as needed, lead on the cultivation of new research initiatives, and develop capacity-
improving existing standards, ensuring policy and research initiatives are
building for AEF programme managers to support high quality policy
suitably creative and rigorous and lead to tangible impact and influence.
outputs, grounded in robust research.
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THE AFRICA-EUROPE FOUNDATION
CANDIDATE PROFILE THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE:
• Brings at least 10 years of professional experience preferably within an international environment, with the capacity to work effectively and build trust in an intercultural environment and a matrix management structure with senior policy fellows and programme managers; • Holds a minimum advanced degree in social sciences, economics, political science or research methods (candidates with PhD are welcomed) and has an excellent command or English with knowledge of other languages considered as an asset; • Presents significant experience undertaking cross-disciplinary research studies and peer review of research outputs with a proven record of outstanding writing output, adapting to different audiences when presenting complex information; • Shows real dedication to the long-term mission of the Africa-Europe Foundation, taking ownership for the quality and impact of the policy and research programme.
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THE AFRICA-EUROPE FOUNDATION
HOW TO APPLY All correspondence, at this stage, should be via Oxford HR. To apply for this post, please email your
SELECTION PROCESS:
All candidates will receive an update regarding
CV and cover letter (as two separate documents) to
their application after the closing date. We advise
africa-europe-foundation@oxfordhr.com. The cover
candidates to add the role email to their safe
letter should be no more than two pages long and
senders list and regularly check their spam folder.
explain why you are interested in this post and how your skills and experience make you a good fit.
EQUALITY STATEMENT:
Equality and diversity are at the core of AEF’s The document should be saved in PDF in the
values. Staff are expected to work collectively and
following format: Your First Name-Your Last
individually to promote a constructive and sensitive
Name-Document Name-Date (mmyy) e.g., Pat-
approach to others from a variety of backgrounds,
Jones-CV-122023-AEF or Pat-Jones-CoverLetter-
where the work of others is valued and respected.
122023-AEF.
TIMELINE:
Closing Date:
QUERIES:
If you have any queries on any aspect of the 29th January 2024
appointment process, need additional information,
First stage interviews:
TBC
or would like to have an informal discussion, please
Final interviews:
TBC
email at africa-europe-foundation@oxfordhr.com in the first instance.
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THE AFRICA-EUROPE FOUNDATION
ABOUT OXFORD HR Exceptional leaders can inspire change and propel purposeled organisations towards reaching their world-changing goals. Finding such leaders can be a challenge; and yet their transition into leadership is vital to an organisations mission and success. Oxford HR is a global leadership consultancy dedicated to searching for and supporting remarkable leaders and teams in purpose-led organisations. We understand the nuances of purpose-led leadership because we’ve worked in organisations across the breadth of the sector ourselves. We’ve also worked with such organisations since 1995; so we appreciate just what benefits impactful people can bring.
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