Head of Delivery Support

Head of Delivery Support
Hybrid (within or outside of the UK) with occasional travel to the UK offices and LDC countries

About Us

The International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) is a policy and action research organisation promoting sustainable development and linking local priorities to global challenges. We are based in London and work across five continents with some of the world’s most vulnerable people to strengthen their voices in the decision-making arenas that affect them. With more than 150 members of staff working with associates and partners around the world, IIED has been at the forefront of evidence-based policymaking in sustainable development for over 50 years.

The Initiative for Effective Adaption and Resilience (LIFE-AR) is an LDC (Less Developed Countries) led and owned initiative with the objective of developing long-term climate adaptation delivery mechanisms that enable investment behind local priorities, strengthening national institutions, domestic systems and capabilities, and influencing the climate finance architecture to improve LDCs ability to access climate finance for transformational adaptation. IIED is currently acting as the ‘interim’ Secretariat for LIFE-AR.

We are now looking for a Head of Delivery Support to join us on a full-time basis for a fixed-term contract of two years. It is envisaged this role would move to a new legal entity once it is established for LIFE-AR.

The Benefits

- Salary of £62,202 – £77,403, depending on experience, plus benefits
- 25 days' annual leave per year, increasing with service
- Closure between Christmas and New Year with additional paid holiday
- 7.5% employer's pension contributions
- An employee protection scheme offering a flexible menu of benefits
- Flexible working options
- Support for learning and development

If you are a leader accomplished in managing complex programmes across multiple countries and partners, and experience in climate adaptation and resilience and driving strategic development, this is the perfect opportunity to join a dynamic, geographically diverse team of people.

You’ll have the chance to make a real difference to Least Developed Countries, making a global impact and enabling far-reaching effects for those most vulnerable to climate change.

The Role

As Head of Delivery Support, you will provide strategic and technical support to the countries who are implementing LIFE-AR in the LDCs and the Secretariat staff assigned to each country.

Supporting LDCs to implement LIFE-AR in line with its principles, you will manage technical, political and partnership challenges, working with LDC colleagues to find innovative solutions.

You will ensure quality technical assistance is provided by the LIFE-AR Secretariat to LDCs throughout their implementation of LIFE-AR, supporting the reflection and learning from the initiative.

Additionally, you will:

- Lead the co-development and/or review of guidance notes, technical materials and processes
- Ensure learning on implementing Business un-usual in LDCs is shared and acted upon
- Develop and support radical transparency approaches that enable upward and downward accountability on LIFE-AR investment, impact and learning in LIFE-AR countries
- Ensure LIFE-AR reporting, MEL and risk management processes at national level are effective in tracking and communicating the impact and progress of the initiative

About You

To be considered as Head of Delivery Support, you will need:

- At least 12 years’ experience in climate adaptation and resilience and relevant development fields
- Experience of working with LDC governments
- Experience of collaborative, inclusive and transparent governance models and decision-making processes and meaningful stakeholder engagement
- Experience of relationship and network-building, promoting the whole of society and with a cross sector of community organisations, funders, and donors at different levels and remotely, and in multicultural contexts
- Experience of approaches to build capabilities in LDC’s own institutions, including through coaching, mentoring and growing leaders
- Experience of promoting decolonisation and anti-racist practice, and diversity, equity and social inclusion
- Fluency in English and good working knowledge of spoken French
- An advanced degree (or equivalent qualification) in relevant discipline or equivalent experience

IIED is a hybrid working organisation and you are likely to be working from home most of the time. As such, you will need a suitable place to work and a reliable, fast internet connection.

Please note, this role is also open to those who live outside the UK, as long as you have the right to work in the country you wish to reside in. IIED will support a UK visa for this role if re-location is requested.

The salary range advertised in GBP is applicable in the UK only, and the salary offer in another country would depend on the local terms and conditions. We only use the UK salary structure to determine starting salaries, but it will not apply to salaries outside the UK thereafter.

The closing date for this role is the 1st November 2023.

Other organisations may call this role Head of Initiative Delivery, Head of Initiatives, Initiative Delivery Manager, Initiative Delivery Lead, or Principal Researcher.

Webrecruit and Institute for Environment and Development are equal opportunities employers, we value diversity and are strongly committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all employees and all applicants. Equal opportunities are the only acceptable way to conduct business and we believe that the more inclusive our environments are, the better our work will be.

So, if you want to join our outstanding organisation as Head of Delivery Support, please apply via the button shown. This vacancy is being advertised by Webrecruit. The services advertised by Webrecruit are those of an Employment Agency.