Call for Talent: Team Leader - Policy Reform Facility (Zambia)

Oxford Policy Management is seeking a Team Leader on a Fixed Term basis, contingent on the successful outcome of a bid for an upcoming project calledZambia Policy Reform Facility. It is anticipated that it would start in early 2027 and run for 4 years approximately.

The position would be located in Zambia.

We are an international development consultancy working to improve lives through sustainable policy change in low- and middle-income countries. Our vision is for fair public policy that benefits both people and the planet.

Through our global network of offices, we work in partnership with national stakeholders and decision makers to research, design, implement, and evaluate impactful public policy. We draw on our local and international sector experts to provide the very best evidence-based support. We deliver projects with expert knowledge and experience and can be relied upon for excellence in all aspects of project delivery. We work collaboratively, with ambition, to help deliver impactful public policy that will bring about lasting change.

The Team Leader will provide strategic leadership for the Zambia Policy Reform Facility. The role will provide overall strategic direction to an adaptive, politically informed facility designed to identify, develop and support reform opportunities across Zambia.

• Provide strategic leadership and overall direction to the Zambia Policy Reform Facility.
• Act as the principal interlocutor with BHC Lusaka, providing strategic advice on reform opportunities, risks and priorities.
• Lead political economy analysis to identify opportunities for policy and institutional reform.
• Build and maintain trusted relationships with government, civil society, private sector and development partners.
• Lead coalition building and influencing to build consensus and advance reform.
• Manage an adaptive portfolio of technical assistance and expertise, ensuring interventions are evidence-based, responsive and focused on sustainable, system-level change.
• Lead and manage multidisciplinary teams, ensuring effective delivery, learning and adaptation.
• Contribute to BHC Lusaka’s objectives on economic growth, poverty reduction and resilience to climate and other shocks.

• Extensive senior-level experience leading complex development, governance or policy reform programmes.
• Strong understanding of Zambia’s political, economic and institutional context.
• Demonstrated experience working in politically sensitive and rapidly changing environments.
• Strong skills in political economy analysis, stakeholder engagement, coalition building and influencing.
• Proven experience managing adaptive programmes and multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience providing strategic advice to senior government, donor or development stakeholders.
• Strong strategic, analytical, communication and relationship-management skills.
• Relevant postgraduate qualification or equivalent professional experience in development, public policy, economics, governance or a related field.
• Excellent written and spoken English.

Whether you join us in a corporate position, as a project delivery colleague, or as an independent contractor driving programme management - at OPM you will find a company that places equal value on excellence and integrity. As a leading international development consulting firm, we strive to enable and empower everyone who works with us to do their best work in an environment that welcomes ambition, creativity and passion for positive change.

Our commitment to diversity and inclusion

We strongly believe in a fairer distribution of power between all stakeholders, and we commit to reflecting this in our organisational structures and in the design and delivery of our projects. We proactively work to evolve ourselves and our stakeholders to shape inclusive and fair programming, implementation, and policies. Our recruitment and procurement processes reflect our ambition to make the international development sector more diverse and inclusive.

If you share our vision for fair public policy that benefits both people and planet, we would love to hear from you. Please submit your application through our careers’ site by the closing date.  We review and interview applicants on a rolling basis and encourage you to apply by way of CV via our careers site at the earliest.