Senior Consultant- Sustainable Blue Economy

The Sustainable Growth and Nature team at Oxford Policy Management is seeking a Senior Consultant on a permanent basis. The position would be located in either the United Kingdom, India, Pakistan, Kenya or Tanzania. 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.

Position Summary

This role leads OPM’s expertise in the Sustainable Blue Economy, providing strategic direction and technical support across the Climate, Sustainability and Resilience Practice. It involves collaborating across teams to deliver impact, strengthen OPM’s reputation in the oceans sector, and identify and secure new business opportunities. The position also requires strong program management skills, including leading project teams, building client relationships, solving problems independently, and supporting colleagues to deliver high-quality, impactful work.

Responsibilities

• Develop, lead and promote OPM’s work on the sustainable blue economy to build future work, whilst supporting the delivery of existing projects and programs.
• Be an integral part of the Nature and Environment Team, and engage across other teams within the Climate, Sustainability and Resilience Practice to define, develop and deliver opportunity pipelines for key clients in line with portfolio acquisition and diversification targets.
• Oversee and manage teams of technical experts working on projects, deliver projects in line with financial targets and quality assure client reporting.
• Manage client relationships and build upon existing networks in the sustainable blue economy with key external organizations, associates and external consultants.
• Ensure that program inputs and deliverables are defined and delivered on time and to quality standards, providing support to the wider team and Project Director.
• Contribute to OPM’s internal learning on the sustainable blue economy.
• Provide a mentoring role in technical area of expertise for more junior staff.

Key Qualifications / Experience / Skills / Behaviours

• A Master’s or other post-graduate University qualification in relevant discipline.
• Substantial relevant work experience (at least 7-10 years) in the sustainable blue economy with experience across a cross-section of the following core areas:
• Essential: Sustainable economic development in coastal, near-shore and/or off-shore sectors.
• Essential: Climate adaptation for marine ecosystems and coastal communities.
• Essential: Livelihood development and poverty reduction for coastal communities.
• Desirable: Marine ecosystem management and marine biodiversity conservation.
• Desirable: Marine pollution and ocean plastics.
• Experience in externally representing the sustainable blue economy with partners, donors and with other external experts.
• Experience in the development of project plans, priorities and processes to achieve its objectives, including managing budgets, resources and risk management.
• Demonstrated leadership skills, with experience in mentoring or managing staff, ability to manage time effectively in a busy environment.
• Sound decision making skills, experienced in evaluating technical and commercial information to provide clear direction on projects in line with the portfolios objectives.
• Strong bidding and proposal management skills, which includes proven ability in actively prepositioning for strategically important and impactful projects and developing clear strategy for submitting winning bids.
• Work experience in low and middle-earning countries, ideally within a consulting firm, NGO, think-tank, multilateral or government agency.

Personal attributes

• Ability to communicate effectively with colleagues and clients, verbally and in writing.
• Excellent problem solving, organizing and management skills.
• Switches comfortably between attention to detail and bigger picture, joined up thinking and approach to providing solutions.
• Good at prioritizing changing and competing demands and tasks, while consistently delivering quality work.
• Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills; collaborative and constructive approach to working with others, building effective relationships internally and externally.