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About Southern Voice

Southern Voice (SV) is a network of leading think tanks in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. It contributes to the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) dialogue. The organisation’s ultimate aim is to address the existing knowledge asymmetry and participation deficit in the dialogue on development. Southern Voice produces, promotes, and disseminates evidence-based policy analysis by researchers from Global South countries.

Since its inception in 2013, Southern Voice has evolved into a vibrant network of 66 Think Tanks from the Global South dedicated to leveraging quality local data and research. The aim is to enhance the SDG debate and increase the 2030 Agenda’s impact on the South.

Southern Voice envisages a world in which power has been realigned between countries. The result would be a fair and equitable engagement on global issues and advancing a world where people’s rights and needs are met and sustainable development is achieved.

Purpose of the Role

The Executive Director will be the Head of the Secretariat of Southern Voice. This role will coordinate and oversee the delivery of the policy research agenda and the network programmes, build and maintain partnerships and manage the administrative issues of the Secretariat.

Southern Voice seeks a leader able to identify global spaces where global discussions, such as those involving the Sustainable Development Goals debates, are taking place to position the Global South perspective through policy research projects implemented by network member organisations.
The Executive Director is a well-connected leader who will nurture and develop current and future relationships worldwide with stakeholders such as think tanks, governments, international NGOs, academia, UN agencies, etc.

This person will contribute to the organisation’s development by designing and implementing the organisation’s strategy, identifying funding opportunities for research projects and strengthening the growth and strengthening of the team.

Once appointed by the Steering Committee of Southern Voice, the Executive Director will have a tenure of up to six years. This is a two-year contract with a six months probation period, conditional to the successful appraisal carried out by the Steering Committee.

Main Responsibilities

Strategy and Governance of Southern Voice

• Support oversight and governance functions of the Steering Committee and the General Assembly.
• Develop annual plans and budgets within the strategy for approval by the Steering Committee.
• Prepare progress reports concerning the implementation of the annual plan progress for review by the Steering Committee.
• Prepare a bi-annual report to the General Assembly.
• Commission strategy evaluations as appropriate.

Research Agenda and Programmes

• Support the design and implementation of the research agenda and strategy of Southern Voice (together with the Chair and Steering Committee).
• Assure appropriate implementation of collaborative research projects, ensuring adequate quality control and enabling members to perform at their best.

Network Activities

• Facilitate groups of members to advance each area of work.
• Ensure a system of communications and information that enables members to be aware of each other’s contributions.
• Remain up to date on activities and opportunities in the network and initiate new areas of work.
• Encourage and enable cross-member interaction.
• Promote the mission and work of Southern Voice to external audiences.

Partnerships and External Communications

• Lead the development of new partnerships and engagements to increase the impact of Southern Voice.
• Assure an appropriate Communication Strategy is in place and guide its implementation.
• Serve as the main spokesperson and representative for Southern Voice to raise the profile and visibility of their priorities and impact with stakeholders, funders, partners, decision-makers, and the general public.
• Cultivate partnerships with stakeholders, including international organisations and think tanks in the Global South.

Organisational management

• Manage a multicultural, diverse, and remote team and recruits the Secretariat staff with support from the budget, staff, and annual plan sub-committee.
• Ensure that staff, systems, and other resources are aligned to deliver high-impact outcomes and operational efficiencies.
• Coordinate with the Host Organisation on administration, including appropriately managing grants and contracts.
• Oversee overall administration and operations, including management of the General Assembly.
• Ensure the financial management and reporting provided by the Host Organisation meets the needs of the network.

Fundraising

• Secure funding for the organisation’s operations and staff.
• Ensure programme development and fundraising goals are achieved and reported efficiently and satisfactorily.
• Support resource mobilisation for the network and its programmes.
• Prepare funding proposals.
• Ensure effective working relations are maintained with current and potential supporters.
• Ensure timely and high-quality reporting on current grants.

Skills and Requirements

Required

• Experience cultivating partnerships and expanding the network of relevant stakeholders, including international organisations and think tanks, worldwide, particularly in the Global South.
• Previous experience with the work of think tanks and network organisations directly or indirectly, including policy research and analysis, outreach, and dialogues and communications.
• Proven track record in dialoguing and determining impactful policy research.
• Excellent communication and representation skills with the ability to reach out, dialogue and communication as a network spokesperson.
• Ability to work with staff in different time zones and from different cultures.
• Ability to travel worldwide to represent Southern Voice in high-level sessions, at least six or eight annual trips to meetings and conferences (approximately 20 – 30% of the time).
• Excellent English skills. Competence in either Spanish or French is preferred.
• Candidates born and lived in the Global South: Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, or Asia. Candidates from the Global South, currently based in the North, are eligible to apply.
• A post-graduate degree in a field related to Sustainable Development and policy, such as International Relations or Political Analysis.

Desired

• Tack record defining programme development and fundraising goals and supervising and/or writing fundraising proposals.
• Experience managing multicultural dispersed remote teams.