The Elders - Programme Advisor Pandemic Preparedness and Response

Programme Advisor Pandemic Preparedness and Response June 2022

The Elders Programme Advisor Pandemic Preparedness and Response

About The Elders This is an exciting time to join The Elders. The motivated commitment and the sense of urgency amongst the Elders, the Advisory Council and the Secretariat is extremely high.

The Elders The Elders is chaired by Mary Robinson, former President of

Director-General of the

Ireland and former United Nations High Commissioner for

World Health Organization; Hina Jilani,

Human Rights. Mary Robinson is The Elders’ third Chair since

international human rights defender from Pakistan; Ricardo

Alistair joined in 2021 and has been mandated by The Elders

the group was founded by Nelson Mandela in 2007, following

Lagos, former President of Chile; Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, former

to develop a new five year strategy for approval in October

the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu (2007-13) and the late Kofi

President of Liberia and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate; Juan

2022. The Elders will have a Pandemic Preparedness and

Annan (2013-2018).

Manuel Santos, former President of Colombia and Nobel

Response Programme for the first time in the new strategy.

Peace Prize Laureate; Zeid Raad Al Hussein, former UN High

This role will lead implementation of the new programme,

Ban Ki-moon, former UN Secretary-General, and Graça

Commissioner for Human Rights; and Ernesto Zedillo, former

ensuring the theory of change remains relevant, that clear

Machel, former Education Minister of Mozambique and co-

President of Mexico.

objectives are set, annual workplans developed and a robust

founder of The Elders, serve as Deputy Chairs.

monitoring and evaluation implemented.

The Secretariat The other members of The Elders are Gro Harlem

The Secretariat is a small London-based team of highly skilled

The Elders’ Secretariat offices are near Green Park station in

Brundtland, former Prime Minister of Norway and former

and service-oriented team players, led by CEO Alistair Fernie.

London, UK, with a high level of remote and hybrid working.

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The Elders Programme Advisor Pandemic Preparedness and Response

About The Elders

The Elders’ ways of working The Elders’ main way of working can be generally described

The means The

as political engagement and advocacy. The Elders occupy

Elders employ include: writing letters to

a space between the most senior levels of governmental

heads of state and government; quiet diplomacy and bilateral

The role of the Secretariat is to support the Elders’ work, and

decision making and civil society. The Elders have access to

meetings; writing op eds, blogs, statements; delivering

to propose what they might do. This calls for a staff team with

heads of state and government, yet they have close working

keynote speeches and participating in panels, roundtables

a combination of initiative and humility, and the ability to

relationships with civil society organisations and stand in

and podcasts, in person and digitally; country visits including

accept and implement others’ decisions, to high standards.

solidarity with the most vulnerable people and communities.

meetings with political leaders and civil society activists;

Programmatic activities often involve close collaboration

This positioning and the personal reputations of the

sharing platforms with young people; media interviews; social

with colleagues in the communications team, to deliver and

individual Elders is their collective currency and must be used

media campaigns.

maximise the impact of programmatic work.

wisely and carefully.

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The Elders Programme Advisor Pandemic Preparedness and Response

The Role

Role: Programme Advisor Pandemic Preparedness and Response

Benefits: •

Location: UK (with international travel)

Salary: £60,000 per annum plus benefits

private pension scheme with 10% employer contributions on top of the annual salary

Job Summary:

•

optional private medical and dental insurance

•

•

group life assurance equivalent to 5 x annual salary

implementation, monitoring, impact and evaluation of

•

25 days of paid annual leave (with 3 of these days on

the Pandemic Preparedness and Response programme,

stipulated dates between the Christmas/New Year

working collegiately with other staff members of the

holidays) plus all UK bank holidays and public holidays

Secretariat.

Responsible for managing the development,

Line Manager: Programme Director

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The Elders Programme Advisor Pandemic Preparedness and Response

Principal Responsibilities

Strategic leadership •

Lead a new five year pandemic preparedness and

such as drafting

response programme for The Elders, based on a theory of

statements, op-eds and tweets.

Assist and collaborate with colleagues leading other

Relationship building and representation

robust monitoring and evaluation approach.

programmes (climate change, nuclear and conflict)

•

Undertake horizon-scanning to identify opportunities

to identify synergies between programmes and

strategic expansion of The Elder’s external relationships

where The Elders may be able to have influence and

opportunities for collaboration.

on pandemic preparedness and response with the

change, clear objectives, annual programme plans, and a •

become engaged to bring about change in line with the •

•

•

Assist and collaborate with the lead on cross cutting issues

global policy community, international organisations,

programme strategy.

to ensure these issues (multilateralism, gender equality,

governments, civil society organisations, policy experts and

Keep abreast of complex and fast changing public policy

human rights and intergenerational approaches) are

influencers, to maximise support and potential for Elders

debates and monitor emerging global trends to ensure

effectively integrated into the pandemic preparedness and

to have influence.

Elders policy positioning on pandemic preparedness and

response programme.

Other Responsibilities:

response is responsive to latest developments.

Policy analysis and reporting Development of initiatives •

•

the Elders strategy on pandemic preparedness and

for the Elders’ consideration for initiatives to support

response through undertaking policy analysis, research

Lead implementation of agreed initiatives through, for

and expert consultations.

•

impact within the pandemic preparedness and response

accompanying Elders on visits and to events, briefing

programme, providing written contributions to the

of country visits, drafting letters for the Elders and the CEO, consulting and coordinating with key partners, and

Contribute to a positive and supportive working environment for the programme team.

•

Manage specialist consultants providing advice to The Elders.

•

Track and monitor progress against objectives and

example, arranging meetings and country visits and Elders orally and in writing, preparing detailed reports

•

Lead the development of policy position papers to support

Building on research and networking, develop proposals achievement of programme objectives.

•

Building on your existing network of contacts, lead the

Prepare internal briefings and reports for SMT members and colleagues, such as notes of meetings and updates on key developments.

•

Undertake other duties as required by the organisation.

Secretariats regular impact reporting cycle.

•

Prepare and present board papers for The Elders six monthly board meetings.

assisting with preparation of communications materials, 5

The Elders Programme Advisor Pandemic Preparedness and Response

Candidate profile

We are looking for an experienced, senior policy public health professional with at least 10 years of relevant experience.

plans and activities, and

They must be analytical, collegiate and collaborative, flexible, adaptive and energetic, and committed to the mission and

achieving results.

•

Experience of serving high-profile individuals, and

values of The Elders. Candidates should possess a high level

collaborating with a range of organisations, to develop and

of personal initiative, have the ability to think strategically

influence policy.

and to lead initiatives and manage all relevant aspects of

•

implementation. This role calls for the following experience, skills and qualifications:

•

and sensitive information from a variety of sources to highlevel and public audiences.

•

A flexible, collegiate style and willingness to work in a

levels, across a wide range of different kinds of organisations,

small, collaborative team.

with effective influencing and negotiating skills.

Strong diplomatic skills and keen international political

•

acumen, experience of analysing complex global political •

Post-graduate degree in Epidemiology, public health or

situations, and the ability to operate with diplomatic

global health with international experience, preferably in

finesse and agility across different cultural environments

epidemic/pandemic preparedness and response.

•

•

An extensive network of senior policy and political contacts,

Confident in managing conflicting priorities and

Permitted to work in the UK. Able to travel internationally, sometimes at short notice.

•

Excellent written and spoken English, including writing and editing documents for high-level audiences. Fluency

and world views.

•

Good communication and listening skills with people at all

in other languages is desirable.

•

A strong commitment to ethical leadership and

particularly in international institutions in the area of global

deadlines, and the experience and capabilities to handle

upholding, promoting and practising The Elders’ vision,

health and pandemic preparedness and response.

high ambiguity and pressure successfully.

mission and values.

A track record of developing strategies, leading policy development and implementation of programme

•

Analytical, research and communication strengths, with the ability to understand, interpret and present complex 6

The Elders Programme Advisor Pandemic Preparedness and Response

How to Apply

All correspondence, at this stage, should be via Oxford HR. To apply for this post, click on the “Apply” button on the job

Timeline

advert page, complete our online application form, and

Closing Date:

submit your CV and cover letter as two different documents,

First stage interviews:

which should be prepared before applying as they will be

Expected start date: early October 2022 (or sooner if possible)

25th of July 2022 week of the 15th of August 2022

considered in the application process. The cover letter should

Selection Process All candidates will receive an update regarding their application after the closing date. We advise candidates to

be no more than two pages long and explain why you are

Equality Statement

add the role email to their safe senders list and regularly

interested in this post and how your skills and experience

The Elders is committed to creating an inclusive working

check their spam folder.

make you a good fit.

environment that values diversity and equal opportunities.

The documents should be saved in MS Word in the following

We welcome and encourage applicants from diverse

Queries

backgrounds.

If you have any queries on any aspect of the appointment

format: Your First Name-Your Last Name-Document Name-

process, need additional information, or would like to have an

Date (mmyyyy) e.g., Malika Cook-CV-062022The-Elders.

informal discussion, please email at the-elders-programmeadvisor@oxfordhr.com in the first instance.

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The Elders Programme Advisor Pandemic Preparedness and Response

About Oxford HR

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