Overview
Job Title: Policy and Research Officer
Job location: Dar es Salaam
Tanzania Startup Association (TSA)
The TSA is seeking a Policy and Research Officer to assist the agency’s programmatic goals through research and analytics. This entails figuring out and monitoring important policy efforts that are pertinent to the TSA’s operations as well as completing background study on the scope of problems that policies, rules, and regulations create as well as possible fixes. He or she will assist in determining how the TSA can respond to policy developments or align with them, as well as assist in guiding the strategic initiatives.
The Programs Manager will collaborate with the Policy and Research Officer to develop concepts and carry out both quantitative and qualitative research projects. In order to write issue briefs, data briefs, white papers, or other publications pertinent to the TSA’s priorities, s/he will examine data and other resources. Additionally, the Policy and Research Officer will effectively collaborate with the program staff and communications team of the TSA to draft reports for external publication, produce materials for the agency’s media outlets, and assist in the operationalization of increasingly sophisticated data visualizations.
The Programs Manager will be the Policy and Research Officer’s supervisor, and they will collaborate closely with the Programs teams. This role provides a great chance to participate in a variety of research projects that inform policy concerns at the local, regional, and national levels while working as a member of a small team.
Principal Tasks and Accountabilities:
To support policy, legislation, and regulatory matters pertaining to Tanzania’s innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem.
- Write concise, thoroughly researched policy briefs for audiences inside and outside the company.
- Create publications, including factsheets, policy briefings, and reports.
- Stay informed about changes to laws, regulations, best practices, and pertinent new projects affecting the ecosystem as a whole.
- Create external policy briefings, letters, and other campaign materials to tell lawmakers, ministries, and other interested parties about our work. These materials include updates and briefings on important campaigning issues, as well as updates for our website’s campaigns area.
- Participate in policy-related activities and attend gatherings discussing topics pertaining to startups.
- Finding fresh study topics and creating research designs are included.
- Carrying out and/or managing evaluations and background investigations to monitor policy changes and assist in figuring out how the TSA should address new concerns.
- Conducting and/or directing statistical analyses using software programs such as SAS.
- Writing fact sheets, issue briefs, data briefs, infographics, blog entries, reports, and other publications for the TSA website. I also draft parts of peer-reviewed publications.
- Creating presentations that summarize original TSA research and policy concerns.
- Assisting in the development of an external facing presence for TSA research initiatives by working with the communications team.
- Attending seminars and meetings both internally and externally and taking thorough notes.
- Overseeing the creation of a system for locating and monitoring policy concerns that are relevant to Tanzania’s economic environment in a timely manner.
- To provide pertinent issue research to the internal teams.
- Do primary and secondary research to enhance the TSA’s knowledge base.
- Search the horizon for outside developments that are pertinent to the TSA’s influencing objectives.
- Collaborate closely with other TSA teams as well as important outside parties to create integrated influence campaigns.
- Help in the writing of reports for both internal and external parties, such as governmental and non-governmental organizations.
- Provide the management with updates on best practices, laws, public policy, and pertinent new initiatives in the startup ecosystem and the larger business environment.
- In addition to these obligations, employees must perform any other tasks that may be deemed reasonably necessary.
- Educating TSA employees about projects linked to research.
Core Competencies:
- Innovation: The capacity to bring new and workable ideas to life.
- Leadership: The ability to inspire other team members to follow.
- People Management: The capacity to enhance performance and satisfaction.
- Communication: The capacity to hear, adjust, convince, and transform;
- Delivery: The capacity to complete tasks on time.
Technical Competencies:
The Primary Competencies:
- Excellent practical understanding of inter-disciplinary development issues.
- Ability to go beyond established procedures and models, propose new approaches which expand the range of projects.
- Develops strong relationships with all partners, focuses on impact and results, and embraces constructive criticism.
- Proven networking, team building, organizational, and communication skills.
The Secondary Competencies:
- The capacity to manage and distribute knowledge and information effectively.
- Familiarity with Tanzania’s startup scene.
- Having the capacity to make choices that are consistent with strategy, vision, and mission.
Necessary Knowledge and Experience:
- Provide evidence of relevant employment experience as a policy analyst or researcher for a government agency, think tank, foundation, consulting firm, or private sector research/policy group.
- Knowledge of Tanzanian policy concerns and experience with national and local policymaking procedures.
- Strong data analysis skills, including familiarity with statistical programming tools like SAS.
- Experience drafting reports, memos, and submissions for peer-reviewed journals.
- Instinct for designing and carrying out research that is useful to policy.
- Outstanding writing and verbal communication abilities as well as the capacity to convert research into statements that are applicable to policy and actionable.
- Excellent organizational and project management abilities, including the capacity for multitasking and close attention to detail.
- Capacity to oversee and supervise small teams and carry out tasks with minimal guidance.
- The capacity to communicate with influential people and organizations.
- Outstanding interpersonal skills: able to build fruitful connections with consultants, grantees, coworkers, and other stakeholders involved in program development and management. Collegial, vivacious, adaptable, and driven.
- Capable of working both alone and in a group, and eager to collaborate with people from different cultural backgrounds.
- Shown wisdom and experience in judgment.
- The capacity to decide and defend proposals.
Languages:
- Proficiency in Kiswahili is necessary.
- English proficiency is needed.
Extra Details:
- The TSA is an employer that values diversity. We are dedicated to fostering an inclusive workplace for each and every employee, and we celebrate diversity.
- A competitive compensation package, health insurance, professional growth possibilities, and the opportunity to be a part of a game-changing project in Tanzania’s startup ecosystem are all offered by this employment.
- The job is located in Tanzania’s Dar es Salaam. It could occasionally be necessary to travel within the nation for activities that are relevantly related.
