We don’t just talk, we do. Lead the change with us.

At the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, we work with political leaders around the world to drive change. We help governments turn bold ideas into reality so they can deliver for their people. We do it by advising on strategy, policy and delivery, unlocking the power of technology across all three. And by sharing what we learn on the ground, so everyone can benefit. We do it to build more open, inclusive and prosperous countries for people everywhere.

We are a global not-for-profit organisation, operating in more than 40 countries across five continents. Our teams include political strategists, policy experts, delivery practitioners, technology specialists and more. We speak more than 45 languages and are working on over 100 projects, tackling some of the world’s biggest challenges. We’re all here at TBI to make a difference.

In a world of ever more complex challenges, we believe diversity of background and perspective is a strength. We pride ourselves on a culture that values and nurtures difference. We are dedicated to unlocking potential, not only for the countries we work in but also for each of our team members. No matter where you’re from or who you are, if you’re passionate about the transformative power of progressive politics, we invite you to build a better future with us.

Role Summary

The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change is supporting the Government of Sierra Leone to strengthen the country’s investment environment and improve its ability to attract, facilitate and retain high-quality private investment.

Working in partnership with British International Investment, TBI will support government to identify and implement priority reforms that make investing in Sierra Leone easier and more successful, strengthen the institutions responsible for investment, and help progress strategically important investment opportunities.

TBI is recruiting a Senior Adviser, Investment Climate and Private Sector Development to support delivery of the implementation phase of this programme.

Based in Freetown, the Senior Adviser will work closely with senior government counterparts and relevant institutions across government. The role will combine strategic advice with hands on delivery support, helping government translate identified investment constraints into practical reforms, strengthen investment facilitation and support priority investment opportunities through to implementation.

The successful candidate will bring strong expertise in investment climate reform and private sector development, together with a proven ability to work effectively with government. They will be comfortable navigating complex institutional environments, building trusted relationships with senior stakeholders and maintaining momentum on reforms that require coordination across multiple institutions.

Key responsibilities

Drive priority investment climate reforms

• Support government to identify and prioritise the most significant policy, regulatory, institutional and operational barriers to private investment.

• Translate diagnostic findings into clear reform actions, implementation plans, accountabilities and milestones.

• Provide practical advice on investment related constraints, including licensing, permits, taxation, customs, land, infrastructure and other priority areas identified through the programme.

• Support coordination across ministries, departments and agencies where reforms require joint action.

• Track delivery of agreed reforms, identify bottlenecks and support
  government counterparts to resolve implementation challenges.

• Provide evidence based recommendations to senior decision makers on actions required to improve Sierra Leone’s investment environment.

Strengthen investment promotion and facilitation

• Support relevant government institutions to strengthen the end to end investor journey, from initial engagement through establishment, operation, expansion and aftercare.

• Help improve systems for managing investor enquiries, facilitating investment and resolving investor challenges.

• Support NIB to establish systematic investor aftercare, including investor and issue trackers and clear escalation arrangements.

• Strengthen approaches to investment promotion and investor targeting where required.

• Support the development of credible and evidence based investment propositions.

• Strengthen coordination between institutions responsible for investment promotion, facilitation, regulation and sector delivery.

• Support effective dialogue between government and the private sector to ensure investor experience informs reform priorities.

Support priority investment opportunities

• Work with government to identify and prioritise strategically important investment opportunities aligned with national development priorities.

• Assess the barriers preventing priority investments from progressing, including policy, regulation, infrastructure, project preparation, financing and institutional coordination.

• Support government to establish clear pathways for resolving these constraints.

• Develop implementation roadmaps that reflect investor requirements, with clear responsibilities and milestones.

• Coordinate with relevant government institutions, investors, development finance institutions and partners to help progress priority opportunities.

• Where appropriate, strengthen project preparation, investor propositions and government coordination around specific investment opportunities.

Strengthen government delivery capability

• Build the capability of government counterparts to manage investment reforms and investor facilitation effectively.

• Develop practical tools, processes and working methods that can be sustained by government institutions.

• Support senior officials to establish clear ownership, delivery milestones and escalation mechanisms for priority actions.

• Produce concise analysis and decision materials for senior government counterparts.

• Facilitate problem solving across institutions where delivery is constrained by coordination challenges.

• Embed approaches that strengthen long term government capability rather than creating parallel delivery structures.

Manage senior stakeholders and partnerships

• Build trusted relationships with senior government officials and technical counterparts.

• Engage investors and businesses to understand practical barriers to investment and test proposed solutions.

• Coordinate closely and leverage BII's expertise within the governance arrangements of the partnership while maintaining clear TBI accountability and institutional boundaries.

• Engage development finance institutions, development partners and private sector organisations where their involvement can support agreed priorities.

• Identify related initiatives and promote coordination to reduce duplication and maximise impact.

Monitor progress and generate insight

• Maintain a clear evidence base for recommendations and implementation decisions.

• Track progress against agreed objectives, milestones and outcomes.

• Maintain the agreed workplan and provide monthly progress updates to support TBI’s reporting to BII.

• Identify emerging delivery risks and recommend corrective actions.

• Prepare high-quality briefings, implementation updates and analytical products for senior stakeholders.

• Capture lessons from implementation that can inform wider government reform and TBI’s work on investment and economic transformation.

Person specification

We are looking for an experienced and highly capable adviser who can operate effectively at the intersection of government, investment and private sector development.

Essential
The successful candidate will have:

• Significant professional experience in investment climate reform, private sector development, investment promotion and facilitation, economic development, development finance, economic policy or a closely related field.

• Demonstrated experience supporting governments to design or implement complex economic or institutional reforms.

• Strong understanding of the policy, regulatory, institutional and infrastructure constraints affecting private investment in emerging or developing markets.

• Strong understanding of commercial investment, development finance and impact investing, including investor requirements, and a strong network across the investment ecosystem.

• Experience working with senior government officials and navigating complex political and institutional environments.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate evidence into practical and implementable recommendations.

• A strong delivery orientation and demonstrated ability to move from strategy and analysis to implementation.

• Excellent stakeholder management skills and the ability to coordinate effectively across government, investors and development partners.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to produce concise materials for senior decision makers.

• Sound judgement, discretion and political sensitivity.

• A collaborative approach and commitment to government ownership and sustainable institutional capability.

Desirable
Experience in one or more of the following would be an advantage:

• Investment promotion or investment facilitation agencies.

• Development finance institutions or international financial institutions.

• Investor aftercare and investment pipeline management.

• Infrastructure or project development.

• Financial services or capital markets.

• Agribusiness, energy, mining, manufacturing or other sectors relevant to Sierra Leone’s economic priorities.

• Public private dialogue and structured private sector engagement.

• Economic reform programmes in Sierra Leone, West Africa or comparable markets.

Qualifications

• A university degree or equivalent professional experience in economics, finance, business, public policy, international development, law or a related discipline.

• A relevant postgraduate qualification would be an advantage.

Working arrangements

• The Senior Adviser will be based in Freetown, Sierra Leone, with travel within Sierra Leone and occasional international travel where required.

• The Adviser will be engaged by and accountable to TBI and will operate as part of the TBI Sierra Leone team.

• The Adviser will work closely with the Government of Sierra Leone and BII but will not act as an employee, representative or agent of either.

• The specific priorities of the role will be informed by the findings of the inception phase and agreed through the programme’s governance arrangements. The Adviser will therefore need to adapt to evolving evidence, government priorities and implementation requirements.

Candidates must be willing to relocate to Freetown, Sierra Leone, and will be responsible for arranging and covering their own relocation costs, including any required visa and work permit expenses.

Professional standards
The role may involve access to sensitive government, investor, commercial and project information. The successful candidate will therefore be expected to:

• Maintain strict confidentiality in accordance with TBI policies and programme requirements.

• Identify and disclose any actual, potential or perceived conflicts of interest.

• Exercise appropriate discretion when handling commercially or politically sensitive information.

• Maintain professional independence when engaging government, investors, BII and other stakeholders.

• Comply with applicable TBI policies relating to safeguarding, compliance, information security and professional conduct.

What success looks like

The Senior Adviser will be successful if they help government move from diagnosis to implementation.

This will include:

• Priority investment constraints translated into practical reforms with clear government ownership.

• Agreed reforms progressing against defined milestones.

• Stronger coordination between institutions involved in investment.

• Improved systems for investment facilitation and investor aftercare.

• Priority investment opportunities progressing through identified barriers.

• Stronger government capability to manage investment reforms and investor relationships over the long term

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and we encourage candidates to apply early. We reserve the right to close the vacancy before the advertised closing date if a suitable candidate is identified.

Closing Date:

2026-10-14