Senior Advisor - Data & AI at Tony Blair Institute for Global Change

Role Summary

• To advance our offering and support a growing portfolio of clients, TBI is developing a global team of advisors on data & AI to join our team of central experts on government innovation in Global Client Solutions (GCS), part of our Government Advisory division. GCS is a hands-on centre of excellence designed to bring the best of the Institute and distribute it at scale to enhance the quality and impact of our advice to senior political leaders.
• TBI is working with senior political leaders worldwide with diverse levels of digital maturity to imagine the art of the possible, formulate bold solutions, and deliver tangible change with technology. Today, with rapid advancements in machine learning and generative AI, the ’toolbox’ available to leaders is transformative. TBI is helping leaders to scale AI successes and explore new frontiers in government, public service innovation, and stimulate economic prosperity.
• To advance our offering and support a growing portfolio of clients, TBI is developing a global team of advisors on data & AI to join our team of central experts on government innovation in Global Client Solutions (GCS), part of our Government Advisory division. GCS is a hands-on centre of excellence designed to bring the best of the Institute and distribute it at scale to enhance the quality and impact of our advice to senior political leaders.
• Senior Advisors will support our country teams and be able to convincingly engage senior political leaders on the transformative power of AI applications in government and in the delivery of priority initiatives. Quickly identifying opportunities for AI use, they will help clients understand their current level of readiness across access to foundational infrastructure, data, and policies and regulations, and identify gaps for short- and longer-term action. Providing valuable counsel, technical input, quality assurance, and thought leadership to colleagues and governments, Senior Advisors will ensure TBI’s support on AI is as impactful as possible.
• As political and policy advisors, TBI utilises a growing network of private sector partners to support clients deliver on their objectives. Sr. Advisors will work with TBI country teams and partnerships team to advise clients from concept through delivery as they work with a range of partners and companies building the solutions.
• Engaging both with industry alongside the partnerships team and working with Policy & Politics colleagues and engaging externally, they will stay on the cutting edge of technology advancements and draw in learnings from our global portfolio to continually improve and evolve the offer and relevant tools, including through the creation of partnerships for design and delivery.

Key Responsibilities

• These are senior roles within TBI and will be held by exceptional candidates with experience helping senior political leaders generate change in government and public services with data, advanced analytics and AI; with a bold creativity and ability to translate the art of the possible into action and practical recommendations and choices.

Key responsibilities will include:
Offer and solution development

• Advance TBI’s offer on AI use in government and public service innovation, including developing an initial toolkit which enables TBI country teams
• Work closely with other Sr. Advisors to link AI advice to foundational solutions including Digital Infrastructure, Digital Identity, Innovation economy, and other key subjects and public services areas including health, education, agriculture, and energy transition.
• With the Director, help establish complementary foundational offers including effective regulation, data governance and data for decision making.
• Collaborate with the Policy & Politics team on research and though leadership publications to identify and apply emerging research and trends, bringing insights into the evolving offer.

Project design and delivery

• Support TBI teams and clients identify opportunities where AI use can enhance the solution to priority policy challenges based on a country’s general level of readiness.
• For projects with an ambition to utilise AI solutions, work closely with the Partnerships team and TBI partners to help clients identify delivery partners who can develop detailed plans, build and deliver solutions.
• Provide advice to teams and clients on the required enablers of AI solution success including skills, regulations, processes, and structures.
• Lead the development of assessment frameworks and other assets TBI teams can use with government counterparts to inform decisions on appropriate solution selection.
• With Advisory leadership, support key milestones and project delivery to ensure success and support troubleshooting where necessary.

External engagement and partnerships

• With the Partnerships team, enhance our relationships with leading technology companies, and thought leaders, bringing emerging innovation to improve our offer
• Provide senior-level representation and presentations for TBI at external fora and events.
• Engage with relevant external stakeholders such as other not-for-profit organisations, donors, suppliers, and agencies.

Enabling Systems

• Support internal learning on AI to enhance team readiness to engage with clients.

Person Specification
We are looking for experienced specialists on AI technology use in public sector settings with:

• Experience advising senior political leaders on advanced use of data, AI and other emerging technologies
• Strong verbal communication skills with an ability to convey complex technical concepts in easy to understand and compelling ways
• Ability to advise on AI use and foundations which enable their use
• Demonstrated strategic thinker with pragmatic optimism on the art of the possible and the ability to deliver in challenging contexts
• Strong written skills, including ability to frame and distil complex and nuanced subjects into understandable frameworks
• Excellent negotiation and influencing skills, with discretion and tact, and the ability to foster trusted relationships with a diverse selection of stakeholders
• Sensitivity to a broad range of cultural and regional norms
• Willingness to travel globally and up to approximately 30 percent.