Methodology Lead (Advocacy, Insights, Strategy)

Africa Practice; Johannesburg; Hybrid; ZAR 1 200 000 - 1 800 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading pan-African consultancy is seeking a Methodology Lead to develop and champion innovative advocacy methodologies. This role requires extensive experience in public policy and stakeholder engagement, aiming to drive impactful strategies across Africa. You will lead project delivery, mentor team members, and develop new products, collaborating with a diverse team. If you're passionate about fostering positive social change, we want to hear from you. Join us in shaping the future of advocacy across the continent.

Benefits

Competitive remuneration

Opportunities for growth

Collaboration with a diverse team

Qualifications

• Minimum 8-10 years of experience in public policy consulting and advocacy.
• Proven track record in solution design and project management.
• Experience leading design workshops and community engagement activities.

Responsibilities

• Champion the firm's client-facing methodologies.
• Oversee implementation of complex stakeholder engagement processes.
• Develop new offerings and integrate data-driven insights.

Skills

Public policy consulting

Advocacy

Systems change

Stakeholder engagement

Design thinking

Project management

Community engagement

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree in Design, Social Innovation, Public Policy, or related field

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite

Miro

Figma

Job description

Methodology Lead (Advocacy, Insights, Strategy)

Contract: Full time; 2 years fixed term, renewable

Remuneration: Competitive, based on experience and competence

Location: Johannesburg, Cape Town, Nairobi, Lagos, Abuja

Reports to: Director, Solutions & Innovation

About us

Africa Practice is an advocacy and innovation practice. By combining a deep understanding of local context and the drivers of human behaviour, with systems-level action, we build markets and systems that work for a prospero us Africa that inspires the world. For over 20 years, we have been partnering with global investors, policy-makers, development partners and other changemakers to drive transformation on the continent.

Our insights, advocacy and innovation solutions are rooted in detailed systems and stakeholder understanding. We identify, generate, and analyse human-centred systems data to design impactful advocacy interventions. We deliver our world-class insights and advocacy solutions through our local presence.

We operate as one company, with a diverse team working on a hybrid basis in Abuja, Cape Town, Dakar, Dar es Salaam, Gaborone, Johannesburg, Lagos, Nairobi, and London. We are risk analysts, development economists, advocates, storytellers, data scientists, policy experts, systems thinkers and creative minds. Over 80% of our staff are African and over 50% are women. We have been a signatory to the UN Global Compact since 2021 and we are B-Corp accredited.

About the role

looking for an exciting opportunity in 2026? We have a terrific new opening in our solutions & innovations team, for a methodology lead on advocacy, insights and strategy.

As the Methodology Lead, you will champion our proprietary consulting methodology for systems-level action, “Change Design”, that combines human-centred systems thinking with design methods for impactful advocacy. You will be a driving force in experimenting with and implementing innovative methods for systems-change strategy and stakeholder engagement, particularly in the context of advocacy campaigns, including policy design and consultations. This includes leveraging technology and diverse engagement techniques to enhance understanding and participation, as well as testing advocacy messaging and building strong communities and coalitions of support.

You will play a crucial role in supporting our internal teams, servicing high-value clients, and driving the development of innovative new products and services. This is a high-impact position requiring a unique blend of strategic thinking, client-facing skills, a strong understanding of systems-change processes and advocacy strategies, and a passion for driving positive social impact in Africa. You will help to shape and document our methodologies and ensure we deliver exceptional value to our clients.

Key responsibilities

• Methodology development & championing:
  • Serve as the firm's expert on our client-facing methodologies.
  • Develop and refine our approach to complex problem-solving, incorporating best practices and innovative techniques, with a particular focus on stakeholder engagement and advocacy campaigns to shift the narrative, rewrite the rules, and reimagine markets in the African context.
  • Champion the use of systems thinking, design methods, and evidence-based and human-centred advocacy across all our projects and initiatives.
  • Stay abreast of the latest trends and developments in systems change, creative stakeholder engagement, and policy innovation.
  • Contribute to and refine in-house methodologies on an ongoing basis.
• Project delivery:
  • Work directly with high-value clients to understand their needs and challenges.
  • Develop and deliver compelling and complex solutions for clients, addressing a variety of social and other challenges, on the basis of rigorous design methodologies, agile project management, and inspirational leadership.
  • Oversee the implementation of design-led projects, including those involving complex stakeholder engagement processes and advocacy campaigns, ensuring they are delivered on time, within budget, and to the highest standards.
  • Lead and facilitate design workshops, co-creation sessions, and other innovative engagement activities (e.g., policy simulations, participatory budgeting exercises, community dialogues).
  • Serve as a thought-partner to client-facing teams to motivate for and facilitate creative and disruptive new approaches.
• Product development & innovation:
  • Identify opportunities to develop new products and services based on client needs and market trends.
  • Lead the design and development of new offerings, from ideation to prototyping to launch, including those that leverage technology and innovative engagement techniques.
  • Collaborate with the data team and other internal stakeholders to integrate data-driven insights into product development.
  • Support the pricing and packaging of new products and services.
• Stakeholder engagement & advocacy innovation:
  • Lead the experimentation and development of new and innovative methods for stakeholder engagement, including the use of technology (e.g., interactive simulations, data visualisation tools, online collaboration platforms) to enhance participation and understanding.
  • Design and implement creative engagement approaches, such as role-playing exercises, visual methods, and storytelling, to gather diverse perspectives.
  • Develop strategies for visualising policy impacts and communicating complex information in a clear and engaging manner to policymakers and other stakeholders.
  • Develop and implement methodologies for testing advocacy messaging for resonance and effectiveness with target audiences, using techniques such as A/B testing, focus groups, and surveys.
  • Design and implement creative strategies for community building and champion identification, fostering networks of support for key policy initiatives and advocacy campaigns.
• Internal team support & capacity building:
  • Provide guidance and support to internal teams on the application, development, experimentation and documentation of our methodologies:
    • Develop and deliver training programs to build internal capacity in these areas, including training on specific tools and techniques for policy engagement (e.g., policy simulations, visual communication methods, role-playing exercises), advocacy messaging testing, and community building.
    • Mentor and coach junior staff members on design thinking principles and practices, effective stakeholder engagement strategies, and advocacy best practices.
    • Foster a culture of experimentation, learning, and continuous improvement within the team.
• Experience:
  • Minimum of 8-10 years of relevant experience in public policy consulting, advocacy, foresight and futures thinking, and strong familiarity with design thinking and methods and systems change.
  • Proven track record of successful solution design, project management, developing and overseeing rigorous development and testing methodologies and processes with complex stakeholder engagement.
  • Proven experience leading and facilitating design workshops, co-creation sessions, and other participatory engagement activities.
  • A portfolio evidencing creative solutions, including creative community engagement methods.
  • Experience working in a consulting environment or with external clients is highly desirable.
  • Experience developing and launching new products or services is a plus.
  • Proficiency in relevant design software and tools (e.g., Adobe Creative Suite, Miro, Figma).
  • Familiarity with a range of stakeholder engagement techniques, including both traditional and innovative methods is an advantage.
  • Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree in Design, Social Innovation, Public Policy, Public Administration, Communications, Business Administration, or a related field is strongly preferred.

What we offer

We offer the successful candidate an opportunity to develop a rewarding career within a dynamic pan-African consultancy advising a prestigious portfolio of clients. This position offers:

• Competitive remuneration
• Immediate opportunities for growth
• Collaboration with a diverse and experienced team of colleagues

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of colour are much less likely to apply for a position unless they meet every single qualification. So if you are excited about this role, we would love to hear from you. At Africa Practice, we are dedicated to building an inclusive, diverse and authentic workplace. You might just be the new team member we are looking for - for this or other roles.

Do you want to contribute to an influential and prosperous Africa, inspiring the world? We’re looking for Africa’s changemakers – smart people with strong analytical, advocacy, digital and problem-solving skills who can reconcile diverse perspectives to deliver sustainable change.

Please send in your application by clicking on the “apply” button.

Do include a cover letter explaining why you think you are suited to this position and indicating your availability. Your documents must be entitled with “your name’’ - ‘’Methodology Lead’’

The vacancy is immediately open for suitable applications and will be closed as soon as a suitable candidate is identified. Early applications are advised.