Lucy Stevens Email & Phone Number

Rugby, Gb

Rugby

Responsible for leading Practical Action’s Change Ambition on work to transform Urban Services (WASH and solid waste management), for people living in urban slums and low income communities. I work in our Influence, Impact and Innovation team, engaging both internally to make sure our programmes are as strategic in their planning and delivery as possible; and externally to represent Practical Action in global platforms, influence change and share our evidence and experiences.

Rugby

Stepping up to lead our busy Influence and Impact team in the 'super-year' of 2021. Key tasks have included - ensuring we have a coherent strategy for our engagement before, during and after COP26, and that our team could work successfully with other Directorates. - Working hard to ensure we continue to be a high-performing team, while maintaining team member well-being during prolonged periods of working from home due to covid-19 restrictions. Important lessons learned about how to work successfully remotely including with team members not based in the UK.- Strategic planning for future years facing the challenges of changing funding and influencing landscapes across all our areas of work.At the same time, continuing my role as Head of Urban Services - leading our Cities Fit for People programme. This included the launch of our landmark 'Managing our Waste' publication in December 2021.

Rugby, England, United Kingdom

I took on the role of Acting Director at a critical point for the Influence and Impact team, as we had just completed a restructuring adding two units to the team's structure. I worked to support a new team spirit, including with remote workers based in Nepal, Zimbabwe and outside the office in the UK. I recruited two new senior staff members. Key tasks during this period were to position the Directorate effectively with the global Senior Leadership Team, work on a new strategic vision for the team, and negotiate the team's budget from organisational resources. I demonstrated skills in internal advocacy, team-building, and conflict resolution. I used my ability to listen, communicate effectively, and adapt. At the same time as taking on this role I was continuing with my role as Head of Urban Services, managing to keep tasks moving despite the dual role.

Leading Practical Action’s efforts to influence the policy and practice of others internationally to improve the access of poor women and men to energy services; and to water, sanitation and waste management services in urban settlements. I lead efforts to generate evidence-based lessons, establish policy positions, and develop global strategies to influence the policy and practices of others. I manage the delivery of our flagship Poor People’s Energy Outlook report and associated briefing series. I represent Practical Action at senior levels, with a wide network of international contacts. My work in this role builds on my knowledge of Practical Action’s projects on the ground, and our programmatic work on energy access and urban services under our former ‘Access to Services’ programme.

The role had two main functions. * The first related to the broad Access to Services Programme which encompassed Practical Action’s work in the areas of energy, urban development, water, sanitation, waste, shelter and transport. I provided support to the strategic development and implementation of the programme, and was also responsible for promoting knowledge-sharing initiatives across the group. I managed our core funding (2005-2009) from the Dutch Government (DGIS). I took the lead on promoting livelihoods-based analysis across the programme. * Secondly, I remained responsible for project management and co-ordination of a number of international projects addressing urban poverty, and for the development of new work in this area. I was given responsibility for leading an organisation-wide working group to consider options for expanding our urban work in preparation for the strategic period 2012-2017.

Rugby

Main responsibilities included project management of two multi-country projects with urban slum dwellers funded by DFID and the EU. Also supported fundraising and strategic development of future work with urban poor communities.

Johannesburg Area, South Africa

I worked full-time for C A S E from Feb 1997 until September 1998. For the following 3 years I worked for them on a consultancy basis while completing my doctoral research. I was responsible for the design of research projects, overseeing fieldwork, analysing quantitative and qualitative data, writing reports, and presenting findings to funders. Projects included evaluations of the government’s housing subsidy scheme and the community-based public works programme (with a team from the ILO), leading to a detailed review of the programme’s monitoring and evaluation system. I was also involved in evaluations of the NGO-run ‘Soul City’ health education campaign, analysing the extent to which health messages were effectively communicated.

Dphil, Geography

Informal Settlements in Gauteng: Social Differentiation and the Impact of Housing Policy. Research based on 4-years of longditutdinal.

Mphil, Development Studies, Distinction

Ba, Geography, First

Winner of the 'Gibbs Prize' for highest first in the year