---

Strategic Partnerships & Growth

Building the Relationships Through Which Transformation Becomes Possible

“No institution transforms a nation alone. Lasting transformation emerges when relationships become purposeful, knowledge becomes shared and diverse institutions learn to steward change together.”

---

Purpose

The Strategic Partnerships & Growth Pillar exists to build, steward and strengthen the relationships through which STRLDi fulfils its mission.

Persistent national and regional issues rarely exist within the boundaries of a single organisation, ministry or profession. They emerge through the interaction of many actors whose decisions, priorities and actions continually influence one another. For this reason, meaningful transformation depends as much upon the quality of relationships as it does upon the quality of technical solutions.

STRLDi therefore views partnership development not as an activity undertaken after research is completed or programmes are designed. Partnership is itself a strategic capability. It enables diverse institutions to discover shared purpose, develop mutual trust and mobilise collective action around issues that no single organisation can address independently.

This pillar cultivates the institutional ecosystem within which STRLDi’s research, leadership development and strategy stewardship can flourish. It identifies opportunities for collaboration, develops long-term institutional relationships, mobilises resources and creates the conditions through which knowledge is continually exchanged across sectors, disciplines and national boundaries.

In doing so, Strategic Partnerships & Growth strengthens not only the Institute itself, but also the broader communities of practice committed to systemic transformation.

---

The Partnership Journey

Partnerships within STRLDi develop through a deliberate journey rather than isolated transactions.

Relationships begin through dialogue and shared inquiry. As trust develops, opportunities for collaboration emerge naturally. These opportunities are translated into jointly designed programmes, research initiatives and leadership engagements that create value for all participants.

Implementation generates further learning, strengthening both the relationship and the institutional capability of those involved. Over time, individual collaborations evolve into enduring partnerships, professional networks and communities of practice that continue learning together long after individual projects have concluded.

In this way, partnerships become living systems of learning rather than contractual arrangements.

---

Institutional Structure

The Strategic Partnerships & Growth Pillar is organised through specialised relationship portfolios that together ensure every major stakeholder group receives intentional stewardship while remaining connected to STRLDi’s broader mission.

---

1. Government Relations & Strategic Communications

Current Steward: Brunoh

Purpose

Governments remain central actors in addressing persistent national challenges. This office cultivates trusted relationships with ministries, departments, public service leadership and national planning institutions, creating opportunities for collaborative inquiry, leadership development and institutional transformation.

It also serves as the principal channel through which STRLDi communicates its work to the wider public, ensuring that research findings and institutional learning contribute meaningfully to national discourse.

Key Responsibilities

• Steward relationships with central and local government.
• Engage ministries, departments and agencies.
• Coordinate executive briefings and government dialogues.
• Support public-sector leadership engagement.
• Develop strategic communication initiatives.
• Strengthen public understanding of systemic issues.

Key Result Areas

• Government partnerships.
• Public-sector programmes.
• Institutional visibility.
• Strategic communications.
• National engagement.

---

2. Economic Partnerships & Development Cooperation

Current Steward: Mr Tema

Purpose

Sustainable transformation requires collaboration with business leaders, investors and development partners whose resources, expertise and influence contribute to national development.

This office develops relationships with the private sector, international development agencies, philanthropic organisations and multilateral institutions, aligning shared interests around long-term systemic transformation.

Key Responsibilities

• Build private-sector partnerships.
• Develop relationships with development partners.
• Facilitate donor engagement.
• Identify investment opportunities.
• Support resource mobilisation.
• Coordinate international cooperation.

Key Result Areas

• Development partnerships.
• Private-sector collaboration.
• Resource mobilisation.
• International cooperation.

---

3. Institutional & Professional Partnerships

Current Steward: Mabua

Purpose

Professional bodies, statutory organisations and public enterprises play a vital role in strengthening institutional capability across society.

This office builds enduring relationships with these organisations, encouraging collaborative learning, joint research and professional development while creating opportunities for broader institutional transformation.

Key Responsibilities

• Steward relationships with parastatals.
• Engage professional associations.
• Build institutional networks.
• Coordinate sector-specific collaboration.
• Support professional learning initiatives.

Key Result Areas

• Institutional partnerships.
• Professional collaboration.
• Sector engagement.
• Organisational capability.

---

4. Community, Knowledge & Regional Partnerships

Current Steward: Coach

Purpose

Transformation becomes sustainable only when knowledge reaches communities and when learning flows across regional boundaries.

This office strengthens relationships with local government, traditional leadership, universities, research institutions, civil society organisations and regional bodies, particularly within the Southern African Development Community.

Its work ensures that STRLDi remains connected to the lived realities of communities while contributing to regional learning and cooperation.

Key Responsibilities

• Engage local authorities.
• Build relationships with Bogosi.
• Develop university partnerships.
• Coordinate regional collaboration.
• Support academic cooperation.
• Strengthen community engagement.

Key Result Areas

• Community partnerships.
• Academic collaboration.
• Regional cooperation.
• Knowledge exchange.

---

5. Proposal Development & Resource Mobilisation

Future Development

Purpose

Ideas become transformational only when they are adequately resourced.

This office converts emerging partnership opportunities into funded programmes, consultancy assignments, research initiatives and long-term institutional collaborations.

Its work enables STRLDi to sustain and expand its mission while ensuring that proposals remain grounded in the Institute’s philosophy and standards of professional practice.

Key Responsibilities

• Coordinate Expressions of Interest and tenders.
• Develop grant proposals.
• Prepare consultancy submissions.
• Negotiate partnership agreements.
• Support contract development.
• Maintain proposal quality.

Key Result Areas

• Successful proposals.
• Contract awards.
• Programme funding.
• Strategic investments.

---

6. Membership Office

Future Development

Purpose

The Membership Office builds a community of individuals and institutions committed to advancing systemic thinking, organisational learning and national transformation.

Membership extends the Institute’s reach beyond individual projects by creating a network of practitioners, researchers, leaders and supporters who continue learning together over time.

The Office will also steward Fellows, Associates, Alumni and Institutional Members, strengthening long-term relationships while generating recurring support for the Institute’s work.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage membership programmes.
• Coordinate Fellows and Associates.
• Develop institutional membership.
• Maintain alumni engagement.
• Support member services.
• Grow the learning community.

Key Result Areas

• Membership growth.
• Member engagement.
• Institutional loyalty.
• Community development.

---

7. Communities of Practice

Purpose

Communities of Practice provide ongoing spaces where professionals continue learning long after formal engagements have concluded.

Rather than functioning as networking groups alone, these communities become living laboratories through which knowledge is shared, practice evolves and collaborative innovation emerges across sectors and disciplines.

Key Responsibilities

• Establish thematic Communities of Practice.
• Facilitate professional dialogue.
• Encourage peer learning.
• Share emerging research.
• Strengthen collaborative problem solving.

Key Result Areas

• Active communities.
• Professional learning.
• Cross-sector collaboration.
• Knowledge exchange.

---

8. Conferences, Strategic Dialogues & Executive Forums

Purpose

National and regional transformation requires spaces where diverse perspectives can meet in disciplined conversation.

This office designs and coordinates conferences, executive forums, public lectures and strategic dialogues that bring together leaders from government, business, academia, development agencies and civil society to explore emerging issues and strengthen collective understanding.

These gatherings also provide opportunities for disseminating research, showcasing innovation and cultivating new partnerships.

Key Responsibilities

• Coordinate conferences.
• Design executive dialogues.
• Organise public lectures.
• Facilitate strategic forums.
• Support knowledge dissemination.

Key Result Areas

• High-quality events.
• Executive participation.
• Knowledge sharing.
• Partnership development.

---

9. Knowledge & Public Engagement

Purpose

Knowledge fulfils its greatest purpose when it becomes accessible and contributes to public understanding.

This office ensures that STRLDi’s research, publications, digital platforms and media engagement reach diverse audiences in ways that encourage informed dialogue, thoughtful reflection and broader societal learning.

It also strengthens the Institute’s reputation as a trusted source of insight into persistent national and regional issues.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop institutional publications.
• Coordinate media engagement.
• Manage digital communications.
• Support website development.
• Promote research dissemination.
• Strengthen public engagement.

Key Result Areas

• Public visibility.
• Knowledge dissemination.
• Media presence.
• Institutional reputation.

---

How the Pillar Works

Strategic Partnerships & Growth serves as the outward-facing relationship system of STRLDi.

Each office stewards a distinct community of relationships while remaining connected through a shared institutional purpose. Government engagement informs research priorities. Development partners enable programme implementation. Professional bodies strengthen learning communities. Universities enrich research. Communities contribute lived experience. Conferences stimulate dialogue. Membership sustains long-term engagement. Public communication extends learning beyond institutional boundaries.

Together these relationships generate opportunities that flow naturally into the Client Solutions & Delivery Pillar, where they become research assignments, leadership programmes, Strategy Steward Labs and policy advisory engagements. As these engagements conclude, the knowledge and relationships they produce return to strengthen the partnership ecosystem, creating a continuous cycle of learning, collaboration and institutional growth.

---

Key Result Areas of the Pillar

The Strategic Partnerships & Growth Pillar will be considered successful when it consistently:

• Builds enduring relationships founded on trust, mutual learning and shared purpose.
• Creates opportunities that expand STRLDi’s contribution to governments, institutions and communities.
• Mobilises financial, intellectual and institutional resources to support long-term transformation.
• Strengthens Communities of Practice that extend learning beyond individual projects.
• Facilitates national, regional and international dialogue on persistent issues.
• Expands the Institute’s visibility through high-quality publications, media engagement and public discourse.
• Develops a sustainable membership community that contributes to the growth of systemic thinking and organisational learning.
• Positions STRLDi as a trusted partner in advancing national, regional and international transformation.

---

Closing Reflection

The Strategic Partnerships & Growth Pillar recognises that relationships are among STRLDi’s most valuable institutional assets. Through deliberate stewardship, dialogue and collaboration, it creates the conditions in which knowledge can travel, leadership can mature and transformation can be sustained. Rather than pursuing growth for its own sake, the pillar expands the Institute’s capacity to convene, connect and inspire those committed to addressing the persistent challenges that shape the future of nations and communities.

---