Head of Tech, Nigeria at the Tony Blair Institute (TBI)

At the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change we are dedicated to making globalisation work for the many, not the few. We do this by helping countries, their people and their governments, address some of the most difficult challenges in the world today – beginning with those where we think we can break new ground, offering leaders new thinking and new approaches. Our staff – over 200 of them, based all over the world – are working on some of the most intractable problems around issues of co-existence, governance, the peace process in the Middle East and renewing the centre.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Head of Tech, Nigeria

Job Reference: tbigc/TP/9595/576
Location: Abuja
Contract Type: Fixed Term / Full Time
Contract Details: Ongoing
Working Hours: Full-Time
Job Function: Project Management

Focus of the Role

• Are you excited by the prospect of transforming developing and emerging nations in Africa through the application of technology and innovations across public services, agriculture, health and climate?
• Do you have experience of consulting or working in the tech field, or with tech-enabled businesses and of leading teams to drive systemic and transformative change in an emerging or developing country?
• If yes, then we are looking for you!

Job Introduction

• The Head of Tech is a critical leadership role in our Nigeria project, responsible for setting the strategy, building the team, and enabling the effective implementation of the Tech for Development Programme.
• Enabled by a dynamic external partner, the Tech for Development programme operates in close coordination with TBI’s Government Advisory and Tech & Public Policy divisions, exploring transformational initiatives across existing and new government partnerships.
• This landmark initiative will be delivered in 30 countries, with preliminary initiatives already under scoping in Nigeria with a state government.
• We are aiming to scale to other states and the federal level.
• The post holder will report to the Nigeria Country Head and Deputy Global Director TBI’s Global Director Tech for Development, Heads of Sector, other Heads of Tech across Africa and the wider T4D team to deliver our global ambition.
• This is a senior role requiring an exceptional candidate with relevant expertise, deep networks with government and/or industry in country or other peer countries.
• This is an initial 2 year Fixed Term contract.
• Nigerian National. However, open to relocating a Nigerian national or consider a non-Nigerian with previous papers or work experience in Nigeria.

Role Summary

• Strategy and Planning: design, maintain and continually improve: (i) the country strategy for Tech for Development; and (ii) plans and tools to roll out the strategy from one tech domain to another, within one ministry or across Federal and State governments
• Government Relations: establish effective and trusted relationships with senior politicians in government, such as the President, State Governors, Ministers and Special Advisors and Federal and State Agency heads.
• Secure mandates with at least one key counterpart as regular contact, in service of our mission to support political leaders to achieve results that benefit the people of the country and in service of our Tech for Development initiative
• Execution and Monitoring: establish, review and maintain project goals, plans, proof points and KPIs. Serve as the focal point for Tech for Development in country, project and output quality control and design tools to support execution.
• Report and engage with Country Head Nigeria, and the Global Director Tech for Development and her team to drive delivery, ideate, troubleshoot and manage the initiative across TBI.
• Ensure expenditure is utilised in line with budget with robust management accounts and accountability established.
• The post holder and his/her team will be expected to play a key role in the broader community at TBI and will be expected to build strong working relationships
• External Relations (non-governmental): engage with relevant external stakeholders such as tech hubs/incubators, founders, investors, other not for profit organisations, media, suppliers and agencies
• One TBI: the post holder will formally report to the Country Head Nigeria and form part of the wider team and country programme.
• They will be matrixed on deliverables and work closely with the Deputy Global Director Tech for Development and the wider T4D team.
• Ensure all necessary risk, legal and financial compliance and processes are in place
• People: recruit, manage and develop a country team to report to post holder working with the Country Head and T4D Leadership in its vision and craft.
• Shape and embody a culture that drives innovation and delivery.
• Provide quality control of new hires and ongoing development and mentoring.
• Other key relationships will be with the Executive Directors for External Relations, Government Advisory, Tech & Public Policy, and our Legal, HR and Finance support teams.

Key Responsibilities
­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Key outcomes of the role:

• Development and delivery of our Nigeria Tech for Development country strategy, created and staffed with engaged and results-oriented team members
• Foster greater collaboration between private sector tech players and stakeholders at all levels of government with direct use cases for tech solutions
• Thought leadership recognised in country/regionally/globally and contribution to our Tech for Development global offer and playbook
• Effective and trusted relationships with senior politicians in government, such as the President, State Governors, Ministers and Special Advisors, and Federal and State Agency Heads and securing at least one key counterpart as a regular contact
• Design and deployment of solutions ranging from digital health to digital ID, and supporting enabling policy foundations
• Expenditure in line with the budget.

Person Specification
We are looking for an experienced leader:

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree
• Extensive experience in management consulting, government or government advisory, related to digital transformation and advisory programme leadership
• With experience in technology enterprises or digital transformation programmes in a public sector environment
• With a good understanding of the tech space in Nigeria, including key actors and technology solutions and with experience working in Nigeria or West Africa on digital transformation projects for public good
• With familiarity with policy foundations and regulation needed to foster and enable technology transformation for public good
• With outstanding management skills and the proven ability to build and inspire teams to achieve exceptional objectives and contribute directly to outcomes hands-on
• Who is a communicator and influencer, from board level through to technical level and is adept at managing up and beyond hierarchy
• Who has worked or consulted in developing and emerging economies and is sensitive to a diverse range of cultural and regional norms, and will foster a positive spirit of collaboration between our countries and our tech transformation offer
• With familiarity with agile programme delivery and in guiding pilots and prototyping efforts and then scaling
• Who is strategic and can challenge the status-quo and develop plans for successful delivery of challenging objectives
• Who is a bold thinker equipped to be a thought partner and peer to cutting edge technology companies as well as government leadership with an aim to thinking towards the future of cutting edge innovation
• Who has full right to reside and work in Nigeria.

Salary
Salary Competitive.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply

Application Deadline  24th October, 2022.