Jobs at Tony Blair Institute for Global Change

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 and of leading teams to drive systemic and transformative change in an emerging or developing country?

Our main objective in this strategically important role is to rapidly deploy a tech for development initiative in Rwanda, which has been enabled by a dynamic external partner across existing and new operations in our Government Advisory and Tech & Public Policy divisions. This landmark initiative will be delivered in 30 countries, with activity in Rwanda starting immediately.

We have an advisory team embedded in Ghana some of who are now working within the central government to deploy data technologies to support the country’s COVID-19 response.

An exciting opportunity exists to work with the relevant ministries to implement a suite of technology products to support the health response and more. The post holder will drive the Ghana tech for development programme, leading a tech team based in country. The post holder will also work closely with TBI’s Global Director Tech for Development and his/her team to deliver our global plan.

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.

Key outcomes of the role

• Establishing effective and trusted relationships with senior politicians in government, such as Presidents, PMs, Minister and Special Advisors, securing mandate with at least one key counterpart as regular contact;
• Delivery of our tech for development country programme plan created and staffed with engaged and results oriented people
• Tangible results delivered in tech for development, such as deployment of solutions ranging from the current pandemic response and digital health offer, to proximate use cases such as digital payments, digital ID;
• Thought leadership recognised in country/regionally/globally and contribution to our tech for development global offer and playbook; and
• Expenditure in line with budget.

Key Responsibilities:

• 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 government.
• Government: Relations: Establish effective and trusted relationships with senior politicians in government, such as Presidents, PMs, Minister and Special Advisors. 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 Ghana, and the Global Director Tech for Development and his/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. 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 (with immediate effect hire a senior Programme Manager with sector experts to follow). Shape and embody a culture that drives innovation and delivery. Provide quality control of new hires and ongoing development and mentoring. 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, investors, other not for profit organisations, media, suppliers and agencies.
• One TBI: The post holder will formally report into the Country Head Ghana and form part of the wider team and country programme. They will be matrixed on deliverables and work with the Global Director, Tech for Development based in London and his/her team. 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.

Person Specification:

We are looking for an experienced leader:

• Who is strategic and can challenge the status-quo and develop plans for successful delivery of challenging objectives;
• With experience in business operations, technology, consulting or advisory functions;
• With demonstrable experience in technology enterprises or programmes;
• Who commits to business objectives and pulls out the stops to make sure they are always met;
• With outstanding management skills and the proven ability to build and inspire teams to achieve exceptional objectives;
• 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 a bachelor’s or postgraduate degree or equivalent practical experience; and
• With a minimum of 5-7 years’ experience in management consulting or government advisory.

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Do you thrive on driving the end to end delivery of transformative projects? We are looking to hire an exceptional project manager (PM) with experience and expertise across technology and government advisory. The PM will implement a suite of data management products for Government, advising and supporting their application in Ghana. The post holder will thereafter work on the application of technology and innovations across public services, agriculture, health and climate.

The post holder will report to the Head of Tech for Development, Ghana, joining a team of new hires focussed on our tech for development initiative. This team will work with the wider existing embedded team in Ghana, forming a team with enormous potential for further impact.

This is a key role requiring an exceptional candidate with relevant expertise, deep networks with government and/or industry in country or other peer countries.

Key Outcomes

• Tech transformation country programmes managed to deliver expected results, delivered in tech for development, such as deployment of solutions ranging from the current pandemic response and digital health offer, to proximate use cases such as digital payments, digital ID;
• Establishing effective and trusted relationships with senior politicians and bureaucrats in government, in service of project delivery and sustainability; and
• Expenditure in line with budget.

Key Responsibilities:

• Planning: Working closely with Head of Tech for Development, Ghana, design, maintain and continually improve country project plans and tools to roll out our initiative from one tech domain to another, with one ministry or more, across government and in country with other stakeholders.
• Execution and Monitoring: Establish, review and maintain project goals, plans, proof points and KPIs. Report and engage with Country Head for Ghana, and our Global Director Tech for Development, and his/her team to drive delivery, ideate, troubleshoot and manage roll-out. Where relevant, ensure expenditure is utilised in line with budget with robust management accounts and accountability established. Ensure all necessary risk, legal and financial compliance and processes are followed.
• Government Relations: Establish effective and trusted relationships in government, in service of the overall TBI mission to support political leaders to achieve results that benefit the people of the country and in service of our tech for development initiative.
• People: Support or lead to recruit, manage team staff, as required. The post holder will be expected to build strong working relationships.
• External Relations (non-governmental): Engage with relevant external stakeholders such as tech hubs/incubators, investors, other not for profit organisations, media, suppliers and agencies.
• One TBI: The post holder will formally report into Head of Tech for Development Ghana and will work closely with the Country Head, Ghana, and the wider tech for development teams in London and other countries.

Person Specification:

We are looking for an experienced project manager:

• Who commits to business objectives and pulls out the stops to make sure they are always met;
• With experience in business operations, technology, consulting or advisory functions;
• With an in-depth understanding of the tech policy and regulatory environment in practise;
• With some experience in public affairs or government relations;
• With excellent written and spoken communication skills;
• Who can work flexibly and be adaptable, open to changing approaches in response to changing situations on the ground;
• With proven understanding of relevant policy contexts and how to influence policy and communicate with Government;
• With a bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience; and
• With a minimum of 5 years’ experience in management consulting or government advisory.

The following is also desirable:

• Experience in government, and/or delivery of technology-enabled projects in Ghana.