View Vacancy – Science, Technology and Innovation Adviser -East Africa Research & Innovation Hub(05/25 NR)

Main purpose of job:

FCDO plays an important role in the delivery of the UK’s ambition to be a global science leader and innovation nation. FCDO supports this vision by facilitating research collaboration to bolster national prosperity, security, and resilience by connecting UK academia, business, and other government departments to international partners to tackle global challenges and support the UK Government’s wider geo-political priorities. We work in partnership with the local science, technology and innovation (ST&I) community in support of UK policy overseas, leading to mutual benefits for the UK and the host country.

The global science network in the FCDO’s Research and Evidence Directorate (RED) is a unique component of the UK’s overseas footprint with 152 officers in 67 locations around the world providing ST&I expertise. Our global science network in Africa comprises twenty colleagues in five locations. The network develops bilateral and regional ST&I relationships supporting UK diplomacy and development objectives. The network is composed of the Science and Innovation Network (SIN) and Research and Innovation Hubs (Hubs).

The post holder will work with teams in East, West and Southern Africa to shape the portfolio of programmes aimed at accelerating the impact of promising new technologies and innovation in target countries across East Africa. The post holder will also work with colleagues in South/South Asia to deliver ST&I objectives impacting the region in addition to the UK and East Africa. He/She will support efforts to promote visibility and UK Government coherence on science, technology, research and innovation.  The successful candidate will also be responsible for developing new and strengthening existing science partnerships including strengthening technology and innovation systems in partner countries for development impact and diplomatic influence in the region.

The role will involve working flexibly across the RED Hub network alongside the country offices across East Africa. You will bring exceptional technical and partnership skills and experience developing coherence and impact working with a broad spectrum of stakeholders in the East Africa ST&I ecosystem.

The postholder will be expected to work with FCDO country offices across East Africa to understand their science, innovation and technology requirements and to drive effective delivery of the UK’s strategies and programmes in meeting UK objectives in the region. The successful candidate will also be responsible for developing new and strengthening existing science partnerships to enhance research and innovation systems in partner countries for development impact and UK diplomatic influence in the region.

Roles and responsibilities:

We all have a responsibility to embrace the changes of the FCDO as it transforms, building the culture we want to see and delivering our cultural statement in how we lead and behave towards others; how we make decisions and how we get the job done is everyone’s responsibility. In this role you will also be responsible for:

• Implementing existing and developing new science, technology, research, and innovation programmes in focus countries in Kenya and the wider East Africa region. The postholder will lead the UK’s existing and future portfolio of technology and innovation programmes operating in East Africa through their technical expertise. This work ranges from research and innovation capacity strengthening initiatives, working with partner country governments, researchers, innovators and start-ups, through to supporting the commercialisation of research into technology and innovation for development impact. The job holder will support the portfolio of science, technology and innovation catalytic programmes in focus countries as well as to make linkages with centrally managed ST&I programmes in the region, and to ensure alignment with our global ST&I portfolio, in particular with our partner Research and Innovation Hubs in Asia, West and Southern Africa.
• Growing science, technology, research, and innovation partnerships between the UK Government and priority East African countries and institutions. This could include leading high level government to government dialogue on science, technology, research, and innovation e.g. in Kenya and across East Africa, as well as discussions with other key stakeholders within the innovation ecosystem including academia and the private sector. We would expect the postholder to work with local and regional institutions and international development partners to develop relationships and collaborate on priority science, technology, research, and innovation initiatives across East Africa.  You will also support initiatives to ensure cross-government coherence on ST&I programming, bringing in like-minded funders and partners where appropriate.
• Working with FCDO colleagues in the region, particularly in Kenya, to identify and harness opportunities to make use of science, technology and innovation in their work. This may involve influencing colleagues to embed science, technology, and innovation in their work. The postholder is expected to have strong networks and contacts within the Kenyan ecosystem to identify the most promising innovations and technologies to solve a particular challenge.
• Leading learning, communication, dissemination and uptake of ST&I initiatives to create visibility, coherence and build synergies across initiatives of the UK Government. Working with partners, you will responsible for leading the East Africa Hub team’s ST&I learning and communication strategy, working with MEL leads and a dedicated learning partner to ensure targeted dissemination and uptake of programme outputs for development impact.
• Contributing to the British High Commission Nairobi Country Business Plan. The East Africa Research & Innovation Hub role sits within the British High Commission’s Science, Innovation & Tech Pillar, and contributes to a wider set of SI&T objectives for the UK in Kenya. You will be expected to collaborate closely with colleagues in other teams within the pillar – Digital & Cyber Team, People & Partnerships Team, the UK-Kenya Tech Hub and the British Council – to maximise impact and identify areas of joint working.
• Contributing to the wider corporate objectives of the British Hich Commission through, for example, joining and actively contributing to post and departmental committees supporting corporate objectives.

Resources managed:

• Future line management of 1 programme manager
• Co-management and technical oversight of East Africa component of the existing Africa Tech and Innovation Partnership (ATIP) programme – budget approximately £1 million per annum. This will transition to the East Africa innovation component of the Global Science Department Research and Innovation successor programme under development.

• A degree in one of the following fields (or any other relevant field): Social Science, Basic Science, International Development, Engineering, Technology & Innovation or Research.
• Proven knowledge and experience of the role science, technology, research, and innovation can play in African development, particularly for East Africa. This may include understanding and experience in a technical area or more widely across development policy.
• Can engage internationally and across government on a cross-cutting agenda to help deliver UK Government objectives in the wider UK and international context and in developing productive relationships with other government departments and external partners to help deliver UK objectives
• Experience of working across stakeholders from diverse backgrounds, including national and international partners, whether from government, academia, development partners, private sector and civil society.
• Good communication skills and the ability to work with others to ensure complex ideas can be communicated to different audiences.
• Experience of programme and/or project management and delivery.