Tech & Digital Transformation Specialist

Job Reference tbigc/TP/22858/471

This job has been closed.

Number of Positions:
1
Contract Type:
Permanent/Full Time
Contract Details:
Ongoing
Salary:
Competitive
Working Hours:
35
Location:
London, Accra, Nairobi, Dakar
Closing Date:
09/02/2022
Seniority level:
Tomorrow Partnership
Company Industry:
Tomorrow Partnership
Job Function:
Tomorrow Partnership Central Team

Focus of the Role

Are you excited by the prospect of transforming developing and emerging nations through the application of technology and innovations across public services, agriculture, and health?

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?   Do have experience translating tech solutions for public sector clients? 

The Tech & Digital Transformation Specialist is a key role in within our globally- situated team supporting the design and delivery of country-level initiatives and activities in pursuit of the Institute’s “Tech for Development” (T4D) flagship.  

The postholder will be part of a central team comprised of experts across Ag-Tech, Digital ID, Health-Tech, E-Government and country-support generalists who work in partnership with country-based Heads of Tech for Development.   

TBI is rapidly expanding our footprint and the governments we serve through this programme and broader government advisory work. This role will be expected to lead and advance opportunity scoping in countries where TBI may not have advanced relationships or an existing client relationship.

Where relationships and efforts are established, you will work in support of our country teams to improve initiatives and activity designs, planning, and delivery, sometimes gap filling ahead of full-time resource deployment or pitching in as an expert where needed.   

When not supporting country teams, you will work with our sector heads and as part of T4D leadership team to continuously improve our areas of support, our offer, partnerships, and value proposition.

our efforts and leadership will directly work to ensure we are situated to support presidential priorities, with a focus on tech/digitisation, which have the potential for transformational or scalable change for public benefit.  

    

Key Responsibilities

Lead T4D’s entry into new project countries, working closely with leadership from T4D and TBI Advisory and with direct responsibility for: 

  • Developing the entry strategy and scoping approach, based on the country’s context, our known entry points and T4D strategic framework and priorities 

  • Establishing effective and trusted relationships with senior politicians in government, such as Presidents, PMs, Minister and Special Advisors 

  • Scoping potential T4D programmatic opportunities that meet Government demand, deliver transformational impact, and have significant impact potential for TBI’s T4D portfolio 

  • Formulating TBI’s T4D value proposition for Government and securing mandate for ambitious and transformational programming  

  • Identifying and managing resources to support T4D scoping and programme formation 

  • Representing TBI, our core beliefs and our value proposition at all times 

  • Maintaining open lines of communication with TBI colleagues and T4D leadership and exercise highest levels of confidentiality throughout the exercise 

  • Lead the design of bold, transformational new sector initiatives in existing TBI T4D projects, working closely with T4D colleagues, in country and globally, to: 

  • Scope and design opportunities that meet Government demand, deliver transformational impact, and have significant impact potential for TBI’s T4D portfolio 

  • Define TBI’s value addition for the opportunities 

  • (Where relevant) identify appropriate technology partners 

  • Define and recruit necessary resources for implementation of the initiative 

  • Provide expertise to build out TBI’s tech transformation global offer and playbook, contributing to thought leadership that is globally recognised 

  • Lead engagement with external stakeholders such as tech hubs/incubators, innovators, and technology companies to match their offer to our government needs and to help facilitate new tech partnerships for our government 

  • Shape and embody a culture that drives innovation, learning and delivery with the T4D global team and the wider Institute 

Note: this role will require travel to project countries, in addition to management of a portfolio of client relations across the globe. 

 

Person Specification

We are looking for an experienced leader: 

  • With a minimum of 10 years’ experience in management consulting, government or government advisory, related to digital transformation and advisory programme leadership 

  • With experience in the development and operations of robust technology solutions in a public sector environment 

  • Familiarity with policy foundations and regulation needed to foster and enable technology transformation for public good 

  • Who is strategic and can challenge the status-quo and develop plans for successful delivery of challenging objectives 

  • 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  

  • Strong written and verbal communication skills and able to quickly develop polished client briefing materials to support conversations 

  • Who commits to business objectives and pulls out the stops to make sure they are always met 

  • Who is a communicator and influencer, from board level through to technical level and is adept at managing up and beyond hierarchy  

  • Who exhibits discretion and tact and fosters trusted relationships 

  • 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 

 

About The Institute

The Tony Blair Institute (TBI) is a mission-driven not for profit organisation. We exist to equip political leaders and governments to build open, inclusive and prosperous societies. We work hard, every day, to make a difference. When governments work well they are able to create economic and social change in a way that promotes fairness, social justice and opportunity. We work relentlessly to support leader and governments with the challenges they face. Giving them practical solutions and actionable insights, that once implemented, can be transformative for their people  

We do this within two connected divisions: 

 Government Advisory 

Our Government Advisory teams work directly with political leaders and governments around the world to implement reforms that improve the lives of their citizens. It works with a variety of partners and its outputs cover a range of disciplines and projects across countries in Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and South Asia.

 Policy Futures 

Our Policy Futures work encompasses three broad areas: 

  • Renewing the Centre: developing a bold and innovative domestic policy programme to help renew the centre ground of British politics; 
  • Tech and Public Policy: exploring the policy challenges and opportunities presented by the technological revolution; and 
  • Extremism Policy Unit: creating solutions designed to tackle the threat of extremist ideologies in the UK and around the world. 

As an organisation, the core beliefs we all embrace are: 

  • Open and Progressive: you’ll believe in the value of teamwork 
  • Bold and Pragmatic: you’ll approach everything you do with integrity and authenticity 
  • Optimistic Changemaker: you’ll be focused on results 

TBI believes embracing diversity and inclusion make us a better place to work.  It’s our goal to reflect everyone in society and we actively welcome applications from individuals and groups who are under-represented in the workplace. We celebrate difference be it ethnicity, religion, age, gender or gender identity, sexual orientation or disability. We will only ever assess you on your abilities and fit for a role. We’re happy to discuss any adjustments you need to ensure a level playing field during recruitment and, if you\'re successful, discuss any adjustments you might need to thrive in your role.