Agricultural Technology Advisor

Job Introduction

Are you excited by the prospect of transforming developing and emerging nations through the application of technology? Do you have experience of consulting or working in the tech field and driving systemic and transformative change in agriculture in emerging or developing countries?  If so, we want to hear from you.

Scaling up its support to multiple governments across Africa, Eastern Europe and Asia, TBI is collaborating with governments to accelerate reforms and progress, through better delivery support, technology and private sector engagement (value chain and investment facilitation). Enabled by a dynamic external partner, the main objective in this strategically important role is to support the Government of Angola to improve efficiencies and output across its agriculture sector, through the use of technology. 

TBI has been supporting the Government of Angola since 2020 to strengthen its delivery and investment capability in the centre of government and in the investment agency (AIPEX). This support is being expanded to the agriculture sector, with TBI adopting a sector-wide approach, combining agri delivery support, agri technology support and agri investment support to accelerate the government’s ambitions. As the Agtech advisor, you will play a central role in delivering this support, working closely with public and private partners to deploy digital and technological solutions that enable the delivery of the  government’s agriculture transformation agenda.

This role will be on a one-year contract with possibility of extension.

Key Responsibilities

Successful delivery of the role will include:

• Building on a scoping exercise conducted earlier in the year, develop and deploy a comprehensive agtech offering in Angola, securing agreement from the Government on an ambitious, impact oriented strategy
• Design and deliver the Tech for Development Angola agriculture programme - created and staffed with engaged and results-oriented people 
• Establish effective and trusted relationships with senior counterparts in government, such as Ministers and Special Advisors, as well as key stakeholders across the private sector
• Deliver tangible results in the sector, including deployment of solutions to enable the government of Angola to drive forward its agriculture transformation agenda
• Thought leadership recognised in country/regionally/globally and contribution to TBI’s broader Tech for Development global offer

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­The Agtech Advisor will be responsible for:

• Representing TBI, our core beliefs and our value proposition

• Engaging key senior government counterparts on the national vision, priorities, and challenges across the sector, and assessing entry points where TBI’s T4D programming adds strategic value to the Government’s agriculture objectives   

• Assessing short and long term feasibility of agtech opportunities, taking into account considerations including infrastructure, skills, policy and regulatory frameworks, funding and other enabling factors

• Aligned with T4D leadership and the Angola Country Head, developing clear action plans for TBI to support implementation of identified agtech opportunities, with clearly articulated timeframes, milestones and outputs

• Provide technical expertise to Agtech initiatives, overseeing delivery of individual workstreams, leveraging skills and expertise from across the organisation, and delivering in coordination with TBI’s wider agriculture offering

• Build strong relationships with senior public sector stakeholders, maintaining an in-depth understanding of current trends across the agtech ecosystem, identifying opportunities for collaboration

• Develop relationships with actors across the broader tech ecosystem, including private sector and development partners. Identify partnership opportunities with stakeholders with capacity to support product/solution development, infrastructure establishment or enabling factors around scoped agtech opportunities    
   
• Support the Country Head with the recruitment of required technical and programme management expertise to support agtech delivery  

• Regularly inform TBI country-level and central T4D colleagues of progress through reporting and engagement sessions, and proactively escalate issues for further support as needed 
   
• Thought leadership recognised in country/regionally/globally and contribution to TBI’s tech for development global offer and playbook  

Person Specification

The successful candidate must demonstrate a good understanding of theagriculture ecosystem and tech/digital space in Sub-Saharan Africa countries. Prior work in Angola is highly desirable. Additional skills and competencies required include:

• Relevant experience, ideally including experience in AgTech implementation with governments
• Experience working with government on public reform programmes or investment projects
• Prior experience working on programmes/projects in emerging markets, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa is highly desirable
• Ability to present information in a concise, insightful and structured manner, in written and oral form
• Problem-solving and analytical skills, including sound knowledge of data analysis, strategic planning, and project management practices
• Experience in development and/or implementation of risk management/matrix frameworks
• Ability to coordinate with multi-disciplinary advisors
• High quality communication, drafting and presentational skills
• Excellent relationship building and management skills, including the ability to navigate complex political environments
• Fluency in Portuguese and English (oral and written)

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 has both non-profit partners and a client base 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 Changemakers: you’ll be focused on results