Tech Hub Director, International Tech at Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO)

Job Description (Roles and Responsibilities)

This is an exciting opportunity to set up and lead a new, innovative and high-profile Tech Hub in Kenya that will aim to develop the Kenyan tech ecosystem, deliver digital skills programmes, and build links between Kenyan and international (including UK) tech businesses. We are looking for a dynamic, well-networked leader from the Kenya tech scene for this important role, who will use their significant experience and network to shape and lead this exciting initiative. The hub will be one of four critical pillars of a new Prosperity Fund programme to drive greater digital access in countries like Kenya. New and innovative, the Prosperity Fund (PF) represents a step change in HMG’s approach to promoting economic development and prosperity overseas.

The PF was established under the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) with the primary aim of supporting growth in recipient countries and thereby reducing poverty. As such, it represents a key component of the prosperity pillar of the UK Aid Strategy. But the Fund uniquely focuses on promoting growth in ODA-eligible middle income countries, which are home to nearly 70% of the world’s poor and where the development challenges remain significant, but at the same time are important business partners and drivers of prosperity. By delivering high impact, strategic multi-year programmes, across high opportunity countries, regions and sectors, the Fund will help create opportunities for international business, including UK companies. As the UK leaves the EU, an even more outward-looking global Britain investing and trading with the fastest growing markets will become increasingly important.

The role will be based in Nairobi, with some travel across the country which will be required to maximise the success and outputs of the hub across Kenya. There will also be some overseas travel, including to the UK.

The UK- Kenya Tech Hub will be one of the first in a global network of international tech partnerships developed by the UK government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to build digital ecosystems that will facilitate sustainable economic growth and development.

The successful candidate will lead a small team of locally-engaged staff, based within the British High Commission, and will be responsible for shaping and delivering the strategy for the Hub. The team will support local digital ecosystems in both the commercial hotspots and across more disadvantaged regions of the partner country. They follow the example of successful hubs elsewhere in the world such as the UK-Israel Hub in Tel Aviv. The Tech Hub Network is funded as part of a cross-government, Prosperity-funded programme, so collaboration across departments will be a critical success factor in this role.

The Hub will have three main aims:

• deliver tailored interventions to cultivate digital skills responding to the needs and opportunities for inclusion in the local tech sector for example promoting opportunities for youth and women in the local tech sector;
• support tech entrepreneurship through partnerships with local digital ecosystem stakeholders including incubators, accelerators, UK and SA private sector firms, SA government departments and agencies and non-profit organisations
• facilitate partnerships between local tech firms (including tech startups) and international companies (across all sectors) in the form of commercial partnerships or joint ventures

Roles and responsibilities / what will the jobholder be expected to achieve?:

The successful applicant will design the strategy for, and establish the Kenya Tech Hub and will work with colleagues at DCMS and other departments working in digital access to set the Hub’s overall direction and objectives. The applicant will be responsible for the Hub’s operations across Kenya, leading on cross departmental projects and developing and maintaining senior relationships with both internal and external contacts and sponsors developing a public and media profile for the Hub’s activities, leading on reporting and working as part of the High Commissioner’s team and mission.

Responsibilities will include:

• Overall leadership of the Tech Hub, including leading a team of locally-engaged staff, managing the Hub budget and ensuring that Hub operations run smoothly;
• Leading the formulation of a strategy for the country, building on the Kenyan context and aligning to broader Prosperity Fund objectives;
• Working closely with DCMS central Tech Hub team, Digital Access Programme Adviser, and other UK government departments, including the Department for International Trade (DIT), DFID and FCO to ensure that strategic priorities are aligned;
• Acting as the figurehead and lead point of contact for the Hub for stakeholders in government, (both Kenyan and UK) corporates and startups;
• Collaborating with the other Hubs in the global network to develop the network offering;
• Overseeing the implementation of the DCMS-designed Hub monitoring and evaluation framework and providing management, performance and financial updates to senior stakeholders within UK Government;
• Initiating and pursuing new strategic partnership opportunities for the Hub, identifying and cultivating new leads, understanding business and innovation needs across all sectors and convincingly present the opportunities for collaboration
• Contributing to the Hubs’ future sustainability by actively seeking new opportunities for execution of the Hub’s mission, and developing revenue streams that will help the Hub to become financially sustainable in the long term.
• Acting as a gender champion in your leadership role. Ensure Gender Equality Act (2014) compliance and support implementation of gender policy and guidance so that, at the least, no harm is done and gender inequality is not worsened. Actively support PF ambitions on women’s economic opportunities, inclusive growth and poverty reduction through your team.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure):

The post-holder will have direct line management responsibilities and be able to finalise recruitment of the Deputy Director of the Hub and Operations Coordinator, based in Nairobi and will report to [TBC], while taking strategic direction from the International Tech Hub Network Team in London. The postholder will be required to work closely with staff from other government departments, including DIT, DFID, FCO, and the other Tech Hubs.

Essential qualifications, skills and experience

• Significant experience in, and knowledge of, the tech sector and startup scene within Kenya;
• Significant leadership experience in the technology/digital sector or business development more widely (or a passion for innovation and technology);
• Experience of developing strategies in partnership with multiple stakeholders;
• Well networked within the tech sector (private sector firms and startups);
• Knowledge of, and experience with, the Kenyan business landscape
• Track record of leading successful delivery in either industry or government;
• Good judgement and political understanding;
• Resilience and adaptability;
• Ability to engage credibly with senior government and senior industry stakeholders
• Proven track record of leading teams to develop and run programs and partnerships from the ground up – core funding will constitute Official Development Assistance, with legal constraints around how it is spent so an existing understanding of this will be helpful;
• Willingness to travel frequently within Kenya, and to occasionally travel to the UK and other locations
  Required competencies

Seeing the Big Picture, Leading and Communicating, Collaborating and Partnering, Delivering at Pace

Learning and development opportunities (and any specific training courses to be completed):

We place a strong emphasis on learning and development. You will be encouraged to undertake developmental training and get involved in corporate activities. This role provides an excellent opportunity to build up programme knowledge and expertise and gain exposure to working across government. You will have access to existing and new Project & Programme Management L&D as well as wider job-relevant L&D and support for your own personal development.