View Vacancy - Digital Access Programme Manager (79/19 PTA)

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Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Policy & Political roles)
Economic and Prosperity

Background

The Prosperity Fund

Many countries, including middle-income countries - where around 70% of the world’s poor live - still face considerable challenges such as rapid urbanisation, climate change and high and persistent inequality (including gender inequality) which can lower long-term growth prospects. Launched in April 2016 to help promote economic growth in partner countries, the UK Government’s Prosperity Fund supports the broad-based and inclusive growth needed for poverty reduction. The Fund’s priorities include improving the business climate, competitiveness and operation of markets, energy and financial sector reform, and tackling corruption. These reforms will drive sustainable development in partner countries - and in the process it will also create opportunities for international business, including UK companies. Please see link on PF Annual report 2018/19 for more information.

The Digital Access Programme

The Digital Access Programme in South Africa is resourced by the Prosperity Fund to facilitate wider and more affordable, safer and more secure access to the internet for excluded populations, harnessing the power of digital inclusion to tackle poverty, build prosperity and enable millions of people - especially socio-economically disadvantaged populations - to benefit from digital services and opportunities. Access to the internet is a powerful catalyst for prosperity, reducing poverty and building inclusion – with a 10% increase in internet access linked to 3% growth in GDP, and a range of social and economic benefits. The objective for this programme is to support development and prosperity outcomes. The Digital Access Programme aims to address the fundamental constraints to digital inclusion through a multi-pillar integrated structure, leveraging the role and expertise of three UK government partner departments:

  • Models & Enablers’ Pillar 1 (Department for International Development, DFID)-: Test and validate innovative business models that take emerging connectivity technologies to market, in order to facilitate the sustainable expansion of affordable internet access for the excluded or underserved communities. This will be complemented by enablers such as support to regulatory reform, digital literacy and locally-relevant content for development.

  • Trust & Resilience’ Pillar 2 (Foreign and Commonwealth Office, FCO): Build South Africa’s capacity to prevent and respond to cyber-security risks affecting governments, businesses and citizens (including vulnerable groups at risk of online abuse or exploitation).

  • Department for Culture Media and Sports (DCMS) - ‘Sustainable Digital Ecosystems’: Stimulate local digital economies, and forge partnerships between local tech sectors and international businesses (including UK firms) through a Tech Hub network.

Main purpose of the job

The Digital Access Programme as a whole is led in South Africa by a Programme Adviser. As the programme enters delivery and an increased tempo of activity, we are recruiting a Programme Manager for the Digital Access Programme in South Africa. 

The job holder will be required to support the Programme Adviser for the Digital Access Programme in design, development and delivery of the programme plan, including managing risks, monitoring implementation and reporting on programme progress against set intervention targets under each of the pillars of the programme and on the resourcing requirements needed to deliver them.

The role will entail the following functions:

  • In support of and under the oversight of the Programme Adviser, manage the implementation of the programme, ensuring interventions are evidence-based and well placed to contribute significantly to the programme’s overall objectives in terms of primary purpose (poverty reduction and inclusive economic growth) and secondary benefits (opportunities for business partnerships with the UK). This will include supporting the design, delivery and monitoring of programme activities through coordinating with the global programme contractors and/or directly with the local implementing partners.

  • Assist with setting up programme performance tracking systems to ascertain programme performance against plan and resource expenditure, identify deviations from plans and develop corrective actions.

  • Assist with project information management and communications. Develop communications material to keep internal and external stakeholders informed of programme progress.

  • Compile and maintain thorough project records and lead on the accounting and reporting processes, under the oversight of the Programme Adviser.

  • Maintain effective coordination with the relevant teams within the British High Commission in Pretoria (and across the network in South Africa) and with the cross-government programme teams in London, under the guidance of the Programme Adviser.

  • Maintain and update relevant stakeholders’ mapping in South Africa and the UK in order to inform programme work and support the Programme Adviser with stakeholder engagement and follow-ups. This will include liaising with government, the private sector, civil society and academia/thought-leaders.

  • Proactively monitor and identify digital/ICT sector risks and opportunities for the UK prosperity fund and specifically for the Digital Access Programme.

Working within the South Africa Prosperity and Policy Programmes team, reporting to the Digital Access Programme Adviser and liaising with the London-based Programme Management Committee you will also contribute to effective coordination between the work of the Digital Access Programme and with the wider Prosperity Fund in South Africa and internationally to maximise synergies and impact.

Roles and responsibilities:

The Programme Manager for Digital Access (South Africa) will be responsible for supporting the setup of the programme in South Africa – working with the Prosperity team at post and with the Programme Management Committee in the UK. The post-holder will provide oversight of project activities and contributing to stakeholder engagement in the public and private sectors to promote digital access and cyber security. The role presents unique opportunities to advance the UK- South Africa relationship on digital access and cyber security for economic growth at a time when these issues are of increasing importance on the international agenda.

Programme coordination and management

Support the delivery of Digital Access Programme implementation activities in South Africa as delivered in-house as well as by lead contractors and other implementing partners, in coordination with South Africa Prosperity team and with the central Programme Management Committee. Assist the Programme Adviser in ensuring coherence with bilateral and global South Africa PF portfolio. This will require an ability to apply project coordination, monitoring, risk management and stakeholder engagement skills.

The jobholder will maintain and build new relationships with the programme’s global contractors, and their local implementing partners and local supply chain to ensure delivery is monitored in coordination with the Prosperity team in-country and with the central Programme Management Committee. This will include pre-empting risks and ensuring that project activities deliver the expected outcomes.

The jobholder will support the Programme Adviser with regard to the internal and external communication on the programme in South Africa, helping to ensure the Programme’s visibility is properly managed and that the UK government gains recognition for its work. The post holder will support implementation of the Programme’s communications strategy as approved by the Programme’s governance structure. The post-holder will also support the organisation and delivery of key visits from the UK, related to the implementation and promotion of the Digital Access programme.

The jobholder will support the Programme Adviser in preparing and providing inputs to the Digital Access programme governance functions via the Programme Management Committee, which in its turn feeds into the Senior Governance Committee (Programme SROs) and Strategic Advisory Board; and into the parallel South Africa Network PF governance and management structures.

The job holder will support visits/delegations from UK government officials and technology sector partners when necessary for the Digital Access Programme.

The post-holder will be expected to regularly join key meetings and record outcomes, remotely where required, and support the Programme Adviser in providing regular updates on the progress of the Digital Access Programme in South Africa

Prosperity delivery

Support the prosperity benefits of the programme by helping the Programme Adviser and wider team in identifying opportunities to expand the digital/cyber market and help international (including UK) companies trade with and/or invest into it, including through close collaboration with the Department for International Trade (country-level team).

Support the Programme Adviser in her coordination with the UK Tech Hub in South Africa to ensure that it is fully aligned with the other parts of the programme and relevant British High Commission work.

Corporate

As all other staff at post, the job holder is expected to participate in wider British High Commission activities. These may include being active on various committees and in other corporate roles, as well as play a role in crisis management activities on an ad hoc basis.

The jobholder will need robust project management and coordination experience as well as the skills to work in a team and facilitate a results-oriented working culture. It is important that the post holder has good knowledge of the local context, including experience of working with the Government of South Africa, civil society, business and other stakeholders, preferably in relevant digital access and/or cyber security sectors.

In your role as Programme Manager you must ensure Gender Equality Act compliance and support Prosperity Fund ambitions on women’s economic opportunities, inclusive growth and poverty reduction through your team.


  • Postgraduate qualification in at least one of the following field will be essential,

            - ICT Policy and Regulation, public policy management, development studies or related field is required

  • Public Policy Management experience in at least one of the following areas will be essential,

            - digital access (innovative models for inclusive connectivity, use of digital technologies for development), telecommunications, digital/ICT, cyber security

  • Experience of managing large and/or complex programmes with good eye for detail and execution mobilisation abilities
  • Developing and applying tools to support effective project management as well as delivery control of implementing partners
  • Experience of developing and executing implementation plans, including linking programme theory of change statements to logical frameworks for projects
  • Experience of applying project coordination, monitoring, risk management and stakeholder engagement skills
  • Experience of commissioning or procuring delivery through external implementing partners and contract management
  • Knowledge and understanding of Information Society and ICTs for Development Agenda
  • Experience of working in an international development context, including managing/working with development programmes, including in South Africa
  • Experience of working in or with government in South Africa
  • Experience of working in the private sector or organised civil society in relevant fields (e.g. use of digital for affordable connectivity, use of digital for development)
  • Experience at policy, regulatory as well as field level will be considered relevant
  • Experience of remote working as part of a larger team
11 December 2019
Higher Executive Officer (HEO)
Fixed term, with possibility of renewal
Africa
South Africa
Pretoria
British High Commission
R45,596.60
6 January 2020

Learning and development opportunities:

The job provides an excellent opportunity to acquire and/or deepen skills in programme management/coordination, in technical advice, and in policy influencing, including through exposure to senior levels of host government and within the relevant private sector and civil society.

You will have access to learning and development opportunities through Prosperity Fund Learning offered by the Joint Funds Unit, as well as in the role, including in advancing your capabilities or gaining qualifications in project management.


The British High Commission pays in full for the Key Care Plus option on Discovery Health for staff including spouses/partners and dependants.

  • Once you have successfully completed your probation the British High Commission will contribute 9% of your monthly salary to a Provident Fund.
  • Annual leave entitlement of 25 days
  • Working hours per week of 36.5 

The job holder will be recruited initially until 31 March 2021, with the intention (subject to programme planning and ongoing funding. and mutual agreement) to then extend until March 2022 

The successful candidate must have:

  • Availability for occasional travel

  • Unrestricted legal permission to work in South Africa for the duration of the contract at the time of taking up the position. No sponsorship shall be offered by the British Government in obtaining that permission, on which employment is dependent


Please complete the application form in full as the information provided is used during screening.

Please check your application carefully before you submit, as no changes can be made once submitted.

The British High Commission will never request any payment or fees to apply for a position.

Employees recruited locally by the British High Commission in Pretoria are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local employment law in South Africa.

All candidates must be legally able to work and reside in the country of the vacancy with the correct visa/work permit status or demonstrate eligibility to obtain the relevant permit. 

  • The responsibility lies on the successful candidate to;
  • Obtain the relevant permit
  • Pay fees for the permit
  • Make arrangements to relocate
  • Meet the costs to relocation 
  • The British High Commission do not sponsor visas/work permits except where it may be local practice to do so. 
  • Employees who are not eligible to pay local income tax: e.g. certain third-country nationals and spouses/partners of UK diplomats will have their salaries abated by an equivalent amount.
  • Information about the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Competency Framework can be found on this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-competency-framework Please note:  AA=A1, AO=A2, EO=B3, HEO=C4, SEO=C5
  • Reference checking and security clearances will be conducted on successful candidates.
  • Please log into your profile on the application system on a regular basis to review the status of your application.
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This opportunity is closed to applications.