View Vacancy - UK-India Tech Hub Director, International Tech Hub Network, D6, Bangalore

Main purpose of job:

This is an exciting opportunity to set up and lead a new, innovative and high-profile Tech Hub in India that will aim to develop the Indian tech ecosystem, deliver digital skills programmes, and build links between Indian and international (including UK) tech businesses. We are looking for a dynamic, well-networked leader from the Indian digital tech scene for this important role, who will use their significant experience and network to shape and lead this exciting initiative.

This role will put you at the heart of the UK’s bilateral relationship with India. The UK-India Tech Partnership is a world first, and your role will be vital to turning Prime Minister’s Modi and May’s vision into a reality that supports jobs, innovation and inclusive growth in both countries.

The UK-India Tech Hub is a critical pillar of the UK-India Tech Partnership, a Prosperity Funded programme to drive greater digital access in countries like India. New and innovative, the Prosperity Fund (PF) represents a step change in HMG’s approach to promoting economic development and prosperity overseas.

The role will be based in Bengaluru, with some travel across the country (particularly Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad where other staff will be located) which will be required to maximise the success and outputs of the hub across India. There will also be some overseas travel, including to the UK.

The UK-India Tech Hub will be part of a global network of international tech hubs 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 recruit and lead a small team of locally-engaged staff, based within the British Deputy High Commission in Bengaluru and in Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi and will be responsible for shaping and delivering the strategy for the Hub. The team will support local digital ecosystems in commercial hotspots and across more disadvantaged regions of India. They follow the example of successful hubs elsewhere in the world such as the UK-Israel Hub in Tel Aviv. The UK-India Tech Partnership 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 UK-India Tech 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 and private sector firms, Indian 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. 

The Cross Government Prosperity Fund was established under the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) with the primary aim of supporting growth in ODA-eligible middle income countries where economic development and burgeoning business sectors are key drivers of prosperity. By delivering high impact, strategic multi-year programmes, across high opportunity countries, regions and sectors, the Fund is also promoting the creation of 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.

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

The successful applicant will design the strategy, establish the UK- India Tech Hub and will work with colleagues at DCMS and other departments to set the Hub’s overall direction and objectives. The applicant will be responsible for the Hub’s operations across India, 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 recruiting and leading a team of other 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 Indian context and aligning to broader Prosperity Fund, the South Asia Regional Trade plan, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), Department for International Trade (DIT) and Department for International Development (DFID) objectives;

• Working closely with DCMS central Tech Hub team, and other UK government departments, including DIT, DFID and FCO to ensure that strategic priorities are aligned;

• Acting as the lead point of contact for the Hub for stakeholders in government, (both Indian 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 Directors and Operations Coordinators for the hub, based in Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi. They will report to and take strategic direction from the Head of Digital International and Tech Hub Network based in the UK. The postholder will be required to work closely with staff from other government departments, including DIT, DFID, FCO, and the other Tech Hubs.

This role will suit individuals with significant experience of the UK/India tech and digital startup scenes. The applicant would ideally bring a network of business contacts in India, using this to expand the Hub’s network. The role will require significant leadership experience, and the personal gravitas to engage with senior level stakeholders, both in government and in the private sector. The role will suit somebody with experience and a track record of working with the tech sector in India or international markets and willing to take on the once in a lifetime challenge of establishing one of a new global network of international tech partnerships, and the first between India and the UK.

Essential:

• Significant experience in, and knowledge of, the digital tech sector and startup scene within India;

• 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 Indian 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 India and to occasionally travel to the UK and other locations.