View Vacancy - UK-South Africa Tech Hub Deputy Director - International Tech Hub Network (57/19 PTA)
Main purpose of job:
This is an exciting opportunity to support the newly established innovative and high-profile Tech Hub in South Africa that aims to develop the South African tech ecosystem, deliver digital skills programmes, and build links between tech businesses in the UK and South Africa. We are looking for a dynamic, well-networked individual from the South African tech scene for this role, to initiate and pursue new strategic opportunities for the Hub across a number of sectors. The hub will be one of three critical pillars of a new Prosperity Fund programme to drive greater digital access in countries like South Africa. 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 Deputy Director role will be based in Pretoria, with one day a week working in Johannesburg, and with occasional travel to Cape Town and across the country, which will be required to maximise the success and outputs of the hub across South Africa. There may also be some overseas travel, including to the UK.
The UK-South Africa Tech Hub is 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 faciliatatessustainable economic growth and development. It follows the example of successful hubs elsewhere in the world such as the UK-Israel Tech Hub in Tel Aviv.
The successful candidate will be part of a small team of locally-engaged staff, based within the British High Commission, and will support the Director of the Hub to develop its strategy, and then be responsible for delivery of that strategy. They will manage the hub’s day to day operations with line management responsibility for the Tech Hub’s Operations Manager. 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 has three main aims:
- deliver tailored interventions to cultivate digital skills responding to the needs and opportunities for inclusion in the local tech sector. This could include, 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, 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:
Resources managed (staff and expenditure):
The post-holder will report to the UK-South Africa Tech Hub Director, and will have line management responsibility for the Hub’s Operations Manager. The postholder will be required to work closely with the DCMS Tech Hub network team; other government departments, including DfID, FCO and DIT, as well as the other Tech Hubs in the network.
This role will suit individuals with experience of the UK/South Africa tech and startup scenes. The applicant would ideally bring a network of business contacts in South Africa, using this to expand the Hub’s network.
- Strong track record of leading successful delivery in either industry or government
- Proven track record of developing and running programs and partnerships from the ground up;
- Proven project management and budget management skills;
- Strong organisational skills;
- Experience in, and knowledge of, the tech sector and startup scene within South Africa;
- Well networked within the tech sector (private sector firms and/or startups);
- Knowledge of, and experience with, the South African business landscape;
- Ability to engage credibly with senior government and senior industry stakeholders;
- Open and clear communicator, excellent networking skills including across international environments.
Learning and development opportunities:
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.
Working patterns:
Working from home (1 day a week): Yes
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
- 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.
This opportunity is closed to applications.
