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 is resourced by the Prosperity Fund in five partner countries (including Nigeria) 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:
Main purpose of the job
The Digital Access Programme as a whole is led in Nigeria by the Digital Access Programme Adviser. As the programme increases the pace of its implementation, we are recruiting a Programme Officer to support programme coordination and delivery.
The job holder will be required to support the Digital Access Programme Adviser in the 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:
Working within the Nigeria Prosperity Team, reporting to the Programme Adviser in Lagos and liaising with the London-based Digital Access cross-government central team and Programme Management Committee, the job holder will also contribute to effective coordination between the work of the Digital Access Programme and the wider Prosperity Fund in Nigeria and internationally to maximise synergies and impact.
The Job Holder will be recruited initially until August 2021, with the intention (subject to programme planning and ongoing funding, and mutual agreement) to then extend until March 2023.
Roles and responsibilities: What will the jobholder be expected to achieve?
The Digital Access Programme Officer (Nigeria) will be responsible for supporting the setup and implementation of the programme in Nigeria – working with the team at post and with the cross-departmental programme team and Programme Management Committee in the UK. The role presents a unique opportunity to contribute to advancing the UK-Nigeria relationship on digital inclusion and cyber security for development and prosperity at a time when these issues are of increasing importance on the international agenda.
The indicative time allocation is shown below.
Programme administration and coordination (75%)
Prosperity delivery (15%)
Corporate (10%)
Resources managed (staff and expenditure):
Learning and development opportunities (and any specific training courses to be completed):
This opportunity is closed to applications.