View Vacancy - Head of Digital Access Programme in Brazil

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.

The Digital Access Programme

The Digital Access Programme in Brazil will be 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 to 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 structure, harnessing the role and expertise of various UK government departments:

• Department for International Development (DFID) -  ‘Models & Enablers’: Test and validate innovative business models that take emerging technologies to market, in order to facilitate the sustainable expansion of affordable internet access for the poor and excluded.  This will be complemented by enablers such as regulatory reform and support to locally-relevant content for development.
• Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) - ‘Trust & Resilience’: Build Brazil’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

We are recruiting a Head of the Digital Access Programme in Brazil.

The jobholder will be required to finalise the Digital Access programme set up phase for Brazil, including making recommendations on the interventions under each of the pillars of the programme and on the resourcing requirements required to deliver them.

In addition:

• As technical and policy lead, manage the delivery of the programme ensuring interventions are evidence based and well placed to contribute significantly to the UK’s long term strategic policy impact in Brazil, as well as delivering a secondary commercial impact to the UK.
• Lead delivery of the programme and directly manage the project delivery partner as required.
• Develop and lead a network of relevant stakeholders in Brazil and the UK in order to inform Prosperity Fund Programme work.  This will include government, the private sector and civil society.
• Proactively monitor and identify sector risks and opportunities for the UK.  Provide advice and support to wider sector and Prosperity Fund teams, leading crosscutting work as needed in support of business needs.  Work flexibly between programme sectors, shifting focus and emphasis as required in line with programme development.
• Using analysis of the digital economy and of the cyber security situation, you will contribute to policy dialogue and reform in the relevant sectors in Brazil including by gathering relevant information and collaborating with others to promote more inclusive, more sustainable and safer digital access for development in Brazil.

Working within the Brazil Prosperity team 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 Brazil to maximise synergies and impact.

It will be an exciting role on an innovative programme with potential opportunities for regional or international travel.

The jobholder will be recruited on an ongoing basis (subject to programme planning and ongoing funding).  We expect the programme to run for 3 years.

What will the jobholder be expected to achieve?

The Digital Access Head of Digital Access Programme will be responsible for helping to set up the programme in Brazil – 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-Brazil relationship on digital access and cyber security for economic growth at a time when these issues are of increasing importance on the international agenda. 

The indicative time allocation is shown below.

Programme coordination and management [40%]

Oversee the activities of the Digital Access Programme in Brazil as delivered by contracted management agents and other implementing partners, in coordination with Brazil Prosperity team and with the central Programme Management Committee.  Ensure coherence with bilateral and global Brazil PF portfolio.  This will require an ability to apply project oversight, coordination, monitoring, risk management and stakeholder engagement skills.

The jobholder will build relationships with the programme management agents and their 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 act as focal point for internal and external communication on the programme in Brazil, ensuring the Programme’s visibility is properly managed and that the UK government gains recognition for its work.  The post holder will support the implementation 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 act as front-of-house for in-country prosperity governance and coordination mechanisms between the multiple government departments involved in the Digital Access Programme, both British and Brazilian.  The jobholder will prepare and provide inputs to the Digital Access programme governance functions via the Programme Management Committee, which in turn feeds into the Senior Governance Committee (Programme SROs) and Strategic Advisory Board; and into the parallel Brazil Network PF governance and management structures.

The jobholder will support visits/delegations from UK government officials and technology sector partners when necessary.

The post-holder will be expected to regularly join key meetings, remotely where required, and to provide regular updates on the progress of the Digital Access Programme in Brazil.

Policy and programme delivery [35%]

Working closely with FCO policy leads; monitor the cyber security, internet governance and tele-comms regulatory environment in Brazil.  Monitor the emerging technological innovations and new business models that drive affordable and inclusive digital access for the most disadvantaged populations in Brazil.

Help to influence key decision-makers in the government of Brazil and in civil society and private sector - in support of the programmes objectives in these areas.  This will involve building relationships that help to drive forward UK policy priorities in the digital/cyber policy area in Brazil, securing regulatory and policy shifts through diplomatic engagement and leveraging the programme and senior engagement to enhance progress.

Provide reporting on analysis and meetings to government colleagues.  Coordinate own work with others in the British High Commission and relevant government departments in London.  It is expected that the jobholder will deliver quality service in a matrix management environment.

Provide expert technical advice and support to wider Digital elements of Brazil bilateral and global PF portfolio to ensure coherence and coordination.

Prosperity delivery [15%]

Support the prosperity benefits of the programme by 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).  Act as the key point of coordination with the UK Tech Hub in Brazil to ensure that it is fully aligned with the other parts of the programme and relevant British Embassy work.

Corporate [10%]

As all other staff at post, the jobholder is expected to participate in wider British Embassy 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.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure):

No direct line management is envisaged initially although this may change depending on future requirements of the programme.  Team management and leadership experience, particularly across different geographies is preferred given the jobholder will need to work closely with the UK team. 

The jobholder will need good communication and coordination skills in collaborating across UK government departments as well as with the Brazilian Government.  There will be some possibilities for travel in the region and to the UK, as needed by the Programme’s objectives and priorities.  Relevant job-related training will be provided as required.

The jobholder will need a combination of digital access and/or cyber security subject knowledge (with an ability to use self-directed study to learn about both in the role), project management and coordination experience and the skills to work in a team and influence others.  It is important that the post holder has good knowledge of the local context, including experience of working with the Government of Brazil, civil society, business and other stakeholders, including in relevant digital access and/or cyber security sectors.

Policy experience in at least one of the following will be essential, and awareness of / interest in a second area will be highly desirable:

• Digital access (innovative models for inclusive connectivity, use of digital for development), telecoms, digital/ICT, cyber security.

Essential on arrival:

• Experience of managing large and/or complex programmes
• Experience of leading a team
• Fluent in English and Portuguese (spoken and writen)