Nigeria Country Lead - Global Alliance Africa at KTN Nigeria

KTN Global Alliance Africa
In 2019, KTN embarked on an exciting six year project, the Global Alliance Africa, aiming to strengthen a shared innovation ecosystem spanning South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria and the UK. The project aligns with the UK’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) objectives by forging strategic partnerships amongst innovation stakeholders to enable more effective knowledge transfer and collaboration for stronger local innovation and business environments, helping to achieve long-term ambitions in job creation, inclusive growth and poverty reduction.

Purpose of the Role
The Nigeria Country Lead is accountable for:

• Leading the country team to ensure the successful and timely delivery of Global Alliance Africa activities in Nigeria to achieve their objectives and impacts.
• Working actively within the KTN Global Alliance Management Team to grow the Global Alliance Africa’s prominence in Kenya as a trusted innovation network aligned to the KTN 2025 Strategy.
• Working in effective partnerships with the Global Alliance Africa counterpart teams in Kenya and South Africa, as well as UK Government and country-level stakeholders in meeting the above objectives.
• Responsible for country-level Global Alliance Africa project KPIs, reporting and financial expenditure.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Lead the country team effectively in managing country-level delivery plan targeting new opportunities and high impact for the Global Alliance Africa in Nigeria.
• Work actively as part of the KTN Global Alliance Management Team to develop a coherent programme strategy and objectives, and taking the delivery responsibility in Nigeria against defined workplans, intervention mechanisms and outcomes.
• Identify and lead the high integrity and effective country-level stakeholder engagement and relationships, including with UK Government teams, Nigeria public sector agencies, businesses, funders, investors and other innovation stakeholders.
• Ensure efficient forward planning and budgeting of all activities to be undertaken in Nigeria and the timely identification of issues that are delaying or could delay project implementation, and develop solutions to address bottlenecks.
• Provide timely country-level quarterly and annual workplans and budgets to the KTN Global Alliance Management Team.
• Co-develop and implement effective communication and growth plans for KTN Global Alliance in Nigeria and across Africa.
• Travel regularly to engage with key stakeholders and partners in Nigeria, across the continent and in the UK as required.
• Track implementation of the Global Alliance Africa project logical framework outputs related to activities in Nigeria to ensure effective monitoring and evaluation.

Requirements
Experience and qualifications:

• Demonstrable experience in leading a team in a fast-paced, multi-stakeholder programme environment across different sectors and international cultures.
• Degree qualified or equivalent in engineering, science, business or policy, with a strong ability in written and verbal communication skills in English and local languages.
• In-depth understanding of the Nigerian and international innovation landscape, ideally cross sectorial, with direct experience in innovation commercialisation, policy implementation, business growth and/or international development.
• Experience and aptitude in building effective engagements and maintaining trusted partnerships with business and public sector stakeholder at all levels, with a good professional profile and network.
• Ideally a Project Management qualification, with direct experience in the delivery major national or international programmes.
• Experience leading international donor funded programmes desired.

Skills:

• A highly motivated, self-starting and results oriented individual with a strong desire to deliver socioeconomic impacts through equitable partnerships, innovation collaboration and social inclusion.
• Strong leadership capability with the ability to effectively lead and motivate a team working in a complex and challenging environment including the need to effectively balance short and long-term priorities.
• An effective communicator comfortable to engage at all levels in English and local languages.
• Ability to work autonomously and effectively as a team leader and equally as contributing team member when required.
• Highly numerate and analytical, with the ability to think strategically.
• Able to manage a team and external relationships effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• Willingness and ability to undertake regular domestic and international travel.
• High level of IT literacy and organisational skills.