Technical Adviser: Research and Innovation, West Africa G7 at British High Commission

Main purpose of job:

FCDO plays an important role in the delivery of His Majesty’s Government’s ambition for the UK to be a global science superpower and innovation nation as set out in the Integrated Review. The FCDO supports this vision by facilitating research collaboration to bolster national prosperity, security, and resilience. It connects UK academia, business, and other government departments to international partners to tackle global challenges and support HMG’s wider geo-political priorities. We work in partnership with the local science, technology and innovation (ST&I) community in support of UK policy overseas, leading to mutual benefits for the UK and the host country.

The global science network in the FCDO’s Research and Evidence Directorate is a unique component of the UK’s overseas footprint with 152 officers in 67 locations around the world providing ST&I expertise. Our global science network in Africa comprises eighteen colleagues in four locations. The network develops bilateral and regional ST&I relationships supporting UK diplomacy and development objectives. The network is composed of the Science and Innovation Network (SIN) and FCDO Research and Innovation Hubs (Hubs).

The post holder will join an international network, working with teams in East, West and Southern Africa to shape the portfolio of programmes aimed at accelerating the impact of promising new technologies and innovation in target countries across West Africa. He/She will support efforts to promote visibility and UK Government coherence on science, innovation and technology. The successful candidate will also be responsible for developing new and strengthening existing science partnerships including strengthening technology and innovation systems in partner countries for development impact and diplomatic influence in the region.

The role will involve working flexibly across the Research and Evidence Directorate (RED) Hub network alongside the country offices across West Africa. You will bring exceptional technical and partnership skills and experience developing coherence and impact working with a broad spectrum of stakeholders within FCDO, across UK Government Departments in science, innovation, and technology (e.g., UK-Nigeria Tech Hub and Digital Access Programme colleagues in the region) and with our international science partners and Governments. 

The FCDO is committed to applying robust evidence in its decision making. The RED commissions ground breaking research in partnership with global thought leaders, country experts, and technical specialists to respond to pressing global issues. In the West Africa Research & Innovation Hub, we collaborate with business teams across the UK government as well as with our Posts in West Africa to deliver high impact demand responsive evidence that respond directly to the needs of countries in our region. You will be expected to contribute to our growing research and evidence portfolio through stakeholder engagement, research commissioning and project management.  

We all have a responsibility to embrace the changes of the FCDO as it transforms, building the culture we want to see and delivering our cultural statement in how we lead and behave towards others; how we make decisions and how we get the job done is everyone’s responsibility.

In this role you will also be responsible for:

• Supporting existing and develop new science, technology, and innovation programmes in West Africa. We have a portfolio of science, technology, and innovation programmes that we expect the post holder to support through their technical expertise and by leading specific projects in line with country priorities. These projects could range from science, technology and innovation capacity strengthening initiatives through to projects supporting the commercialisation of research into technology and innovation for development impact.
• Growing science, technology and innovation partnerships between the UK Government and priority African countries and institutions. This could include leading high-level government to government dialogue on science, technology, and innovation in Nigeria and Ghana and supporting the expansion of our offer across Africa. Both countries are strategic priorities to HMG, and the post holder should have familiarity with the contexts to advance UK science and tech objectives. We would expect the post holder to work with national, regional institutions, international donors, organisations, and private sector where required, to develop relationships, provide technical advice and collaborate on priority science, technology, and innovation initiatives across Africa. This could involve collaborating with other UK government departments working at country level.
• Working with FCDO colleagues in the region, particularly in Nigeria and Ghana, to identify and harness opportunities to make use of science, technology and innovation in their work. This may involve influencing colleagues to embed science, technology, and innovation in their work. The post holder is expected to already have networks and contacts within the ecosystem to identify the most promising innovations and technologies to solve a particular challenge.
• Working with FCDO country offices in the region to identify and / or commission research products as required. Research and evidence commissioning is a crucial part of the Global Science Department offer to the FCDO’s network. You will identify opportunities to strengthen the use of research and evidence in policy and programming in the region. You will establish and nurture relationships, strategically highlight research gaps and apply your technical leadership in designing robust research commissions. Evidence outputs will directly inform FCDO thinking and decision making on key programmes and policies and at times will need to be sufficiently rigorous for external publication. You will ensure that your research is of quality to be disseminated, promoting uptake and influencing decision makers.
• Contributing to the Global Science Department objectives, engaging on key cross-cutting Departmental priorities, and contributing to broader RED discussions and directions. This includes monitoring, reporting and feeding into the management of the programme. You will also be expected to contribute actively to the FCDO corporate objectives at Post as well as central level

Essential qualifications, skills and experience 1 

• Proven knowledge and experience of the role science, research, technology and innovation can play in African development. This may include understanding, expertise, and experience in a technical area or more widely across development policy.
• Experience and knowledge of working in Nigeria’s tech and innovation sector.
• Practical experience of commissioning research and using research and evidence to develop policy or programming.
• Experience of working across stakeholders from diverse backgrounds, including national and international partners.
• Can engage internationally and across government on a cross-cutting agenda to help deliver UK Government objectives in the wider UK and international context and in developing productive relationships with other government departments and external partners to help deliver UK objectives.
• Good communication skills and the ability to work with others to ensure complex ideas can be communicated to different audiences.
• Experience of programme and/or project management and delivery.
• Applicants must be legally authorised to live and work in Nigeria.
• Fluent written and spoken English.

Desirable qualifications, skills and experience 1 

• Experience of working with the private sector, academia, government and/ or development sector to drive impacts at scale in the region.
• Knowledge and experience  of producing or supporting the production of communication material on science, technology, and innovation for the public.
• Fluency in French to support effective engagement and collaboration in Francophone countries.

Required behaviours 1 

• Seeing the Big Picture, Changing and Improving, Delivering at Pace, Communicating and Influencing, Working Together