Many countries, including middle-income countries still face considerable challenges such as youth unemployment, climate change, high and persistent inequality (including gender inequality) and digital exclusion, which can lower long-term growth prospects.
The British High Commission in South Africa delivers a portfolio of activities to support the broad-based and inclusive growth needed for poverty reduction. Our strategic priorities within the Economic Development team include supporting trade and investment, improving business environment and economic reform, driving productivity in key sectors through employment interventions, improving digital access, support for entrepreneurship and SMEs and sustainable urban development.
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. A key UK priority is to facilitate wider and more affordable, sustainable, safer and more secure digital access for excluded and underserved populations, harnessing the power of digital inclusion and transformation to tackle poverty, build prosperity and enable millions of people - especially socio-economically disadvantaged populations - to benefit from digital services and opportunities.
This role will be expected to oversee policy and programme activity that delivers against our priorities for digital access, digital inclusion, digital policy and regulation and digital connectivity under Pillar 1 of the Digital Access Programme (DAP) in South Africa. The post-holder will also have responsibility for coordination across the three pillars of the DAP.
Digital Access programme: The Digital Access Programme (DAP) aims to address the fundamental constraints to digital inclusion across five countries, including South Africa, through complementary components:
Models & Enablers Pillar - Test and validate innovative, inclusive and scalable technology and business models in order to facilitate the sustainable expansion of affordable connectivity, digital literacy, skills, locally-relevant digital content and services for excluded or underserved communities with an emphasis on gender, disability and broader inclusion. This is complemented by key enablers such as digital inclusion policy and regulatory reforms and capacity building of key institutions in partner countries.
Sustainable Digital Ecosystems Pillar - Stimulate local digital economies and support local tech entrepreneurs to find innovative solutions to local development challenges (tech for good / tech for social impact), create local skilled jobs, and forge partnerships between local start-ups and international businesses (including UK firms) through a Tech Hub network to drive inclusive and sustainable economic growth.
The above is also complemented by the activities of a historical programme component (Trust & Resilience Pillar) through which the UK supports partner countries capacity to prevent and respond to cybersecurity harms affecting governments, businesses and citizens (including by strengthening basic cyber-hygiene skills of relevant institutions). The Country Lead and Adviser will be responsible to also ensure coordination and synergy with this component of work in the British High Commission, including by facilitating joint cross-pillar project where relevant.
More information on the Digital Access Programme can be found here.
Roles And Responsibilities
The Digital Access Country Lead & Adviser (South Africa) will oversee programme delivery and lead the British High Commissions policy and programming engagement on key digital development issues working directly with South African government departments, regulators and businesses to provide technical advice, strategic engagement and build productive bilateral relationships in these high-priority areas, The role will also lead the design, implementation and management of the digital access programme in South Africa working with the team at post and with the cross-departmental programme team in the UK. The role presents a unique opportunity to contribute to advancing the UK-South Africa relationship on digital inclusion for development and prosperity, at a time when these issues are of increasing importance on the international agenda.
Responsibilities For The Role Include
Digital Access Programme Leadership (Models and Enablers Pillar) [approx. 75% of time]
- Design, deliver, lead and provide oversight for the activities of the Digital Access Programmes Models and Enablers Pillar (lead DAP component) in South Africa as delivered by the BHC and/or implementing partners, in coordination with DAP central team in London. This will require an ability to apply programme management, financial management, procurement, coordination, monitoring, risk management and stakeholder engagement skills.
- The post holder will build relationships with the implementing partners to ensure delivery is monitored in coordination with the DAP central team. This will include pre-empting risks and ensuring that programme activities deliver the expected outcomes.
- The post holder will act as focal point for internal and external communication on programme activities in South Africa, ensuring the Programmes visibility is properly managed. The post holder will support the implementation the Programmes communications strategy as approved by the Programmes governance structure. The post holder will also support the organisation and delivery of key visits, related to the implementation and promotion of the relevant projects under DAP.
- The jobholder will lead and maintain ownership of the relevant programme governance and coordination mechanisms, e.g. by working as part of the broader South Africa Economic Development Team and with the DAP central team-led Programme Management Committee, to ensure programme delivery is coherent with broader objectives.
- The post-holder will be expected to regularly join key meetings and to provide regular updates on the programmes progress.
- Support day-to-day coordination and build impactful relationships with the other components of digital development work in the British High Commission and wider network: Cyber-security capacity building and UK-South Africa Tech Hub - to facilitate alignment with the other parts of the Programme, design and deliver cross-pillar projects where relevant, support joint implementation of the DAPs Country Level Implementation Plan (covering the three components).
- Provide effective line management of 1xHEO, including support to professional development.
- Work across British High Commission to help develop, own and promote a collective narrative on UK support to Digital Access and its role in driving productivity in key sectors in South Africa.
- Monitor and report on South Africa's digital landscape including the emerging trends and developments in South Africa's approach to driving economic recovery and growth through these areas. This would include developing and reporting on the priority initiatives being led by the Government of South Africa including the Department for Communications and ICASA.
- Actively identify and cultivate an impactful network of digital contacts, including with senior interlocutors in national government and the relevant institutions. This will include leading the BHC Pretorias engagement with government departments in support of bilateral declaration of intent on Digital Access and Memorandum of Understanding.
- Influence key decision making at national and sub-national government and in civil society and the private sector- in support of the policy objectives in the area. This will involve building relationships that help to drive forward UK and SA priorities for digital access, driving policy shifts through engagement and leveraging the programme and our wider levers to enhance progress.
- Be a credible voice on digital development priorities and as necessary contribute towards briefings, presentations, reporting and communications.
- Support in identifying opportunities to expand the digital/cyber/tech market and help international (including UK) companies trade with and/or invest into it, including through close collaboration with the Department for Business and Trade (country-level team). Priority will be accorded to win-win opportunity where the relationship with UK tech companies is mutually beneficial for SAs organisations and digital economy.
Resources Managed (staff And Expenditure)
- Oversight of the Digital Access Programme in South Africa, including line management of 1 HEO programme manager.
- Management of two consultant experts in country.
