British High Commission Jobs in Cape Town - UK-South Africa Tech Hub Operations Manager Vacancy
British High Commission Jobs in Cape Town - UK-South Africa Tech Hub Operations Manager Vacancy
Job CategoryForeign and Commonwealth Office (Policy & Political roles)
Job Subcategory
Economic and Prosperity
Main purpose of job:
This is an exciting opportunity to support the establishment and success of a new, innovative and high-profile Tech Hub in South Africa that will aim to develop the South African tech ecosystem, deliver digital skills programmes, and drive partnership and collaboration within the technology ecosystem.
We are looking for an organised and enthusiastic individual to provide a broad range of administrative, project management and communications support across the team.
The hub will be one of four critical pillars of a new Prosperity Fund programme to drive greater digital access in countries like South Africa.
New and innovative, the Prosperity Fund (PF) represents a step change in HMG’s approach to promoting economic development and prosperity overseas.
The PF was established under the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) with the primary aim of supporting growth in recipient countries and thereby reducing poverty.
As such, it represents a key component of the prosperity pillar of the UK Aid Strategy.
But the Fund uniquely focuses on promoting growth in ODA-eligible middle income countries, which are home to around 60% of the world’s poor and where the development challenges remain significant, but at the same time are important business partners and drivers of prosperity.
By delivering high impact, strategic multi-year programmes, across high opportunity countries, regions and sectors, the Fund will help create opportunities for international business, including UK companies.
As the UK leaves the EU, an even more outward-looking global Britain investing and trading with the fastest growing markets will become increasingly important.
The UK-South Africa Tech Hub will be one of the first in a global network of international tech partnerships developed by the UK government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to build digital ecosystems that will facilitate sustainable economic growth and development.
They follow the example of successful hubs elsewhere in the world, such as the UK-Israel Hub in Tel Aviv.
The Hub will have three main aims:
deliver tailored interventions to cultivate digital skills responding to the needs and opportunities for inclusion in the local tech sector.
This could include, for example, promoting opportunities for youth and women in the local tech sector;
support tech entrepreneurship through partnerships with local digital ecosystem stakeholders including incubators, accelerators and private sector firms, SA government departments and agencies and non-profit organisations
facilitate partnerships between local tech firms (including tech start-ups) and international companies (across all sectors) in the form of commercial partnerships or joint ventures
The successful applicant will play a key role in establishing processes for the UK- South Africa Tech Hub.
Key roles and responsibilities will include:
Providing administrative, coordination, and project management of hub programmes;
Developing relationships with local tech firms, startups and wider tech sector stakeholders, using these to support the delivery and development of new partnerships and programmes
Support the Hub’s work by planning and executing high profile events: assume a key role in planning projects and events such as business delegations, conferences and receptions.
Work with external suppliers to negotiate venue hire, hotel bookings, tech support, produce materials etc;
Support on design and implementation the Hub’s policies by establishing and maintaining standards, systems and procedures;
Lead work on all logistical and administrative components for the Hub’s activities;
Preparing briefing materials and travel arrangements, and engagement opportunities for the Hub team to promote its work effectively
Process payments and manage Hub’s procurement process and budget.
Resources managed:
The post holder
will be based in Cape Town, with occasional travel to Johannesburg, and will be part of a small team of locally-engaged staff, based within the British High Commission.
The post holder will report into the UK-South Africa Tech Hub Director.
The Tech Hub Network is funded as part of a cross-government, Prosperity-funded programme, so collaboration across departments will be a critical success factor in this role.
Essential qualifications, skills and experience
The ideal candidate will have experience of the UK/South Africa tech and startup scenes.
The applicant would ideally bring a network of business contacts in South Africa, using this to expand the Hub’s network.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills;
IT literate, and able to learn how to use new IT systems quickly;
Strong administrative and/or project management experience;
Well organised with good attention to detail;
Ale to work flexibly and pick up corporate processes quickly;
Ale to work independently as well as part of a team;
Confident at decision making, within agreed boundaries;
Able to communicate effectively at all levels, both verbally and in writing, with internal and external stakeholders
Required competencies
Seeing the Big Picture, Leading and Communicating, Collaborating and Partnering, Delivering at Pace
Other benefits and conditions of employment
Learning and development opportunities:
We place a strong emphasis on learning and development.
You will be encouraged to undertake developmental training and get involved in corporate activities.
This role provides an excellent opportunity to build up programme knowledge and expertise and gain exposure to working across government.
You will have access to existing and new Project & Programme Management L&D as well as wider job-relevant L&D and support for your own personal development.
The British High Commission pays in full for the Key Care Plus option on Discovery Health for staff including spouses/partners and dependants.
Once you have successfully completed your probation the British High Commission will contribute 9% of your monthly salary to a Provident Fund.
Annual leave entitlement of 25 days
Working hours per week of 40
Additional information
Please complete the application form in full as the information provided is used during screening.
Please check your application carefully before you submit, as no changes can be made once submitted.
The British High Commission will never request any payment or fees to apply for a position.
Employees recruited locally by the British High Commission in Pretoria are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local employment law in South Africa.
All candidates must be legally able to work and reside in the country of the vacancy with the correct visa/work permit status or demonstrate eligibility to obtain the relevant permit.
The responsibility lies on the successful candidate to;
Obtain the relevant permit
Pay fees for the permit
Make arrangements to relocate
Meet the costs to relocation
The British High Commission do not sponsor visas/work permits except where it may be local practice to do so.
Employees who are not eligible to pay local income tax: e.g. certain third-country nationals and spouses/partners of UK diplomats will have their salaries abated by an equivalent amount.
Information about the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Competency Framework can be found on this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-competency-framework Please note: AA=A1, AO=A2, EO=B3, HEO=C4, SEO=C5
Reference checking and security clearances will be conducted on successful candidates.
Please log into your profile on the application system on a regular basis to review the status of your application.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should apply online by 3rd April 2019
For more information and job application details, see; British High Commission Jobs in Cape Town - UK-South Africa Tech Hub Operations Manager Vacancy
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