Research and Innovation Adviser - West Africa at the British Deputy High Commission

The British Government is an inclusive and diversity-friendly employer.  We value difference, promote equality and challenge discrimination, enhancing our organisational capability. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status or other category protected by law. We promote family-friendly flexible working opportunities, where operational and security needs allow.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Research and Innovation Adviser - West Africa

Location: Lagos, Nigeria
Ref.: NIG/0222
Grade: G7 (A2)
Job Type: Permanent

About Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO)

• FCDO pursues the UKs national interests and projects the UK as a force for good in the world. We promote the interests of British citizens, safeguard the UK’s security, defend our values, reduce poverty and tackle global challenges with our international partners.

We place emphasis on how we lead and behave towards each other, how we make decisions and how we get the job done to deliver our cultural statement:

• We put respect and kindness first. We are inclusive, we get to know each other, and value our diversity and the contribution we each bring. We are fair, act with integrity, and tackle inequality and unacceptable behaviour. We work together and take responsibility to solve problems.
• We draw on the expertise, insight and diverse perspectives of people across the FCDO, HMG, and beyond. We use the best available data and evidence. We are open to challenge and take a long-term approach. We are transparent about the rationale for decisions and smart about taking and managing risks.  
• We are agile and alert to emerging opportunities. We encourage learning, innovation and use of data and digital. We are all clear on what we are expected to deliver and support each other in doing so. We look to reduce duplication and unnecessary process. We are committed to transforming both the FCDO and the way HMG delivers international policy.

Description of Team

• Science, Technology and Innovation are important for the UK's future prosperity, security and standing in the world. FCDO plays an important role in the delivery of the Prime Minister’s ambition for UK to be a science superpower.
• Towards this, the FCDO’s Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA) and the Research and Evidence Directorate (RED) plays a critical role in delivering scientific advice, commissioning research and synthesising evidence to support decision making by the Foreign Secretary, Ministers, policy customers and the FCDO country office network. RED leads the Department’s work in commissioning world-class research and evidence directed at delivering significant development impact; providing deep technical and analytical expertise, and supporting international science and technology partnerships.
• This post will sit within our West Africa Research and Innovation Hub (WARIH) based in Lagos, Nigeria, situated within the Evidence and Capability Department within RED. WARIH is one of six regional Hubs which support data driven development and diplomacy by providing rigorous evidence, analysis and learning to drive evidence-based policy and improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and impact of FCDO programmes and diplomacy alongside supporting our work developing science and technology partnerships to sustain UK advantage, impact and influence.
• For background reading you may wish to review the UK’s Integrated Review which sets out our ambition to grow the UK’s science and technology power. There are a number of UK funded programmes which this role will be involved in including the Evidence Fund, Africa Technology and Innovation Partnerships (ATIP), and Strengthening Research Institutions in Africa (SRIA).

Purpose of Job

• This is an exciting new role for a highly motivated G7 Technical Advisor to work across and lead various workstreams within WARIH, delivering on local evidence requirements and science and technology partnerships.
• You will be a good communicator and networker, able to work autonomously and as part of a team and have a solid understanding of the science, technology and innovation landscape in Nigeria
• The postholder will be expected to work with country offices across the region to understand their evidence requirements and deliver research, evidence, and analysis to drive effective delivery in meeting HMG objectives in the region.
• The successful candidate will also be responsible for developing new and strengthening existing science partnerships including strengthening research and innovation systems in partner countries for development impact and diplomatic influence in the region.
• The role will involve working flexibly across the 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 HMG and with our international science partners and Governments. 

Key Responsibilities

• You 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:

• Support existing and develop new science, technology and innovation partnerships in West Africa. We have a portfolio of research, technology and innovation programmes that we expect the postholder to support through their technical expertise and by leading specific projects in line with country priorities. These projects could range from research and innovation capacity strengthening initiatives through to projects supporting the commercialisation of research into technology and innovation for development impact.
• Grow science, technology and innovation partnerships between the UK Gov and priority African countries and institutions. This could include leading high level government to government dialogue on science, technology and innovation e.g. in Nigeria and Ghana and supporting the expansion of our offer across Africa. We would expect the post holder to work with national and regional institutions and international donors and 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 and initiatives departments working at country level.
• Working with FCDO country offices in the region to understand their research, evidence and analysis needs, identifying and / or commissioning products as required. These 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. Dissemination and uptake may require further interpretation of results to ensure conclusions are accessible and relevant to different country programme and policy interests. The post holder will be expected to understand the strengths and weaknesses of different products and methods, and advise on a solution that will have maximum impact and uptake. Providing training to country teams and linking them to relevant resources within FCDO is also expected. 

Qualifications and Experience
Essential: 

• Proven knowledge of the role science, research, technology and Innovation can play in African development and in particular. This may include understanding, expertise, and experience in a technical area or more widely across development policy.
• Knowledge and experience of research and analytical methodologies, including quantitative and qualitative approaches. Experience of undertaking and applying research to address policy questions and knowledge of research synthesis.
• 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.

Core Civil Service Behaviours and International Competencies:

• Candidates should be able to clearly demonstrate in their application examples of the following Civil Service Behaviours and International Competency: 
  • Communicating and Influencing
  • Working Together
  • Engaging Internationally
• The HMG Civil Service Behaviours are available by clicking this link
• Also included in this is an explanation of expected behaviours at each level: Level 4 (Grade 7 and 6 or equivalent)
• The international competencies are available by clicking this link.  

Remuneration
NGN 24,090,206 per Annum.

Application Closing Date
8th April, 2022 by 12:00am.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should complete the application form and send it with a copy of their most recent CV to: AfricaHRHubApplication2@fcdo.gov.uk

Click Here to Download Application Form (MS Word)

Click Here For More Information (MS Word)

Note

• Please quote the following reference number when applying NIG/0222. Failure to do so may result in your application not being viewed. 
• Applications shown as being received after the closing date will not be accepted. 
• Failure to follow the outlined procedure may result in the application not being considered 
• While we thank all applicants for your interest, only those selected for interviews will be contacted. Any form of lobbying will lead to automatic disqualification. 
• Applicants must be legally authorised to live and work in the country of application. 
• The current legacy DFID Terms and Conditions of Employment will apply to all internal locally employed staff on promotion.  
• Employees who are not liable to pay local income tax on their Mission salary may have their salaries reduced by the equivalent local income tax amount.
• The British Deputy High Commission, Lagos is committed to equal opportunities in its staffing policy and does not discriminate on the grounds of race, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation or disability. Selection will be on merit. Persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.