Results for Development is hiring a
Sr. Innovation Officer

Summary

The job is for a Senior Innovation Officer in Ghana, Kenya, or Ethiopia to join R4D's global Innovation Practice. The role involves working on the Frontier Technologies Hub (FT Hub) and focusing on a new workstream called 'Demand-Led', which aims to identify local and demand-driven challenges that can be addressed through frontier technology solutions.

Requirements

• BA/BSc with 7+ years of experience. The qualification would ideally be in global development, public health/administration, business/management, or another relevant field. Candidates with other qualifications offering equivalent levels of experience may also be considered
• Deep understanding of the local innovation ecosystem and demonstratable relationships established with key stakeholders in the local innovation ecosystem
• Programme and project management experience in global development
• Experience of designing and facilitating workshops with a range of stakeholders
• Impeccable writing, communication, and presentation skills (e.g., in-person/virtual presentations, meeting facilitation, etc.) for high-level stakeholders
• Demonstrated experience of working in a matrixed environment across multiple programmes / projects
• Demonstrated ability to cultivate partnerships with a diversity of different development actors - both country and global levels
• Willingness to travel occasionally based on project needs

Responsibilities

• Support the development of the strategy for the Demand-Led workstream
• Contribute to the development of innovation methods, tools, and resources
• Represent the Innovation Practice and R4D and FT Hub at meetings, conferences, and events as required
• Manage in-country work plans with the Workstream Lead and deliver them on time and to a high standard
• Support management of the workstream budget
• Lead development of high-quality technical innovation deliverables that support the progression of the workstream project plans
• Proactively identify and manage risks and issues and manage sensitive topics and issues with empathy to achieve preferred outcomes
• Contribute to funder reporting, for example contribute to formal Quarterly or Annual Reviews
• Contribute to operational processes such as procurement and budgeting, as and when requested by the Lead
• Establish and maintain a strong collaborative partnership with the FCDO, particularly the relevant country post
• Develop and manage strong relationships with key ecosystem stakeholders in country and identify opportunities to forge formal and informal working partnerships
• Identify creative ways to develop knowledge and understanding of how emerging technologies can be applied to development challenges
• Create crisp, impactful content and effectively adapt it for presentation to relevant audiences
• Plan and lead engaging and productive meetings and workshops with key local stakeholders with support from the Workstream Lead

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in the field of Technology Innovation in low-middle income contexts
• Experience managing components of FCDO and/or other large donor funded programmes
• Sectoral experience in areas of climate, health, education or nutrition
• Experience developing high-quality innovation tools and resources
• Understanding of the innovation and scaling process and innovation ecosystems. Experience working directly with innovators/entrepreneurs and/or other innovation ecosystem actors
• Experience with innovation methodologies such as user-centered design / agile / adaptive learning
• A professional qualification in project / programme management