Innovation and Research Technical Lead

Country: Kenya

Organization: Chemonics

Closing date: 11 Aug 2023

Background

The Research and Information Systems in Africa (RISA) Fund programme is a multi-country project funded by the U.K. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) focusing on strengthening research and innovation systems in target countries, combining the fund manager requirements of two current funds under the RISA umbrella: Strengthening Research Institutions in Africa (SRIA) and African Technology and Innovation Partnerships (ATIP). RISA seeks to create thriving national research and innovations systems and contribute to economic growth and development by developing a portfolio of well-designed, evidence-based sub-projects in Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Rwanda, and Ethiopia. The RISA programme has three objectives:

1. Research institution and system strengthening (SRIA). To support research organisations to have the capabilities necessary to produce relevant, high quality research and to create an enabling environment for researchers and research organizations.


2. Innovation system strengthening (ATIP). To strengthen the enablers for the scaling of new and emerging technologies with the high potential for poverty reduction and inclusive growth.


3. Strengthening synergies between research and innovation systems (SRIA and ATIP). To identify and support linkages between research and innovation systems that will improve their integration and coordination.

RISA will focus on identifying Research and/or Innovation system strengthening priorities in each of the focus African countries; procuring appropriate suppliers to deliver Research and Innovation system strengthening projects; and managing the overall Research and Innovation systems strengthening fund portfolio. The project is a funds management programme, to issue grants and funding awards to local institutions and partners in Africa.

Position Description

The Innovation and Research Technical Lead will serve as the lead technical advisor for the project, providing expertise in research institutions and systems strengthening, understanding of linkages with innovation systems to improve integration and coordination, capacity development, and partnership facilitation. S/he will provide support, input, analysis, and recommendations to the RISA Senior Management Team (SMT) to ensure sound delivery of RISA objectives, activities, and country strategies in line with programme work plans, theory of change, and logframe. S/he will serve as technical lead for a portfolio of awards in Kenya and/or other countries, leading funds management support for the portfolio of project awards and stakeholder engagement with high-level actors in the R&I ecosystems in the countries where these awards are based and serving as coordination link with FCDO advisors in-country. S/he will serve as the supervisor for the RISA Country Technical Leads (CTL) in Nigeria, Ghana, and South Africa, managing performance and delivery towards RISA programme objectives.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

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  I&R Technical Advisor and Leadership Coordination

  
  
  • Apply technical guidance, practical experience, and RISA evidence and strategies to offer technical advisory and consulting support to research and innovation ecosystem strengthening activities with Country Technical Leads (CTLs) and awardees to ensure delivery consistent with RISA country strategies and implementation protocols.
  
  
  • Provide input, analysis, and recommendations to the RISA Senior Management Team to support implementation of RISA country strategies, proactively build partnerships within local country ecosystems and with FCDO technical advisors.
  
  
  • Lead the induction, onboarding, and mentorship and providing ongoing technical support for RISA Country Technical Leads (CTLs) and additional downstream projects and partners as relevant.
  
  
  • As supervisor of RISA CTLs, monitor and support delivery of technical advisory and implementation support by CTLs to in-country awardees to ensure that key outcomes are being delivered.
  
  
  • Provide input into monitoring and evaluation of RISA deliverables as indicated in MEL strategy.
  
  
  • Write sections and/or provide technical input and analysis into preparation of RISA quarterly and annual narrative reports to FCDO, presentations, investment recommendations and summaries, award documents, and other written deliverables, as required.
  
  


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  Fund Management

  
  
  • Provide technical input to the design of calls for funding to ensure alignment and consistency with RISA country strategies and implementation protocols, GESI strategy, and applied political economy analyses (APEAs).
  
  
  • Serve as technical evaluator of submitted concept notes and proposals in accordance with selection criteria.
  
  
  • Lead co-design workshops with funds applicants to develop funding proposals for funding, including design support related to project objectives, work plan, budget, risk register, learning plan and logframe, and communications plan.
  
  
  • Prepare technical analysis and recommendations for investment committees to support portfolio selection, approval, and award.
  
  
  • Serve as RISA focal point for FCDO vis-à-vis Fund communications to be designed and implemented by awardees in accordance with FCDO guidance.
  
  


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  Portfolio Technical Lead

  
  

Technical Assistance

• Apply technical guidance, practical experience, and RISA methodology and tools (i.e. country implementation protocols, GESI action plans), to offer technical advisory and consulting support to SRIA- and ATIP-relevant systems strengthening activities


• Contribute to analysis of research and innovation systems and the identification of entry points and potential levers of system strengthening, including through development of stakeholder maps, facilitation, and data collection for gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) assessments and applied political economy analyses (APEA)


• Serve as main in-country point of contact for technical assistance to downstream partners in the area of project ideation, concept, and proposal refinement, implementation, and exit processes.


• Organise and facilitate workshops with awardees to understand RISA country implementation protocols.


• Support awardees in convening local and high-level stakeholders and organising events, activities and share knowledge. Identify and participate in external convenings that are relevant to RISA and within the Fund’s limited budget.


• Liaise with external stakeholders and audiences through the RISA Fund website to answer queries for individuals looking to get in touch with RISA in different geographies.


• Liaise with FCDO in-country champions to identify ecosystem stakeholders and opportunities for external engagement by RISA or awardees at little or no cost.

Award Management

• Identify and foster relationships with potential and current SRIA and ATIP downstream partners and other relevant initiatives to include convening virtual learning events with in-country awardees and across RISA’s regional portfolio


• Work with core team to identify, select, and support downstream partners and projects consistent with the portfolio strategies and RISA objectives, to include review of concept notes and proposals


• Lead kick-off meetings to serve as a resource for any questions related to technical implementation


• Provide day-to-day support of downstream projects, review work plans and milestone progress monthly, and escalate risks and issues to relevant members of the team as required


• Liaise with the Fund Management Lead to identify cost savings, if any, and collaborate with the awardee to propose activities to re-obligate cost savings that are in line with the award objectives and aligned with the Fund-level logframe


• Lead after action reviews once award implementation is completed, convening both awardee and RISA staff to assess how well the award was implemented and managed

Monitoring and Learning

• Develop award-level monitoring plans using indicators from the logframe


• Monitor awardees’ progress towards indicators including application of GESI action plan(s); complete monitoring forms (possibly to include site visit reports if travel is undertaken)


• Coordinate with MEL team on Fund-level M&E data collection


• Provide support as an important feedback loop from applicants, awardees, and system stakeholders to the Funds Management Lead, the Innovation and Research Advisor, and the Team Leader


• Convene virtual knowledge-sharing events with in-country awardees; and participate in CTL knowledge-sharing activities/meetings, as well as any Fund-level virtual knowledge-sharing events with awardees across RISA target countries


• Participate in RISA learning events, contributing learning from the country portfolio, in quarterly and other RISA workshops (including FCDO annual reviews)


• Lead quarterly ‘report cards’ or awardee performance reviews, to be provided by the Fund Management Lead, with each partner for SMT review and identify where recipients are struggling to manage activities or funds appropriately

∙ Perform other duties as required and assigned.

• Travel between multiple locations as required per programme work planning and determined reasonable considering COVID-19 safety measures


• Any other relevant responsibilities as agreed-upon with Chemonics supervisor

Experience, Skills and Qualifications

• Degree or relevant professional experience in international development, economics, business management, entrepreneurship, innovation, or similar field


• Experience working with UK government-funded programmes would be positive


• Demonstrable experience of working in Africa, across multiple locations preferred. Culturally sensitive and aware of African countries, customs and ways of working.


• Proven experience and extensive knowledge of local country context related to innovation and research systems.


• Strong networker and convenor and access to local networks, including knowledge of and relationships with key stakeholders in research and innovation systems.


• Extensive knowledge of other relevant projects in the country


• Active in online and in-person tech groups, innovation, and research communities


• Strong ability to collaborate and build partnerships with host country governments, UK government agencies, donor agencies, international organizations, and the private sector


• Thorough knowledge of and networks within the research and/or innovation sectors in focus countries and across Africa


• Skilled in using participatory approaches, demonstrating the ability to connect the work we do to real people.


• Skilled in engaging and developing effective partnerships with individuals from different cultural backgrounds.


• Demonstrable experience in working with research institutions or supporting national research systems, preferably with intimate knowledge of research ecosystem strengthening priorities in the RISA-focus African countries today.


• High competence in drafting background papers and project reports within tight deadlines


• Previous experience working as a Project Manager, Technical Adviser, Management Consultant or similar roles related to the technical focus areas for RISA would be desirable.

Fluency in English is required, and an additional language spoken within the region would be advantageous but not necessary.

How to apply

Please send an updated CV and application letter outlining your suitability for the role to: RISARecruitment@chemonics.com. Please include “Innovation and Research Technical Lead” in the subject header. Applications are due by August 11, 2023, 5pm, Kenyan Time.