Project assistant at Smart Africa Secretariat (deadline 31 December,2023)

Terms of Reference

Recruitment 

• Position: Project assistant, Smart Africa Digital Academy – DTfA/ WARDIP SOP-1
• Duration: Fixed Term, renewable
• Location: Kigali, Rwanda (flexible)
• Deadline: 31 December,2023 at 5:00 PM Kigali (GMT+2) time

1. Context and Background

Africa is reshaping its narrative from one of poverty to progress, showcasing impressive economic growth, technological innovation, and a young population. Nevertheless, digital transformation faces obstacles such as limited access, insufficient investments, and a digital divide, which also offer opportunities for growth through better accessibility, efficiency, and job creation

The Smart Africa Alliance, established through the Smart Africa Manifesto, is a collaborative effort among African nations, the African Union, the Economic Commission for Africa, the African Development Bank, the World Bank, the International Telecommunications Union, the private sector, and academic and research institutions. This initiative, driven by African Heads of State and Government, aims to propel sustainable socio-economic development across the continent by leveraging Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) to transition Africa into a knowledge-based economy. Originally endorsed by African leaders in 2014, the Smart Africa Manifesto has since garnered the support of 39 African countries, representing over one billion population, with the goal of placing ICT at the core of both national and continental socio-economic development efforts. This involves increasing ICT access, enhancing transparency, efficiency, and openness through ICT adoption, fostering advanced telecommunication technologies, empowering the private sector, and utilizing ICT for sustainable development.

The Alliance promotes digital transformation by building digital infrastructure, supporting entrepreneurship, fostering innovation, developing human capital, driving digitization, and advocating the development of policies and regulations that support the growth of the digital economy and digital technologies. Recognising the need for strong capacity building efforts to achieve AU’s goals for digital transformation, the Alliance established the Smart Africa Digital Academy (SADA), adopted during the Smart Africa Alliance ninth Board Meeting Resolution 5, as a vehicle to implement its capacity building and skills development activities across member states, through the establishment of national digital academies.

SADA ensures that policymakers, business leaders, and the wider African population develop the digital skills and knowledge necessary to participate in the digital economy and take advantage of new opportunities. SADA recognized the importance of strong policies and regulations and the need to equip policymakers and regulators to design and implement effective digital policies and regulations. Through collaborative efforts with the World Bank and GIZ, SADA has, in its phase 1, trained over 8000 beneficiaries, out of which over 5000 are Africa’s Policy and Decision makers.  SADA has also implemented National Digital Academies across 12 African countries.

Visit https://sada.smartafrica.org/ for more information about the Smart Africa Digital Academy

2. Digital Transformation for Africa/ Western Africa Regional Digital Integration Program (DTfA/ WARDIP) SOP-1

The DTfA/ WARDIP SOP-1 is a regional project with financing from the International Development Asociaton (IDA) covering two continental entities, AU and Smart Africa, one REC, ECOWAS and four countries, The Gambia, Guinea. Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania. The DTfA/ WARDIP SOP-1 aims to increase broadband access and usage in participating countries and to advance the integration of digital markets in Western Africa.

The project is designed around the three distinct but interconnected layers of the SDM framework. The three market layers are (i) a single connectivity market, removing barriers to regional telecom infrastructure and services deployment; (ii) a single data market, enabling the secure exchange and processing of data across borders; and (iii) a single online market, allowing the access and delivery of public and private services online and digital trade across borders.

At the continental level the project will support AU´s strategic vision of creating an SDM in Africa by 2030 through the development of appropriate policies and regulations for coordinated digital transformation in Africa. A key element will be a comprehensive training program open to policy and decision makers as well as regulators from all countries in Africa to be implemented by Smart Africa through its Smart Africa Digital Academy (SADA). The training will ensure that participants are updated on digitalization and address the new policies and regulations underpinning single digital markets, with focus on agile regulation, data economy and green digital. This will also foster common knowledge, competencies, and peer-learning to design and implement digital policies and regulations.

3. The Smart Africa Digital Academy for Policy and Decision makers (SADA-CBDM) – A Subcomponent of the WARDIP-SOP 1

The subcomponent of the WARDIP-SOP1 project to be implemented by Smart Africa aims at a rapid-scaling of the Smart Africa Digital Academy (SADA) program at both regional and continental levels by leveraging on the existing SADA -CBDM implementation, AReg4DT program, and developing a replicable implementation model that caters for the specific needs and the regional context. The overall aim is to establish a new generation of policymakers and regulators across Africa, who are individually knowledgeable on how to harness the potential of green and inclusive digital transformation through new approaches to policy and regulation, and who collectively contribute to the establishment of a Single Digital Market in Africa. With this aim, the scale-up will reach 30,000 unique policymakers and decision makers from all countries in Africa, with a core group of 5,000 being trained in person towards creating a safe, inclusive and sustainable single digital market for Africa, with a participation level of females at 40%. The use of self-paced learning and train-the-trainer approaches are both aimed at further enhancing the reach of the program to propagate new knowledge and new practices across the entire ecosystem including the private sector, academia and in some cases the general public.

In line with the vision of Smart Africa, the program aims to provide foundational knowledge and competencies for the current and future digital policy makers to design, draft and implement digital policies and regulations required to promote a vibrant (i.e, competitive), safe, inclusive and sustainable (i.e., affordable and green) digital transformation that will, in turn, foster the creation of a secured Single Digital Market in Africa with focus on Agile regulation, the data economy and green digital.

SADA invites suitably qualified individuals to indicate their interest in the implementation of the SADA component of the WARDIP-SOP1, as Project Assistant.

4. Duties and Responsibilities

The Project Assistant will support the project manager SADA, and the Project Implementation team with coordination and administrative tasks to ensure a smooth, effective and timely implementation of the SADA subcomponent, of the DTfA/ WARDIP SOP-1 project, in alignment with the current SADA Implementation.

Therefore, the Project Assistant will have the following key responsibilities:

A. Project coordination Support:

• Provide Support in coordination of the different trainings to be implemented, in collaboration with the Project Manager, Regional coordinators and Training delivery facilitators
• Support in Developing tools to provide support in following up on the progress and action items necessary for project progress
• Provide Support in tracking milestones and deliverables to contribute to effective project planning
• Provide support in the coordination of meetings with project stakeholders,
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to ensure effective communication and coordination.

B. Technical and administrative:

• Ensuring proper documentation of all activities and meetings: such as concept notes, reports, meeting minutes, post workshop surveys, list of beneficiaries, etc.
• Support in drafting administrative and technical documents to keep our stakeholders informed (memos, status updates, letters, terms of references, etc)
• Ensure data base management of beneficiaries and overall training statistics

C. Reporting:

• Support the project manager in preparing regular project updates in terms of data for reporting purposes and support the Project Manager in presenting findings.
• Support in the development of regular reporting and other project deliverables, in accordance with the project’s requirements

D. Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Support:

• Support in the effective application of standardized M&E tools for data collection, quality monitoring, and analysis.
• Provide support in ensuring effective regular M&E activities

E. Logistics and Event Management Support:

• Provide support in logistics management and coordination for project activities and events (Events, workshops, and training sessions)
• Support to coordinate travel arrangements for project team members, trainers, and participants.
• Ensure that all logistical requirements for project activities are met.

F. Communications and stakeholders’ engagement:

• Facilitate communication among team members and provide support with liaising with other stakeholders
• Assist in maintaining relationships with project partners, trainers, and participants during sessions and activities.

G. Others:

• Any other duties as assigned by the Supervisor

5. Position requirements

A. Education 

• A bachelor’s degree in the field of Education, Business Management, Business Administration Computer Science
• A Project/Program Management Certificate with requisite experience will be an added value

B. Experience

• Three (3) years’ experience in a junior role as a project team on digital development projects;
• Experience in administrative assistance
• Understanding of digital skills programs in Africa.

C. Knowledge/Skills required

• Familiarity with office Software (Microsoft, teams, etc.)
• Comfortable using digital tools and platforms for administrative tasks.
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office Suite and other relevant software
• Organization and Planning Skills
• Problem-solving skills
• Proof reading and attention to detail
• Well-developed Interpersonal Skills
• Excellent written and verbal English and French communication skills
• Reporting skills
• Self-starter, flexible and can work independently.
• Team spirit, respect for diversity and confidentiality.
• Be adaptable to changing project requirements and willing to take on additional responsibilities as needed
• Understanding and appreciation of the cultural diversity across African countries.

D. Duration of the Assignment

The appointment is expected to have a duration of three (3) years renewable subject to funds availability and performance 

E. Reporting

The Project Assistant will report to the Project Manager for Smart Africa Digital Academy – DTfA/ WARDIP SOP-1

F. Location

Kigali, Rwanda.

G. Application Instructions

Candidates should send the following documents to the following email address: hr@smartafrica.org, with mention of “Project Assistant – Smart Africa Digital Academy – DTfA/ WARDIP SOP-1” in the subject line:

• A detailed CV
• A one-page cover letter with a motivation statement in relation to the responsibilities and requirements for this position.

NB :

• Incomplete applications will not be considered.
• We encourage qualified candidates, with a passion for advancing digital skills and policy development in Africa, to apply and contribute to the establishment of a Single Digital Market in the region.

The deadline for submitting applications is 31 December,2023 at 5:00 PM Kigali (GMT+2) time.

Only selected candidates for interview will be contacted.

Any late application will be automatically rejected.

We look forward to receiving your applications!!!