Main purpose of job:

• FCDO plays an important role in the delivery of the UK Prime Minister’s ambition for the UK to be a global science leader and innovation nation as set out in the Integrated Review. FCDO supports this vision by facilitating research collaboration to bolster national prosperity, security, and resilience by connecting UK academia, business, and other government departments to international partners to tackle global challenges and support HMG’s wider geo-political priorities. We work in partnership with the local science, technology and innovation (ST&I) community in support of UK policy overseas, leading to mutual benefits for the UK and the host country.


• The global science network in the FCDO’s Research and Evidence Directorate (RED) is a unique component of the UK’s overseas footprint with 152 officers in 67 locations around the world providing ST&I expertise. Our global science network in Africa comprises eighteen colleagues in four locations. The network develops bilateral and regional ST&I relationships supporting UK diplomacy and development objectives. The network is composed of the Science and Innovation Network (SIN) and FCDO Research and Innovation Hubs (Hubs).


• The post holder will join an international network, working with teams in East, West and Southern Africa to shape the portfolio of programmes aimed at accelerating the impact of promising new technologies and innovation in target countries across East Africa. He/She will support efforts to promote visibility and UK Government coherence on science, technology, research and innovation.  The successful candidate will also be responsible for developing new and strengthening existing science partnerships including strengthening technology and innovation systems in partner countries for development impact and diplomatic influence in the region.


• The role will involve working flexibly across the Research and Evidence Directorate (RED) Hub network alongside the country offices across East 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 UK Government Departments and UK research institutions, and with our international science partners and Governments.


• 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.

Roles and responsibilities:

• We all 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:

• Leading collaboration with FCDO country offices, to understand their requirements, explain the options for using evidence for different business purposes including the limitations and opportunities. Country teams require rigorous evidence products such as research or evaluation, or shorter pieces such as country analysis, policy evidence notes or workshops that facilitate access to subject experts. The post holder will be expected to understand the strengths and weakness of different evidence products and methods, and advise on an evidence solution that will have maximum impact and uptake. Providing evidence training to country teams and linking them to relevant evidence and evaluation resources within FCDO is also expected.


• Leading the production and quality assurance of evidence products so that teams have access to the best available evidence to inform their decisions. The post holder will be responsible for overseeing Country Office requests for evidence on priority areas including contributing to drafting relevant documents. These products will directly inform FCDO thinking on key topics and may need to be sufficiently rigorous for external publication and cross-Government circulation. It will be necessary to disseminate the findings of relevant externally published research, which may require further interpretation of the results, to ensure the findings our accessible and relevant to different country policy interests.


• Support existing and develop new science, technology, research, and innovation partnerships in East Africa. We have a portfolio of technology and innovation programmes that we expect the postholder to support through their technical expertise and by leading specific projects. This 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, research, 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, research, and innovation e.g. in Kenya and Uganda, and expanding our offer across East Africa. We would expect the post holder to work with local and regional institutions and international donors and organisations to develop relationships and collaborate on priority science, technology, research, and innovation initiatives across East Africa.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure):

• Line management of 1 programme manager


• Management and technical oversight of East Africa component of the Evidence Fund – approximately £1.3 million/annum

Essential qualifications, skills and experience 

• Proven knowledge and experience of the role science, technology, research, and innovation can play in African development, particularly for East Africa. This may include understanding and experience in a technical area or more widely across development policy.


• Practical experience of commissioning research and knowledge of research synthesis. Knowledge and experience of research and analytical methodologies, including quantitative and qualitative approaches. Experience of undertaking and applying research to address programme & policy questions.


• 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.


• Experience of working across stakeholders from diverse backgrounds, including national and international partners.


• Good communication skills and the ability to work with others to ensure complex ideas can be communicated to different audiences.


• Experience of programme and/or project management and delivery.

Desirable qualifications, skills and experience 

• Knowledge and experience of producing or supporting the production of communication assets on science, technology, research, and innovation for the public.


• Experience of working with the private sector, academia, government and/or development sector to drive impacts at scale in the East Africa region.

Required behaviours

• Seeing the Big Picture, Managing a Quality Service, Communicating and Influencing, Working Together