Programme Manager

Job Summary

The Flowminder Foundation is a non-profit foundation specialised in the use of big data for public policy and humanitarian purposes.

The OPAL programme (for Open Algorithms), originally developed by a group of partners from the MIT Media Lab, Imperial College London, Orange Group, Telefonica Group, the World Economic Forum and Data-Pop Alliance, will be operationalised by the Flowminder Foundation. It aims to spur the use of Mobile Network Operator (MNO) data for public good purposes in a privacy-preserving manner.

The data involved is known as Call Detail Records (CDRs). These are generated by an MNO when a mobile phone user makes or receives calls/SMSs or starts a data session on their phone. Use cases for these data include supporting the allocation of resources in disaster response contexts, improving disease spread models or planning public infrastructure work.

The objective of the Flowminder Foundation with the OPAL programme is to open access to such data at an affordable cost via a privacy-secure web platform to a wide set of stakeholders from the public and private sector while fostering the inclusion and inputs of the civil society on the kinds and uses of analyses performed on these data.

The OPAL programme will be implemented in Senegal and Haiti in collaboration with the MNO’s Digicel in Haiti and Orange-Sonatel in Senegal. The activities will focus on developing and operationalising the technology, supporting the set-up of national committees with representatives from the civil society, developing the collaboration with the MNOs that ensure their long-term commitment, and supporting pilot use cases and capacity strengthening in both countries.

The Role

The Flowminder Foundation is looking for an experienced Programme Manager with prior experience that is directly relevant to the use of mobile data derived analytics for decision making in low- and middle-income countries.

The Programme Manager will work closely with the Senior Team at Flowminder and key stakeholders to refine a vision for the OPAL program in a complex multinational, commercial and regulatory environment. The Programme Manager will be accountable for translating this vision into a robust and achievable programme, which they will then deliver.

The successful candidate will demonstrate an ability to strike a balance between multiple competing considerations and design a successful programme.

Your work areas will cover:

• Effective programme design and implementation (35%)

• Business development and marketing (25%)

• Liaison, communication and networking (15%)

• Finance and sub-grant management (10%)

• Active membership of the Project Management Office (10%)

• Strategic development and any other tasks as required (5%)

Qualifications and Experience

• Experience of programme planning and delivery, including monitoring and evaluation, and working to targets
• Experience of project managing and delivering software or digital projects, preferably within the mobile phone industry or third sector
• Experience from the Data for Development sector (D4D)
• Experience in working with/for large companies in Low- and Middle-income Countries (LMICs)
• Experience in working with regulatory authorities in LMICs
• Experience of business development or commercial activities
• Experience of highly technical or scientific projects and the ability to communicate technical/scientific content effectively
• Educated to degree level in business, IT, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience/qualifications
• French and English language skills
• Extremely structured and organised
• Strong networker with a diplomatic approach
• Commercially minded
• Strong leadership skills
• Strategic mindset
• Excellent interpersonal skills

When possible, this role is likely to involve travel as part of the networking and stakeholder engagement of the role. Travel is expected within Europe, North America, Caribbean and Africa.

Flowminder Benefits

• Support work that will help the world’s most vulnerable people
• Enhance your existing experience with a leading not-for-profit
• Collaborate with a talented, passionate team
• 25 days’ holiday plus national holidays
• 37.5 hour working week
• Flexible working hours

Other organisations may call this role Program Manager, Program Lead, Programme Manager, Programme Lead, Digital Project Manager, Technical Project Manager, Project Manager, IT Project Manager, or Mobile Data Project Manager.