Belgium: Opal Programme Manager

Summary: The Open Algorithms (OPAL) is looking for a Programme Manager to begin as soon as possible for 12 months including a 1-month trial period.

About the project: The Open Algorithms (OPAL) project is a socio-technological innovation to leverage private sector data for public good purposes by “sending the code to the data” in a privacy preserving, predictable, participatory, scalable and sustainable manner. It has two main objectives: providing a far better picture of human reality to official statisticians, policymakers, planners, businesses, and citizens, while enabling greater inclusion and inputs of all members of societies on the kinds and uses of analyses performed on data about themselves. OPAL, developed by a consortium composed of Data-Pop Alliance, Imperial College London, the MIT Media Lab, Orange and the World Economic Forum, builds on years of work of this group and others, and is a key milestone towards realizing a vision where data is at the heart of societal development around the globe, in support of the UN Sustainable Developments Goals and democracy.

OPAL will start with pilots in Senegal and Colombia with funding from the Agence française de développement (AFD) provided to the Overseas Development Institute (ODI). In its initial phase of OPAL’s deployment, requests for pre-determined indicators—e.g. population densities—will be sent via the platform through pre-developed algorithms running on the companies’ data servers, behind their firewalls, in a privacy-preserving manner, and results will be made available via an interface. Local engagement and empowerment will be central to the development of OPAL: needs, feedback and priorities will be collected and identified through local workshops and discussions, and their results feed into the design of future algorithms. These algorithms will be open, therefore subject to public scrutiny and redress. A local advisory committee on ethics and development—*CODE* in French and Spanish—will provide guidance and oversight to the project, to ensure it abides by key ethical principles. In addition, training will be delivered around the project to foster its use and diffusion as well as capacities and connections more broadly.

About the position:

The OPAL Programme Manager will oversee the development of OPAL’s first 2 pilots in Senegal and Colombia on a daily basis in close coordination with key local partners and the OPAL core team. The OPAL Programme Manager will manage the core global OPAL team as well as oversee the local workstreams leading up to the launch of the first versions of the OPAL platform in early 2018 as well as follow-up and further platform updates after the launch.

They will be responsible for promoting the development of the OPAL project particularly around local regulation/privacy environment, capacity building, and algorithm development community; representing the project in selected instances; and leading global coordination of the core OPAL team, key partners, and oversight bodies.

Key functions of the OPAL Programme Manager will include:

· Coordinate global and local partnership structure

· Ensure coherent project development and management including regular coordination with the OPAL team and core partners and liaising with the global and local advisory boards

· Develop a lead tracking process for partnership management – reaching out to new partners, follow-up for expressions of interest, maintaining and developing key relationships for short and long term project development

· Oversee the budgets, contracting and administrative processes jointly with a Programme Assistant at ODI dedicated to the OPAL project

· Lead on the development of a Communication and Visibility Plan. Promote visibility of OPAL project and organize events and dissemination strategies around key moments and milestones of the OPAL project development globally and locally including identifying strategic partners for event implementation, designing events and branding with core partners e.g. Telcos and NSOs, and overseeing delivery of such events and strategies

· Guide the identification and prioritization of user needs and use case definition and translation into technical, governance and capacity building workstreams in particular

· Significant contributions to the impact evaluation and business model development of OPAL

· Contribute to the definition and reporting of the tracking of the project and pilot objectives

· Support with fundraising efforts

The OPAL Programme Manager will be hired as an ODI contractor (on behalf of Opal Consortium) initially for 12 months with possible extension. The salary range is 45000/65000 euro per year depending on experience.

They will sign an NDA along with her/his contract regarding aspects of the project that require discretion and confidentiality. The Programme Manager will agree to represent the OPAL project only in their capacity as OPAL Programme Manager and to comply with the reporting conditions laid out in the contract. They will report to the OPAL Executive Committee (EC) Chair. Regular updates will be required in written form as well as through calls and meetings with the EC. Status updates as well as feedback from the EC will be vital for the global project design and development.

About you:

· Experienced professional with minimum 5-7 years of work experience focused on management of complex technical projects and large budget involving multiple partners. Proof of successful past experience in a similar position

· Masters’ degree in a relevant discipline

· Interest in development issues and developing countries contexts, including Africa and/or Latin America, preferably having spent time in developing countries

· Experience working in the technology industry, ideally related to the telecom industry, is desirable.

· Experience working with government institutions and civil society organizations

· Excellent writing, facilitation, anticipation and organizational skills

· Maturity, rigor, ability to remain calm under stress and to work and maintain relationships with people and team from different cultural and professional backgrounds; outstanding work ethics and drive

· Professional fluency in English;

· Working proficiency in French.

· Proficiency in Spanish is desirable

· Based in Europe and willingness to travel internationally to manage the project and to represent the project at international events

Please send your application to l.marchina@odi.org.uk by 27/07/2017 including:

· CV or Resume (max 2 page)

· Cover letter with 2 references

· Statement of Integrity, Eligibility and Social and Environmental Responsibility – compiled, signed and scanned. Each candidate should compile this is compulsory standard statement as required by the AFD.