The right candidate will be able to draw on a solid foundation of research and industry knowledge to produce thought leadership content. You will be excited to join a diverse team that shares a passion for the ways mobile and emerging technologies can empower people. You will have most or all of the following:
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A working understanding of the AI for international development ecosystem is essential, supported by a strong foundation in artificial intelligence, machine learning and related technologies, and how they are applied in development contexts. Broader technical fluency across the AI stack—spanning infrastructure, data, models (including LLMs and SLMs), local-language capability, compute and the application layer—is highly desirable.
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Hands-on experience working on or supporting AI-based innovations that address development challenges across LMICs (advancing socioeconomic impact, financial and/or climate resilience).
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Experience partnering with startups and ecosystem players through innovation funds, accelerators or incubators is highly desirable.
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Awareness of responsible, inclusive and low-resource AI design considerations (e.g. data scarcity, language coverage, affordability, connectivity, compute and financial constraints).
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Excellent analytical skills, such as the ability to define research questions, devise analytical frameworks, analyse data and extract insights.
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Strong command over qualitative research methodologies. Knowledge and experience of quantitative research methodologies is desirable.
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A genuine interest in the commercial and social benefits presented by the adoption of AI, mobile and emerging technologies in low- and middle-income countries.
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Demonstrated ability to plan and manage research projects, driving them through to completion with minimal guidance from your managers.
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Prior experience of managing externally commissioned research projects from end-to-end is desirable.
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Demonstrated experience establishing and managing productive work relationships, at all levels, including C-level.
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Fluent and compelling written and oral communications skills in English, including an ability to articulate complex issues in plain language. Knowledge of a second language would be a plus.
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A track record of delivering results both through individual contribution and through teams.
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A proactive approach and a willingness to make suggestions and test new ideas.
This role is based on the following core capabilities:
Analysis – Analysis is central to this role, enabling the interpretation of evidence, identification of trends and translation of complex information into clear, actionable insights that underpin high-quality research.
Communication – Essential for producing high-quality research outputs and communicating complex technical concepts clearly to audiences across industry, government and the development ecosystem.
Delivery – Strong delivery skills ensure research activities are effectively managed, priorities are balanced and outputs are delivered to a high standard.
Agility – Agility is essential in the rapidly evolving AI landscape, enabling continuous learning, adaptability and responsiveness to emerging developments.
Stakeholder Management – Builds and sustains trusted, senior-level relationships across a diverse range of internal and external stakeholders, balancing competing interests to keep the programme moving forward**.**