Digital Transformation Advisor

Role Summary:

Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Hybrid Mode

Reports to: Associate Director

One of our clients, a global organization dedicated to improving public service delivery, is seeking a Digital Transformation Advisor to serve as the "engine room" for their initiatives in Ethiopia.

While the Country Lead manages political strategy, the Digital Lead will drive the day-to-day execution at the intersection of technology, business analysis, and government implementation. The primary goal will be to translate national digital ambitions into functional, interoperable systems. The Digital Lead will be the lead focal point for mid-level government decision-makers—including Department Directors and Technical Heads within the Prime Minister's Office and key sectoral ministries.

Core Workstreams

• Drive the transition of a government-wide citizen grievance and complaint management platform from pilot to national launch.
• Coordinate the integration of financial and health resource data systems to improve transparency and budget execution.
• Support the adoption of open-source "building blocks" and data exchange layers to resolve system fragmentation across the state.
• Identify and manage relationships with local technology players and vendors to ensure the long-term sustainability of digital initiatives.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Program Leadership and Government Engagement

• Serve as the primary in-country lead for platform deployments, ensuring technical implementation aligns with government policy and program goals.
• Drive working-level engagement with ministries and agencies to cultivate "digital champions" who advocate for system adoption, optimized workflows, and institutional reform.
• Identify and engage potential partners to foster collaboration on digital transformation initiatives.
• Conduct contextual research and sectoral system analysis to inform program strategy and localized implementation design.
• Guide the move from project-based delivery to sustainable platform operations, advising on long-term governance, support models, and state ownership.
• Lead program governance by managing risk mitigation, action tracking, and structured reporting for global and local stakeholders.
• Act as the key bridge between the client and stakeholders to ensure expectation alignment, issue resolution, and clear communication.
• Provide coordination for the project "rhythm," including meeting documentation, timely decision follow-ups, and the preparation of decision-ready concept notes and reports.
• Maintain organized documentation systems to preserve institutional memory and support seamless project delivery.

2. Advisory & Strategic Support

• Provide advisory support to government stakeholders on process digitization, workflow redesign, and adoption of digital public infrastructure components
• Work closely with the Associate Director to respond to emerging priorities, stakeholder needs, and cross-program opportunities
• Contribute to shaping implementation approaches, engagement strategies, and operational plans in line with country context
• Support coordination across partners, vendors, and government teams to ensure integrated delivery

3. Technical Advisory : Process Mapping, Business and System Analysis

• Lead gathering sessions with diverse stakeholders (MoH, MoF, PMO, EAII, etc.) to translate program needs into Functional Requirements, SRS, User Stories, and workflows.
• Map government processes to platform capabilities, identifying gaps and proposing specific configuration or customization approaches.
• Design improved, digitally enabled workflows and user journeys aligned with platform constraints, policy context, and operational needs.
• Develop system interaction diagrams and deployment guidance to bridge the gap between business requirements and technical implementation teams.
• Coordinate end-to-end testing and User Acceptance Testing (UAT), managing structured issue resolution across all stakeholders.
• Contribute to ongoing process enhancement by identifying inefficiencies and opportunities for automation or system integration.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Software Engineering, or a related field. A Master's in a technical or business discipline is an added advantage.
• Experience: 6–8 years of professional experience in digital transformation, with a proven track record of:
  • Leading and delivering complex, multi-stakeholder digital projects.
  • Building and managing strategic relationships with government entities.
  • Analyzing government business processes and identifying systemic inefficiencies.
  • Implementing digital systems that successfully transform institutional workflows.
• Sector Background: Experience working with government agencies, donors, or large-scale programs is mandatory.
• Domain Knowledge: Deep understanding of the local institutional context and internal government operations.
• Familiarity with emerging technologies, including Digital Public Infrastructure  and AI.
• Proficiency in program management, functional documentation, and the full system implementation lifecycle.

Required Skills

• Communication: Excellent written and verbal skills; ability to translate technical language for program staff and business needs into technical requirements.
• Government Navigation: Ability to quickly understand and navigate programs and protocols within government offices.
• Technical Literacy: Familiarity with software systems, APIs, dashboards, and data flows.
• Operational Agility: Proven ability to manage multiple workstreams simultaneously in a fast-paced, evolving environment.

Desirable Skills

• Hands-on experience with Digital Public Infrastructure or open-source, modular architectures.
• Direct exposure to health information systems, grievance redressal systems, or other public sector platforms.
• A foundational understanding of databases, system integrations, and technical architecture.