Project Manager in Charge of Digital Entrepreneurship & Innovation
Policy at Smart Africa Secretariat (Deadline: 31 January 2026)
Date posted: December 18, 2025
Category: Job
Duty Station: Kigali, Rwanda
Application Deadline: 31 January 2026 at 11:00 PM
(GMT+2)
Introduction: A Role That Shapes Africa’s Digital Future
Across Africa, a quiet but powerful transformation is underway. Startups are
scaling beyond borders, governments are rewriting innovation laws, and young
entrepreneurs are building solutions that leapfrog traditional systems. Yet
behind every thriving digital ecosystem lies something less visible but
absolutely decisive: policy.
At the center of this transformation stands Smart Africa, a
pan-African alliance uniting 42 Member States around a shared vision: a
Single Digital Market for Africa. To advance this vision in the
entrepreneurship and innovation space, Smart Africa is recruiting a Project
Manager in Charge of Digital Entrepreneurship & Innovation Policy a
senior, high-impact role that directly influences how African countries design
startup laws, innovation frameworks, and cross-border digital policies.
This is not a routine project management job. It is a strategic policy
leadership position for professionals who want their work to shape ecosystems,
unlock investment, and create lasting opportunities for startups across Africa
and Europe.
If you are an experienced policy professional, development practitioner, or
digital transformation expert seeking a role with continental relevance and
global exposure, this opportunity deserves your full attention.
About Smart Africa: Building a Single Digital Market for Africa
What Is Smart Africa?
Smart Africa is a pan-African alliance of 42 Member States
committed to accelerating sustainable socio-economic development through
information and communication technologies (ICTs). The alliance brings together
African governments, development partners, private sector actors, and
international institutions around one bold goal:
To create a Single Digital Market for Africa.
Smart Africa operates at the intersection of policy, technology, and
development, supporting member states to:
· Harmonize
digital regulations
· Accelerate
digital transformation
· Foster
innovation-driven economies
· Enable
cross-border digital trade and entrepreneurship
Its work directly affects how startups are created, funded, regulated, and
scaled across the continent.
SANIA: The Smart Africa Network of Incubators and Accelerators
To translate its digital vision into tangible entrepreneurial outcomes,
Smart Africa established SANIA (Smart Africa Network of Incubators and
Accelerators).
SANIA is built on three strategic pillars:
1. Policy Support
Strengthening and harmonizing regulatory frameworks for startups and
innovation, including:
· Startup
Acts
· Innovation
and entrepreneurship policies
· Digital
economy regulations
2. Ecosystem Support
Enhancing the capacity of:
· Incubators
and accelerators
· Innovation
hubs
· Other
Innovation Support Organisations (ISOs)
3. Capacitating Fund Managers
Improving access to finance by:
· Training
investment actors
· Promoting
inclusive and green-responsive investment practices
The advertised role sits squarely within SANIA’s Policy Support
pillar, ensuring that entrepreneurship ecosystems are backed by
modern, coherent, and innovation-friendly policies.
About AEDIB 2.0: Africa–Europe Digital Innovation Bridge
What Is AEDIB 2.0?
The Africa–Europe Digital Innovation Bridge (AEDIB 2.0) is
a joint initiative between the European Union and key African
partners. Its mission is to strengthen digital innovation ecosystems
across both continents by promoting collaboration, alignment, and
knowledge exchange.
AEDIB 2.0 focuses on three core components:
1. Policy
development
2. Ecosystem
support
3. Improved
access to finance
Smart Africa is implementing activities across all three components.
However, this role focuses specifically on:
Specific Objective 1 (SO1): Digital Entrepreneurship & Innovation
Policy
Under SO1, Smart Africa leads:
· Regulatory
assessments
· Policy
reform support
· Multinational
policy forums
· Research
and open data initiatives
· Partnerships
with African and European knowledge institutions
This position is therefore both continental and intercontinental in
scope, bridging African policy priorities with European cooperation
frameworks.
Why This Role Matters
Digital entrepreneurship does not thrive by chance. It requires:
· Clear
startup laws
· Predictable
regulatory environments
· Harmonized
cross-border rules
· Evidence-based
policymaking
As Project Manager in Charge of Digital Entrepreneurship &
Innovation Policy, you will directly influence:
· How
Startup Acts are designed and implemented
· How
innovation policies align across countries
· How
governments collaborate with ecosystems
· How
Africa positions itself in global digital policy conversations
Few roles offer this level of policy leverage, international
visibility, and long-term developmental impact.
Position Overview
Job Title
Project Manager – Digital Entrepreneurship & Innovation Policy
Contract Duration
· Initial
1-year contract
· Renewable
for up to 3 additional years, subject to:
o
Performance
o
Professional conduct
o
Continued relevance
o
Availability of funding
Duty Station
· Kigali,
Rwanda
Reporting Line
· Reports
to the Director of Digital Transformation and Services (DTS)
Purpose of the Position
The Project Manager will lead and coordinate all policy-related activities
under AEDIB 2.0 – Specific Objective 1 (SO1).
At a strategic level, the role aims to:
· Strengthen
digital entrepreneurship and innovation policies across Africa
· Align
SANIA’s policy objectives with EU-funded actions
· Provide
high-level technical assistance to Member States
· Generate
and disseminate policy insights, research, and regulatory assessments
This is a leadership role requiring both technical depth
and strong coordination skills.
Core Duties and Responsibilities
1. Regulatory and Policy Assessments
Policy reform starts with evidence. In this role, you will:
· Lead
regulatory environment assessments related to:
o
Digital entrepreneurship
o
Innovation ecosystems
o
Startup regulations
· Identify:
o
Policy gaps
o
Bottlenecks
o
Opportunities for harmonization
· Produce:
o
Diagnostic reports
o
Actionable policy recommendations
These assessments form the foundation for national and regional reform
processes.
2. Policy Reform and Technical Assistance
Beyond analysis, the role is deeply hands-on.
You will:
· Develop
and maintain technical assistance pathways for startup and
innovation policy reform
· Guide
Member States through:
o
Policy drafting
o
Stakeholder consultations
o
Reform implementation
· Provide
expert input on:
o
Startup Acts
o
Innovation policy frameworks
o
Digital regulatory environments
Your work will help governments move from policy ambition to real-world
impact.
3. Multinational Policy Forums and Knowledge Exchange
Policy alignment requires dialogue.
Key responsibilities include:
· Organizing
regional and multinational policy forums on:
o
Innovation
o
Digitalization
o
Green and inclusive transitions
· Leading:
o
Content development
o
Stakeholder coordination
o
Workshop facilitation
· Promoting:
o
Cross-country learning
o
Best practice exchange
o
Peer-to-peer policy dialogue
These forums position Smart Africa as a convening force in digital policy.
4. Partnerships and Collaboration
No policy agenda succeeds in isolation.
You will:
· Establish
and manage partnerships with:
o
Think tanks
o
Universities
o
Research institutions
o
NGOs
o
Industry actors
· Support
the co-creation of:
o
MOOCs
o
Policy toolkits
o
Research publications
· Strengthen
Africa–Europe cooperation on innovation and entrepreneurship
policy.
5. Research, Data, and Policy Insights
Evidence drives credibility.
Your role includes:
· Leading
the collection and dissemination of open data and policy research
through the SANIA platform
· Preparing:
o
Policy briefs
o
Insight notes
o
Evidence-based reports
· Monitoring:
o
African innovation policy trends
o
Global digital economy developments
This work ensures Smart Africa remains a thought leader in digital policy.
6. Project Management and Reporting
As a senior project manager, you will:
· Develop
and monitor:
o
Work plans
o
Budgets
o
Deliverables
· Prepare:
o
Progress reports
o
Risk mitigation strategies
· Ensure:
o
Internal coordination
o
Clear stakeholder communication
· Represent
Smart Africa in relevant:
o
Regional events
o
International conferences
7. Stakeholder Engagement and Advocacy
Effective policy reform requires trust.
You will:
· Engage
with:
o
Policymakers
o
Innovation ecosystem actors
o
Development partners
· Support
advocacy efforts for:
o
Policy harmonization
o
Regulatory alignment
· Contribute
to Smart Africa’s broader digital transformation agenda.
8. Other Responsibilities
· Perform
any additional tasks assigned by supervisors in line with organizational
objectives.
Required Qualifications and Experience
Education
· Minimum:
Bachelor’s Degree
· Preferred:
Master’s Degree
Relevant fields include:
· Public
Policy
· ICT
Policy
· Law
· Economics
· Innovation
Studies
· Digital
Governance
· Related
disciplines
Professional Experience
Candidates must demonstrate:
· At
least 8 years of relevant experience in:
o
Digital policy
o
Innovation policy
o
Regulatory analysis
o
Digital transformation programmes
· Proven
delivery of similar work under donor-funded or grant-funded programmes,
such as:
o
European Union (EU)
o
World Bank
o
African Development Bank (AfDB)
o
GIZ
o
USAID
· Experience
working with:
o
African governments
o
Multistakeholder initiatives
o
International partners
· Strong
background in:
o
Policy research
o
Regulatory assessments
o
Coordination of policy initiatives
Key Skills and Competencies
Successful candidates typically bring:
· Excellent
analytical and research skills
· Strong
policy writing and reporting ability
· Proven
project management capacity
· Ability
to coordinate stakeholders across multiple countries
· Strong
communication, facilitation, and negotiation skills
· Capacity
to work independently in fast-paced, complex environments
Language Requirements
· Fluency
in English and French – Required
· Working
knowledge of Arabic or Portuguese – An asset
Given the multinational nature of the role, language proficiency is a major
advantage.
Contract Duration and Duty Station
· Initial
contract: 1 year
· Renewable:
Up to 3 additional years
· Duty
station: Kigali, Rwanda
Renewal is subject to:
· Performance
· Professional
conduct
· Continued
relevance of the role
· Availability
of funding
Application Process: How to Apply
Required Application Documents
Interested candidates should submit:
1. Motivation
letter
2. Curriculum
Vitae (CV)
3. Copies
of academic and professional certificates
Submission Details
· Email
address: hr@smartafrica.org
· Email
subject line:
“Project Manager – Digital Entrepreneurship & Innovation Policy”
Application Deadline
31 January 2026 at 11:00 PM (GMT+2, Kigali time)
Note: Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for
interviews.
Who Should Apply? Ideal Candidate Profile
This role is ideal for professionals who:
· Have
deep experience in policy and development work
· Understand
the intersection of innovation, regulation, and entrepreneurship
· Are
comfortable working across governments, donors, and ecosystems
· Want
their work to influence continental policy agendas
It is particularly relevant for:
· Senior
policy analysts
· Digital
transformation advisors
· Innovation
policy consultants
· Development
programme managers
· Professionals
transitioning from donor-funded projects to institutional leadership roles
Career Impact and Growth Opportunities
Working at Smart Africa offers:
· Exposure
to high-level policy processes
· Direct
engagement with governments and international partners
· Opportunities
to shape continental frameworks
· Strong
professional visibility across Africa and Europe
For many professionals, this role becomes a career-defining
milestone.
Internal Linking Opportunities
Suggested anchor texts to strengthen site structure:
· Digitalpolicy jobs in Africa
· Internationaldevelopment jobs in Rwanda
· EU-funded
project management roles
· Innovation
and startup policy careers
· Smart
Africa Secretariat vacancies
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is this position open to non-Rwandan applicants?
Yes. The role is international in scope and open to qualified candidates
from Africa, Europe, and beyond.
Is relocation to Kigali required?
Yes. The duty station is Kigali, Rwanda.
Is this a remote position?
No. This is an on-site role with regional and international travel as
required.
Is prior experience with the EU mandatory?
While not mandatory, experience with EU-funded or similar donor
programmes is strongly preferred.
What level of seniority is this role?
This is a senior project management and policy leadership role,
suitable for professionals with at least 8 years of experience.
Final Thoughts: A Role with Continental Significance
Few jobs offer the opportunity to influence how entire regions
design their innovation futures. As Project Manager in Charge of
Digital Entrepreneurship & Innovation Policy at Smart Africa, your work
will help define the rules, frameworks, and opportunities that African startups
rely on to grow and compete globally.
If you have the experience, the policy insight, and the ambition to shape
Africa’s digital transformation from the inside, this is your moment.
Prepare your application carefully and apply before 31 January 2026.
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