Are you passionate about applying cutting-edge generative AI technologies to build real-life solutions to accelerate social impact in Africa?
Code for Africa (CfA) has immediate vacancies for a full-time AI Manager anywhere in Africa to join our civic technology lab (TechLab) to strengthen our AI capabilities.
The TechLab spearheads the design, development and maintenance of all digital services and infrastructure for CfA, and its external human rights defending partner organisations.
The ideal candidate will have significant experience delivering successful AI/ML applications, with expertise in modern AI techniques and technologies such as NLP and Multimodal Gen AI systems. They will possess exceptional communication skills to build trust and AI understanding with multiple stakeholders, who have varying degrees of understanding of AI. The candidate will also have a deep knowledge of socio-cultural contexts related to AI use cases across Africa.
Candidates must be fluent in English, and candidates who are fluent in an additional international language, such as French or Arabic, or at least one local language from their country of residence will have an advantage.
The successful candidates will work as part of a multinational and multilingual team using digital collaboration tools to create content for a global audience and international partners.
Required: minimum requirements include:
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, Engineering or a related technical field
- 3+ years driving successful AI/ML applications in engineering, research or product roles.
- Expertise in modern AI techniques such as NLP, Multimodal LLMs (such as Meta’s LLaMA), and Python.
- Proven ability to build and manage high-performing AI teams that deliver cost-effective AI/ML solutions.
- Understanding of socio-cultural contexts related to AI use cases across Africa.
- Passion for applying ethical, human-centred AI design to create a positive societal impact.
- Exceptional communication skills to build trust and AI understanding across stakeholders.
Preferred: candidates can demonstrate the following will have an advantage:
- Master’s degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, Data Science or a related technical field.
- Experience with civic tech tools and platforms, particularly election and media monitoring, transparency and accountability, or data platforms.
- Experience working with government agencies, civil society organisations (CSOs) or community-based organisations (CBOs) in Africa.
- Experience with data analysis, visualisation, or storytelling to communicate complex AI/ML concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
- Knowledge of grant management processes and experience in working with international donors is a plus.
Language and Location Requirements:
- Location: This position offers full remote flexibility, so we welcome applications from talented individuals throughout Africa.
- Languages: English
- Preferred but not required: Arabic, French, KiSwahili or any other major language spoken in Africa.
About the Role:
The successful candidate will join CfA’s Technology team. The Tech team is distributed across East/West Africa and benchmarks itself on similar civic technology initiatives elsewhere in the world that build digital democracy solutions.
As an AI Manager, you’ll be responsible for developing and implementing CfA’s AI strategy to drive positive social change. Reporting directly to the CTO, you will lead and collaborate with a diverse team of technologists, designers, and product managers in designing and deploying AI-driven solutions that align with CfA’s goals. You will also work closely with stakeholders to build trust, mitigate risks and increase accountability around the applications of AI.
Some of the products that you may work with us on include:
- Our machine learning and natural language processing analysis platforms (such as CivicSignal and connectedAFRICA)
- Our bots and widgets (such as DebunkBot, BiscuitIndex and TaxClock)
- Our public-facing web platforms and tools (such as PesaYetu, HURUmap, Afrileaks, and FeedShield)
Responsibilities: Your daily tasks will include:
- Develop the vision and roadmap for impactful AI/Gen AI initiatives spanning areas such as civic engagement, public policy, journalism, and social impact.
- Build and lead a high-performing team of AI professionals capable of implementing this vision, fostering their professional growth, expertise, and collaboration.
- Uphold best practices across the AI lifecycle – unbiased data, transparent modelling, and ethical deployment.
- Collaborate across teams to identify high-impact, socially beneficial AI use cases and ensure seamless integration.
- Build trust by engaging all stakeholders, communities, government, and industry to align AI efforts.
- Spearhead robust governance for ethical AI that mitigates risks and increases accountability
- Lead AI literacy and capacity-building initiatives across stakeholder groups.
- Explore innovative practices like participatory AI for increased representation and inclusion.
- Represent the organisation’s AI thought leadership and build strategic AI partnerships.
What We Offer:
- A competitive salary, subject to experience, with opportunities for performance-based growth, both in terms of career path and public stature.
- Medical insurance cover, underwritten by a remote-first provider to ensure cover wherever you are
- A dynamic workplace, with a transnational team, occasional international travel, and generous vacation benefits.
- Ongoing opportunities to learn new cutting-edge skills and techniques/technologies to future-proof yourself in a rapidly evolving industry.
- A chance to shine on a global stage, writing for international audiences and interacting with colleagues around the world.
How to apply:
Please fill in this form by June 30, 2024
About Us:
Code for Africa (CfA) is the continent’s largest network of indigenous African civic technology and investigative data journalism laboratories, with over 120 staff in 26 countries, who build digital democracy solutions that are intended to give citizens unfettered access to actionable information that empowers them to make informed decisions and that strengthen civic engagement for improved public governance and accountability.
This includes building infrastructure such as the continent’s largest open data portal, open.AFRICA, and largest open source civic software portal, commons.AFRICA, as well as the largest repository of investigative document-based evidence, source.AFRICA, as well as incubating initiatives as diverse as the africanDRONE network that gives citizens their own ‘eyes in the sky’, the PesaCheck fact-checking initiative in 12 African countries, and the sensors.AFRICA remote-sensing citizen science initiative to combat air/water pollution.
CfA also incubates the African Network of Centres for Investigative Reporting (ANCIR), as an association of the continent’s best investigative newsrooms, ranging from large traditional mainstream media to smaller specialist units. ANCIR member newsrooms investigate crooked politicians, organised crime and big business. The iLAB is ANCIR’s in-house digital forensic unit, with teams in east, south and west Africa. ANCIR uses its resources to strengthen newsrooms’ own internal capacity, by providing access to the world’s best whistleblower encryption and investigative semantic analysis technologies, as well as skills development, and seed grants for cross-border collaboration.
At CfA, we don’t just accept differences – we celebrate it, we support it, and we thrive on it for the benefit of our employees, our products and our community. CfA is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.
To all recruitment agencies: CfA does not accept agency resumes. Please do not forward resumes to our employment application line, CfA employees or any other CfA contact. CfA is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.