Do you want to champion the digital safety and resilience of changemakers across the African continent?
Code for Africa (CfA) has an immediate vacancy for a full-time Digital Security Manager in Kenya to join our civic technology lab (TechLab) to help build security tools to strengthen democracy and empower citizens.
The TechLab spearheads the design, development and maintenance of all digital services and infrastructure for CfA, and its external human rights defending partner organisations.
Candidates must have demonstrable experience tailoring security solutions that address the specific needs and challenges of CSOs and CBOs in Africa. The ideal candidate will have experience in leading the strategic direction of a security team. 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 media partners.
Required: minimum requirements include:
- Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, similar technology degrees or 8+ years’ equivalent technology experience,
- 1+ years experience in security management or a similar technical leadership role,
- 3+ years of experience in information security, with a strong focus on Endpoint Security for a diverse range of user devices and small-scale network environments. Additional experience in one or more of the following domains is highly desirable: Network Security, Application Security, Cloud Security, and Cryptography.
- Demonstrated experience in developing and implementing security solutions, including vulnerability management, incident response, and risk mitigation strategies,
- Excellent organisational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities and tasks, and deliver results within deadlines, and
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build trust and rapport with diverse stakeholders.
Preferred: candidates who can demonstrate the following will have an advantage:
- Master’s degree in Cybersecurity, Information Security, similar technology degrees or 6+ years equivalent experience,
- Relevant security certifications such as ISO27001, CCISO, CISM, CISSP, etc.
- Strong leadership and team management skills, with a passion for fostering collaboration and individual growth
- Familiarity with scripting languages for security automation (Python, Bash),
- Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP) and their security controls is a plus, and
- Experience working with non-profit organisations or in the development sector is a plus.
Language and Location Requirements:
- Location: Kenya
- Languages: English
- Preferred but not required: Arabic, French, KiSwahili/Shen’g or any other major language spoken in Africa.
About the Role:
The successful candidates 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 CfA’s Digital Security Manager, you will be at the forefront of protecting the digital safety and resilience of CSOs and CBOs across the continent. Reporting directly to the CTO, you will lead the strategic vision for our security team, develop innovative solutions tailored to the African context, and foster a collaborative environment for growth.
This role offers the opportunity to work with diverse stakeholders, including technologists, civil society organisations, and international partners, on impactful projects that strengthen democracy and empower citizens.
Some of the projects that you may work with us on include:
- Our first-line security tools: JigSaw (Outline, FeedShield) and BitWarden.
- ANCIR tools/teams (Afrileaks, civicSIGNAL, ADDO)
- Our knowledge and community outreach initiatives (academyAFRICA, and WanaDATA)
- Our Data and ML platforms (connectedAFRICA, openAFRICA)
Responsibilities: Your daily tasks will include:
- Develop and implement a comprehensive security roadmap encompassing proactive measures, reactive incident response, and capacity-building initiatives.
- Build and lead a high-performing team of security professionals, fostering their professional growth, expertise, and collaboration.
- Oversee the design, development, and implementation of tailored security solutions that address the specific needs and challenges of CSOs and CBOs in Africa.
- Evaluate and integrate appropriate security technologies and tools, ensuring they are adaptable and scalable to the African context.
- Develop and deliver training programs and workshops that empower CSOs and CBOs to enhance their digital security practices and protect themselves against evolving threats.
- Advocate for policies and initiatives that promote a more secure and resilient digital environment for CSOs and CBOs in Africa.
- Build strong relationships with key stakeholders, including CSOs and CBOs.
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 100 staff in 21 countries, who build and manage 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.