UbuntuNet Alliance Developments and Call for Applications for CEO position - deadline 20 November

In 2005, UbuntuNet Alliance, the regional Research and Education Network in Eastern and Southern Africa was initially registered as a non-profit association in The Netherlands to facilitate the establishment of a legal entity. Since its establishment UbuntuNet Alliance has made great progress and currently has 14 member NRENs (National Research and Education Networks) and is supporting countries in the region to set up their NRENs that can then become members.

In August 2013 as part of an agreed path forward UbuntuNet was registered as Trust in Malawi. Its mandate includes:

- to develop and improve the interconnectivity among Members in the Membership Region and their interconnectivity with research and education networks worldwide and with the Internet generally

- to develop the knowledge and skills of ICT practitioners within Members' organisations and institutions;

- to stimulate and promote collaboration in research, education and innovation collaboration through the member NRENs, and to directly participate in regional research relevant to research and education networking; and

- to provide related auxiliary services to Members.

Under the Trust, following a special meeting of Members to transfer ownership of the Association to the Trust, NRENs will become Members rather than appointed representatives.

Call for Applications for CEO position

In October 2013, UbuntuNet Alliance issued a Call for applications to fill the Chief Executive Officer role, which becomes vacant in July 2014. Interested parties should submit a detailed curriculum vitae including all qualifications (university degrees as well as management and industry certifications) and three traceable referees as pdf files by email no later than 20 November 2013.

Shortlisted candidates will be informed about their status by mid-December 2013 with a view to arranging interviews between 24 - 31 January 2014. The new CEO will be engaged by 1st July 2014 to allow for an induction and transition period before the expiration of the current CEO's contract.

Applications should be sent to:

The Chairman, CEO Search and Selection Committee

UbuntuNet Alliance Secretariat

P. O. Box 2550, Lilongwe, Malawi

E-mail: cssc.chair@ubuntunet.net with a copy to ceo@ubuntunet.net and info@ubuntunet.net

Minimum requirements

The ideal candidate will have the following attributes:

- Minimum of 5 years high level experience as a manager with discretionary operations and expenditure powers in areas that have very strong relevance to both the technology and business side of research and education networking;

- A balanced combination of technical knowledge related to ICT in the research and education environment as well as research and education networking on the one hand, and business and management skills on the other hand;

- Experience at regional and international level, including working in multi-cultural, multi-national environments;

- A self-motivated and output-oriented person with good leadership and inter-personal skills;

- Excellent communication and report writing skills; very good command of the English language, with French and Portuguese as desirable additional languages

Duties and Responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities of the CEO include the following:

- Developing and implementing UbuntuNet Alliance's strategy;

- Supporting UbuntuNet Alliance governance processes;

- Managing operations;

- Planning and implementing staff and general capacity development;

- Developing and managing relations with member NRENs;

- Developing and sustaining relations with the Research & Education Networks community worldwide;

- Developing and sustaining relations with development partners;

- Developing and sustaining relations with suppliers

Terms of employment

This is a full-time contract position for an initial term of 3 to 5 years, renewable by mutual agreement, tenable at the Head Office although the successful applicant may raise the possibility of an alternative work location. The Alliance provides an attractive negotiable salary and benefits to the CEO in accordance with its emoluments structure.