Technical Advisor - National AI Strategy

Job description

We don’t just talk, we do. Lead the change with us. At the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, we work with political leaders around the world to drive change. We help governments turn bold ideas into reality so they can deliver for their people. We do it by advising on strategy, policy and delivery, unlocking the power of technology across all three. And by sharing what we learn on the ground, so everyone can benefit. We do it to build more open, inclusive and prosperous countries for people everywhere. We are a global not-for-profit organisation, operating in more than 40 countries across five continents. Our teams include political strategists, policy experts, delivery practitioners, technology specialists and more. We speak more than 45 languages and are working on over 100 projects, tackling some of the world’s biggest challenges. We’re all here at TBI to make a difference. In a world of ever more complex challenges, we believe diversity of background and perspective is a strength. We pride ourselves on a culture that values and nurtures difference. We are dedicated to unlocking potential, not only for the countries we work in but also for each of our team members. No matter where you’re from or who you are, if you’re passionate about the transformative power of progressive politics, we invite you to build a better future with us. Role Summary Introduction TBI is partnering with Ghana's Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations (MoCDTI) to support implementation of Ghana's National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2025-2035. The programme will establish an Embedded Technical Assistance Facility within MoCDTI, combining a full-time adviser in the Minister's Office with support from TBI's Ghana team, global AI and digital-government specialists, and Ghanaian and UK partners including the KNUST Responsible AI Lab, the London School of Economics, Imperial College London and the UK Government Digital Service. The aim is to help government move from strategy to coordinated, responsible and measurable implementation across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). Candidates will need to have the existing right to work in Ghana, as unfortunately we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role. Role Overview The Embedded Technical Adviser & Project Coordinator will lead the day-to-day coordination of TBI's contribution to this engagement. Seconded full-time to MoCDTI, the adviser will work directly within the Minister's Office and relevant directorates as a trusted strategic and delivery partner. The role will support the Minister and Ministry leadership to set priorities, translate the National AI Strategy into implementation roadmaps and annual plans, coordinate delivery across government, strengthen governance and reporting mechanisms, and accelerate a focused portfolio of high-impact public-sector AI exemplars. The adviser will work with TBI's Ghana team and the wider expert network; maintain the programme's workplan, milestones, dependencies, risks and reporting routines; and ensure that specialist inputs are converted into practical decisions, tools and institutional capability. Detailed priorities and deliverables will be agreed with the Minister during inception and reviewed with MoCDTI and TBI as implementation evolves. Core outputs will be co-developed with government counterparts, TBI's delivery team and the wider expert network rather than produced by the adviser in isolation. This is not a conventional IT implementation or research role. It requires a technical adviser who can move fluently between political and policy advice, programme management, institutional reform and technically informed AI delivery. The successful candidate will be comfortable operating in an embedded government environment, briefing senior political principals, working through public-sector systems and ambiguity, and transferring knowledge to permanent government counterparts. Key Responsibilities Act as the day-to-day strategic and delivery adviser to the Minister and MoCDTI leadership on implementation of Ghana's National AI Strategy, including prioritisation, sequencing, decision support and resolution of delivery bottlenecks. Lead mobilisation and day-to-day programme coordination: prepare the inception report and detailed workplan; agree deliverables and ways of working; maintain milestones, dependencies, risks, issues, decisions and escalation routes; and coordinate regular engagement between the Minister, MoCDTI and TBI. Coordinate development of the National AI Strategy implementation roadmap, annual delivery plans and national- and MDA-level performance framework, including clear owners, KPIs, dashboards and quarterly implementation reporting. Coordinate whole-of-government implementation across MDAs and the AI focal-point network, aligning sector-specific activity with a common national direction and facilitating collaboration, accountability and problem solving. Support MoCDTI to design and operationalise the AI Council/Responsible AI Office and related governance mechanisms, including mandates, operating procedures, responsible AI standards, data protection, security, risk management and issue escalation. Support an across-government AI exemplar programme. Work with MoCDTI and participating MDAs to select priority initiatives based on strategic relevance, public value, feasibility, data and institutional readiness, responsible AI considerations and potential to scale; then support feasibility assessment, implementation planning, ownership and monitoring. Develop practical implementation toolkits and guidance for MDAs, covering use-case prioritisation, readiness assessment, data governance, infrastructure and model choices, procurement, delivery stage gates, risk management and benefits measurement. Produce and coordinate high-quality ministerial and senior-facing products, including policy briefs, cabinet submissions, decision notes, strategic communications, meeting materials and implementation reports, working through the agreed TBI-MoCDTI quality-assurance process. Convene and coordinate with TBI's Ghana team, global AI and digital-government specialists and partner institutions - including LSE, KNUST-RAIL, Imperial College London, the UK Government Digital Service and other experts - ensuring specialist inputs are well scoped, timely and translated into practical government action. Build sustainable capability within MoCDTI and participating MDAs through embedded coaching, mentoring, problem-focused workshops, policy dialogues, reusable tools and structured handover to permanent government counterparts. Strengthen the wider AI ecosystem and partnership pipeline by engaging government, academia, industry, civil society and development partners; support investment cases, technical and financial resource mobilisation, cost-and-savings analysis, and Ghana's positioning as a regional leader in responsible AI implementation. Person Specification We are looking for an exceptional public-sector adviser and delivery professional with a strong record of turning policy and technology strategies into implementable government programmes. The successful candidate will combine political judgement, delivery discipline and sufficient technical fluency in AI and digital government to work credibly with ministers, civil servants, engineers, researchers and development partners. The successful candidate will have: Essential Substantial senior-level professional experience in public-sector advisory, government delivery, digital transformation, institutional reform, management consulting, international development or a comparable environment. A demonstrated track record of advising ministers, political principals and/or senior civil servants, and translating political and policy priorities into clear decisions, plans and accountable delivery actions. Experience leading or coordinating complex, multi-stakeholder government programmes from strategy through implementation, using workplans, milestones, KPIs, dashboards, risk and issue management, and structured reporting. Strong working knowledge of artificial intelligence and digital government, including public-sector use cases, data and infrastructure dependencies, responsible AI and governance, and implementation and procurement risks. The role does not require a software engineer, but it does require the ability to challenge, mobilise and integrate technical specialists. Strong knowledge of Ghanaian or other African government contexts, with the political economy and institutional judgement required to navigate public-sector systems and build durable government ownership. Excellent analytical, policy-development and writing skills, with evidence of producing clear senior-facing briefs, cabinet or decision papers, implementation roadmaps, presentations and progress reports. Exceptional stakeholder-management, diplomacy and facilitation skills, with the ability to convene and align MDAs, development partners, academia, civil society, industry and technical experts. The judgement, discretion and resilience to operate at pace in an embedded government environment, manage ambiguity and sensitive information, and build trust with senior counterparts. Strong programme coordination, organisation and follow-through, including the ability to prioritise competing demands and coordinate inputs from dispersed internal and external teams. A practical commitment to knowledge transfer, mentoring and institutional capability building rather than dependency on external advisers. An advanced degree in public policy, public administration, economics, international development, technology, engineering, computer science, business or a related field, or equivalent practical experience; excellent written and spoken English; and willingness to be based full-time in Accra and travel as required. Desirable Direct experience working with the Government of Ghana, MoCDTI or Ghana's wider digital and AI ecosystem. Experience implementing a national AI, digital-government, data, digital public infrastructure or public-service transformation programme. Deeper expertise in one or more of responsible AI, data governance and protection, cybersecurity, digital procurement, regulatory design or institutional governance. Experience with technical-assistance or grant-funded programmes, including results frameworks, value-for-money analysis and programme reporting. Established relationships across Ghana's technology and AI ecosystem, academia, industry, civil society and development-partner community. Experience supporting public-sector AI use cases, feasibility and readiness assessments, business or investment cases, cost-benefit analysis, or technical and financial resource mobilisation. A recognised project, programme or change-management qualification, and experience using AI-enabled and digital collaboration tools responsibly to improve delivery quality and productivity. Closing Date: 2026-09-21