Senior Programme Officer-ICT

About this role

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Secretariat is seeking a Senior Programme Officer-ICT to be based in Gaborone, Botswana, on a full-time contract. SADC is a regional economic community established by Southern African states to advance socio-economic, political, and security cooperation and foster regional integration among its Member States. This role sits within the ICT Division and is responsible for facilitating and coordinating the development, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes aimed at building cost-effective, integrated telecommunications and ICT infrastructure across the SADC Region, while advancing reliable, affordable, and universal access to ICT services. Core responsibilities span four functional areas.

First, the Officer coordinates policy development and harmonisation by commissioning research to identify strategy, policy, and regulatory gaps, and by guiding Member States in adopting and domesticating regional frameworks, guidelines, standards, and systems. Second, the role manages research, data collection, and information dissemination, including maintaining a centralised database and communicating findings through reports and digital platforms. Third, the Officer leads strategic planning and programming, identifying key intervention areas, developing medium and long-term plans, facilitating capacity building initiatives, and supporting resource mobilisation and public-private partnerships. Fourth, the role coordinates programme implementation, including project pipeline preparation, management of staff and consultancies, development of KPIs, impact monitoring, and reporting to SADC policy structures.

Candidates must hold at least a Master's degree in Telecommunications, ICT, or Electrical Engineering from a recognised institution. The role requires a minimum of ten years of regional, continental, or international experience in Telecommunications and ICT, including at least four years in a line management position. Desirable skills include strong analytical and report writing abilities, project management experience, negotiation and stakeholder management capabilities, and familiarity with ITU Radio Regulations. Applications must be submitted through the SADC recruitment portal by the closing date of 26 June 2026.