Public Policy Manager, East & Horn of Africa

We are looking for a public policy expert who can combine a passion for technology’s potential to create opportunity and to make Africa more open and connected, with deep knowledge of the political and regulatory dynamics across key East & Horn countries in Africa. The Manager of Public Policy, East & Horn of Africa Region, will work under the direction of the Public Policy Head, East & Horn of Africa, and will become part of a wider Africa Public Policy team that is dealing with some of the most interesting public policy challenges of our times including privacy, safety and security, freedom of expression, Internet shutdowns, the impact of the Internet on economic growth, and new opportunities for democratic engagement.

Public Policy Manager, East & Horn of Africa Responsibilities

• Monitor key countries across East & Horn of Africa for policy issues at the intersection of technology, social media, emerging market entry/growth
• Inform and support Facebook’s connectivity agenda and programs across Eastern Africa
• Work with Facebook’s Politics & Government team to promote the use of Facebook as a platform for citizen and voter engagement to policymakers and NGOs and other political influencers
• Work with Facebook’s Safety and Policy Programs teams and external policy and civil society partners to create and implement country and regional policy programs
• Represent Facebook in regular engagements with our key stakeholders
• Build relevant and formidable coalitions to help advance and support key policy issues in region
• Work with our policy programs team to create and implement programs to address key policy issues across the region
• Communicate Facebook’s positions on key policy issues in public presentations to a wide range of audiences
• Identify and advise Facebook on emerging public policy issues
• Support the Africa Public Policy team on any other priority policy issues and programs

Minimum Qualifications

• A degree or advanced degree in a related field
• Significant demonstrated experience in legislation and/or government relations and advocacy
• Keen understanding of political systems and relevant policy and civil society institutions across Africa – with a particular focus on East Africa
• Excellent judgment, excellent communication and persuasive skills, creativity, perspective, the ability to work with minimal supervision in a dynamic environment
• Experience in policy engagement or development for a multi-national corporation or civil society institution
• Passion for connecting the unconnected, and extensive experience with relevant policy issues, including internet governance, data privacy, human rights/free expression, taxation, net neutrality, child online protection, etc
• Superb written and oral communications skills
• Fluency in both written and conversational English, and native fluency in Swahili and/or any other regionally relevant language, including Amharic or Kinyarwanda
• Interest and willingness to travel frequently throughout the region when travel returns
• Fluency in technology and a passion for Facebook’s mission.