About the job
Job Purpose
The Director of External Affairs and Innovation Partnerships plays a pivotal role within CcHUB's senior leadership team, offering strategic and executive guidance that aligns and enhances our external-facing initiatives. This encompasses community engagement, ecosystem collaboration, communications, and public sector relations.
In this position, you will harmonize these functions to boost CcHUB’s visibility, deepen our ecosystem impact, and unlock new avenues for growth and collaboration throughout Africa. A primary focus will be to enhance engagement with public sector stakeholders and to establish CcHUB as a trusted ally in fostering innovation, advancing the creative economy, and promoting workforce development across the continent.
This leadership role emphasizes cross-team alignment, the expansion of Pan-African partnerships, and the cultivation of a dynamic, interconnected innovation ecosystem that supports CcHUB’s strategic priorities.
Duties and Responsibilities
1. Strategic Oversight & Alignment
- Deliver strategic leadership and ensure alignment across the Community & Ecosystems, Communications, and Innovation Hub Strengthening functions, collaborating closely with the heads of each area.
- Guarantee that these functions are aligned with CcHUB’s sector priorities (Education, Health, and Creative Industries) and overarching goals (Emerging Tech, Green Tech, and Workforce Development).
- Drive cross-functional planning and execution to enhance ecosystem visibility, stakeholder engagement, and partnership development.
2. Public Sector & Policy Engagement
- Lead and coordinate public sector engagement strategies across Africa to promote enabling policies, nurture public-private partnerships, and enhance public sector interaction within the innovation ecosystem.
- Establish and sustain strategic relationships with ministries, agencies, and regulators relevant to CcHUB’s geographical and sectoral focus.
- Represent CcHUB at significant public sector platforms, dialogues, and forums to influence the innovation and creative economy agenda.
3. Pan-African Strategic Partnerships
- Engage at a high level with strategic partners, including corporates, multilaterals, foundations, and innovation networks, to amplify CcHUB’s influence and open multi-country opportunities.
- Identify and pursue collaborations that contribute to ecosystem development in new markets aligned with CcHUB’s Pan-African growth strategy.
- Facilitate the expansion and sustainability of partner hubs throughout the continent.
4. Strategic Communications & Thought Leadership
- Steer the Communications team’s strategic initiatives and campaigns to elevate CcHUB’s impact and influence.
- Advocate for thought leadership within the innovation ecosystem.

