INASP – the International Network for Advancing Science and Policy – is an international organisation, established in 1992, with a mission to support tertiary education and research systems in the Global South. For over 30 years INASP has worked with universities, research organizations, think tanks and governments across Africa, Asia and Latin America to strengthen research, teaching and learning, and to ensure that Global South researchers and educators can produce the knowledge that their countries and communities need.
We work to achieve impact in three areas:
- Enabling researchers to generate critical knowledge for policy, practice and their communities, by supporting early career researchers and their institutions to work with stakeholders to undertake research that addresses priority problems.
- Enabling youth to secure meaningful and dignified work, by working with tertiary institutions and their staff to ensure that degree programmes give graduates the skills, confidence and resilience to thrive.
- Enabling women educators and researchers to lead change, by working with research systems and institutions to ensure curricula and classrooms are inclusive and enable women to succeed in their studies and research.
With a base in Oxford, UK, we are a virtual team which spans 13 countries.
Equipping early career African researchers to succeed
The INASP-Norad project provides a comprehensive, accessible learning programme to NORHED researchers in all NORHED partner institutions in Africa over the next three years. NORHED - Norway’s flagship initiative to strengthen higher education and research in low- and middle-income countries - supports sustainable development and poverty reduction through institutional capacity building. This project will invest in a continuing programme of support that will be accessible to the NORHED community beyond the life of the programme, and enable selected institutions to develop or enhance their own early career researcher development programmes.
We will do this by taking a three-track approach
- A digital learning programme for researchers across NORHED’s 67 participating institutions in Africa.
- A hybrid learning and professional development programme providing deeper support, delivered through a combination of digital and in-person learning, designed in partnership with three universities in Ethiopia and Tanzania.
- A partnership with the same three universities to explore the future development of early research careers and configure a continuing, institutional professional development programme to provide on-going support beyond the life of the NORHED programme.
The role
We are seeking a Community Administrator Consultant to support and moderate an online community of researchers in NORHED institutions in Africa engaging with INASP’s digital learning programme. This role is key to building a supportive, inclusive, and active learning environment.
This is a consultancy role suitable for individuals with experience in digital facilitation, online communities, and academic contexts in Africa, particularly in the following NORHED countries:
- Cameroon
- Ethiopia
- D.R. Congo
- Ghana
- Kenya
- Malawi
- Mali
- Mozambique
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Rwanda
- Sudan
- South Africa
- South Sudan
- Tanzania
- Uganda
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Duties
Communication & engagement
- Inform community members about upcoming bespoke courses and Massive Open Online Courses
- Keep community members informed with news and updates about the digital learning programme and related INASP initiatives.
- Promote and guide participants through learning pathways, highlighting how they can combine courses and events to build skills.
- Signpost and contextualise resources and opportunities relevant to their academic and research needs.
Moderation & support
- Monitor and moderate discussions to ensure compliance with community guidelines.
- Address inappropriate or off-topic content in a constructive and supportive way.
- Respond to general and technical queries related to the digital learning programme.
Resource curation & community building
- Curate and share resources developed by INASP and partner research organisations.
- Reach out to prospective community members and expand our database of NORHED university contacts in Africa.
- Foster a safe, inclusive, and welcoming space for participants from diverse academic and cultural backgrounds.
- Support peer learning and exchange by encouraging participation and collaboration.
Skills, experience, and other qualities
You will have:
Essential:
- Experience using online forums and digital communication platforms
- Strong written and verbal communication skills in English
- Excellent interpersonal and organisational skills
- Attention to detail and ability to manage time effectively
- Knowledge of how to use Whatsapp communities and group chats as a communication tool for larger groups
- Background in or understanding of academia and research in Africa
Desirable:
- Familiarity with research and higher education systems in one or more NORHED countries in Africa
- Previous experience in online learning facilitation or community moderation
- Experience working with early-career researchers or academic development programmes
- Knowledge of learning platforms (e.g., Moodle)
Reporting and contracting arrangements
The consultant will be contracted by INASP and report to Tabitha Buchner, Programme Specialist at INASP.
The consultant will provide support to INASP-Norad project up until December 31st, 2025. This role will require availability of 30 days (spread evenly across the remainder of the year) during 2025. The total number of days will be agreed on in the contract based on the Community Moderators’s starting date.
The fee rate is £130/day (7 hours). The consultant will be responsible for providing their own equipment and software to perform the consultancy, and will be responsible for any taxes, social security and insurance costs. Any additional expenses required to deliver the work will only be reimbursed based on prior agreement with INASP, but it is not anticipated that additional expenses will be incurred.
INASP is based in the UK but the consultant can work remotely from anywhere in the world, subject to availability during UK working hours to enable occasional meetings and correspondence with members of the INASP team (i.e. availability at some point during 9-17.00 GMT). The consultant will need to have access to a reliable internet connection and their own computer to work with.
To apply for this role please submit your application online (click here).
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. This consultancy will be held open until it is filled.
Data protection
We are committed to ensuring that your personal details are protected and that we are fully compliant with our legal obligations under the Data Protection Act and the UK General Data Protection Regulations.
Any personal data submitted to INASP as part of the job application process, like your name, address, telephone number and email address, will be processed in accordance with the GDPR and related UK data protection legislation. We will only use that information to process your application and to monitor recruitment statistics. We will not share it with any third parties without your permission.
Personal information about unsuccessful candidates will be held securely for 60 days after the recruitment exercise has been completed, it will then be destroyed or deleted. We retain de-personalised statistical information about applicants to help inform our recruitment activities, but no individuals are identifiable from that data.
Safeguarding
INASP are committed to safeguarding and ensuring the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all employees, trustees, associates, contractors, interns and volunteers to share this commitment.
The suitability of all prospective employees, trustees, associates, contractors, interns and partners will be assessed during the recruitment process in line with this commitment.