Terms of Reference for Chief Technology Officer – WACREN Background WACREN is the West and Central African Research and Education Network which supports interconnections and fosters collaboration between R&E institutions in the region and international peers by building and operating a world class network infrastructure, developing state of the art services, promoting collaboration among national, regional, and international R&E communities, and building the human capacity of the REN community. The position of Chief Technology Officer is vacant and is to be filled through a competitive and transparent process. The following Terms of Reference are for the position of Chief Technology Officer. General Function Provide company-wide direction in the areas of technology, policy and services, and ensure that WACREN has an effective and efficient technological infrastructure for current operations and future development. Scope of Work Develop and implement technical aspects of WACREN’s strategy; Coordinate and oversee WACREN technical activities; Administer WACREN’s material and immaterial technical assets; Track, monitor and analyse technology performance metrics; Coordinate WACREN technical capacity building activities; Lead WACREN participation in Research and Education technical coordination bodies; Participate in public forums, such as standards-setting bodies, and monitor technical matters that have the potential of impacting the mission of WACREN; Help hire, train and manage qualified staff to effectively carry out CTO department’s functions; Advise CEO on technical matters; Any other tasks assigned by the CEO. Key Qualifications, Skills and Experience Essential: A Master’s degree in IT/Computer Science with a network engineering focus; 8-10 years of job-related experience in system life cycle development, with a thorough understanding of technical details; Experience in Internet Services and information system development and implementation; Experience in managing information processing functions (operations, development), with the ability to organize and manage multiple priorities; Good understanding of network and systems security; Experience in problem analysis and problem resolution at both strategic and functional levels; A minimum of five years of supervisory experience in a technical department; Demonstrated ability to lead people and get results through others; Management skills, which successfully perform planning, directing, reporting and administrative responsibilities; High integrity, drive for excellence and good interpersonal skills; Ability to work in a team; Availability and ability to travel within and outside the WACREN region; Fluency in English or French; working knowledge in the other language is an advantage. Desirable: Experience in installing, configuring and managing Juniper and/or Cisco routing and switching equipment; ISO/IEC 2000, TIL certifications or similar certifications; Experience with Research and Education Networks. Type of Contract, Reporting, Assumption and Place of Duty If successful, the selected applicant, who reports to the CEO, will be proposed a 3-year contract, with a probationary period of six (6) months. The contract is renewable, subject to a mutual agreement between WACREN and the position holder. It is expected that the successful applicant assumes duty between 1 April and 1 June 2026, depending on his/her availability. Place of duty is Accra, Ghana, but Staff is expected to move to another location (any country in West and Central Africa), should the Secretariat move from Ghana and/or opens other offices in the region. There might be an interim period during which the successful applicant will work from home. Submission of Applications and Timeline Please submit your CV and a cover letter to vacancy@wacren.net Deadline for submission of Applications: 31 January 2026 Please note: only applications submitted to vacancy@wacren.net will be considered and only short-listed applicants will be contacted. Should you have any question, please contact fao@wacren.net
