Lead, Data Governance & AI Safety

Location: Kigali, Rwanda
Travel Expectation: Up to 25%
Job Type: Full-time, 3-year contract
Reports to: Director, Rwanda AI Scaling Hub

About the Rwanda Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution

The Rwanda Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) is a partnership between the Government of Rwanda and the World Economic Forum committed to advancing the responsible and inclusive adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies to accelerate Rwanda's national development priorities.

As part of the World Economic Forums global network of over 20 centers, C4IR serves as a public private collaboration platform that shapes policy, fosters innovation, and builds strategic partnerships with national and international stakeholders to ensure that technology benefits all of society.

About the Rwanda AI Scaling Hub

The Rwanda AI Scaling Hub (the Hub) aims to harness the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to accelerate national development outcomes safely and sustainably delivering evidence-based impact that deepens regional knowledge and shapes global benchmarks for inclusive, context-responsive innovation.

As a multi-stakeholder platform, the Hub enables the scaling of AI solutions that address Rwanda's development priorities, ensuring safety, sustainability, and public ownership while catalyzing investment and building an inclusive ecosystem that drives innovation across Africa and beyond.

Description

The Lead, Data Governance & AI Safety will be responsible for establishing and maintaining the Hubs frameworks for responsible AI, data management, and safety assurance. The role will ensure that all AI systems and datasets developed or deployed by the Hub adhere to ethical, legal, and technical standards, aligning with Rwanda's Data Protection and Privacy Law and global best practices in AI governance.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and update responsible AI policies for the Hub, ensuring alignment with national and global standards.
• Implement risk assessment and auditing processes for all AI systems throughout their lifecycle.
• Create clear standards for AI model documentation and explain ability.
• Deliver training on AI safety, ethics, and data governance to all relevant stakeholders.
• Monitor global AI safety trends and recommend updates to local approaches.
• Establish and enforce data governance frameworks compliant with Rwanda's Data Protection and Privacy Law.
• Institute quality checks to ensure all datasets are unbiased, representative, and high-quality.
• Assess and secure data access and sharing, enforcing robust cybersecurity and regulatory compliance.

Key Qualifications and Experience

• Extensive experience: Minimum of 8 years of experience in data governance, AI safety, or digital policy, preferably in complex or multi-stakeholder environments.
• Technical expertise: Deep understanding of AI/ML systems, data governance frameworks, cybersecurity, and risk assessment practices. 
• Regulatory knowledge: Strong familiarity with national and international data protection laws, including Rwanda's Data Protection and Privacy Law and relevant global standards.
• Ethical leadership: Demonstrated commitment to responsible and transparent AI deployment, with knowledge of ethics, fairness, and accountability frameworks.
• Analytical and communication excellence: Ability to translate complex technical issues into actionable policy recommendations and clear training materials.
• Collaborative approach: Experience engaging with government, academia, and private sector stakeholders on AI governance and data protection initiatives.
• Continuous learning: Proven ability to monitor and adapt to emerging global trends in AI governance, safety, and technology policy

Our Values

1. Responsible impact: We take initiative aligned with institutional and personal goals. We solve problems with practicality, efficiency, and rigor. We create opportunities that broaden and maximize impact for our stakeholders.
2. Technical excellence: We think and act innovatively
   We contribute expertise valued by others.
3. Principled collaboration: We believe in empathy and empowerment of self, colleagues and external stakeholders. We establish trust-based relationships and collaborate effectively with internal and external stakeholders.
4. Effective communication: We engage and communicate effectively with all audiences.