Innovation Architecture and Governance Intern  

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. 

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

And we never give up. 

For every child, innovate!

The Office of Innovation is a creative, interactive, and agile team in UNICEF. We sit at a unique intersection, where an organization that works on huge global issues meets the start-up thinking, the technology, and the partners that turn this energy into scalable solutions.

The UNICEF Office of Innovation (OOI) is a newly restructured office for UNICEF with its main office located Stockholm and hub offices established in Helsinki, Copenhagen, Geneva and Barcelona. 

In the aftermath of the Office of Innovation’s expansion and remodeling, there is a need to ensure that internal processes, governance and financial structures are fit for purpose and up to speed with the recent trends to enable OOI to deliver on its mandate efficiently and effectively and strengthen its positioning as the Innovation arm of the organization.

The purpose of this internship is to advance brand development of the new model of the Office of Innovation through in-depth market research of the existing trends and practices in the field and propose recommendations to strengthening the existing brand, formulate strategies for both inward and outward facing brand development and implement the new proposed recommendations using a user-centered perspective and a service approach.  The output will be a set of recommendations drawn from learnings and extensive research on similar models, public innovation set-ups, successful Innovation structures and governance models. The intern will share key recommendations on expanding the current scope of OOI’s partnerships, based on analysis of the existing and proposed partnerships and support the OOI brand development through identifying key events, globally where OOI’s footprint could be impactful.  The intern will also be responsible for management of OOI’s representation in these events and support the Director’s office on the Director’s participation and management of his social media channels to further strengthen the OOI brand.

 The Innovation Architecture and Governance is expected to work in a consultative manner across the organization, in close collaboration with the Partnerships and Communications team and the Chief of Operations under the overall supervision of the Director, Office of Innovation.

The intern will be responsible to engage through appropriate channels with other United Nations organizations, partners, government and public organizations, regional/country and HQ offices and other stakeholders.

How can you make a difference? 

1. Market Research:

• Conduct market research, assess and propose recommendations in line with latest trends followed by similar organizations in terms of various existing Innovation models, governance structures and successful financial models. The expected output will be to share summary of findings through analysis and research with proposed list of recommendations to the Director.
• Meet with various stakeholders and teams in the organization to gather insights and align strategies.

1. External engagement support:

• Review key Innovation, technical, social or impact financing conferences and global events worldwide and share key recommendations on which events OOI should invest further into., withdraw from or ensure strong presence in, with strong rational keeping in view the organization’s mandate and key priorities.
• Assist in the coordination and management of national or international events by creating event planners, detailed programs for the Director’s participation and role, identifying side meeting opportunities with high value potential or existing partners, initiating, and arranging preparation calls with other organizers and attendees, consolidating list of action items, follow up with the different parties involved and secure timely execution in close collaboration with the Director’s team.
• Following the social media strategy currently in-place and in line with the organization’s overall brand and social media guidelines, the intern will be expected to lead in creating compelling content for various marketing channels, such as X (formerly Twitter), Linked In and other internal or external platforms, in close collaboration with the Partnerships and resource mobilization team, for the social media channels of the Director, linked to the Director’s attendance of key events and overall key priorities of the Office of Innovation.
• Ensure consistency in branding across various channels and touchpoints.
• In close collaboration with the Partnerships and Resource mobilization team and under the overall supervision of the Director, the intern will prepare a thorough review of the existing partnerships of the office of Innovation (in terms of cost versus impact) and suggest impactful new potential partnerships. The intern will network, engage, and connect with wider Innovation ecosystem to expand the scope of OOI’s relationships. The output expected is a list of recommendation on current partnerships, identifying low/medium/high value/potential partners and a list of proposed new partnerships with strong rational.

1. Internal engagement and design support:

• The intern will liaise with the Chief of Operations and under the overall guidance of the Director, assist in the development of overall office design (premises) as well as overall OOI “service Offer” and share internal facing image building and brand development recommendations.
• The intern will conduct extensive research, analyze findings, and make strategic recommendations in support of the existing structures and bodies, to cultivate a stronger internal design culture to attract and retain top talent.
• The intern will support the design projects, demonstrate strategic thinking in design, ensuring seamless execution and delivery with a keen eye for quality and consistency, including performing some of the most strategic design work themselves and ensure efficient workflow, consistency across various OOI locations and effective utilization of resources.
• Perform other related duties as required and assigned.

Expected Deliverables

• To share summary of findings and proposed recommended through analysis and research of the Innovation function in similar organizations, contributing to strategic alignment, cost efficiency, and organizational agility.
• Share key recommendations on events OOI should invest further into., withdraw from or ensure strong presence in, with strong rational keeping in view the organization’s mandate and key priorities.
• Create and execute Event participation for the Director.
• Create and post social media content as per the agreed monthly planner.
• Share a list of recommendation on current partnerships, identifying low/medium/high value/potential partners and a list of proposed new partnerships with strong rational.
• Share plan and recommendations for the overall office design as well as overall OOI “service Offer”.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

• Be enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree programme or have graduated within the past two years, in any of the following design disciplines: Research, Finance, Economics, Communication and Service Design or other relevant fields.
• Experience working with research, brand development, analyst and communications will be an asset.
• Experience in strategic reviews, market analysis, cost reviews, business model reviews, data collections, strategic and annual reviews, comparative analysis will be useful.
• Experience working with Microsoft Suite tools (SharePoint, word, excel, PowerPoint, notes, teams, Power Automate) will be valued.
• Experience with designing and / or facilitating Human Centered Design is an asset.
• Experience in social media management and event management is an asset. 
• The candidate must have good interpersonal skills (liaising with people of many different nationalities) and organizations skills.
• The candidate must show commitment to the UNICEF core values of care, respect, integrity, trust, accountability, and sustainability.

Please see attached detailed Terms of Reference (ToR): Internship_Innovation Architecture and Governance Intern .docx

Languages

Fluency in written and spoken English is required.
Proficiency in any other UN languages is considered an asset (French, Russian, Arabic, Spanish, Chinese).

Conditions:

• Age: Interns must be at least 18 years and above.
• Have good academic performance as demonstrated by recent university or institution records.
• Have no immediate relatives (e.g. father, mother, brother, sister) working in any UNICEF office.
• Have no other relatives in the line of authority which the intern will report to.
• Individuals must have proof of medical insurance covering the time and location of their internship.
• This internship can be delivered on a full-time or part-time commitment.
• Individuals are expected to provide their own laptop.
• Selected candidates will receive a monthly stipend (unless already in receipt of any support for the internship from a third party).
• Individuals must fund their own travel and living expenses.
• Individuals are responsible for arranging any visa or immigration requirements.

Payment

The eligible intern will receive a monthly stipend as a contribution towards their living expenses. The selected candidate is expected to work remotely if located outside the Office of Innovation duty station.

Employment: There is no expectancy of employment at the end of the internship.

Contact: For any queries, please contact: [email protected]

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…
(1) Builds and maintains partnerships(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness(3)Drive to achieve results for impact(4)Innovates and embraces change(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity(6)Thinks and acts strategically(7)Works collaboratively with others.

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

 UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.
We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.
UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

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