Background
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The UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub (BRH) and its Regional Innovation Team serves the Government partners and Country Offices within the Asia Pacific region to support them to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. The Team is part of the Global Policy Network which is an integrated network of global policy teams and professionals who work to support the UNDP strategic plan. The team leads on Innovation and Digital across the region as part of the UNDP Global Policy Network (GPN), working closely with many partners including the UNDP the Strategic Innovation Unit (SIU), Chief Digital Office (CDO), and the Accelerator Lab network in Country offices (COs) among others. With Strategic Innovation and Digital Transformation as key enablers in UNDP’s Strategic Plan 2022 – 2025, UNDP’s ambition in the region is not only to support Country Offices to become “digital by default” (DbD) but also to make sure digital solutions and initiatives aim and deliver impact:
- Helping UNDP COs leverage digital transformation to address structural exclusion and promote economic opportunities, as well as improve access to services in crisis contexts (i.e. Afghanistan and Myanmar);
- Helping UNDP COs develop digital offers to the Governments with DPI principles as a foundation by aligning critical corporate assets such as a2i, CDO and Accelerator Labs;
- Proof-testing innovative data assets and tools to support decision-making for policy transformation and resource allocation.
To further advance and support relevant CO initiatives, RBAP has outposted sub-regional digital consultants and the Regional Innovation team is looking for the services of a Digital Transformation Specialist to support coherence and systemic impact of these investments.
Under the direct supervision of the Regional Innovation Advisor, the Digital Transformation Specialist works in close collaboration with the whole regional innovation team, CDO, Strategic Innovation Unit, GPN, Bangkok Regional Hub, and Country Offices for resolving complex programme-related issues and delivery.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Under the overall guidance of the Regional Innovation Advisor and in close collaboration with digital focal points, the Digital Transformation Specialist will lead on supporting design and adoption of the “digital by default” approach to programming in support of the CO and BRH teams.
Digital Transformation Specialist will coordinate the context-tailored support via sub-regional digital consultants as part of the Digital Stewardship Journey offer, with a focus on Afghanistan, Bhutan and Samoa and others. (S)he will facilitate cross-country learning to support coherence of the regional digital portfolio and articulation of new digital programmatic offers to support scaling of initial investment in the region. (S)he will also support the Team in building partnerships and developing programmatic and investment pipeline for the digital transformation initiatives in the region. With support of Strategic Learning and Visual Designer, (s)he will lead on codifying and positioning emerging digital transformation approaches for broader adoption and scaling across the region and beyond.
Lead and provide advisory support to COs and BRH on digital by default programming.
- Lead on development and codification of the “digital by default” programming support in the region.
- Provide advice across BRH GPN teams on identification of entry points, adoption, and application of “digital by default” approaches to foster development programme coherence.
- Explore opportunities and facilitate the team in application of “data and digital” solutions in priority programmatic areas, such as the city portfolios and decision- making in the public sector.
- Dynamically review, identify, and manage emerging learnings, cross-country patterns and novel digital programmatic opportunities on the account of this work.
- Support coordination and synergies building for country support in collaboration with CDO.
Lead and ensure provision of digital transformation capability development across the region.
- Ensure provision of programmatic advice and R&D to Country Offices, including via the sub-regional digital consultants and external contractors.
- Contribute to maintain digital transformation progress map of the COs across the region.
- Jointly, with sub-regional digital consultants, support cross-country learning on digital transformation as well as design and run capability building sessions for program colleagues across the region.
- Jointly, with Strategic Learning and Visual Designer, codifying emerging learnings through toolkits and journey maps.
- Jointly with the Strategic Designer, lead on regional sensemaking on digital transformation to generating intelligence and demand on emerging areas;
- Lead on development of a Leadership module on Digital Transformation.
- Provide other support as needed.
Spearhead a Digital Stewardship Journey for selected national digital ecosystems.
- Spearhead the roll out and coordination of a Digital Stewardship Journey with policymakers/stakeholders and COs in coordination with a2i and CDO for a joint delivery.
- Drive the co-design of scalable projects using digital and data-driven approaches to enable effective public service delivery.
- Jointly, with sub-regional consultants and external contractors, manage emerging pilots with a focus on Afghanistan, Bhutan, and Samoa COs.
Engagement and Offer development.
- Continuously horizon scan to identify new/emerging opportunities for the regional innovation team to accelerate progress in areas related to digital transformation (especially Digital Public Service Delivery, Digital offers for governments with DPI principles, Digital and Data Innovation, Digital in Crisis) with the Country Offices and provide support to capitalize on these opportunities.
- Identify and support Regional Innovation Team on external engagement and positioning on topics relevant for digital transformation (e.g. Digital Public Service Delivery, Digital offers for governments with DPI principles, Digital and Data Innovation, Digital in Crisis);
- Facilitate to build pipeline of initiatives and support development of distinct digital transformation offers for the region.
- Facilitate to develop resource mobilization strategy and opportunities on the basis of these offers.
- Author and contribute to Regional Innovation blog posts, briefs and other materials helping to capture progress, ensure fast learning and partner engagement.
- Provide inputs into strategy and operations of the regional innovation team.
- Contribute to M&E and progress stock taking under Regional Innovation team digital workstream;
The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization
Competencies:
Core competencies:
- Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact.
- Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems.
- Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences.
- Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands.
- Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results.
- Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration.
- Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity
Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:
Business Management
- Customer Satisfaction/Client Management: Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfill and understand the real customers’ needs. Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy. Look for ways to add value beyond clients’ immediate requests. Ability to anticipate client’s upcoming needs and concerns.
Business Development
- Collective Intelligence Design: Ability to bringing together diverse groups of people, data, information or ideas, and technology to design services or solutions.
Partnership management
- Emerging partnerships: Ability to engage with emerging partners, develop and manage a strategy and develop approaches to developing and managing these new strategic partnerships.
Digital & Innovation
- Digital transformation design: Practical and strategic skills in digital transformation for governments and organizations.
- Digital thought leadership: Ongoing research into emerging technologies and digital trends and the applications, risks, and opportunities associated with digital adoption, combined with the ability to communicate this synthesis with a broad audience.
Business Direction
- System Thinking: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system
Required Skills and Experience:
Education:
- An advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Digital Transformation, Technology Management, Social Science, Economic, Innovation or relevant fields is required. Or
- A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the above-mentioned fields of study, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Experience:
- Minimum of 5 years (with master’s degree) or 7 years (with bachelor’s degree) of professional working experience in relevant fields related to international development is required.
- A proven track record of working directly with Governments/multilaterals on Digital Transformation/Digital Government/Public Service Delivery Systems/Projects, preferably in a developing country context.
- Demonstrated experience in providing digital transformation advice.
- At least 3 years of professional experience with digital transformation, E-governance, innovation, work with governments, donors, and/or development partners is highly desirable.
- Experience with, and knowledge of, international development, emerging technologies, system transformation and social innovation
- Experience in digital innovation in developing countries or social impact and/or living or working in developing countries.
- Proven expertise in building cross-sector partnerships and cross-culture understandings.
- Proven experience with advancing new ways of working in organizations and/or companies.
- Proven expertise in the field of results-based management and performance indicator management and reporting.
- Proven ability to plan, organize, and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.
- Demonstrated ability to engage collaboratively with partners (including other UN agencies), donors, and other development stakeholders and forge productive working relationships is highly desirable.
- Knowledge of project and fund management (budgeting, expenditure, reporting) related procedures to ensure that quality requirements and goals are fulfilled.
Required Languages:
- English
- Working knowledge of a second UN official language will be an asset
Disclaimer
Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment.
UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.
Applicant information about UNDP rosters
Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.
Non-discrimination
UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.
UNDP is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.
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