Senior Adviser Innovation

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Description

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• To advance UNICEF’s Strategic Plan and contribute to the achievement of SDG4 objectives, collaborate closely with both internal and external stakeholders to formulate and execute the strategic vision for innovation in learning.
• As the head of UNICEF’s  Learning Innovation Hub, positioned as a prominent global entity in the realm of learning innovation, play a pivotal role in shaping the future success of Reimagine Education. Transform this hub into a dynamic think-and-do platform for driving innovation in the field of education. The responsibilities include overseeing the hub activities such as strategic planning, strategic communication and positioning, budget management, human resources, and office establishment.
• Building partnerships for success, including key Finnish partners, main partners from the global south, the global private sector, and others, using innovative approaches to attract world-class expertise and resources.
• Developing and overseeing a portfolio of game-changing, world-class digital learning solutions focused on addressing identified problem statements. These solutions will accelerate the delivery of Reimagine Education by leveraging frontier technologies to improve learning outcomes for children.
• Developing and overseeing a think tank that focuses on generating thought-provoking research and experiences. These initiatives should provide new insights to the learning community on transdisciplinary approaches, disruptive technologies, and cost-effective solutions from the field.
• Coordinating and overseeing the development of a Country Office Learning Pioneers Network to ensure solutions are tested, refined, and scaled in partnership with end-user ecosystems.
• Building and managing the team in Helsinki responsible for delivering results. This will be done in collaboration with guidance and support from colleagues in the Office of Innovation Core Team in Sweden.

• Transform the vision of the Learning Innovation Hub into concrete action plan with tangible deliverables; a pathway to position the Hub as a key player within the global learning ecosystem; a growth strategy for mobilizing resources and increasing the Hub’s reach; budget and KPIs that reflect impact driven innovation approach.
• Working with Programme Group Education colleagues (in the Hub and in Education roles across UNICEF) to build a shared understanding for how innovation in learning will deliver against the long-term vision for Reimagine Education, ensuring this is translated into a disciplined approach to innovation focused on concrete and actionable problem statements, which inform planning, prioritization and reporting for all of the Hub’s activities

• Manage the Learning Hub team members who are supported to deliver results, with the collaboration of colleagues from the Office of Innovation Core Team in Sweden for guidance and assistance.
• Build Hub branding and identity in collaboration with P5 Senior Adviser (Partnership & Comms), Stockholm.
• Prioritize and oversee recruitment of staff into the Hub and the outsourcing of activities to external vendors.

• Oversee the review and development of the learning innovation portfolio ensuring the right scaffolding and support is in place to attract, select and grow game changing digital learning solutions with high potential for impact and scale.
• Ensure appropriate sourcing tactics are in place, including building structured pathways between Venture Fund investments and the Learning Innovation Portfolio.
• Provide thought leadership on innovative ways to scale up digital learning solutions through business model design, technology transfer, and other alternative pathways to ensure equitable access to the best digital learning tools for all children.
• Advise on human centered design and state of the art user experience for developing engaging and impactful digital learning solutions for different contexts and settings in the global south.

• Oversee the co-creation of new solutions by bringing together UNICEF expertise in the field, with academia, entrepreneurs, corporations around specific learning challenges and untapped opportunities.
• Provide advice on best innovation practices for co-creation with multiple stakeholders and agile methodologies to successfully design, pilot and test new solutions from scratch.
• Through supervision of the Learning Cabinet Product Lead, oversee the design and development of an EdTech Tools repository.

• Oversee the development of the Learning Innovation Pioneers Network across UNICEF to ensure digital solutions are ground-truthed, tested and scaled in partnership with the end user ecosystems.
• Oversee the development and implementation of strategies to support Country Offices in their process to support their local ecosystem to adapt, absorb and scale innovative digital learning solutions.
• Design and implement strategies to engage Country Offices and other stakeholders, including young people, ensuring close ties to UNICEF programming and the global south and to gather insights on main needs, challenges, barriers that can inform all the Hub activities.

• Build a network of thought leaders + strategic key partners in the education, frontier technology & impact investment
• Oversee the development of thought-provoking research at the crossroad of learning, technology and other transversal disciplines.
• Participate in relevant learning, technology, and entrepreneurship events globally, both from public and private sector.

• Working in partnership with PPD, build and maintain a strong relationship with key government stakeholders in Finland.
• Based on the agreed vision for the Learning Innovation Hub, work together with P5 Senior Adviser (Partnership & Comms), Stockholm on a partnership and communications strategy for the Learning Innovation Hub.
• Within the Finnish ecosystem, represent UNICEF Innovation and the Learning Innovation hub as thought leaders in learning innovation and innovation for children, including participating in relevant events and media opportunities in Finland and globally
• Support the hub in building partnerships with key ecosystems for learning innovation in the global south
• Support the prospecting and stewardship of major partners for the Learning Innovation Hub
• You are expected to work collaboratively with the other Hub leads (as they are recruited), key personnel within the Core Office of Innovation team in Stockholm and Education colleagues across UNICEF.

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Innovation, Technology, Business, Education or another relevant technical field.
• A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.
• A minimum of ten (10) years of relevant professional experience is required at national and international levels in the area of Innovation and/or Innovation in Learning, within the private and public sector. 
• Entrepreneurial capacity, demonstrated through experience of starting a new venture, initiative or team and building it from scratch.
• Experience in working with technology, ideally frontier technologies such as AI, ML, robotics, in low resource settings.
• Experience in human-centered design and design thinking applied to technology and innovation projects.
• Experience in the private sector and establishment of partnerships within it.
• Experience in working in UNICEF programme countries.
• Experience in working within the UN system is desirable.
• Experience inworking with and managing diverse stakeholders, including government, private sector, NGOs and UN partners.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

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