Senior Programme Manager

The Office of the UN Secretary-General’s Tech Envoy (OSET) is dedicated to advancing the United Nations’ digital cooperation agenda, ensuring that technological advancements benefit all of humanity while mitigating associated risks. The office serves as a bridge between the UN system, member states, the tech community, and other stakeholders, promoting partnerships and harnessing technology for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Secretary-General’s report “Our Common Agenda” issued in September 2021 prioritizes the digital space and the need to “protect the online space and strengthen its governance”. It also proposes a Global Digital Compact to be developed through a multistakeholder track. OSET leads the implementation of the Secretary-General’s vision on digital cooperation by working closely with various UN entities and multi-stakeholder groups, facilitating dialogue to accelerate global digital cooperation, seizing on the opportunities that are presented by technology, while mitigating the risks.

The incumbent of this position will be a staff member of UNOPS under its full responsibility.

Functional Responsibilities:

The Senior Programme Manager, coordinating with the Senior Portfolio Manager, will meet with relevant stakeholders in the Office of the Special Envoy on Technology to outline planned and ongoing deliverables and ensure that their deadlines are realistic and aligned with relevant workflows.

Summary of Key Functions:

Project and Program Management:

Technical support:

Stakeholder Engagement:

• Project and Programme Management: Provides leadership for the Office’s DPI and Open Source (Digital Commons), and Capacity Building for AI for SDGs workstreams—develops project objectives, scope, and strategies, and delivers outcomes.
• Develops and oversees strategic plans for Digital Commons and SDG workstreams, ensuring alignment with broader UN objectives, and provides leadership and direction to multidisciplinary teams in order to achieve respective programme objectives.
• Manages the entire project lifecycle of the Digital Commons and Capacity Building for AI for SDGs workstreams and collaborates with the Office’s leadership and programme management support to coordinate staffing, finances, and wider project management.
• Establishes robust monitoring and evaluation systems to track project progress and impact. Reports on progress to UN bodies and stakeholders, using data and analytics to inform decision-making and improve program effectiveness.
• Supports the Office’s AI Governance workstream and co-leads specific work packages, particularly through injecting a high degree of technical expertise.
• 2.Technical support: Serves as the lead of project technology implementations and manages technology inquiries.
• Serves as a point of contact for technology-related inquiries within the United Nations system, as well as for donors, press, and external partners.
• Manages the development of application and website products under all three workstreams, such as the continuous development of toolkits to be hosted on external-facing websites.
• Creates a common taxonomy via an ontological approach to AI governance terminology.
• Advises on the Office’s workstream on AI capability building for the economic development and welfare of developing countries.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Supports the management of relationships with external stakeholders and advises on the Office’s DPI, Open Source, and Capacity Building for AI for SDGs workstreams in senior fora.
• Liaises with key stakeholders, such as potential donors, and presents the Office’s workstreams.
• Manages relationships with external stakeholders, donors, and industry experts to leverage their expertise and support for OSET initiatives.
• Supports global partnerships, engaging stakeholders from diverse sectors, in particular in Arabic- and French-speaking contexts.
• Perform other tasks and responsibilities relevant to the scope of this position.

Impact of Results:

The Senior Programme Manager’s efforts are pivotal in advancing OSET’s central initiatives in Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), Open Source, and AI Capacity Building for SDGs. Therefore, this role is critical for the implementation of the Secretary-General’s Road Map for Digital Cooperation and fulfilling the broader objectives of the Office. 

Education/Experience/Language requirements:

Candidates With No United Nations Or Unops Experience Are Strongly Encouraged To Apply

Education:

• An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in computer science or mathematics or related field is required.
• A first-level university degree ( Bachelor’s degree) in combination with an additional two years of experience may be accepted instead of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

Required Experience:

• A minimum of ten (10) years of experience of working on big data and AI, related infrastructure and applications is required.
• A minimum of five (5) years experience managing technology implementations using natural language processing and big data analytics is required.
• A minimum of three (3) years of deployment of AI solutions in the developing country contexts is required.
• Desired Experience: The following experience is optional. Candidates who do not have it are welcome to apply
• Recent experience working on data and artificial intelligence governance, including the application of ethical frameworks, handling of biases in datasets, sandboxing, and engagement with stakeholders, is desirable.
• Artificial intelligence governance experience across multiple jurisdictions, including in the developing country contexts, is desirable.
• Experience in evaluating/deploying artificial intelligence technology in complex societal domains such as agriculture, health, education, and public policy is desirable.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English (speak, write, read) is required.
• Fluency in French (speak, write, read) is required.
• Fluency in Arabic (speak, write, read) is desired.

Source: https://jobs.unops.org/Pages/ViewVacancy/VADetails.aspx?id=28472#3