Consultancy: Innovation Consultant - Gender Section, PG –NYHQ - Remote - Req

Contract

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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 hope.

Consultancy Title: Innovation Consultant

Section/Division/Duty Station: Gender Section, Programme Group –HQ New York (Home based, remote position)

Duration: 11.5 months (250 days - Full Time)

About UNICEF

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you. For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. UNICEF has over 12,000 staff in more than 145 countries.

BACKGROUND

The Innovation Consultant, in coordination and networking with the Office of Innovation (OOI) team and PG/Gender team, brings programmatic technical expertise and is responsible to substantively support a robust Gender Equality Innovation Portfolio. For innovative solutions to achieve the transformational impact children need and UNICEF is aiming at requires a portfolio approach -a disciplined, focused and evidence-informed process that identifies specific challenges to be solved articulated as problem statement, sources world-class solutions wherever they exist, and transparently aligns an array of resources to selectively accompany the most promising solutions through an evolutionary journey to focus on the few that deliver accelerated results at sustainable scale. The Gender Equality Innovation Portfolio Manager in OOI is responsible for applying the portfolio approach and works in close coordination with this Innovation Consultant, who provides the necessary technical expertise and gender equality ecosystem engagement to develop the portfolio, help identify projects, and support these to scale up. These innovative solutions will contribute to effective and efficient delivery of scalable and transformative gender equality impact as a key driver for children’s and women’s rights.

Scope of Work:

1. Portfolio-related (30%): This role is the key focal point in PG Gender that collaborates with the Gender Equality Innovation Portfolio Manager in OOI, to help shape the Gender Equality Innovation Portfolio under the OOI management. This includes support & collaboration to:

2. Help refine the portfolio’s problem statements based on past practice, experience and mapping of available initiatives

3. Coordinate programme gender technical expertise to support review processes, such as for new solutions from outside of or within UNICEF to be reviewed against specific criteria for each stage gate in UNICEF’s innovation portfolio process, or such as in activities designed to stimulate and identify solutions such as challenges
4. Identify and help source technical support for country offices who are scaling up solutions in the portfolio
5. Focal point in engaging programmatic gender equality networks in support of the above including but not limited to identifying and proactively leveraging opportunities such as network meetings, channels including Communities of Practice, Yammer Groups, mailing lists/newsletters, regular meetings, guidance and communication etc.
6. Collaboration in specific events and opportunities focused on Gender Equality Innovation, for example, supporting the $1million “challenge” activity led by the OOI

7. Provide technical support for related innovation work such as activity in other OOI portfolios and hubs that directly relate to gender equality (e.g., Digital Literacy Opportunity Fund led by the OOI Innovative Finance and the Learning Innovation Hubs) and activities of the Skill for Girls portfolio managed by PG/Gender.

8. Programme gender technical expertise (50%): Deliver technical support to solutions in the gender equality innovation portfolio. This includes support to country offices in solving for and scaling up solutions that solve problem statements in the Gender Equality Innovation Portfolio, such as designing robust digital literacy and skills programming models for and with girls, engaging in design of innovative financing vehicles to advance digital equity, etc.

9. Generation Equality (15%): In joint representation with the OOI, represent UNICEF in the Generation Equality Action Coalition on Technology and Innovation and undertake activities for UNICEF’s Generation Equality commitments (e.g., partnership with Girl Effect for Girls Mobile 2.0 report).
10. Gender Innovation Hub (5%): Actively contribute to the OOI-led pursuit to establish an innovation hub for Gender Equality innovation, through collaborating with the Gender Equality Innovation Portfolio Manager. These activities may include ecosystem mapping, drafting of communication products etc.

Terms of Reference / Deliverables

• Timely and ongoing participation in the Gender Equality Innovation Portfolio processes, which will be evident in:

1. communication and partnership assets such as an external facing slide deck;
2. updated portfolio and project information on INVENT platform.
3. smooth and timely engagement and information flow to and from across the Gender Equality ecosystem.

• Participation in Action Coalition processes and meetings, including development of commitment metrics, communication and partnership activations.
• Monthly report on GenEqual AC Tech and Innovation to PG/Gender Senior Team Management.
• Deliver technical support to solutions in the gender equality innovation portfolio. This includes support to country offices in solving for and scaling up solutions that solve problem statements in the Gender Equality Innovation Portfolio.
• At least 10 country offices supported with trainings and/or knowledge sharing and/or other direct technical assistance outputs including in designing robust digital literacy and skills programming models for and with girls, engaging in design of innovative financing vehicles to advance digital equity, etc.
• At least 3 knowledge products produced as global TA resources.
• Actively contribute to the OOI-led pursuit to establish an innovation hub for Gender Equality innovation, through collaborating with the Gender Equality Innovation Portfolio Manager. These activities may include technical inputs, ecosystem mapping, input to draft communication products etc.

Qualifications

(1) Education and skills

• University degree in Innovation, Technology, Digital Inclusion or a relevant field.
• Expertise in creative, innovative programming and thinking, and gender equality
• Outstanding collaborator and team player; bringing together diverse individuals for a common vision

• Excellent English oral and written skills, including to develop and deliver compelling presentations; proficiency in another UN language (Spanish, French or Arabic) desirable.

  2) Work experience

• At least 8 years of progressively responsible and relevant professional work experience in gender, innovation, technology, diversity and inclusion in technology, advocacy and communication.

• International work experience, experience with public and private sector, expertise in international development and humanitarian response, and/or the gender equality ecosystem strong assets.

  3) Competencies

• Strong organizational, planning, and analytical skills

• Good judgment, initiative, high sense of responsibility, tact and discretion
• Demonstrated sensitivity and ability to thrive in a multicultural environment

Requirements****:

• Completed profile in UNICEF's e-Recruitment system and provide Personal History Form (P11) Upload copy of academic credentials
• Financial proposal that will include:

• your daily/monthly rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference

  • travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR.
  • Any other estimated costs: visa, health insurance, and living costs as applicable.
  • Indicate your availability
• Any emergent / unforeseen duty travel and related expenses will be covered by UNICEF.
• At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.
• Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

U.S. Visa information:

With the exception of the US Citizens, G4 Visa and Green Card holders, should the selected candidate and his/her household members reside in the United States under a different visa, the consultant and his/her household members are required to change their visa status to G4, and the consultant’s household members (spouse) will require an Employment Authorization Card (EAD) to be able to work, even if he/she was authorized to work under the visa held prior to switching to G4.

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

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results. View our competency framework at: Here

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

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 also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.