Consultant for Public Sector Innovation Research

Provide consultancy on public sector innovation strategies and plans

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UN DESA - Department of Economic and Social Affairs

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Application deadline 1 year ago: Thursday 17 Oct 2024 at 03:59 UTC

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Overview

Provide consultancy on public sector innovation strategies and plans

You have:

  • Advanced university degree (Masters degree or equivalent) in public administration, social sciences, development studies, development management, business administration or related field is required.
  • A minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in the areas of public sector innovation or public sector reform at the national or international level is required.
  • Fluency in (oral and written) English is required.
  • Experience with UN agencies and the UN Secretariat is desirable.

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

Result of Service

This consultancy will (i) provide an up-to-date picture of recent trends and practices in the area of national public sector innovation strategies and plans, which can serve to frame the discussions with the project target countries, starting at the first international workshop; and (ii) provide an initial proposal for the scope, structure and components of the national studies to be conducted in each of the 4 target countries, which will be refined by the project team in collaboration with them.

Work Location

Remote

Expected duration

Three (3) months, with an estimated starting date of 1 November 2024 and the possibility of extension.

Duties and Responsibilities

The SDG Summit, held in September 2023, marked a critical moment in the global pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), occurring at the midpoint toward the 2030 deadline. Key findings from the summit highlighted several challenges and opportunities, with significant implications for public sector innovation, to accelerate the SDG progress and social inclusion to ensure there is no one left behind. As governments are urged to adopt new frameworks and tools to accelerate SDG implementation, Governments need to look for ways to foster a culture of innovation within the public sector, embrace creative ways to enhance public service delivery, improve policy-making and ensure that the benefits of innovation reach all segments of society, including the most vulnerable. To assist in this, the project “Strengthening national capacities to design and implement a public sector innovation strategy for accelerating progress toward the SDGs” aims to support the efforts of the governments in Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam to outline a vision and strategy for public sector innovation in line with their existing national development plan or SDG implementation plan. Specifically, the project will assist the governments in developing or elaborating a public sector innovation strategy or framework. Under the direct supervision of the Programme Management Officer and Governance and Public Administration Officer of the Division for Public Institutions and Digital Government of UN DESA, the consultant will undertake the following tasks: 1. Identify principles, current trends and practices of public sector innovation strategies and institutional frameworks globally by examining key components of national strategies, including but not limited to legal and regulatory framework, existing innovation policies, budget, institutional frameworks, human resources, infrastructure, organizational structure, risk management, and monitoring and evaluation. As part of this, the consultant should illustrate how different components have been addressed through country examples covering different regional groups and both developed and developing country contexts, in addition to case studies from the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of Korea, and Singapore, three countries in the Asia-Pacific region that have a strong record of public sector innovation. 2. Based on the findings of work assignment 1, propose a template outlining the scope, structure and key elements of effective public sector innovation strategies and plans (including institutional frameworks) that the national studies in the four target countries could follow, considering their level of development, innovation readiness and other relevant contextual factors. 3. Prepare presentation materials including key findings and recommendations of the consultancy. This material will be used to support presentations and discussions at the first international workshop held under the project in 2025.

Qualifications/special skills

• Advanced university degree (Masters degree or equivalent) in public administration, social sciences, development studies, development management, business administration or related field is required. • A minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in the areas of public sector innovation or public sector reform at the national or international level is required. • Fluency in (oral and written) English is required. • Experience with UN agencies and the UN Secretariat is desirable.

Languages

Fluency in (oral and written) English is required.

Additional Information

Not available.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.

Potential interview questions

Can you describe a successful public sector innovation project you've managed? Understanding past successes can indicate future performance and expertise in the field. Provide a clear overview of the project, your role, the challenges faced, and the outcomes achieved.
How do you approach the design and implementation of public sector reforms? The interviewer wants to assess your strategic thinking and methodological skills. Pro members can see the explanation.
What are key components you believe should be included in a public sector innovation framework? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
Can you give an example of how you have used data to inform public sector policy decisions? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
What challenges do you think public institutions face in adopting innovative practices? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
Added 1 year ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: careers.un.org