Head of Innovation Unit, Office of the Executive Director, New York, P-5

Contract

This is a P-5 contract. This kind of contract is known as Professional and Director staff. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 10 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 208,877 USD and 261,770 USD.

Please keep in mind that the salary displayed here is an estimation by UN Talent based on the location and the type of contract. It may vary depending on the organization. The recruiter should be able to inform you about the exact salary range. In case the job description contains another salary information, please refer to this one.

The Position:

The Head of Innovation Unit post is located in the Innovation Unit at the Office of the Executive Director, New York Headquarters Office and reports to the Deputy Executive Director (Programme).

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled. UNFPA’s strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

Job Purpose:

Innovation is essential for UNFPA to deliver at the scale and pace needed to realize the ICPD Programme of Action and achieve the three Transformative Results by 2030. UNFPA commits to harness innovation to meet tomorrow’s challenges and boost its impact, especially for those furthest behind, and leverage opportunities, social capital, funding and technology.

The Head of Innovation Unit post is located at the Office of the Executive Director, and works under the direct supervision of the Deputy Executive Director (Programme).The incumbent will lead a newly established Innovation Unit, placed at a cross-divisional intersection, connecting the dots across the organization to enable, accelerate and catalyze innovation at UNFPA.

Working within the Office of the Executive Director staff, the Head of Innovation Unit supports the implementation of the UNFPA’s innovation strategy and the vision, as outlined in the Strategic Plan 2021-2022 and will support the effective execution of the Executive Director’s overall vision and strategy on innovation, ensure strategic coordination, coherence and alignment with key programme, technical and operations committees and Inter-Divisional Working Groups across the organization.

Working closely with respective Business Units across the organization, as well as external partners and networks, the incumbent will support the planning, design and implementation of a broad range of innovation initiatives, as well as maintaining an enabling environment for innovation at UNFPA, capacity building, technical assistance, guidance on best practices, tools and methods for innovation.

The Head of Innovation Unit will assist the leadership in building and maintaining partnerships with development organizations, international financial institutions, civil society, and the private sector to broaden UNFPA innovation initiatives and achieve transformative results. The Head of Innovation Unit will ensure harmonization and linkages with institutional messaging on innovation and support the leadership in developing partnerships with development organizations, international financial institutions, civil society, and the private sector to broaden UNFPA innovation initiatives and achieve transformative results.

The Head of the Innovation Unit will support connections with the opportunities offered by innovative financing, including investments in potentially impactful, as well as supporting proven solutions that can be implemented at national scale in multiple countries. The incumbent will assist in resource mobilization for the innovation and manage the dedicated capital for innovation.

The Head of Innovation Unit will scan the emerging and trending opportunities, potential impact and opportunities for UNFPA and advise the leadership on new opportunities, needs and adjustments needed, informing work directions.

Requirements:

Qualifications and Experience

Education:

Advanced university degree in Social Science, Business Administration, International Development, sustainable development, economics, project management, public policy, public administration, or another relevant field.

Knowledge and Experience:

● At least 10 years of relevant progressively responsible international professional experience, including at the country and regional level, executing project or programme management, partnership development, inter-agency cooperation, preferably with previous experience/exposure to the UN sustainable development system, UN operational activities ● Strong conceptual thinking to develop new strategies and innovative approaches ● Ability to interact with a broad range of stakeholders and external audience with maturity and tact; ● Strong ability to connect with internal and external partners, demonstrating an understanding of when and how to tactfully engage other units in conversations on impact, timing, and/or planning; ● Ability to adapt engagement approach in the context of evolving partner circumstances and expectations; ● Collaborative spirit, able to partner with a wide range of people at all levels and across different cultures and to act with credibility and diplomacy; ● Ability to anticipate requirements, problems and obstacles, and an ability to juggle competing priorities successfully; ● Ability to work in fast-paced teams working on innovative approaches and communicating across all layers of the organization. ● Ability to identify issues, analyze and participate in the resolution of issues/problems. ● A proven track record for developing partnership and fundraising strategies and leading teams responsible for implementing strategies, coordinating and managing partnerships with other UN agencies, NGOs and/or private sector partners is an advantage; ● Experience in working in the private sector around innovation or innovative solution is an advantage. ● Experience with innovation in sustainable development is an advantage.

Languages:

Proficiency in both spoken and written English is required. Working knowledge of other UN languages is an asset.