Innovation Centre Manager

Contract

This is a IICA-2 contract. This kind of contract is known as International Individual Contractor Agreements. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's an external contract. It usually requires 5 years of experience, depending on education. More about IICA-2 contracts.

Background Information - UNOPS

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.

Background Information - Job-specific

UNOPS has established a Sustainable Investments in Infrastructure and Innovation (S3i) Office in Helsinki, Finland. The S3i Office is an integrated unit within UNOPS with a significant degree of operational independence. The S3i Office bolsters UNOPS’ current business model by enhancing UNOPS’ brand as an innovative player in inclusive infrastructure, providing forward-looking strategic advisory services to UNOPS’ existing clients, and drawing new partners from the private sector to expand UNOPS’ portfolio of initial investments while leveraging resources to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The S3i Innovation activities focus on providing an opportunity for startups with high impact potential and great growth capacity to join our Startup Incubation program. During the program startups receive support to speed up growth and advance their solution to the marketplace. The S3i Innovation also offers the SDG Innovation Community which consists of corporations, institutions, and academia who come together to solve real problems with new insights and make a difference. The goal of the SDG Innovation Community is to give everyone the power to contribute with their unique skill set, perspective, or opportunity to build real action towards achieving the SDGs.

By joining us, you will have the opportunity to enhance the impact of a transformation project UNOPS is currently developing, focused on creating new innovative solutions to help our partners achieve the Agenda 2030. Under the overall guidance and direct supervision of the Head of Global Innovation and Technology, and in close coordination with the stakeholders, the Innovation Centre Manager will be responsible for developing and implementing the UNOPS Innovation Centre in Norway.

Functional Responsibilities

1. Partnership and programme development planning

• Support the Head of Global Innovation and Technology to develop a partnership and programme development plan, specifically for the Innovation Centre in Norway, in line with UNOPS Strategic Plan and Regional Strategies. This includes identification of main partners, strategic positioning of UNOPS in the potential niches identified, as well as growing a pipeline of opportunities. Ensure the plan reflects in-house capacity, typology of projects and the internal tools and knowledge resources.
• Examine risks and opportunities presented by the strategic positioning of the Innovation Centre and propose appropriate responses to ensure sustainable growth.
• Coordinate and collaborate with relevant Partnerships personnel at HQ level, as well as Project Managers and project personnel, to ensure aligned and coherent interactions with partners.
• Support the Head of Global Innovation and Technology, when required, to mobilize additional resources from private and public donors for the Innovation programme.
• Assist the Head of Global Innovation and Technology in building a network of key local partners, including partnerships with UN agencies, international organisations, governments, foundations, international NGOs and private sector to diversify project opportunities.
• Undertake advocacy, public information, outreach and communication activities in collaboration with the Communications team, when required.
• On behalf of the Head of Global Innovation and Technology, participate in and report on the relevant donor and government coordination meetings including addressing project development issues in consultation with technical experts when required. Take part in common planning and programming processes, including strategic analysis.

2. Develop opportunities

• Research events, publications and announcements, to track and screen opportunities for possible UNOPS interventions and identify trends that will drive partnership opportunities.
• Provide advice and feedback to UNOPS HQ on the development of framework partnership agreements that can increase opportunities.
• Contribute to the identification, design, formulation and negotiation of new projects and programs and draft concept notes and project document briefs for discussion with partners.
• Create and maintain oneUNOPS opportunities and engagement functionalities in alignment with UNOPS corporate guidelines.
• Coordinate technical and financial requirements, and negotiate proposals to close new project opportunities.
• Drafts agreements and/or contractual documents required for the signature and implementation of new projects.
• Understand and clearly explain UNOPS pricing policy to partners.

3. Knowledge management and innovation

• Implement standards, tools and templates provided by HQ to effectively manage partnership and project development within the team to enhance/maintain UNOPS effectiveness as a provider of project services for sustainable results.
• Contribute to the ongoing research, development and implementation of best practice and innovative approaches to maximise performance and sustain achievements in project and partnership development.
• Help build partnerships capacity and negotiation skills among team members
• Contribute to the dissemination and sharing of best practices and lessons learned for planning and knowledge building within project and partnership development.
• Provide regular feedback on existing systems, tools and resources to ensure its relevance to day-to-day operations.

Competencies

Develops and implements sustainable business strategies, thinks long term and externally in order to positively shape the organization. Anticipates and perceives the impact and implications of future decisions and activities on other parts of the organization.(for levels IICA-2, IICA-3, LICA Specialist- 10, LICA Specialist-11, NOC, NOD, P3, P4 and above) Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organizational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.

Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles. Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role). Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries. Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements. Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving. Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.

Education/Experience/Language requirements

Education

• A Master’s degree in a relevant field such as Business Administration, Public Administration, International Development, Engineering, Political Science, Communications or International Relations.
• A combination of a Bachelor's degree with an additional 2 years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the education requirements outlined above.

Experience

At least 5 years of experience in an international development field including demonstrated experience in at least two of the following areas:

• Developing and executing partnership and programme development plans;

• Project development and proposal writing;

• Acquisition of projects;

In addition, the following experiences will be considered:

• Project and programme management experience is an asset
• Establishing partnerships with UN agencies, international development organisations, governments, foundations, international NGOs or private sector organisations would be a strong asset.
• Prior experience working in international organisations, international development, would also be an advantage.
• Experience from the Innovation ecosystem is a strict requirement, either as investor, founder, Incubator/accelerator manager or early in.

Languages:

• Fluency in written and oral English is a requirement

Contract type, level and duration

Contract type: ICA

Contract level: IICA 2 (ICS 10)

*If the successful candidate is a Norwegian national, s/he will be offered the position at LICA-10, the local equivalent of the IICA 2 level’

Contract duration: Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance

For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link:

https://www.unops.org/english/Opportunities/job-opportunities/what-we-offer/Pages/Individual-Contractor-Agreements.aspx

Additional Considerations

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (around 4 hours) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS.
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns. Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.