Innovation Manager (Assistive Technology) P-4, Fixed-term, Copenhagen, Denmark

Contract

This is a P-4 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 7 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 165,111 USD and 212,876 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.

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 fulfil 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, an Education

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favouritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfil their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

Strategic office context:

UNICEF is constantly striving to improve our programmatic efforts within disability, with a focus on improving the availability and access to Assistive Technology products (AT) and disability inclusive products for UNICEF country programmes. Recent years has seen an increase in prioritization for this area in both the commitment of member states, donors, the UN Secretary General (see UNDIS) and UNICEF. Programme Group (NY Headquarters) and Supply Division are working together to build on this momentum and make sure that UNICEF is well equipped to ensure a better future for children with disabilities through the introduction and adoption of quality and appropriate assistive technologies in UNICEF country programmes as we embark on the new UNICEF Strategic Plan beginning 2022.

To help reach UNICEF strategic plan goals, UNICEF Product Innovation Centre (PIC), Supply Division, who leads the introduction and scale up of products for persons with disabilities. PIC aims to increase the technical and strategic capacity by adding an Innovation Manager for Assistive Technology.

The Innovation Manager (Assistive Technology) will be responsible for the continued strategic development of UNICEF SDs work on assistive technology and inclusive products. The manager will be responsible for managing and growing the existing portfolio of work and overseeing a small team of specialists and consultants with the aim of ensuring appropriate quality products are available for UNICEF programs as well as for external partners through procurement service. SDs work on assistive technology and inclusive products is diverse, and covers a wide array of responsibilities including developing the unit and its strategic approach, providing technical support to country and regional offices, managing large scale global procurements, contributing to global partnerships as well as driving product innovation projects and more. Set in PIC the role will also explore and validate new technologies and approaches – including but not limited to disability screening apps, 3D printing of orthopedics in emergency settings and bring high impact products not commercially available to UNICEF availability.

The position will be supervised by the Chief of Innovation in the Product Innovation Center .

How can you make a difference?

Responsible for ensuring the continued development of UNICEF Supply Divisions portfolio within assistive technology and disability inclusive products as well as driving innovation and adoption within the disability space.

• Strategically plan how best to leverage UNICEFs core capabilities towards making a difference for children with disabilities, within the mandate of the product innovation center.
• Test different approaches for how UNICEF can best support children’s access to AT, as it is still a political ambition in many geographies, where demand and investment (i.e buying of products). doesn’t reach the level required to meet the needs of children.
• Aim to ensure appropriate allocation of resources to AT.
• Identify and validate new technologies and approaches that could help shape the future of UNICEFs disability programming.
• Identify innovative AT and inclusive products relevant for local implementation.
• Establish and maintain minimum standards for AT procurement at UNICEF.
• Identify and drive key partnerships.
• Oversee and develop the project portfolio – from innovation projects to technical guidance.
• Identify bottlenecks and screen the market for products/solutions that can address the bottlenecks.
• Establish evaluation and reporting mechanisms.
• Liaise with donors to enhance donor support.
• Drive demand of the products within the disability portfolio.
• Ensure systems are designed and established for scale up and adoption of new products.
• Work closely with NY Programme Group, Disability and WHO on shared goals.

• Manage a team of specialists to help build capacity throughout the organization.

• You will be accountable for:

• Manage a team of dedicated disability and assistive technology specialists.

• Management of both internal and external stakeholders, including donors, other UN partners, suppliers/developers or country governments.
• Manage and oversee global procurement processes within the strict boundaries of the fundamental principles of public procurement
• Carefully select and drive innovation projects within disability and assistive technology
• Identify new projects and opportunities for the assistive technology unit
• Act as the material owner responsible for AT products during the scale up phase and manage transitions to relevant procurement centres once at scale.
• Oversee the development of decision assist tools.
• Manage and build on the existing strategic partnership with WHO.
• Lead the implementation of UNDIS indicator 8 – both within Supply Division and support global implementation as needed.
• Lead the continued effort to ensure the accessibility of UNICEFs general product portfolio.
• Help fundraise for projects and the further development of the unit
• Monitor the overall allocation and disbursement of project funds, making sure funds are properly coordinated, monitored and liquidated.
• Create a strategic plan for the strengthening of the assistive technology unit
• Lead the continued inclusion of assistive products into the UNICEF Supply Catalogue

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Education

Advanced University degree in Social Sciences or other relevant field.

• A first University degree may be accepted in lieu of Advanced University degree with ten years of relevant work experience.

Work Experience / Required knowledge

• A minimum of 8 years of relevant work experience in the field of assistive technology.
• Technical knowledge of assistive technology
• Experience working within UNICEF or the wider UN system
• Strong strategic sense and experience of developing a unit/workplace is an asset
• Experience and understanding of working with product innovation and introducing new products into new market ecosystems.
• Good networking skills are required
• Good management skills

Languages

• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

The core competencies required for this post are;

• Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (1)
• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (2)
• Works Collaboratively with others (2)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (2)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (2)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (2)
• Drives to achieve impactful results (2)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (2)

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.

Remarks:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

UNICEF only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at: http://www.whed.net/

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