Re-advertisement: Regional Technology for Development (T4D) Manager, P4, EAPRO

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. More about P-4 contracts and their salaries.

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, empowerment by technology!

UNICEF is a leading humanitarian and development agency working globally for children rights. Child rights begin with safe shelter, nutrition, protection from disaster and conflict and traverse the life cycle. UNICEF strive to ensure that all children are born alive, stay safe and keep learning.

The UNICEF East Asia Pacific Regional Office (EAPRO), based in Bangkok, Thailand, has been working in the East Asia and Pacific region for several decades providing advice and programme support to 14 UNICEF Country Offices and promoting the rights and well-being of children. Increasingly, this involves adding digital solutions to deliver better, faster and safer results for children and accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Digital solutions transform the way UNICEF delivers impact for children. The EAPRO ICT team lead the regional Technology and Digital Innovation Portfolio, including digital incubation, prototyping, scale and replication. We work closely with a range of partner organizations on children's issues in the digital world, including other UN agencies, civil society groups, bilateral and multilateral institutions, and donors. Across the region digital solutions have been used to empower children and young people. Our digitally supported programmes strive for equity and inclusion as we prepare for the future challenges and opportunities technology will bring.

How can you make a difference?

You will report to the Regional Chief of ICT & Digital Innovation, UNICEF EAPRO.

As T4D Manager, you will assist the Regional Office (RO) and East Asia and Pacific (EAP) Country Offices (COs) with our overall T4D and Digital Innovation strategies; implementation of governance and portfolio management processes; compliance with internal ICT policies as related to T4D (cyber security, child safeguarding, data protection); identification, assessment and integration of digital tools into UNICEF programming and government systems; strengthening internal capacity to lead and support T4D related projects; identifying and engaging with key partners; resource mobilization; identifying and supporting Digital Public Goods (DPGs); documentation and evidence generation; and maximizing potential for T4D scale-up and rollout.

You will be directly supervised by the Regional Chief of Innovation and Digital Transformation, but work closely with Regional and Country Programme, ICT, T4D and Innovation staff, and in close liaison with the ICT Division (ICTD), the Digital Centre of Excellence (DCOE), Digital Health Center of Excellence (DICE), and the Office of Innovation (OOI).

Key functions, accountabilities and related duties or tasks:

Summary of the key functions, accountabilities and related duties or tasks include but not limited to:

1. T4D Focal Point
2. Guidelines and Strategy Development
3. Partnerships and Building Blocks
4. Technical Assistance
5. Research and Analysis
6. Capacity Building

7. Supervising, planning, reporting

8. T4D Focal Point

Act as focal point for all EAP T4D related matters towards Country Offices, Regional Programme sections, other RO T4D functions, external partners, DCOE, DICE and OOI. Represent EAP in external, inter-agency or partner T4D forums.

2. Guidelines and Strategy Development

Manage the development of regional or Country Office T4D and Innovation strategies, governance structures, standards, procedures, and portfolio management approaches for EAP priority areas. This includes the implementation of the T4D Playbook and INVENT at field level. In collaboration with the DCOE, DICE and OOI, identify and support strategic investments, packaging and country implementation of priority DPGs.

3. Partnerships and Building Blocks

Raise awareness of potential partners and solutions to EAP’s Innovation and Digital Programme community. Research, identify and engage with potential regional and country specific T4D partners (including, but not limited to, the private sector) and explore areas of engagement to promote and enhance UNICEF goals. Participate in and facilitate the establishment of strategic long-term engagements (such as LTAs, PCAs and MoUs) with strategic partners in EAP. Support consortium building, communities of practice and resource mobilization for T4D and Innovation.

4. Technical Assistance

Provide support and technical assistance to Country Offices to identify and assess opportunities to integrate technology with immediate potential to improve UNICEF programming. Assist country teams to strengthen national systems that enable digital programmes, including influencing national policies and regulations, addressing infrastructure and human resource gaps, and identifying sustainable domestic financing models. Provide guidance on appropriate technology options, taking into consideration the Principles for Digital Development and Digital Investment, in alignment with UNICEF Country Programme Priorities. Advise Country Offices on the optimal way to establish support structures for T4D initiatives identification, design, project management, scale-up and maintenance and assist them in the recruitment and capacity building. Support engagement with the Ministries of ICT, Communications Commissions and ICT Authorities, Mobile Network Operators and Internet Service Providers, and other relevant partners.

5. Research and Analysis

Collect data, undertake analysis and prepare reports on existing initiatives and solutions; capture lessons learnt from various programmes; and share available resources. Disseminate information and learnings across EAP and with the DCOE and OOI.

6. Capacity Building

Strengthen the capacities of UNICEF EAP staff in the area of T4D by identifying appropriate training institutions and approaches. Plan, coordinate and organize cross-sectoral T4D network meetings, workshops and training events to address specific needs and capacity gaps identified in EAP.

7. Supervising, planning, reporting

Support the Regional Chief of ICT & Digital Innovation in end-of year reporting requirements, revision of CO end-of-year reports, review, and inputs in Country Programme design and related processes, and in annual work plans. Supervise contractors, consultants, staff T4D specialists and data specialists as needed.

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

• An advanced university degree (Master's) in Management, Information Systems Management, ICT Management, Innovation, Change Management, International Affairs, International Relations, International Development, or related field is required. *A first level university degree in combination with two (2) years additional qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree
• At least 8 years of experience identifying, designing and implementing digital solutions for large-scale projects with technical components – including supervising consultants; responsibility for business analysis, budgets, contracts, project management, procurement, digital readiness assessments, business processes optimization, enterprise planning etc.
• Experience in supporting and coordinating project activities across a large organization and with other international partner organizations.
• Experience with ICT hardware, mobile phones and web-based technologies, particularly designing or deploying tools appropriate to low-bandwidth or sub-standard infrastructure environments is highly advantageous.
• Experience in Digital Public Infrastructure, Digital Public Goods, Open Source, mobile and emerging technologies is extremely desirable.
• Experience with applying best practices to cyber security, data protection is required, applied to child or beneficiary safeguarding is highly desirable.
• Experience working with National and Local Governments, including alignment of digital programmes with national strategies.
• Exposure to one or more UNICEF programmatic areas, including (but not limited to) health, nutrition, child protection and/or education, and experience in applying technical solutions to address programmatic issues.
• Expert knowledge or significant interest in one or more of these areas is desirable:
• The use of Technology in Developing contexts
• Digital Health
• EdTech
• E-Government
• Geographic Information Systems

• Technologies to support Humanitarian Response and Preparedness

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

Other skills and attributes:

• Must have a hybrid background combining technical skills, strong conceptual ability to integrate the capabilities of available technology, the organizational needs and functions that technology must support.
• Proven ability to interact diplomatically with high level officials, as well as experience working directly with community-level partners.
• Understanding of international development issues.
• Ability to interact with people from different disciplines, and with varying degrees of technical expertise.
• Demonstrated skills in human relations and team building.
• Must have strong skills in business analysis and technical project management.
• Excellent written, oral communication and presentation skills a must.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (3) Drive to achieve results for impact (4) Innovates and embraces change (5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (6) Thinks and acts strategically (7) Works collaboratively with others (8) Nurtures, leads and manages people)

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

Functional Competencies:

• Analyzing
• Applying Technical Expertise
• Planning and Organizing Level

Additional; Remarks:

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. 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 is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable female candidates and those who are national of programme countries are encouraged to apply.

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

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments are also subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

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