Senior Digital Transformation Advisor

Result of Service Provision of strategic advice and expertise to the Digital Transformation Task Force combined with delivery of specific draft outputs in the workplan.

Work Location Nairobi

Expected duration 7 months From 02 January 2022 to 31 July 2022

Duties and Responsibilities The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. UNEP has the responsibility to ensure environmental and sustainability values and goals are reflected in the global digital economy. To enable this, UNEP must begin to take advantage of digital tools to accelerate and amplify our impact and bring transparency to the state of our planet. UNEP must also highlight the implications of expanding technology to minimize energy use, waste, and value chain footprints.

Background and Objective:

Digitalization is sweeping the planet - changing our economy, society, institutions and even our humanity. But this is not always happening in an inclusive, equitable or sustainable manner with the environment in mind. The international community is at a pivotal moment regarding the future evolution of digital technologies. We can shape the course of human history by hard coding environmental sustainability into the digital economy and helping all stakeholders engage in shaping the governance processes and open architecture.

Digital technologies can accelerate and amplify our ability to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Of the SDG’s 17 goals and 169 targets, not even one is detached from the implications of digital transformation. Of the 169 SDG targets, 103 are directly influenced by a combination of seven digital technologies. These include digital access, fast internet, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, extended reality and blockchain. For example, on artificial intelligence, the World Economic Forum has identified 80 different applications for the environment.

Bringing transparency and accessibility to knowledge of the state of the environment. Externally, UNEP has the responsibility to ensure environmental and sustainability values and goals are reflected in the global digital economy. To enable this, UNEP must begin to take advantage of digital tools to accelerate and amplify our impact and bring transparency to the state of our planet. UNEP must also highlight the implications of expanding technology to minimize energy use, waste, and value chain footprints.

Aligning with the UN Secretary General’s Roadmap for Digital Cooperation. For these reasons, UNEP will continue its efforts towards digital transformation in line with the Secretary-General’s Roadmap for Digital Cooperation. UNEP will also align its digital transformation strategy with the Secretary-General’s Data Strategy and the System-wide Roadmap for Innovating UN Data and Statistics. UNEP will use digital entry points and digital ecosystems as a strategic opportunity to embed relevant environment and climate data and analytics into the work of the UN System and to inform consumption choices.

The Digital Transformations subprogram will ensure that by 2030, digital technologies and mobile applications are used to nudge, direct, amplify and accelerate sustainable consumption and production behaviors by consumers, companies, and investors to scale up environmental sustainability.

Against this background, the UNEP Digital Transformation Task Force was established in August 2020 by the Executive Office to offer technical and strategic advice and to develop a corporate strategy for digital transformation including the identification priorities for a transitional strategy for 2021. The first mandate and workplan of the Digital Transformation Task Force included a major focus on conducting a digital readiness assessment for UNEP and defining a series of recommendations for 2021 to enhance our digital transformation readiness. The digital readiness report of the Task Force was presented to the SMT on 3 December. It included 12 recommendations that should be implemented by the end of 2021 to establish the essential digital foundations that are needed to enable the planned Digital Transformations subprogramme to begin in 2022. These 12 recommendations were endorsed and adopted by the SMT, including a series of indicators, milestones, and directly responsible individuals (DRIs).

The 12 recommendations have now been reflected as outputs in the SMT’s workplan for MTS readiness during 2021 which also includes 4 additional tasks that are a part of the Digital Transformation Task Force’ TORs.

The Consultant will report to Senior Programme Management Officer

Duties:

The following work assignments will be carried out in a period of seven months from 01 January to 31 July 2022:

- Establish criteria for short listing and prioritizing digital transformation projects in 2022 - Contribute to the data and digital integration strategy - Contribute to design and substantive delivery of the digital4climate action training programme - Convene a training sprint over 4-6 weeks to deliver targeted training on the UNEP Corporate Academy platform - Contribute to design and delivery of Digital Transformation Innovation and Experimentation programme that would support learning by doing and a higher degree of risk taking and risk tolerance - Contribute to the strategic review of the flagship report of the Coalition for Digital Environmental Sustainability - contribute to the development of an acceleration plan for the Coalition for Digital Environmental Sustainability - Co-design and review corporate powerpoint and marketing video on DT - Co-design and review new DT website and develop corporate brochure

Qualifications/special skills Academic Qualifications: - First Level degree in engineering or digital technology is a requirement - At least 10 years of relevant work experience in the data and digital technology sector, with 5 years of experience on digital transformation is a requirement. - At least 5 years of practical experience in business development, strategic planning, budgeting and key performance indicators is desirable - At least 2 years of experience in the adoption of digital transformation or digital technologies within a public sector institution is desirable - Proven written communication skills is desirable - A good understanding of the international technology context is desirable - Prior experience with the UN in data analytics or the application of digital technology is an advantage. Language: - English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post Fluency in English is a requirement

Additional Information No advertising.

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.