Open Source Specialist (Home based)

Background
  Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP:  we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories.
  UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.
  Job Purpose and Organizational Context  

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the development arm of the United Nations. Present in 170 countries with over 17,000 people, UNDP works on the world’s biggest problems: extreme poverty, climate change, good governance, renewable energy, crisis prevention, and women’s empowerment, among others. 

UNDP’s Strategic Plan 2022-2025 highlights the organisation’s commitment to scale and accelerate progress towards green, inclusive transitions that empower every last person through greater opportunity and resilience. It also clearly defines the role of digitalisation as a critical enabler for development outcomes. As further explained in the UNDP Digital Strategy 2022-2025 (publication forthcoming), UNDP aims to consider the changing development context through digitalisation in all its interventions and to systematically harness the potential of digital technology for development. 

The Chief Digital Office at UNDP is leading this effort with the goal of embedding digital technology in the development projects that we implement, supporting government partners to build inclusive digital ecosystems, and transforming the organization internally to enable these changes. This includes the use of open-source software, digital public goods (DPGs), and promoting a digital public infrastructure (DPI) approach in our development work to foster the use of reusable, standards-based and interoperable digital systems to accelerate our path towards achieving the SDGs by 2030. UNDP is also a co-leading member of the Digital Public Goods Alliance (DPGA) and supports internal working groups in the UN system to inner source, work more openly and reuse.

UNDP is looking for an Open-Source Specialist to support the establishment of two Open-Source Programme Offices (OSPO), in a shared project with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), in two respective developing countries. The successful candidate would also lead a small project team to visit and support to five other countries and host institutions to assess the readiness for an OSPO. OSPOs are dedicated divisions within an organization that manages its open source initiatives. Its primary role is to govern and oversee open source contributions, consumption, and compliance. By serving as a bridge between open source communities and the organization, these entities aide organizations to benefit from open source while also giving back to the digital community.

Generously sponsored by the European Commission, over a period of three years, this transformative project will develop and staff two OSPOs to improve the capacity of government and a host institution to harness the benefits of open-source technology for delivering effective digital services. Additionally, for minimum 2 and up to 5 affiliate countries and host institutions, the successful candidate will travel for 1-2 weeks to train government officials in key concepts within open source and OSPOs as an organizational entity, assess the national readiness for an OSPO, as well as identify local champions for open source, and lead resource mobilization efforts for developing new OSPOs. The training and assessment in the 5 affiliate countries will be done with a consultant and/or other team member from the Chief Digital Office and is generously supported by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.
 

Duties and Responsibilities
The successful candidate, while primarily positioned within UNDP, will play a key role within this partnership framework, advising and supporting the two OSPOs. Working closely with both UNDP and ITU, the candidate will guide the establishment of open-source strategies, policies, and guidelines in close cooperation with the Programme Manager. Within and outside of the project, the candidate will also help play a key role in shaping UNDPs policy, positioning and advocacy efforts related to open source an OSPOs.

• Oversee and guide the OSPOs in all open-source related activities and deliverables, offering technical, capacity building, and community management advice and support.
• Enhance awareness of UNDPs policy and advocacy on open source and capacity building through OSPOs both internally and externally, particularly among the two host countries of the OSPO, in open-source communities, among UNDPs partners and other relevant fora.
• Lead and support colleagues and consultants working in the two OSPO host counties, and five affiliate countries and potential host organisations.
• Harness a list of consultants and implementors for UNDPs country offices to attain capacity in promoting and implementing open source and DPGs.
• Work collaboratively with digital innovation and government digitization teams to align country digital plans with relevant open-source projects and DPGs.
• Contribute to knowledge management and information sharing in the five affialted country offices.
• The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization. 

  Institutional Arrangement

  The candidate will be part of the UNDP Chief Digital Office and report to the Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) Manager in the Chief Digital Office (UNDP), with joint project implementation relationship and oversight with the Programme Manager of the project (ITU). The role is remote/home based but requires flexibility to travel to at least two low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where the OSPO will be situated to ensure on-ground alignment and effective collaboration, as well as to some travel to the five affiliate countries and respective host institutions.
   

  Expected duration: 6 Months

  Home based

  Competencies   Core   Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact  Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems  Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands  Act with Determination:  LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity     Cross-Functional & Technical competencies  Thematic Area Name Definition Digital  Digital ecosystems

  Knowledge of how they work, understanding of the opportunities and challenges for governments and society  

  HR- Learning and Development

  Digital learning & development 

  Knowledge of digital learning methods and ability to design and develop digital learning programmes. 

  Digital 

  Digital public goods 

  📚 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗮 𝗝𝗼𝗯 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗡 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯! 🌍🤝 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗡 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗨𝗡𝗛𝗖𝗥, 𝗪𝗙𝗣, 𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗘𝗙, 𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗦𝗦, 𝗨𝗡𝗙𝗣𝗔, 𝗜𝗢𝗠 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀! 🌐

  ⚠️ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐰: 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐚 𝐣𝐨𝐛 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐍𝐎𝐖!

  Knowledge of how it works, understanding of the opportunities and challenges for governments and society

  Digital 

  Digital transformation design 

  Practical and strategic skills in digital transformation for governments and organisations. 

  Business Development and Strategy 

  System Thinking

  Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the syst 

   

  Information Management & Technology  

  Programming 

  Knowledge in programming concept, developing software program and management of application lifecycle. Knowledge of Oracle VCBS, Microsoft tools and equivalent an asset. 

  Information Management & Technology

  IT Project Management 

  Capacity to manage ICT projects, using IT methodologies and approaches such as agile deployment and/or waterfall system development methods. PMP and PRINCE2 certification or equivalent desirable. 

   

  Minimum Qualifications of the Successful IPSA Min. Education requirements

  • Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Software Engineering, Computer Science, Public Administration, Technology Policy, Public Management or related fields, from a recognized institution is required. Or 

     

    • A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in above fields in combination with an additional two (2) years of qualifying experience will be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Min. years of relevant work experience 
      • Minimum of five (5) years  (with master’s degree) or 7 years (with bachelor’s degree) of professional experience in developer communities, innovation, technical project management or a related field with specific experience in open-source software projects.   Required  skills 
        • Experience working in open-source initiatives in the public and/or private sector. 
        • Demonstrated awareness of software engineering best practices, including agile frameworks, DevOps culture, understanding of design patterns and architectures. Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section
          • Demonstrated knowledge of Open Source Management (OSM) to provide guidance on open-source strategy, policy, process and implementation planning, to ensure licensing compliance, foresight on security vulnerabilities, and help assess source code quality and good practices, scale-up and scheduling across projects and developments
          • Demonstrated experience of strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to work in diverse teams and adapt to changing situations.
          • Proven experience in effortlessly communicate technical concepts with clarity, ensuring all stakeholders, both technical and non-technical, comprehend the details and nuances.
          • Experience working with governments and partners (NGOs, social enterprises, development organisations) in a developing country context.
          • Exposure to collaborative environments or international organizations is a plus. Required Language(s) 
            • Fluency in English is required.
            • Working knowledge of another official UN language is advantageous. Professional Certificates N/A

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