Background
Job Purpose and Organizational Context
At UNDP (United Nations Development Programme), we are on a mission to end poverty, build democratic governance, rule of law, and inclusive institutions around the world. UNDP is the United Nations' global sustainable development organization working across 170 countries with 17,000 staff.
Digital technology is one of the most fundamental drivers of changes this century. Digital not only provides new opportunities and challenges for development, but it is also fundamentally changing the context in which development is taking place. Since the launch of its first Digital Strategy in 2019, UNDP has been on an ambitious transformation journey to harness the potential of digital technology for development. We are now in the next phase of our digital transformation, implementing theย Digital Strategy 2022-2025,ย which puts forth a vision to create a world in which digital is an empowering force for people and planet.ย The strategy lays out UNDPโs ambition to use a rights-based approach to digital technologies to improve our development results and help build inclusive digital ecosystems globally that leave no one behind. These aims are supported by the transformation of our internal, operational systems and building an agile, digitally capable workforce.
The UNDP Digital Strategy 2022โ2025 also sets forth UNDP's ambition to become a thought leader, a practice leader, and the partner of choice in the digital development sector. The Positioning, Partnerships, and Engagement Specialist will provide expertise and direction to position UNDP and advance its strategic advocacy efforts in the digital development sector. The role will also support strategic partnerships and lead Chief Digital Officeโs (CDO) and UNDPโs engagement opportunities in the digital development space.
Duties and Responsibilities
Reportingย intoย theย Head of Partnerships and Engagement within the Chief Digital Office, theย incumbentย willย beย responsibleย for below:
Position UNDP in the Digital Development Ecosystem
Identify opportunities for meaningful, impactful, and forward-looking positioning on important and emerging digital issues. Develop UNDP/CDO narratives and points of view on important and emerging digital development issues and ensure consistency of UNDP/CDO messaging across knowledge products, events, public advocacy, media engagements, and communications. Engage with other teams at UNDP and UN partners to provide guidance and input to ensure CDO points of view are reflected. As necessary, conduct and manage primary and/or secondary research and distil relevant lessons from projects and programmes to inform advocacy efforts and policy formulation/guidance. Collect global insights, project lessons, and best practices in key thematic areas to enhance the design and execution of future initiatives, fostering knowledge exchange and organizational learning both within UNDP and externally. Engage relevant partners on research or advocacy, coordinate vendor and/or research partners as needed.Advance UNDPโs Strategic Advocacy and Engagement Opportunities
Develop and implement strategic advocacy initiatives that align with UNDPโs digital transformation agenda, ensuring key messages resonate with policymakers, partners, and stakeholders.ย Identify advocacy opportunities through which to embed CDO key messages to strengthen UNDPโs position among peers and stakeholders, including but not limited to global and regional events, international outlets, online platforms, etc. Coordinate with colleagues at other relevant UNDP Headquarters/regional/country-level offices to vet or propose key event opportunities on digital topics, and support with providing key messages/background material as needed. Support UNDPโs engagement in high-visibility events, assess and advise on prioritization of event invitations, and support senior management (Administrator, AA, ASGs, CDO) on their engagement (panels, speeches, webinars, bilateral and multilateral meetings and forums, etc.). Promote alignment in UNDPโs messaging on digital transformation and digital development across advocacy platforms, forums, events, and communications, working closely with relevant teams to ensure coherence in external advocacy messages. narrative. Organize and coordinate UNDP-led events, dialogues, and roundtables on key digital development issues, ensuring impactful participation and engagement with key stakeholders.Build Strategic Partnerships
Identify, engage and cultivate strategic partnerships in the digital development space, including Member State governments, private sector entities, foundations, think tanks, and multi-stakeholder alliances. Develop digital-for-development / digital-for-impact initiatives with like-minded partners and define the scope of partnerships through writing concept notes, terms of reference, and other foundational documents. Serve as key focal point managing CDOโs relationships with key multi-stakeholder or inter-agency platforms (including but not limited to: IGF, UNGIS, WSIS), further establishing UNDPโs leadership role in these collaborations. Work closely with relevant bureaus and teams across UNDP (including the Executive Office, Regional Bureaux, the Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy (BERA), and CDO workstreams) to ensure CDOโs partnership work is conducted in coordination with others. Correspond with other parts of the UNDP (such as legal, finance, etc.) to move partnerships from informal discussions to formal work plans. Create resources that support the operational effectiveness of the CDO and contribute to UNDPโs knowledge networks related to digital partnerships. Track and evaluate ongoing partnerships, assess their impact, and prioritize collaborations based on strategic value and outcomes.Facilitate knowledge and capacity building, knowledge sharing, and advocacy
Ensure project reports capture results, lessons learned and good practices for possible wider application. Participate in and ensure sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice on development and project related issues. Support establishment of knowledge platforms for the project, facilitate innovative mechanisms for dissemination of knowledge from the project, and develop knowledge resources and products to share with project partners and to support UNDPโs engagement in this area. Promote advocacy for UNDPโs work and opportunities for collaboration in addressing development trends in coordination with the project partners, stakeholders, and UNDP communications staff.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 position will report into Head of Partnerships and Engagement within UNDP Chief Digital Office.ย
Competencies Coreย Achieve Results:ย LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impactย Think Innovatively:ย LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problemsย Learn Continuously:ย LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences Adapt with Agility:ย LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demandsย Act with Determination:ย ย LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results Engage and Partner:ย LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration Enable Diversity and Inclusion:ย LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity
Cross-Functional & Technical competencies Thematic Areaย Nameย Definitionย Digital Digital ecosystems Knowledge of how they work, understanding of the opportunities and challenges for governments and society Digital Digital inclusion Knowledge of how digital inclusion works, opportunities and challenges for governments and society Digitalย Digital thought leadership Ongoing research into emerging technologies and digital trends and the applications, risks, and opportunities associated with digital adoption, combined with the ability to communicate this synthesis with a broad audience. Communications ย Advocacy strategy and implementationย Ability to create and implement advocacy strategies which lead to impactful change Partnership managementย Relationship managementย
Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understanding
Business Direction and Strategyย System Thinkingย 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 system Partnership managementย Strategic engagementย Ability to capture and sustain attention, interest and agreement of high-level, influential policy and decision makers and secure their buy-in of high-level vision and objectivesRequired Skills and Experience
Education:
Advanced university degree (masterโs degree or equivalent) in Public Administration, Global Affairs, International Relations, Development Studies, or a related field is required, or
A first-level university degree (bachelorยดs degree) in the areas stated aboveย in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree
Experience:
A minimum of 5 years (with masterโs degree) or 7 years (with bachelorโs degree) of experience in stakeholder management, thought leadership, or partnerships experience in the development sector is required.ย
Required skills:
โข ย ย ย ย Demonstrated experience and understanding of digital technologies.
โข ย ย ย ย Demonstrated experience interacting with and steering stakeholders and partnerships across sectors.
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Desiredย skills:ย
โข ย ย ย ย Demonstrated knowledge of the latest trends in technology innovations (e.g., emerging technology, artificial intelligence, etc.)
โข ย ย ย ย Demonstrated experience in crafting positioning strategies and documentation within digital development.
โข ย ย ย ย Demonstrated experience in capturing and synthesizing information on an ongoing basis to produce analysis and recommendations.
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Desiredย skills:ย
โข ย ย ย ย Fluency in English is required. ย
โข ย ย ย ย Working knowledge of French, another official UN language, or a local language, is advantageous.ย
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Equal opportunity
As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.ย
UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.
Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority
UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.ย
Right to select multiple candidates
UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.ย We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.
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