Innovation Specialist, (Portfolio, Performance and Learning), P-3, #00137311, TA, 364 days, Office of Innovation, Stockholm, Sweden

For every child, the right to Innovation

The Office of Innovation is a creative, interactive, and agile team in UNICEF. We sit at a unique intersection, where an organization that works on huge global issues meets the startup thinking, the technology, and the partners that turn this energy into scalable solutions.

UNICEF's Office of Innovation creates opportunities for the world's children by focusing on where new markets can meet their vital needs. We do this by:

Connecting youth communities (or more broadly -- anyone disconnected or under-served) to decision-makers, and to each other, to deliver informed, relevant and sustained programmes that build better, stronger futures for children.

Provoking change for children through an entrepreneurial approach -- in a traditionally risk-averse field -- to harness rapidly moving innovations and apply them to serve the needs of all children.

Creating new models of partnership that leverage core business values across the public, private and academic sectors in order to deliver fast, and lasting results for children.

The Global Innovation Strategy 2.0 strategy and aims to achieve critical shifts in the way UNICEF currently works on innovation, building on what has been successful, while also addressing lessons learned and capitalizing on new opportunities. These critical shifts are:

Setting global priorities based on the needs of children and young people, focusing on those areas with the largest need 

Focusing on scaling innovations

Catalysing inventions where no known solution exists

Connecting the organization and convening critical stakeholders to solve the most pressing challenges facing children and young people

<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt">These shifts will be enabled by:</span>

Establishing a portfolio management approach

Innovative funding&nbsp;and financing&nbsp;and the application of financial engineering

Ensuring rapid learning and fostering collaboration

Building innovation culture and competence across UNICEF.

<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt">About the UNICEF Venture Fund, Funds and Financing</span>

Established in 2015, the UNICEF Venture Fund has been specifically designed to finance early stage, open-source technology that can benefit children. The core motivation of the Venture Fund is to identify "clusters" or portfolios of initiatives around emerging technology - so that UNICEF can both shape markets and also learn about and guide these technologies to benefit children. We invest in solutions that can impact the lives of the most vulnerable children.

We find these solutions clustered around&nbsp;$100 billion&nbsp;industries in frontier technology spaces, such as: UAVs, virtual and augmented reality, artificial intelligence,&nbsp;nano-satellites, and human dynamics.&nbsp;The Venture Fund is scaling its investment portfolio with the aim of investing in 20 start-ups every year and provides funding to CO-led projects. The current portfolio of companies consists of several cohorts developing and piloting solutions in virtual and augmented reality, data&nbsp;science&nbsp;and artificial intelligence, blockchain, UAVs, IoT, and in assistive technology.&nbsp;&nbsp;

How can you make a difference?

The Innovation Specialist (Portfolio Performance and Learning) will lead efforts to create, coordinate and compile knowledge products for the Venture Fund team, in close collaboration across the Solutions team. The goal is to capture results and learnings from frontier tech investments for the Fund for internal and external audiences. In addition, the Innovation Specialist will work on strengthening knowledge sharing within Office of Innovation, and package advocacy materials for external engagement.&nbsp;

Key functions, accountabilities, and related duties/tasks

Lead the review and implementation of the Fund’s data and metrics framework, ensuring systematic capture of portfolio results&nbsp;&nbsp;

Generate and synthesize learnings from the Venture Fund portfolio, and liaise with the MEL team to integrate relevant insights into OOI’s knowledge agenda&nbsp;

Drive&nbsp;Venture Fund Alumni&nbsp;Relations and&nbsp;Portfolio Management&nbsp;&nbsp;

Lead Venture Fund-related reporting, including the Annual Report, and serve as focal point for Venture Fund communications&nbsp;&nbsp;

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:&nbsp;<img src="https://static.pageuppeople.com/static/people/icons/icon_file_small.gif" alt="Download File">&nbsp;<a href="https://secure.dc7.pageuppeople.com/apply/TransferRichTextFile.ashx?sData=UFUtVjMtofJ_dYS79PYKN8pWBG6220YqVLj58zwpx_aVpk937AvDtjgao81uw91es1xZvVsQEiEZrhpvOgi_-POkndme3uN7Ybb_GSq9l5VpJhKS3c8CF7GZMntg7uhCKpydwxZrPPh520SFCKOAmqnQnkblfA%7e%7e">Terms of Reference_Innovation Specialist_P3.pdf</a>

Minimum requirements

<strong>Education</strong>: An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in a relevant field (Eg. International Development; social sciences, engineering, law, international relations, business administration).

<strong>Work Experience</strong>: A minimum of five years of progressively responsible&nbsp;professional work experience in a relevant field including:

<strong>Skills: </strong><br>

<strong>Language Requirements:</strong>&nbsp;Knowledge of English language at Proficient/Fluent level is required.

Desirables

Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language.

Understanding of open source and frontier technologies, and their applications to UNICEF strategic priorities.

A strong understanding of UNICEF programmes, goals and principles, and experience in a UNICEF programme country.

Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.&nbsp;

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: <a href="https://www.unicef.org/careers/get-prepared#Values" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">UNICEF Values</a>

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

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

Familiarize yourself with <a href="https://www.unicef.org/careers/media/1041/file/UNICEF%27s_Competency_Framework.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">our competency framework</a> and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage <a href="https://www.unicef.org/accessibility#contact" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Accessibility | UNICEF</a>. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable male candidates from targeted underrepresented regions (WCAR, MENAR, ESAR) are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions 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.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants' bank account information.

UNICEF staff members holding fixed-term, continuing, or permanent appointments who are considered to be on abolished post status may apply for this temporary position and, if selected with a start date before 31 December 2025, may take it up as a temporary assignment, in line with UNICEF guidance on separation due to the abolition of posts or staff reduction. They will retain their fixed-term entitlements but will not hold a lien to their abolished post. For other scenarios where a Temporary Assignment may be possible, please refer to <a href="https://unicef.sharepoint.com/_forms/default.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Additional guidance on IP to IP temporary assignments after completion of the full TOD.pdf&nbsp;</a>(accessible to UNICEF personnel only).<br><br>The conditions of a temporary assignment, including relocation entitlements, will depend on the status of the staff member's original appointment and may be limited in accordance with applicable UNICEF policies, procedures, and practices in force.

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

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF's Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found <a href="https://www.unicef.org/careers/unicef-job-categories" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">here</a>.