Digital Transformation (DPI/GovTech) Specialist

The Digital Transformation (DPI/GovTech) Specialist will support governments and UNDP Country Offices across Asia-Pacific to design and operationalize digital public infrastructure and AI-enabled public services. The role involves coordination, product management, applied research, policy advice, capacity building, and scaling digital transformation initiatives to enhance public service delivery and governance.

Responsibilities

• Co-lead the technical delivery of the DPI Stewards cohort alongside the Public Sector Innovation and Partnerships Specialist, including scoping use cases, designing experimentation sandboxes, facilitating structured peer learning, and supporting the 18-month implementation journey toward the Global DPI Summit showcases.
• Lead applied R&D to deploy DPI use cases prioritizing local context, citizen needs, and Government as a Platform approaches, championing service design and agile methodologies.
• Research investment logic and economic impacts of DPI, analyze policy trade-offs, and translate findings into reusable knowledge products and programmatic offers.
• Advise and support Country Offices and governments in identifying priority public service use cases where DPI layers can improve inclusion, efficiency, and resource saving.
• Facilitate co-design of DPI-enabled service delivery journeys across ministries, local governments, and service delivery institutions.
• Advise governments on strengthening institutional coordination and interoperability across service delivery platforms and databases.
• Develop implementation guidance and reusable models demonstrating how DPI investments translate into integrated public service delivery outcomes.
• Support knowledge capture and documentation of country case studies and institutional integration pathways.
• Support design of programmatic and financing opportunities to scale DPI-enabled service delivery solutions.
• Support governments in designing and operationalizing whole-of-government digital transformation architecture, including platform governance and enterprise architecture alignment.
• Facilitate cross-ministerial coordination and policy alignment for digital and AI transformation initiatives.
• Support governments in piloting policy experimentation and implementation labs to test cross-sector digital transformation reforms.
• Design and support delivery of stewardship-based capacity building programmes focused on policymaker delivery capability, institutional reform, and digital governance leadership.
• Support Country Offices and governments in identifying integrated programming opportunities combining DPI, responsible AI, and Digital Public Goods.
• Co-develop investment cases and economic narratives demonstrating public sector efficiency gains and productivity improvements.
• Support design of scalable digital flagship initiatives aligned with government priorities and partner financing pipelines.
• Capture and codify cross-country learning on scaling digital public infrastructure and AI-enabled public services into programmatic offers and knowledge products.
• Support Country Offices in mapping financing opportunities from MDBs, philanthropies, and private sector for digital transformation programmes.

Requirements

• Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Computer Science, Data Science/Analytics, Information Systems, Engineering, Public Policy/Administration, Urban Systems, or a closely related field is required.
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• Minimum of five (5) years (with Master’s degree) or seven (7) years (with Bachelor’s degree) of progressively responsible experience in AI and digital transformation for public service delivery in Asia Pacific context.
• Experience working with government institutions and other public sector organizations for digital transformation and/or AI initiatives in Asia Pacific context, both at national and subnational level.
• Experience in design and deliver practical digital/AI solutions for public services in Asia Pacific context.
• Experience with responsible data and AI governance (privacy, security, fairness/bias, accountability) in public-sector contexts.
• Experience coordinating projects/programmes and engaging multiple stakeholders.
• Desirable: Experience in development project in the UN System or International Organization.
• Desirable: Experience with Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and/or GovTech unit set-up/operations.
• Desirable: Experience building partnerships and supporting resource mobilization with government, academia, private tech, donors and civil society.
• Desirable: Experience in urban and limited connectivity contexts.
• Fluency in English is required.
• Working knowledge of another language from Asia Pacific countries is an asset.

Skills

• AI for Public Service
• Digital Transformation
• Public Sector Digital Solutions
• Data Governance
• AI Governance
• Project Coordination
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Digital Public Infrastructure
• GovTech Operations
• Capacity Building
• Policy Advice
• Applied Research
• Resource Mobilization
• Urban Systems
• Public Service Delivery
• Digital Product Management

Languages

English