Innovation Specialist

Join UNICEF Malawi as Innovation Specialist to lead and mainstream innovation and digital technology-enabled programming across the country programme. Provide technical leadership and support to innovation planning, technology-enabled programme design, implementation, monitoring, and documentation across programme sections and with partners.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mainstream innovation and digital technology-enabled programming across the country programme.
• Provide technical leadership and support to innovation planning and technology-enabled programme design, implementation, monitoring and documentation across programme sections and with partners.
• Coordinate programme wide innovation and digital transformation priorities.
• Advise government counterparts on strengthening child-centred digital transformation, responsible artificial intelligence (AI) governance, and technology policy implementation systems.
• Support the testing, scale-up, and institutionalization of innovation products and technology-enabled solutions.
• Strengthen results tracking, evidence use and knowledge management.
• Build staff and partner capacity in innovation and digital impact.
• Support sustainable and innovative financing approaches for scaling promising solutions.
• Foster partnerships with government, UN, NGO, academia, private sector and technology actors.
• Collaborate across programme sections and work closely with the UNICEF Digital Impact Division, Centre of Excellences, and the Office of Innovation.

Requirements

• Master or equivalent (Advanced University Degree) in Innovation and Technology Policy, Public Policy, Business Administration, Digital Transformation, Information Technology, International Relations, or another relevant discipline.
• Additional certification in Innovation, technology and/or AI governance, innovative and sustainable financing, or related fields is desirable.
• A minimum of five years of professional experience in ICT management, business analysis Programme management; monitoring and evaluation; innovation and digital impact; child-centered digital governance; digital health; digital education; training and capacity building; project management and large-scale roll-out; partnership management; innovative and/or sustainable financing or similar areas in a large international organization and/or corporation.
• Experience in Innovative/sustainable financing, resource mobilization and proposal/partnership development is desirable.
• Partnership building, resource mobilization, and innovative/sustainable financing.
• Strong writing, communication, negotiation, influencing and cross-functional collaboration.
• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.
• Experience in Innovative/sustainable financing, resource mobilization and proposal/partnership development.
• Experience in scaling and institutionalising technology-enabled programmes, including digital education, digital health, and other digital solutions within UNICEF programme areas.
• Experience advising government counterparts on developing and implementing child-centred digital governance, responsible AI, and technology policy frameworks.
• Proven ability to lead collaborative teams across sections and technical areas.
• Proven ability to manage partnerships with government, academia, UN, NGOs and private sector; background with the UN, especially UNICEF, IFIs, and developing-country/international experience.

Skills

• Innovation and Technology Policy
• Public Policy
• Digital Transformation
• Information Technology
• ICT Management Systems
• Business Analysis
• Programme Management
• Monitoring and Evaluation
• Innovation and Digital Impact
• Child-centered Digital Governance
• Digital Health
• Digital Education
• Training and Capacity Building
• Project Management
• Partnership Management
• Innovative Financing
• Sustainable Finance
• Resource Mobilization
• Proposal Development
• Partnership Building
• Technology-enabled Programme Scaling
• Responsible AI Principles
• Technology Policy Frameworks
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Negotiation
• Technical Leadership

Languages

English