UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. And we never give up.

How can you make a difference?

With digital transformation as a key change strategy in the new Strategic Plan 2022–2025, the information and communications technology (ICT) function is now considered critical to supporting both programme and operations. Under the new ICT Digital Transformation Change Strategy, and in concordance with the established policies, guidelines and service level agreements (SLAs), the incumbent role is to manage, lead and support the ICT functional accountability and internally manage ICT function, enhance ICT and Technology for Development (T4D) and Innovation governance and externally enhance collaboration and capacity building; improve the delivery of results and knowledge management; build business relationships and foster innovation and provide professional guidance in the area of T4D initiatives. Ensure UNICEF’s strategic goals are achieved through leveraging “delivering as one” projects and other value-added services available under this framework.

Major Responsibilities

• Manage the ICT function and provide technical and operational support
• Manage ICT and supervise staff to enable the implementation of corporate ICT priorities, solutions and services;
• Prepare ICT related plans, budget, set priorities and performance indicators as well as year-end assessments, reviews and reporting;
• Safeguard the physical and logical security and safety of ICT environment and infrastructure;
• Provide quality assurance of projects and activities in accordance with ICT functional accountabilities
• Monitor risks and threats to ICT environment or infrastructure and take appropriate action;
• Manage compliance and escalate exceptions (proactive) and deviations (reactive);
• Manage ICT-related communication materials internally, from NYHQ, GSSC or regional office;
• Support the office business continuity plans development and ensure the inclusion of ICT inputs and perspective;
• Act as UNICEF focal point for inter-agency activities;
• Liaise with regional office, GSSC and ICTD to keep abreast of new initiatives and opportunities to innovate and modernize office operations and to contribute to the collective ICT evolution;
• Lead design and promotion of cloud platforms to advance LIGHT offices and digital workplaces;
• Validate the compliance with the host government regulatory requirements vis-à-vis the Basic Cooperation Agreement (BCA), i.e., data collection of sensitive information or personally identifiable information (PII), telecommunications licenses, use of specialized equipment, such as HF/VHF radios, high-gain antennae, satellite phones, VSATs, VOIP, drones, etc.
• Enhance ICT, T4D and Innovation governance, collaboration, build internal and external relationships and capacity
• Oversee ICT, T4D and Innovation Governance within the CO, including the coordination of the overall portfolio, establishment and adherence to SOPs, and management of the CO portfolio on Invent;
• Participate in office management –CMT, operations and programme meetings to exercise the functional accountabilities of the ICT function;
• Represent UNICEF ICT in inter-agency functions;
• Assess and advise government partners on policies and regulations related to child-safeguarding, data protection and cyber security, particularly when they relate to UNICEF supported digital programmes;
• Support counterparts and implementing partners to build capacity and nurture independence;
• Engage with programme sections, counterparts and implementing partners to form technical and business reference groups to identify, analyze, research and promote innovative and viable solutions;
• Assist in oversight, assessment and audit of vendors, counterparts and implementing partners;
• Support Supply and programme staff to establish local LTAs for ICTD-related programme contracts for services and products;
• Conduct oversight of providers and third-parties of ICTD-related services and products to programme;
• Study and understand the business requirements, i.e., PPP, RBM, HACT, etc… to improve the delivery of results;
• Stay abreast of ICTD trends, developments and best practices through professional development –journals, training, certification, etc.
• Improve results delivery
• Build and strengthen relationships with counterparts, i.e., government, sister United Nations agencies, international nonprofit organizations (INGOs) and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs);
• Support internal business units and business systems (e.g., Salesforce) required for daily activities that are related to accomplishing the organizational objectives;
• Promote the use of collaboration tools for knowledge management, capacity building and preserving institutional memory;
• Lead the implementation of eTools and facilitate training workshops or clinics;
• Work closely to facilitate HACT implementation with partnership managers, programme and operations staff;
• Collaborate with the Risk Focal Point the risks and opportunities inclusion in the risk register and support stakeholders to address them;
• Liaise with HQs, RO and other COs to share knowledge, experience; discuss opportunities and risks for the improved delivery of results;
• Represent UNICEF ICT in One UN, Delivering as One and other UN reform initiatives.
• Collaborate with C4D and use their advocacy, outreach and dissemination tools for better utilization of technology to advance the delivery of results;
• Facilitate project management methodologies trainings and support the application by staff, counterparts and implementing partners;
• Participate in person or remotely in UNICEF global, regional, or country offices events and discussions to contribute results-based management/programming.
• Foster innovation and T4D, and oversee piloting, evidence generation and scaling of priority T4D and Innovation initiatives.
• Promote creativity and innovative thinking to re-engineer work processes and make the best use of technology within and outside UNICEF;
• Enable technology-based innovation and digitally enabled programming in the field at scale;
• Work as facilitator and connector across programmes, planning, operations and ICT4D teams through understanding of programming processes, business analytics and relationship building;
• Evaluate T4D and innovation initiatives potential opportunities and possible risks to improve productivity, efficiency and effectiveness and share with senior management, regional office, ICTD and Office of Innovation;
• Identify and assess potential risks related to child safeguarding, data protection and cyber security, and – working with the Regional Office, ICTD and OED provide mitigation measures;
• Establish a local governance board for the formal review and assessment of local innovation initiatives;
• Advocate for open infrastructure, open source, and open data initiatives;
• Ensure exit strategies are incorporated in all technology initiatives prior to approval;
• Provide technical support and guidance to the implementation or priority platforms such as eTools, RapidPro, U-Report, etc.
• Support counterparts and implementing partners to implement approved technology initiatives;
• Facilitate TED-like events inviting local and international scholars, CEOs and technology gurus;
• Connect academia to innovation opportunities, i.e., vocational schools, colleges and universities;
• Work closely with Communication and Resource Mobilization teams to promote to local philanthropists the benefits and rewards of innovation for their active participation, support and funding;
• Engage the private sector to maximize the use of corporate social responsibility (CSR) resources for no-cost innovation initiatives, e.g., bulk telecommunications services at low cost or free during periods of under-utilized resources

Qualifications of Successful Candidate

Education:

• An advanced university degree is required in computer science, software engineering, information technology management, business administration or another relevant technical field.
• A first-level university degree in a relevant field combined with seven years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Experience:

• A minimum of five years of professional experience in information technology management, business operations and Innovation (T4D) in a large international organization and/or corporation is required. Experience in a UN organization is an asset.

Technical Competencies:

• Certification and/or proven experience in one of these several ICTD technical competencies: ICTD Project Management, Business Analytics, Business Relationship Management, Information Security, ICT4D Audit and Risk Management, Telecommunications, Networks Information Security and Software Engineering and Programming. Formal project management certification (Prince II, ITIL, etc.) is an asset.

Language requirements:

• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

Source: https://jobs.unicef.org/cw/en-us/job/551041