12.12.2023

Head of Exploration, NPSА-9 (Position Extended)

ЗАВЕРШЕНО

Vacancy-вакансія2-300x225 — Head of Exploration, NPSА-9 (Position Extended)

Background

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP: we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories.

UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

The UNDP Strategic Plan embraces the complexity of development and commits the organization to helping countries find faster, more durable solutions to achieve Agenda 2030. Important development trends like urbanization, climate change, and rising inequalities pose significant challenges on our path to achieve the 2030 agenda of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

UNDP has begun incubating a number of strategic initiatives aimed at ensuring UNDP is ‘fit for purpose’ to deliver a new generation of solutions in line with the challenges the world faces. One such key strategic initiatives is the UNDP Accelerator Lab Network which operates as part of UNDP’s sustainable development offering.

Duties and Responsibilities

1.Horizon scanning and intelligence for the Accelerator Lab

Identify, visualize and communicate emerging development trends, data, technologies and issues with a particular focus on the edges and “below the radar screen” events, opportunities and players, and systemically map their impacts on economy, environment, society, and livelihoods of the poorest.
Identify new sources of evidence and insights, analyze and visualize patterns in unstructured sources of data, present new insights in accessible and comprehensive ways to enable sensemaking and analysis
Proactively explore and identify the new methods/approaches and frontier knowledge to tackle development challenges, collaborate with the Experimentation lead to turn these into learning options for addressing specific policy issues in the country
Provide technical guidance for horizon scanning, foresight and data analysis for colleagues and partners.
Contribute to the formulation of the Accelerator Lab service lines to the UNDP Country Programme based on findings from horizon scanning, systems’ mapping, and local knowledge

2. Tapping into new data sources

Set up partnerships with private sector companies including mobile network operators among others to gain access to anonymized data sets that can be used for sustainable development.
Demonstrate through exploratory tests the utility of new data sources for UNDP’s development work
Create partnerships for analyses of real time and other data to better inform decisions and policies
Design and deliver workshops, tools, or platforms that tap into the collective intelligence of communities and mobilise action.
Proactively manage risks with using data and technology, including those related to ethics and privacy
Transform unstructured data sets into insights for UNDP and partners

3. Working out loud

Share findings from the exploration on future trends, new methodologies/approaches, potential partnership,and others within UNDP and with partners;
Proactively use blog posts and social media to share insights, attract partners and help position Accelerator Lab at the forefront of the exploration of new trends.
Liaise with UNDP’s global Accelerator Lab network and share learnings and insights from the country-specific experience
Jointly with the CO, support lab partners to develop an emerging pipeline of new initiatives, support other activities related to the design and operation of the Lab

4. Organizational learning and interface with the core business of UNDP

Set up tools and partnerships to ransform information into actionable intelligence
Design and deliver horizon scanning trainings for partners and UNDP, help embed horizon scanning and attention to the ‘edge’ activities in the CO and with the partners
Work together with your Accelerator Lab colleagues and experts to codify and advance the Accelerator Lab practice and exploration in particular.
Organize and implement knowledge sharing and network events;
Lead other activities related to the design and operations of the Accelerator Lab
Design and deliver engaging and meaningful methods for reflection on learning from explorations

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Competencies

Core
Achieve Results:	LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
Think Innovatively:	LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements
Learn Continuously:	LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
Adapt with Agility:	LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible
Act with Determination:	LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident
Engage and Partner:	LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
Enable Diversity and Inclusion:	LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

Thematic Area	Name	Definition
Business Direction and Strategy	System Thinking	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
Business Development	Knowledge Generation	Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need
Business Development	Human-centered Design	Ability to develop solutions to problems by involving the human perspective in all steps of the problem-solving process
Digital & Innovation	Story Telling	Ability to empathise with people’s perceptions, motivations, feelings and mental models and craft narratives to build an emotive argument for change accordingly. Ability to present data, insights or information in compelling ways to mobilise resources, talent or action. Ability to choose media and channels that is fit for purpose to reach specific target audiences.
Digital and Innovation	Data Analysis	Ability to extract, analyse and visualize data (including Real-Time Data) to form meaningful insights and aid effective decision making
Digital and Innovation	Collective Intelligence Design	Ability to design, lead or manage processes that help a collective to become smarter together by bringing together diverse groups of people, data, and technology. Ability to define and articulate why and how collective intelligence can add value to development programming (understanding problems; finding solutions; decision making and mobilising action; monitoring progress in real time, learning and adapting) Being able to integrate different types of data (realtime, ‘ground-truth’ and novel data) to unlock fresh insights. Understand guidelines and principles around data privacy, ethics and protection. Increase diversity of inputs – and look beyond the ‘usual suspects’, ability to navigate and manage a variety of actors, appreciate the diversity in perspectives, opinions, expertise. Ability to facilitate platforms or sessions where people can contribute by providing their views and ideas independently and freely. Being people-centred: ensure people understand and can determine how their data is used. Feed back inputs and insights to empower people, don’t extract data.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master’s degree in Social sciences, Data science, Statistics, Physics, Computer Science, Business Intelligence, or related field;

Bachelor’s degree in Social sciences, Data science, Statistics, Physics, Computer Science, Business Intelligence, or related field

Experience:

A minimum of 2 years (with Master´s degree) or 4 years (with Bachelor´s degree) of professional experience in development programming or policy; social innovation; partnership building; engagement (public and private sector) and/or resource mobilization.

Required skills

Professional experience in development programming or policy and social innovation;
Demonstrated capacity in horizon scanning;
Demonstrated capacity in data analysis and visualization.

Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section

Experience in following areas is desirable but not necessary:

Proven professional knowledge and experience in social innovation approaches such as Systems Thinking, Ethnography, Crowdsourcing, Collective Intelligence Design, Citizen Science, Positive Deviance, Social Network Analysis, Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning
Professional experience in partnership building and engagement (public and private sector)
Demonstrated capacity to use open data, mobile data, geospatial data, drone & satellite data, citizen data for informing policy making, strategic planning, or programme design.
Proven professional knowledge and experience in at least one of the following: Future thinking and Foresight, Design Research, and Systems Mapping;
Key awareness of key global and regional trends;
Demonstrated access to networks of edge innovators.

Required Language(s)

Proficiency in written and spoken English.
Fluency in the UN language of the duty station is required.
Fluency in the national language of the duty station is required for local personnel.
Knowledge of another UN language is desirable.

Disclaimer

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. 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.

Non-discrimination

UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

UNDP is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.

Scam warning

The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS 29 December, 2023.

If you wish to apply for this or other positions, please visit UNDP in Ukraine website, section Jobs and apply:

https://estm.fa.em2.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_1/job/13236?keyword=Head+of+Exploration%2C+NPSA-9

UNDP will use a transparent and competitive screening process, though will only contact those applicants in whom there is further interest. Applications may only be submitted for specific vacancy.

Qualified women are strongly encouraged to apply.