Innovation Specialist, P4 at UNICEF

Job Number: 519429
Location: Abuja
Work Type: Fixed Term Staff

Job Descriptions
For every child, Opportunities:

• The Innovation Specialist is responsible for identifying opportunities to use existing and new data collection systems to strengthen the country projects and programmes involving citizens and/or youth as beneficiaries.
• The Innovation Specialist acts to build capacity in both the country office across all sections, partners and government stakeholders inclusive of all levels within the hierarchy.
• The Innovation Specialist is responsible for initiating and coordinating ongoing and new Innovation projects for UNICEF Nigeria and partners, and for providing ongoing technical support to each programme team in the design and implementation of their respective Innovation flagship initiative(s).

Key Functions, Accountabilities and Related Duties or Tasks

How can you make a difference?
Citizen Engagement, Participation & Feedback (U-Report):

• Work closely with Programme, ICT and M4R sections to infuse real-time data into strengthening programmes and to support awareness, behaviour change and mobilization efforts to support specific community activities.
• Build, manage and optimize a scale strategy to ensure U-Report is as accessible to young people across Nigeria.
• Manage and raise funds to support the U-Report system.
• Identify and build on existing partnerships to:
  • Increase the number of U-Reporters
  • Keep U-Reporters engaged
  • Share results and feedback
• Answer questions from U-Reporters on a range of issues
• Work closely with the Emergency Specialist to build U-Report projects that enhance emergency preparedness and response.
• Work alongside the WASH team to leverage existing scale up activities, disaggregate data for WASH related programmes and support monitoring efforts.
• Support the Education section across their 2018-2021 programmes as well as identify any immediate opportunities for Health and HIV, as requested by the section chiefs.
• Liaise with the Nutrition chief and section to determine how best to mobilise young people and community members to prevent stunting.
• Identify how best to support efforts to support existing efforts and partnerships to increase birth registration by working with the Child Protection section.
• Work closely with C4D team to develop strategy and work plan for U-report Nigeria where grass roots mobilisation and partnerships are important.
• Establish and maintain U-report external steering committee to guide design and deployment of the platform
• Work with ICT section to leverage existing partnership opportunities and identify new high-level partnership opportunities with relevant companies in the private sector.
• Work with Communications to monitor and optimize U-Report scale up campaigns.
• Manage and maintain existing partnerships with other UN agencies, NGOs and partners to ensure all fulfil their potential.
• Management of consultant(s) related to the activities outlined above.
• Work with U-report Global Coordinator to ensure that U-report Nigeria is aligned with global approach and guidelines, including branding, content, and advocacy efforts

Real-Time Monitoring (RTM) & Information Systems:

• Act as the country focal point for collaboration with Programme Division across all new and existing initiatives.
• Support programme sections in gathering and refining requirements for deployment of RapidPro-based solutions
• Liaise with technical service providers to support the adaptation / development of new products in line with requirements of programme sections
• Work with ICT and Telecom authorities to obtain necessary additional dedicated short codes to support specific programmes
• Work with ICT & M4R section as relevant to develop big data platforms and analysis
• Liaise with M4R section to support the establishment of contributions of RTM to existing workflows.
• Manage and maintain existing partnerships with key vendors such as the aggregator and RapidPro hosting companies.
• Support programme sections and partners in deployment and ongoing management of new products
• Provide capacity building to programme sections and key counterparts in the design, development, and management of new products
• Act as an external representative of UNICEF Innovation in meetings with key government stakeholders where programme sections require, request or need support.

Non traditional Partnerships:

• Working closely with programme sections, identify set of priority research questions and develop a research plan around Innovation in UNICEF research for Nigeria, with links to the programme-level innovation inception and design processes in place.

Learning, Coordination and Convening:

• Ensure comprehensive documentation of all innovation projects and processes
• Ensure effective sharing and generation of knowledge around Innovations within UNICEF Nigeria, and develop knowledge products in support of this
• Organize and coordinate technical working groups across functional areas of focus, and liaise regularly with CMT to provide updates and receive feedback on progress against Innovation strategy and work plan
• Identify opportunities for resource mobilization and new partnerships, and lead proposal and partnership development efforts on behalf of the Innovation Unit.

Education
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• An advanced university degree in International Development, Business Administration, Information Technology or another related field. 

Experience

• A minimum of eight years of experience in managing programmes or projects related to information technology for development, communication, education with strong technology components across a large organisation. Experience in start-up companies/organisations is an asset.
• Experience in managing internal and external partnerships, including international organisations.
• Good knowledge of current trends in youth participation and new media, as well as a good understanding of development issues, world affairs and current events

Language requirements.

• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of another official UN language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate:

• UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.
• View our competency framework at: http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf