The Position:

UNFPA recognize innovation as critical to accelerating progress towards global development aspirations, and for reaching its three corporate transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths, end unmet need for family planning, and end violence gender-based violence and all harmful practices, including female genital mutilation and child, early and forced marriage. UNFPA promotes innovation to improve programming by: (1) creating innovative solutions with partners to address bottlenecks; (2) scaling up innovations that have proven to be successful; (3) partnering with innovators from the public and private sectors; and (4) institutionalizing a culture of innovation in UNFPA.

The Innovation Specialist is part of a team that provides technical and operational support toward the implementation of UNFPA’s Innovation Strategy Phase 2, with a focus on digital health and data innovations. The Innovation Specialist reports directly to the Innovation Coordinator/Fund Manager, Technical Division Directorate.

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled.  UNFPA’s new strategic plan (2018-2021), focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

Job Purpose:

In a global organisation, where many of our people are based in challenging environments, you will play a vital role in supporting the implementation of the UNFPA Innovation Strategy Phase 2 (2018-2021).

You will provide technical and operational support toward the implementation of global innovation activities, with a focus on digital health and data innovations. You will also contribute toward strengthening the overall Innovation portfolio of activities, including support on knowledge management, as well as monitoring and evaluation, to document results and create a more agile, open, and learning culture at UNFPA. You will also contribute toward internal and external communications activities to showcase stories of impact and learning from the Innovation portfolio.

Education:  

Advanced degree (Master’s level) in business administration, public health, ICT, data science, international development or related field.

Knowledge and Experience: 

• 5 years of increasingly responsible professional experience, especially in the fields of international digital health, frontier technologies, social innovation and entrepreneurship; 

• Experience with reviewing research, evidence, and innovative models on digital health for improving health systems, data for decision-making, providers and other users’ skills, especially in relation to sexual and reproductive health

• Experience with implementation and country-level support on digital health and data innovations, including the appropriate and ethical use of technology for development, as well as with emerging or frontier technologies

• Familiarity working with software developers in the design and implementation of digital systems, as well as familiarity with data exchange standards, such as FHIR and other mechanisms to support interoperability

• Exposure to human-centered design approaches and methodologies a plus

• Exceptional analytical, written and verbal communication skills

• Strong knowledge of UNFPA’s core mandate 

• Good network with the academic, development, and innovation community an asset

• Field experience a strong asset

Languages: 

Fluency in English; knowledge of other official UN languages, preferably French and/or Spanish, is desirable.