Regional Digital Specialist

New York City

Organization: UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
Location: New York City
Grade: Level not specified - Level not specified
Occupational Groups:
- Information Technology and Computer Science
Closing Date: 2024-05-03

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.

Office/Unit/Project Description

UNDP launched its first Digital Strategy in mid-2019 to harness digital transformation within the organization. Building on a long history of project-level digital support for partners, the strategy represented a systematic and corporate-driven transformation process to reimagine the way UNDP serves its partners and operates its systems and processes. The first Digital Strategy proved to be prescient given the incredible acceleration in digital transformation in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. UNDP has changed significantly over the past two and a half years, developing new capabilities in digital programming, and strengthening its digital capabilities. UNDP will continue to accelerate these efforts in response to growing demand from partner governments. UNDP will also continue to support its development partners to ensure that the arc of future digital transformation protects human rights and leaves no one behind. The Digital Strategy 2022-2025 directly responds to and builds upon UNDP’s Strategic Plan 2022-2025, which highlights the critical role of digital technology in achieving development outcomes. In UNDP's Strategic Plan 2022-2025, digitalization is outlined as one of three key enablers – along with strategic innovation and development financing – that will drive UNDP’s efforts towards the 2030 agenda over the next four years. The Strategic Plan notes that digital is to be built into all dimensions of UNDP’s work, including in the programming of its six Signature Solutions. It also notes the need for UNDP to support its partners in holistic digital transformation efforts, to advocate for inclusive and responsible digital solutions for sustainable development, and to continue its digital transformation.

The focus of UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean (RBLAC) is to help countries in the region build and share solutions in their sustainable development pathways, with inclusive and effective democratic governance, building climate and disaster resilience. Our goal is to strengthen capacities and provide an enabling environment for access to opportunities, focusing on the most vulnerable and excluded population groups – in ways that are sustainable from economic, social, and environmental standpoints. The Bureau works with governments, civil society organizations and the private sector to develop national and local capacities and building stronger institutions that offer quality services for their citizens, integrate environmental considerations into development plans and strategies, and effectively target policies to reduce poverty and provide social protection for those in need.

Inclusive digital transformation stands at the forefront of priorities for LAC. Frontier technologies (Artificial intelligence, Blockchain, Big data, The Metaverse, Bioprinting, Quantum computing) have the potential of drastically altering the labor market and the broader economic and social landscape of Latin America and the Caribbean. As they continue to advance, they present both transformative opportunities and challenges that could reshape the future of work within the region. Given this context, UNDP RBLAC through its Digital HUB is developing a series of actions as a response to the need of insuring a sustainable and equitable future for digital transformation in the region.

Scope of Work

This role will be a pivotal position to provide effective digital policy and programmatic support and coordination of digital initiatives across the RBLAC region. It will lead LAC’s Digital Hub 4 Development, which aims to serve as a regional centralized entity driving and mainstreaming digitalization within the LAC region. Its core mission is to strategically articulate, cultivate, and expedite UNDP's digital objectives, initiatives, supporting Country Offices and Governments to accelerate digital transformation in the region.

The position will work with country offices across the region to ensure that digital is integrated into UNDP programming and projects, and in collaboration with the relevant teams in the Bureau and Regional Hub in Panama. Moreover, it will coordinate interventions and strategies with the Chief Digital Office. It will also act as a focal point for countries in the region experimenting with new digital approaches and tools to advance development goals and scaling proven solutions.

The duties can be broadly clustered into four areas:

1) Policy Advisory

Provide policy insights to RBLAC, the Regional Hub in Panama and country offices in the region, to support the delivery of UNDP digital programming, in line with UNDP’s Digital Strategy.
Provide technical assistance on the introduction of digital into national policies, development strategies and plans.
Support in mainstreaming of digital considerations and digital indicators into regional, national, and sub-national adaption strategies and plans.
Work with country offices on policy issues over more extended periods when required.
Ensure that human rights, gender, and climate considerations are at the forefront of UNDP's digital policy and programming work.
Provide advice and support to UNDP leadership, member states and partners on digital, data, innovation, and frontier technologies, amongst others.
Offer expertise in drafting digital policies, strategies, and regulations in alignment with global best practices and tailored to the specific needs of the country.
Support the implementation of e-governance solutions.

2) Knowledge, Learning and Global Networking

Compiling experiences and lessons learned from what countries are doing, both at the national and subnational or local levels, and support learning.
Consolidate and systematize UNDP’s own digital efforts in the region, increasing the visibility and impact of ongoing projects and promoting new initiatives in this area.
Engage, collaborate, and develop a community with the Digital Advocates across country offices in the region.
Work with other regional facilitators and Digital Advocates across other regions to ensure effective knowledge sharing at a global level.
Work closely with the Chief Digital Office (CDO) to support the implementation of the Digital Strategy 2022-2025. Ensure effective communication between RBLAC and CDO on key digital topics.
Collaborate with specialists on external communications to ensure UNDP’s thought leadership in digital is recognized, including co-producing content for online and offline media.
Assess digital demand in the region.
Curate successful digital solutions within UNDP
Adapt, build and test successful products and services responsibly.
Identify and address barriers to scaling and adoption.

3) Programming Support

Work with different Global Policy Network (GPN) teams to integrate digital into UNDP regional programming, and to foster the application of UNDP’s inclusive whole-of-society digital transformation framework.
Support country offices with integrating digital into the formulation of new country programmes, as well as advising on digital initiatives relevant to the regional programming document.
Prepare concept notes and business cases to support the implementation of digital transformation projects for UNDP country offices.
Work with CDO and regional team to identify and act upon opportunities to support the development of inclusive digital ecosystems.
Support the delivery of Digital Readiness Assessments, other digital surveys or assessments, and other new programming tools in the region or at country offices.
Work to incorporate Digital Public Goods and Digital Public Infrastructure as required, and support turning flagship digital solutions in the region into global digital public goods.
Identify digital solutions to achieve UNDP’s targeted development outcomes.
Consistently scan, analyse, and bring modern technological and ICT solutions to UNDP policies, programmes or offerings, enabling UNDP response to (national) development priorities with the use of digital technologies.

4) Regional Engagement

Ensure effective coordination of country office support requests related to digital, in collaboration with regional GPN and country support colleagues.
Support digital capacity building in the regional bureau and country offices, including organizing trainings on key digital topics, identifying capacity gaps and supporting hiring of digital experts.
Identify opportunities for the implementation of key digital initiatives, products, and services in the region.
Identify opportunities to raise funds for digital activities in the region.

Institutional Arrangements

The Digital Specialist will work from the UNDP RBLAC office, based in New York, USA.
The Digital Specialist will report to and be directly supervised by the RBLAC Chief Economist with matrix reporting line to the Chief Digital Office. The Specialist will be given access to relevant information necessary for the execution of the tasks under this assignment.

Competencies

Expected Demonstration of Competencies

Core
Achieve Results:	LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact
Think Innovatively:	LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems
Learn Continuously:	LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences
Adapt with Agility:	LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands
Act with Determination:	LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results
Engage and Partner:	LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration
Enable Diversity and Inclusion:	LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

Thematic Area	Name	Definition
Business Direction and Strategy	System Thinking	Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgment 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	Collective Intelligence Design	Ability to bringing together diverse groups of people, data, information or ideas, and technology to design services or solutions.
Business Management	Partnerships Management	Ability to build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP Strategy and Policies.
Business Management	Digital Awareness and Literacy	Ability and inclination to rapidly adoptnew technologies, eitherthrough skillfully grasping their usage or through understanding their impact and empowering others to use them as needed.
2030 Agenda: Prosperity	Inclusive Growth	Digital economy including technologies/solutions.
External Relations & Advocacy	Digital Strategy	Ability to plan the use of resources through digital channels to reach and engage target audiences effectively and to achieve particular objectives.

Minimum Qualifications of the Successful IPSA

Min. Education requirements

Advanced university degree (Master’s Degree or equivalent) in Computer, Management, Political Science, Administration, Economics, Development, Social Sciences, or related fields; or
A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree) in the above-related fields with an additional 2 years of relevant experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Min. years of relevant work experience

Minimum 5 years (with a Master’s degree) or 7 years (with a Bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience in development issues in the region, preferably with a focus on inclusive digital transformation is required.

Required skills

Proficiency in policy development related to digital matters, encompassing digital economy and transformation, coupled with a comprehensive grasp of regulatory matters and prerequisites.
Demonstrated capability in collaborating within multidisciplinary teams comprising international and national experts and operating effectively within distributed teams.
Proven expertise in managing digital projects, initiatives, and strategies.
Strong comprehension of the latest technological trends and their implications for development issues.
Strong experience in the design and facilitation of multistakeholder workshops and design thinking methodologies.

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

Good knowledge of the regional political, social, and economic context of Latin America and the Caribbean, and UNDP’s work in the region, and its Strategic Plan, is desirable.
Experience implementing digital technologies in collaboration with governments, would be an asset.
Evidence of international experience and exposure is strongly preferred.
Experience with UNDP and/or other UN agencies, would be an asset.
Experience in developing or facilitating training, would be an asset.

Required Language(s)

Fluency in Spanish and English.
Knowledge of Portuguese and/or French is an advantage.

Disclaimer

Important information for US Permanent Residents ('Green Card' holders)

Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment.

UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.

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.

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