UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, the right to Innovation

How can you make a difference?

Join UNICEF Malawi as Innovation Specialist, to lead and mainstream innovation and digital technology-enabled programming across the country programme. You will provide technical leadership and support to innovation planning and technology-enabled programme design, implementation, monitoring and documentation across programme sections and with partners. The role will coordinate programme wide innovation and digital transformation priorities; advise government counterparts on strengthening child-centred digital transformation, responsible artificial intelligence (AI) governance, and technology policy implementation systems; support the testing, scale-up, and institutionalization of
innovation products and technology-enabled solutions; strengthen results tracking, evidence use and knowledge management; build staff and partner capacity in innovation and digital impact; support sustainable and innovative financing approaches for scaling promising solutions; and foster partnerships with government, UN, NGO, academia, private sector and technology actors. The post collaborates across programme
sections and works closely with the UNICEF Digital Impact Division, Centre of Excellences, and the Office of Innovation, where applicable

Drive innovation across UNICEF Malawi by advancing scalable solutions, digital impact initiatives and partnerships that remove bottlenecks and deliver better results for children.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: Download File Classified Job Descriptions - Innovation Specialist.pdf

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

Minimum requirements

Education: Master or equivalent (Advanced University Degree) in Innovation and Technology Policy, Public Policy, Business Administration, Digital Transformation, Information Technology, International Relations, or another relevant discipline.
Additional certification in Innovation, technology and/or AI governance, innovative and sustainable financing, or related fields is desirable.
Work Experience: A minimum of five years of professional experience in ICT management, business analysis Programme management; monitoring and evaluation; innovation and digital impact; child-centered digital governance; digital health; digital education; training and capacity building; project management and large-scale roll-out; partnership management; innovative and/or sustainable financing or similar areas in a large international organization and/or corporation. Experience in Innovative/sustainable financing, resource mobilization and proposal/partnership development is desirable
Skills: Partnership building, resource mobilization, and innovative/sustainable financing. Strong writing, communication, negotiation, influencing and cross-functional collaboration.
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.

Desirables

Experience in Innovative/sustainable financing, resource mobilization and proposal/partnership development.
Experience in scaling and institutionalising technology-enabled programmes, including digital education, digital health, and other digital solutions within UNICEF programme areas.
Experience advising government counterparts on developing and implementing child-centred digital governance, responsible AI, and technology policy frameworks.
Proven ability to lead collaborative teams across sections and technical areas.
Proven ability to manage partnerships with government, academia, UN, NGOs and private sector; background with the UN, especially UNICEF, IFIs, and developing-country/international experience.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF's Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships
(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
(3) Drive to achieve results for impact
(4) Innovates and embraces change
(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity
(6) Thinks and acts strategically
(7) Works collaboratively with others
(8) Nurtures, leads and manages people

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments are conditional on the selected candidates willingness to comply with current or future vaccination requirements, should UNICEF mandate it for personnel. Failure to comply with such requirements, where applicable and without a duly approved medical exemption from the relevant UN authority, will result in the cancellation of the selection or may lead to other administrative measures, including separation from service.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable candidates from targeted underrepresented groups] are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants' bank account information.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF's Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.

Innovation Specialist, P-3, Fixed Term Position, Malawi, Lilongwe, Malawi, #00103341