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 Digital opportunities

How can you make a difference?

The Digital Impact Division (DID) is at the forefront of transforming how UNICEF delivers lasting results for children. We are committed to harnessing the full potential of emerging digital technologies to advance UNICEF’s mission.

DID works in close collaboration with regional Digital Impact teams and colleagues across headquarters, regions, and country offices. Together, we leverage technologies and capabilities that accelerate progress toward UNICEF’s goals, strengthen community resilience, and expand access to essential digital services and information.

Our mission is to enhance UNICEF’s global digital impact by promoting equitable access to information and services, empowering communities to create lasting positive change for children, and fostering a more inclusive, interconnected, and sustainable world for every child, everywhere.

Within DID, the AI Office designs and sustains transformative, data- and AI-ready digital solutions grounded in human-centered design. Recognizing that artificial intelligence (AI) is already reshaping how societies learn, communicate, govern, and deliver services, the AI Office focuses on both its opportunities and risks. For children, AI presents enormous potential, but it also raises serious concerns related to privacy, safety, discrimination, and exclusion.

UNICEF is seeking a Programme and Partnership Lead/Specialist (Frontier Data Tech) to facilitate and foster our internal/external public/private sector AI and frontier data technologies relationships and projects, so that our network can most efficiently deliver impact.

It is a bridging role between technology and social impact.

This role involves coordinating stakeholders across UNICEF business units, country, regional offices, managing discussions with corporate partners, and sifting manifold opportunities into specific deliverables that advance the AI Office and the Frontier Data work in-house and with our research partners. The successful candidate combines digital product development and community of practice experience over a child-centered mission.

Working under the general direction of the Chief AI Officer and the data scientist specialist, the Programme and Partnership Lead/Specialist will contribute to the goals of AI for programs, Child Centred AI (Advocacy) and Strategy workstreams within the AI Office.

This role emphasizes coordinating strategic partnerships for the AI Office, supporting the design and implementation of AI Office flagship initiatives using FDN model/approach, supporting community building activities and facilitating data sharing agreements with companies and global platforms.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: Download File TOR TA- Partnerships Manager (Lead for Frontier Data Tech)-finall.pdf

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

Minimum requirements:

Education: An Advanced University Degree in a data or technology related field, International Business, International Development, Public Affairs, International Cooperation or any other related field.
Work Experience: A minimum of 8 years of professional experience in:
- Enabling and supporting applied research partnerships and scientific teams, especially with respect to data science or AI.
- Working across private, public, and academic partnerships to deliver shared data and technology goals.
- Crafting resource mobilization pitch decks with cross-sectional teams
- Managing data innovation portfolios, especially with respect to Big Data or AI initiatives, companies, and teams.
- Organizing outreach and awareness raising data science initiatives.
- Working with public sector stakeholders.
- Ability to align technical goals with strategic business goals
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Experience working and delivering in low to middle income country contexts
Language Requirements: Proficiency in English is required.

Desirables:

Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language
Experience working for/with the UN/UNICEF is a plus
Familiarity with Knowledge sharing and/or South -South Cooperation is a plus
Intrapreneur or entrepreneur experience is a plus
Experience and/or familiarity in emergency and humanitarian situations is considered an asset
Experience with data sharing agreements

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

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 female candidates 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.

Partnerships Manager (Lead for Frontier Data Tech) (P-4), TA, 364 days, #138364, DID, Valencia - Spain (Fully remote)