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

Generation Unlimited (GenU) is UNICEF's global public-private-youth partnership platform for scaling skills, employment, entrepreneurship and social impact pathways for young people. Working with governments, the private sector, multilateral institutions, civil society and young people, GenU supports large-scale solutions that help young people move from learning to earning and build sustainable livelihoods in a changing labour market.

The Youth Agency Marketplace (YOMA) is one of GenU's global digital solutions for youth agency and opportunity pathways. It connects young people to learning, employment, entrepreneurship and impact opportunities, while enabling them to build a portable record of verified skills, experiences and achievements through a Youth Digital Identity (YoID) and verifiable credentials.

How can you make a difference?

Under the supervision of the Innovation Manager, Generation Unlimited, the incumbent will lead the coordination, technical management and partnership delivery of YOMA as a GenU Global Solution and digital livelihoods platform. The role will co-develop and manage the integrated roadmap across yoma.world, YoID and the YOMA Impacts Exchange; advance YOMA's transition to a Digital Public Good; lead YoID-first partner integration planning; coordinate job-matching, learning-to-earning, impact and credential pipelines; provide technical assistance to UNICEF Country Offices and national GenU platforms; support donor, government and private sector engagement; and ensure YOMA adoption is translated into practical implementation plans, measurable results and youth livelihood outcomes.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

Deliver remote technical assistance to Country Offices and national platforms
Manage the integrated YOMA technology roadmap and ecosystem architecture
Advance YOMA's transition toward Digital Public Goods and Digital Public Infrastructure principles
Prioritise YoID-led ecosystem integration
Build strategic partnerships and support donor engagement
Support the roll-out of the Generation Unlimited Digital Systems Strategy from a YOMA perspective

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

Minimum requirements:

Education: Master or equivalent (Advanced University Degree) in Computer Science, Information Systems, Digital Transformation, Innovation Management, Data Science, Business Administration, Public Policy, International Development, Engineering, Social Sciences, or another relevant field.
Work Experience:
- At least 8 years of relevant work experience in managing digital product roadmaps, technology partnerships, platform integrations, partner onboarding, technical assistance delivery, or digital transformation initiatives in complex multi-stakeholder environments.
- Experience leading or coordinating digital platform implementation, ecosystem development, stakeholder engagement, and cross-functional collaboration involving governments, private sector partners, development organizations, or technology providers.
- Demonstrated ability to deliver technical support, implementation guidance, and operational coordination across multiple stakeholders and geographic contexts.
Skills:
- Strong digital product and platform management skills, including roadmap development, prioritization, implementation oversight, and delivery tracking.
- Strong partnership building and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to engage governments, private sector partners, technology providers, donors, and youth-serving organizations.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to translate technical concepts into practical programme and partnership solutions.
- Sound understanding of digital ecosystems, interoperability, digital identity, verifiable credentials, data governance, privacy, responsible technology, and emerging digital trends.
- Excellent communication, facilitation, presentation, and drafting skills. Ability to work effectively in multicultural and multidisciplinary environments and manage competing priorities in complex, fast-paced settings.
- Strong commitment to innovation, results, inclusion, youth participation, and UNICEF's core values
Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required.

Desirables:

Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language
Experience supporting Digital Public Goods (DPGs), Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), digital identity, verifiable credentials, interoperability, privacy, or responsible technology workstreams in applied programme, partnership, or product contexts.
Experience coordinating digital identity, verifiable credentials, interoperability, partner platform integration, or foundational ID-related work with technical partners, UNICEF teams, and external stakeholders.
Experience supporting digital governance, responsible AI, data-sharing frameworks, open-source technology ecosystems, or technology-enabled public service delivery.
Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.

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 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.

The conditions of a temporary assignment, including relocation entitlements, will depend on the status of the staff member's original appointment and may be limited in accordance with applicable UNICEF policies, procedures, and practices in force.

In this role, you will collaborate with colleagues across multiple locations. For effective collaboration, we encourage flexible working hours that accommodate different time zones while prioritizing staff wellbeing.

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-4, Temporary Position, 364 days, #00138162, Global Programme Division, Generation Unlimited (YPA) secretariat, Outposted in Nairobi (Fully Remote)