Consultancy - Learning Innovation Lead, Office of Innovation

The purpose of this consultancy is to lead UNICEF Innovation’s engagement in learning and the application of frontier technology areas to improve outcomes. Specifically: 1. Provide strategic guidance, market research and technical assistance to the Innovation Fund on learning and technology investments, including calls for proposals, assessments and portfolio support. 2. Provide technical guidance to the Innovation Fund’s portfolio in solutions for children with disabilities 3. Act as UNICEF Venture’s focal point for engagement and communications with other internal divisions, Country Offices, external audiences and prospective partners in the learning space.

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you.

For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.

Duration: 11.5 months

Duty Station: New York

Level: Individual contract (equivalent to P4)

BACKGROUND

UNICEF’s Office of Innovation in New York helps UNICEF’s 135+ Country Offices strengthen programs on the ground using innovative approaches and technologies.  Innovation at UNICEF means doing things new or different that adds value to achieving results for the most vulnerable children.   This means, concretely, researching and understanding strengths, vulnerabilities and environmental factors for children and their families, and therefore translating ideas, technologies, and partnerships into products, services that bring about better, more equitable results for children. 

Within UNICEF’s Office of Innovation, UNICEF Ventures functions like a collection of startups in early-stage in which promising new technologies (e.g. data science, artificial intelligence, UAVs, blockchain) are identified that have potential to impact UNICEF core operations (e.g. education, health, disaster response). Through our network of technology partners, UNICEF country offices and academic institutions, we construct pilots to determine potential impact quickly.

With $12m available in funding for the Innovation Fund, the Office of Innovation is scaling up investments significantly over the course of 2017. We invest in solutions that can impact the lives of the most vulnerable children. We find these solutions clustered around $100 billion industries like emergency and epidemic response, transport & delivery, identity, finance, learning, personal data and related fields.

At UNICEF we are trying to delve deeper into understanding the technical, social, ethical and legal challenges of utilizing these emerging technologies in our complex and interconnected world. With a focus on the most marginalized children, including those on the move and those with disabilities, UNICEF Ventures is exploring the application of frontier technologies to improve learning outcomes.

UNICEF Ventures therefore is seeking a consultant with significant education, communication and innovation experience, to provide expert guidance and develop related tools for investments, prototypes and pilots supported by the UNICEF Innovation Fund. 

PURPOSE OF THE APPOINTMENT / MAIN ACTIVITIES 

The purpose of this consultancy is to lead UNICEF Innovation’s engagement in learning and the application of frontier technology areas to improve outcomes. Specifically:

1. Provide strategic guidance, market research and technical assistance to the Innovation Fund on learning and technology investments, including calls for proposals, assessments and portfolio support.
2. Provide technical guidance to the Innovation Fund’s portfolio in solutions for children with disabilities
3. Act as UNICEF Venture’s focal point for engagement and communications with other internal divisions, Country Offices, external audiences and prospective partners in the learning space.

PAYMENT PLAN

• Monthly payment, based on monthly tasks and progress reports, approved upon monthly review with supervisor.
• Consultant is responsible for his own health insurance
• Consultant is eligible for standard DSA for all work-related travel.
• Consultants are responsible for assuming costs for obtaining visas and travel insurance

QUALIFICATIONS AND EDUCATION

• Advanced degree in education, economics, psychology, sociology, other social science, or a related field; or related practical experience.
• 8+ years of progressively responsible relevant work experience in project planning, management, and/or research in education technology at the international level, some of which preferably in a developing country

Specialized Experience and Knowledge required for the assignment

• Experience serving as a strong team lead, able to remotely manage digital learning initiatives and projects with diverse stakeholders
• Experience implementing various digital learning platforms in formal and informal learning environments
• Experience working with CMSs, OER and content delivery platforms, etc.
• Experience in creating or managing content for young people and/or learning preferred
• Experience managing external software vendors and writing technical documentation preferred a strong plus
• Familiarity with open-source technology, design and development processes preferred
• Strong communication and collaboration skills with experience in consensus building
• Experience of working in UNICEF program countries is an asset
• Familiarity with the UN system and UNICEF an asset

Languages

Fluency in English. Competence in another UN language preferred.

Applications must include:

• Cover letter,
• CV

To view our competency framework, please click here. 

Please indicate your ability, availability and daily rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference above.  Applications submitted without a daily rate will not be considered.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organisation.