Accelerator Lab Network Systems Specialist

The UNDP Strategic Plan 2018-2021 embraces the complexity of development and commits the organization to helping countries find faster, more durable solutions to achieve Agenda 2030. Important development trends like urbanization, climate change, and inequality pose significant challenges on our path to achieve the 2030 agenda of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

UNDP has begun incubating a number of strategic initiatives aimed at ensuring UNDP is ‘fit for purpose’ to deliver a new generation of solutions in line with the challenges the world faces. One such key strategic initiatives is the Country Accelerator Lab Network. The initiative is a recognition that increasingly interrelated development challenges require going beyond business as usual and single point, linear and silver bullet responses in development. Instead, they call for an interdisciplinary approaches and non-linear solutions that crowd in the collective efforts of variety of partners and tap into local insights and the knowledge of people closest to the problem and the solutions. The initiative is also a recognition and an investment in the emerging momentum among a growing number of UNDP country offices around joining together disruptive, cutting edge methodologies with contextual, country-based insights and expertise to accelerate impact and progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals.  

Us:

We are building the largest and fastest learning global network of Accelerator Labs (initially setting up 60 labs in 60 countries) embedded within UNDP’s global architecture and country platforms. The new offering builds on the latest thinking from the fields of complexity science, lead user innovation and collective intelligence to accelerate development impact.

Our network will surface and reinforce locally sourced solutions at scale while mobilizing a wide and dynamic partnership of actors contributing knowledge, resources and experience. The idea is to transform our collective approach by introducing new protocols, backed by evidence and practice, which accelerate the testing and dissemination of solutions within and across countries. This will enable the global community to collectively learn from local knowledge and ingenuity at a speed and at a scale that our societies and planet require. This will be achieved by:

• Building on locally-sourced solutions, finding things that work and expanding on them.
• Rapid testing and iteration to implement what works and go beyond the obvious solutions.
• Combining the best understanding, ideas and expertise to generate collective knowledge.
• Accelerating progress by bringing expertise, creativity and collective intelligence to bear

The Accelerator Labs will undertake i) external facing interventions addressing priority development challenges, and ii) internally facing experiments to embed new ways of doing development within the existing UNDP portfolio.  

You:

You truly believe that data is the answer for many problems, it should even be a corporate value. You are driven by results and KPIs, always onto the latest technologies to visualize the stories behind the numbers. You enjoy interacting with people and help them find solutions to their problems. UX is your mantra and you are ready to adapt technology to serve the needs of your dear users. You are a natural at curating information and helping others online and offline. You understand that networks need stoking and curation.

You have a natural inclination to interdisciplinarity, cross cultural mindset and cross sectoral experience with the cosmopolitan attraction for diversity. You are driven by a strong sense of purpose and commitment to make change happen and help others succeed.

You understand systems, the good, the bad and the ugly, and are capable of working within them to bring about change, exchange knowledge and help your team and others grow. You are curious, quirky and fun, natural strategic thinkers and talented designers. You are digitally savvy, you hack tools, and you are keen to be a part of a large global organization exhibiting United Nations values. 

Create the support structure for Network learning

• Engage with the network of 60 Accelerator Labs, collect and curate learning in micro-content.
• Curate, model and support learning among the Labs and other stakeholders.
• Manage online learning platforms and facilitate network learnings among Labs and beyond.
• Integrate insights and expertise of Accelerator Labs networks into UNDP Communities of Practice its Global Policy Network to accelerate organizational learning at scale.

Monitoring, result capture and reporting

• Develop and refine tracking tools to measure speed and quality of learning in a network of 60 labs and throughout UNDP and its partners.
• Liaise with the Country Accelerator Lab teams and track the speed and the scale of learning, uptake of learning elements at various levels (local, vertical, horizontal, networked).
• Measure the impact of networked learning to influence e.g., programming, policies, and other spin off effects.
• Provide information management services to the Accelerator Lab Network for key decision making and reporting. These services will include data collection, analysis including maintaining 4Ws and map production.  

Managing data systems

• Lead the set-up and management of the learning and monitoring tools and systems of the Accelerator Lab Network including data management and analysis.
• Perform administrator functions such as user management, profiles, roles, permissions, configuration, declarative automation, and storage management and training new staff.
• Ensure system’s compliance with transparency and partnership objectives, data privacy standards, interoperability and scalability.
• Serve as an internal expert on third-party tools to manage stakeholder engagement.
• Develop methods to collect and analyze data and metrics to evaluate program performance and quality.
• Design, develop, and manage reports and dashboards to ensure that employees at all levels of the organization have the information they need to make decisions.
• Provide technical advisory support for data structures and data modeling.
• Identify and supervise continuous upgrades of the learning and monitoring system based on user-needs and feedback.
• Create and maintain training materials and internal documentation.
• Proactively adapt data systems to support the evolving needs of the network.
• Generate actionable intelligence to support a stronger learning network of Accelerator Labs.

Managing data and digital partnerships

• In close collaboration with the Learning Experience Designer for the Accelerator Lab Network, identify partnerships inside and outside the UN family to accelerate lab network learning at the global, regional and local level.
• Establish and manage specific partnerships related to data and systems to ensure a comprehensive digital set up to support the Accelerator Lab Network as a whole.
• Lead on the development and management of partnerships for the Accelerator Lab network including with data producing entities for data sharing protocols.

Core

Innovation Ability to make new and useful ideas work

Level 5: Creates new and relevant ideas and leads others to implement them

Leadership Ability to persuade others to follow

Level 5: Plans and acts transparently, actively works to remove barriers

People Management Ability to improve performance and satisfaction

Level 5: Models high professional standards and motivates excellence in others

Communication Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform

Level 5: Gains trust of peers, partners, clients by presenting complex concepts in practical terms to others

Delivery Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement

Level 5: Critically assesses value and relevance of existing policy / practice and contributes to enhanced delivery of products, services, and innovative solutions

Technical/Functional

Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise

Innovation Ability to manage organizational resources and deployment in pursuit of innovation approaches and initiatives 

Technical Competency Aggregate

Education

• Master's degree in one of the following fields or related studies: Digital Management, Business Administration, Computer/Data Science, Information/Data/Knowledge Management, Information Technology, International Affairs/Relations, Development Studies and or Social Innvation.

 Experience

• At least 8 years of proven experience in learning, knowledge management, and online community engagement.
• Proven experience in the areas of social innovation.
• 3-5 years work experience in the development field.
• Experience in results monitoring for development innovation projects desirable.
• Knowledge of the potential of machine learning for sustainable development is highly desirable.
• Experience in managing CRM systems is highly desirable.

Language Requirements

• Proficiency in English.
• Working knowledge of other UN language highly desirable.

Other

• Knowledge of Tableau, Power BI, D3 and other visualization tools is highly desirable.

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.

Workforce diversity

UNDP is committed to achieving diversity within its workforce, and encourages all qualified applicants, irrespective of gender, nationality, disabilities, sexual orientation, culture, religious and ethnic backgrounds to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

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