Background
UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.
UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.
The Regional Innovation Centre (RIC) is based at the UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub and serves the Government partners and Country Offices (COs) within the Asia Pacific region to support them to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. The RIC is part of the Global Policy Network which is an integrated network of global policy teams and professionals who work to support the UNDP strategic plan. The RIC leads on Innovation and Digital across the region as part of the GPN working closely with many partners including the UNDP Chief Digital Office, the Strategic Innovation Unit, the SDG Integration team and the Accelerator Lab network in Countries.  Digital Transformation is a core pillar of the new UNDP strategic plan 2022–2025 and the Regional Innovation Centre requires the services of experienced Digital Transformation experts to be based out in one of the Country Offices (CO) listed above to support 3-5 COs in collaboration with Regional Digital Transformation Lead to grow and scale the UNDP Digital Transformation offer across the region.
Duties and Responsibilities
Under the guidance of the Digital Transformation Lead and respective CO Deputy Resident Representative the Subregional Digital Specialist works in close collaboration with the operations, programme and project teams in RIC/BRH, Country Offices and UNDP Headquarters to deliver to the above requirements throughout the year. The person will also have a link with the UNDP Chief Digital Office and work collaboratively with the global team and will work with the digital advocates network and digital focal points in each country.
The Regional Innovation Centre (RIC), based at the UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub, has been established by UNDP Asia Pacific to leverage innovation to generate new development responses and robust development solutions, by developing new products, services and offers, new ways of solving development issues across the Governments and Country Offices within the UNDP Asia Pacific Region. The Centre provides a safe space to test development solutions through portfolios of policy experiments, new and innovative products and through scaling best practice solutions that exist within the region. The RIC works to foster an innovative culture that helps the UNDP, governments and other partners be on the front foot of spotting, understanding, and integrating new development approaches into their work. The Centre has a key role in helping deliver on the UNDP Strategic Plan 2022 – 2025 which has systems transformation, strategic innovation and digital transformation at its heart. 
The Subregional Digital Specialist, under the guidance of the Digital Transformation Lead, RIC team and relevant GPN team members to develop a clear and coherent strategy for Digital Transformation across the subregion/ countries, to identify new trends and opportunities across the digital ecosystem to partner with organisations outside the UNDP to grow and scale the UNDPs impact, to provide timely services to UNDP Country Offices on digital advice in partnership with various other parts of the UNDP including the Chief Digital Office. Additionally, the person would assist in developing transformative digital products and services into well-defined digital investable offerings that support more innovative and digital ways of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals through integration of digital transformation in the post-COVID19 recovery.
The UNDP approach to Digital Transformation has “Leave no one behind” at its heart, is grounded in an approach that emphasises inclusion, ethics, human rights and environmental sustainability at its heart and drives an agile approach to development within digital.  The Subregional Digital Specialists are expected to embody these values.

Strategic Management, product development of Digital Transformation Offer

  • Continuously develop a clear, compelling and coherent digital strategies and offerings for the countries / subregion that meets the needs of partner governments and UNDP Country Offices
  • Scan for and identify new opportunities and shape digital products/services/offers that support Digital Transformation and UNDP’s positioning as a leading player in shaping and digitally empowered post-Covid recovery in the respective subregion
  • Together with the relevant COs build the pipeline of projects and initiatives aiming at deepening Digital Transformation in the subregion and countries, while seeking synergies with ongoing and projects and initiatives of RIC and other GPN teams, including digital public good opportunities and other potential “offers” that align with government, and partner needs
  • In the interested COs support scaling strategy and business model for the RICs “Digital Transformation Product” under the leadership of the Regional Digital Transformation Lead
  • Expand and localize the future focused and analytical work initiated by RIC and other GPN teams by conducting thematic research on areas of major opportunities to accelerate Digital Transformation (digital divide, meaningful connectivity, distributed ledgers, ‘rule as code’, automated decision-making, Government as a Platform, etc.)  
  • Identify new/emerging opportunities for RIC and other relevant GPN teams to accelerate progress in areas related to Digital Transformation in the respective Country Offices and provide support to capitalize on these opportunities

Building partnerships, resource mobilisation and communications

  • Support CO senior management to identify and follow up on strategic opportunities for resource mobilization for implementation of the UNDP services and programs on digital transformation
  • Contribute to developing the capacities in Digital Transformation by bringing additional expertise, local and international, in consultation with the Regional Digital Transformation Lead
  • Organize and implement knowledge sharing and networking events to position UNDP as a leading player on digital transformation in the respective countries
  • Actively engage in expansion of financial and non-financial partnerships through developing and connecting new product offers to partner needs and demands 
  • Proactively use blog posts and social media to share insights, attract partners and help position UNDP in the area of Digital Transformation

Provide digital advice and support services and advice to UNDP GPN and Country Offices

  • Provide strategic digital advice to the Global Policy Network teams across the subregion with focus on localizing regional offers for Country Office support as part of subregion
  • Help respective Country Offices develop a digital portfolio, investable digital products and integrate “digital by default” approach into the CO programming and offering towards partners. This approach should be human centered, evidence-based, agile, adaptive to changing context and partners’ needs, and prioritize digital inclusion and access, in particular for women, youth and marginalized communities
  • Scan for and identify opportunities to scale current Country Office or GPN digital products or services and work to develop scaling strategies and plans.
  • Support ‘bottom-up’ approaches through which to accelerate engagement with stakeholders around Digital Transformation
  • Actively encourage County Offices and government counterparts peer-learning across the subregion and with other regions, by creating opportunities to share experiences and make sure that digital assets, experiences and capabilities are leveraged across the region  
  • In tandem with the Digital Advocates’ Network, curated by the CDO, support development of digital literacy and capabilities across CO’s program and operations teams
  • Link County Office advice and support in development of relevant digital products and to scaling regionally and globally cutting-edge practice and products from the Country Offices
Competencies

Core competencies:

  • Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact 
  • Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems 
  • Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences
  • Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands 
  • Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results
  • Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration
  • Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

Business Direction & Strategy    
  • Strategic Thinking: Abilities to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDP’s objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks and opportunities, linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions
Business Management    
  • Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals
Digital & Innovation    
  • Policy/regulations for digital and emerging technology: Ability to design or advise on regulations and policy for digital and emerging technology.
  • Digital inclusion: Knowledge of how digital inclusion works, opportunities and challenges for governments and society
  • Digital product management: Ability to design and lead digital product development including testing, ongoing product iteration, product strategy and delivery.
  • E-governance: Knowledge of how it works, understanding of the opportunities and challenges for governments and society
  • Digital transformation design: Practical and strategic skills in digital transformation for governments and organizations.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
  • Master’s degree in IT, Business Administration, Public Administration, Public Policy, Economics, Social Science, International Relations, International Development, or related fields. Bachelor’s degree may be considered with additional 2 years of relevant experience  
  • Any additional degree / certification in area relevant to digital transformation in public sector is an asset
Experience:
  • Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in e-governance, digital economy and digital transformation space, such as digital program development, public service and business process re-design, support to design of national / sub-national or sectoral digital transformation strategies, digital capability development in public and private sector, etc.
  • A proven track record of working directly with Governments/ multilaterals on Digital Transformation/Digital Government/Public Service Delivery systems/projects, preferably in a developing country context 
  • Demonstrated strategic competency and conceptual competency and ability to see the big picture and connect it with day-to-day delivery 
  • Demonstrated experience in providing digital transformation advice and services and its integration into broader strategy, thematic offerings and programs 
  • Proven expertise of building cross-sector partnerships and cross-culture understandings
  • Proven experience with resource mobilisation in order to scale the impact of the work
  • Demonstrated ability in researching latest trends in digital transformation/innovation and sharing the findings in easy-to-understand ways
  • Ability to challenge, convince and manage multiple stakeholders.
  • Excellent administrative and computer skills, including Microsoft Office, and knowledge of spreadsheet, database packages and ERP system
  • Demonstrated “can do” attitude, entrepreneurialism and highly communicative 
  • Demonstrated yearly and monthly planning ability to ensure objectives are met and a strong delivery focus
  • Ability to build strong and sustainable relationships and capability to interact at all levels within the organization. Ability to handle complex situations and multiple responsibilities simultaneously, mixing long-term projects with the urgency of immediate demands
  • Ability to collaborate with and achieve actionable results 
  • Ability to deliver in a high-pressure environment
  • Self-motivated and able to work with a high degree of autonomy
  • Fully committed and motivated to achieve the aims of UNDP and the SDGs

Required languages:

  • Fluency in English is required. Working knowledge of a local language of country of posting or the countries within the subregion will be an asset.

Travel: 

  • UNDP will cover the cost of travel of the individual to join the duty station, as well as their return to their home upon completion of their services. Travel costs are covered only in the event that the function will be undertaken physically in the duty station and excludes working from home arrangements. b) Include any official travel expected to be associated with performing the functions 
Disclaimer
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
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