Mission and objectives

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. And we never give up. UNICEF Malawi Country Programme (2019-2023) is aligned with the Government of Malawi’s Growth and Development Strategy (MDGS III) and the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF). The programme supports the Government of Malawi to meet its commitment to respect, protect and fulfil children’s rights in line with international conventions and standards. The country programme is guided by the principles of children’s rights, equity, gender equality, inclusion and resilience, and supports evidence-based, integrative and innovative programming. The vision is that ”all girls and boys in Malawi especially the most disadvantaged and deprived, realize their rights”. The programme focuses on early childhood (parenting, high-impact social services, early stimulation and learning), middle childhood and adolescence (learning, multi-sectoral services, active citizenship), communities (decentralized services and systems, community ownership, social norms), programme effectiveness (monitoring, evaluation, HACT, Innovation, Social Protection and Social Policy and External Communication. The programme is based on “leaving no child behind”, realizing ‘rights for all children in Malawi’.

Context

The Country Programme envisages the progressive fulfilment of the rights to survival, development, education, protection and participation of all children, including adolescents, especially the most vulnerable and those at risk of being left behind, in an inclusive, resilient and protective environment. The programme and operational effectiveness and efficiency imperatives support all components. Risk-informed programming across the humanitarian and development nexus in all three outcome areas will strengthen disaster preparedness, enhance climate adaptation/mitigation and response, and increase the resilience capacity of institutions, communities and young people. Programming aligns with UNICEF Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Action and the Inter-Agency Standing Committee’s Transformative Agenda. The Innovation function falls under Programme Effectiveness. As part of the CPD 2024-2028, piloting and scaling innovation and digital technology have been identified as key drivers to accelerate programme delivery and effectiveness, addressing emerging national challenges such as the climate crisis. Following stakeholder consultations, the Innovation Unit has identified three key innovation portfolios to prioritize: 1. Youth and Social Innovation Portfolio 2. Technology for Development (T4D) and Digitalization Portfolio 3. Data Innovation Portfolio Regarding the government’s priorities, the Malawi Government’s overarching development agenda, Vision2063, has emphasized the need for bolstering human capacity development around digital skills and innovation not only as alternative learning and socio-economic methods but as core strategies to sustain growth and resilience. In the United Nations May 2023 Policy Brief on Vision2063, the paper cites “sustained investment in enterprise and SME development, innovation, and digital technologyRegarding the government’s priorities, the Malawi Government’s overarching development agenda, Vision2063, has emphasized the need for bolstering human capacity development around digital skills and innovation not only as alternative learning and socio-economic methods but as core strategies to sustain growth and resilience. In the United Nations May 2023 Policy Brief on Vision2063, the paper cites “sustained investment in enterprise and SME development, innovation, and digital technology”. Given this background, an exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Innovation Unit to support mainstreaming Innovation and T4D into the UNICEF programming, identifying, testing, and scaling up innovative solutions for children in Malawi. Under the close supervision and guidance of the Innovation Specialist, with a secondary reporting line to the Monitoring Specialist in the Programme Planning and Monitoring Unit, the incumbent will assist in planning, implementing, and monitoring key projects within the Data and Technology Innovation portfolio. The role also involves supporting the Innovation Unit in critical areas, including partnership development, resource mobilization, capacity building, and knowledge management. These are vital to accelerating UNICEF Malawi’s programme delivery for children and young people in the country.

Task Description

Under the supervision of the Innovation Specialist, with secondary supervision from the Monitoring Specialist, the UN Volunteer Digital Innovation Officer will: Digital Innovation Programme Planning, Implementation, and Monitoring (40%): • Support the data and technology innovation portfolio, including planning, implementation, monitoring, and reporting on all innovation-led or supported programmes. • Strategize, roll out and build capacity for the geospatial data platform (e.g., GeoSight and Geo Data Catalogue) to enable UNICEF and government data-driven programming. • Support Sections to enhance and expand geospatial data collection, management and visualization, including identifying opportunities. • Contribute to the strategic scaling of flagship digital initiatives by identifying challenges, documenting lessons learned, and supporting evidence generation. Knowledge Management, Sharing, and Capacity Building (30%): • Ensure the innovation knowledge base (e.g., INVENT and SharePoint) is up to date, including research, analysis, documents, and reports. • Capture, synthesize, and share lessons from innovative programming and pilot projects to enhance the country’s programme learning. • Identify and support opportunities for awareness, capacity building, and training related to Innovation and T4D. Partnership Building and Resource Mobilization (30%): • Strengthen engagement and build partnerships within Malawi’s digital ecosystem, identifying collaboration opportunities to advance child rights outcomes. • Conduct proactive research on potential donors and contribute to resource mobilization and fundraising efforts. Results/expected outputs: As an active UNICEF team member, efficient, timely, responsive, client-friendly and high-quality support rendered to UNICEF and its beneficiaries in the accomplishment of her/his functions, including: • Support for Digital Innovation Programme: Efficient planning, implementation, monitoring, and reporting of the data and technology innovation portfolio, including the strengthening of geospatial data collection, management and use and the rollout of geospatial data platforms like GeoSight and Geo Data Catalogue. • Knowledge Management and Sharing: Ensuring the innovation knowledge base (e.g., INVENT and SharePoint) is up to date with research, analysis, relevant documents, and sharing lessons learned from innovative programming and pilot projects. • Strengthening Malawi’s Digital Ecosystem: Building and strengthening partnerships within the Malawian digital ecosystem to advance child rights outcomes and foster collaboration in the digital innovation space. • Community Engagement and Volunteerism: Participating in UN Volunteers activities, promoting volunteerism, and contributing to the UNV Buddy Programme and online volunteering initiatives. Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective is systematically applied, integrated and documented in all activities throughout the assignment.

Competencies and values

• Professionalism: demonstrated understanding of operations relevant to UNDP; technical capabilities or knowledge relevant or transferrable to UNDP procedures and rules; discretion, political sensitivity, diplomacy and tact to deal with clients; ability to apply good judgement; ability to liaise and coordinate with a range of different actors, especially in senior positions; where appropriate, high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; resourcefulness and willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures; ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented; • Integrity: demonstrate the values and ethical standards of the UN and UNDP in daily activities and behaviours while acting without consideration of personal gains; resist undue political pressure in decision-making; stand by decisions that are in the organization’s interest even if they are unpopular; take prompt action in cases of unprofessional or unethical behaviour; does not abuse power or authority; • Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; excellent interpersonal skills; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, mixed-gender environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity; sensitivity and adaptability to culture, gender, religion, nationality and age; commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of UN operations; ability to achieve common goals and provide guidance or training to colleagues; • Commitment to continuous learning: initiative and willingness to learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments in area of expertise; ability to adapt to changes in work environment. • Planning and organizing: effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities; • Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, articulate options and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; ability to communicate and empathize with staff (including national staff), military personnel, volunteers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diverse backgrounds; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups; • Flexibility: adaptability and ability to live and work in potentially hazardous and remote conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort; to operate independently in austere environments for protracted periods; willingness to travel within the area of operations and to transfer to other duty stations within the area of operations as necessary;

Living conditions and remarks

As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials.

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements