UNDP Mongolia’s Inclusive digital transformation initiative prioritizes digital inclusion by equipping individuals with vital digital literacy and employable skills, alongside transforming and enhancing e-service delivery, particularly at the local level. Specifically, the planned interventions generate the following outcomes:

• Empowerment of women, youth, and marginalized communities through targeted digital inclusion awareness campaigns and literacy programs, enhancing digital skills, employability, and fostering digital entrepreneurship.
•  Enhancement of public service accessibility, convenience, and security, particularly at the local level. This involves promoting innovation and collaboration among public institutions through effective change management, data interoperability solutions, strategic utilization of artificial intelligence for optimized service planning and delivery, and bolstered cybersecurity.

UNDP Mongolia is currently seeking a qualified and experienced Digitalization Programme Officer to guide and support the development and implementation of aforementioned digital transformation initiatives in Mongolia. He/she will collaborate closely with the UNDP team and partner organizations to oversee program implementation, steering existing activities, and spearheading new initiatives aimed at advancing inclusive digital transformation in Mongolia.

The Digitalization Programme Officer works under the direct supervision of the Governance Programme Analyst and collaborates closely with the Project Support Unit. The incumbent works with the project personnel, technical experts, individual consultants, and counterparts of the Government beneficiary institution(s), as well as engages with other national institutions, non-governmental organizations, and other relevant actors.

The Digitalization Programme Officer will allocate 60% of their time to supporting and overseeing project implementation, with the remaining 40% dedicated to programme development. Their responsibilities will include the following key tasks:

Contribute to formulation and implementation of inclusive digital transformation programme/initiative strategies and policies.

• Contribute collaborative inputs to the preparation/revision of the Country Program Document (CPD), Integrated Work Plan (IWP) and other strategic documents.
• Identification and development of ideas and proposals for programme intervention by UNDP within the digital transformation area.
• Operationalizing inclusive digital transformation programme/initiatives in collaboration with the main partners and other UN Agencies.
• Development of strong synergies with other parts of UNDP Programme/portfolio to demonstrate their contribution to the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) implementation in Mongolia.
• Advise and support to and apply digital and innovative approaches to other programme design and implementation. Keep abreast of regional and global experience in the identification of effective solutions to development challenges.

Ensure effective management of projects focusing on quality assurance and risk management from formulation to implementation.

• Manage the day-to-day activities of the inclusive digital transformation project portfolio and the overall implementation process, including planning and monitoring to optimize the use of resources and to ensure the successful achievement of project objectives and results specified in project document.
• Develop project planning process and ensure the work plan and a fully costed budget are prepared based on sound capacity assessments and in accordance with UNDP POPP (Project and Operations Policies and Procedures) / PPM (Initiative and Project Management) Guidelines.
• Review the results framework and update the indicators, baselines, and targets of the assigned portfolio. Develop clear strategies and an effective system for data collection, means of verification, and information sharing and reporting.
• Oversee planning, budgeting, implementation and monitoring of the assigned projects. Oversee project implementation with the partners within the inclusive digital transformation initiative areas. Ensure that design and formulation of project considers societal digital technology risks and opportunities and other future signals.
• Ensure project areas and track use of financial resources in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations.
• Ensure digital technology solutions in project implementation are managed towards scalability and sustainability in line with UNDP’s digital standards.
• Ensure effective application of results-based management tools and track achievement of strategic results.
• Ensure the effective application of UNDP’s Social and Environmental Standards (SES) an integral component of UNDP’s quality assurance and risk management approach, to programming and implementation.
• Support trends analysis for future informed and anticipatory programming.
• Follow up on audit recommendations and ensure the implementation of management responses.
• Prepare and aggregate reports on activities, outputs and outcomes, including donor and corporate reports.
• Support to the rollout of new initiatives and projects.

Ensure creation of strategic partnerships and implementation of the resource mobilization strategy.

• Develop partnerships with the UN Agencies, international financial institutions (IFIs), government institutions, donors, private sector (if applicable to CO), and civil society in inclusive digital transformation initiative areas.
• Analyze and research information on donors, prepare substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation, identify opportunities for initiation of new projects, and substantively contribute to CO resource mobilization efforts.
• Support development of portfolios and CO pipeline including through the design of Project documents, concept notes, proposals, and cross-sectoral coordination in assigned areas to bring resources for projects.

Ensure provision of top-quality advisory services and facilitation of knowledge building and management.

• Identify policy-driven issues. Explore and synthesize best practices and lessons learned directly linked to country policy goals.
• Establish/strengthen national and international advocacy networks. Implement relevant, high -impact advocacy with key partners.
• Provide substantive support in the development of policies and institutions to address country problems and needs in collaboration with the Government and other strategic partners.
• Provide sound contributions to knowledge networks, communities of practice, and digital knowledge platforms.

Competencies:

Core competencies:

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline.
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements.
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback.
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible.
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident.
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships.
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination.

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

Business direction and strategy

• Strategic Thinking: Ability 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.
• System Thinking: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.
• Effective Decision Making: Ability to take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one’s authority, area of expertise and resources.

Business development

• Knowledge Generation: Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need.
• Knowledge Facilitation: Ability to animate individuals and communities of contributors to participate and share, particularly externally.

External Relations & Advocacy

• Public relations: Ability to build and maintain an overall positive public image for the organization, its mandate and its brand, while ensuring that individual campaigns and other communications and advocacy initiatives are supported in reaching the public.

Business management

• Communication: Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience; Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media, and other appropriate channels

• Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in information system, computer science, business administration, public administration, development studies and other closely related fields.
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• Minimum 2 years (with MA degree) or 4 years (with BA degree) of relevant experience at the national and/or international level in managing digital projects, developing and implementing digital strategies and familiarity with digital tools, platforms and technologies.
• Demonstrated experience in the areas of digital economy, digital transformation, digital literacy, project management and public service delivery.
• Excellent understanding/experience of Mongolian government’s digital transformation policies.
• Experience in managing complex initiatives and projects.
  Experience in the use of computers, office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and web-based management systems, and advanced knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages.
• Proven experience in developing successful project proposals and strategies in the digital sector would be an asset.
• Demonstrated experience in the areas of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity would be an asset.
• Experience in working, liaising, and collaborating with UN agencies, governments, NGOs, civil society organizations, and public international organizations.
• Excellent communication and networking skills/experience to facilitate collaborations with diverse partners.
• Demonstrates commitment to UNDP’s mission, vision and values.
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
• Zero tolerance for any harassment, i.e. any offensive behaviour, words and actions, including sexual and psychological harassment, bullying, etc.

Required Languages:

• Excellent knowledge of English and Mongolian, both spoken and written.