Innovation Specialist, (Portfolio, Insight and Alumni Engagement) P-3, TA, 364 Days, #00137370, Office of Innovation, Stockholm, Sweden

Organizational Context

UNICEF operates in over 190 countries, dedicated to saving children's lives, defending their rights, and helping them fulfill their potential. The Office of Innovation is a dynamic team that merges organizational scale with startup agility, leveraging technology and partnerships to create scalable solutions for children's needs.

Job Purpose

The Innovation Specialist will contribute to UNICEF's mission by supporting the Office of Innovation's strategic objectives, particularly in portfolio management, insight generation, and alumni engagement. This role is crucial for identifying, nurturing, and scaling innovative solutions that address the critical needs of children worldwide. By fostering an entrepreneurial approach and building new models of partnership across public, private, and academic sectors, the specialist will help drive impactful change. The position aims to enhance UNICEF's capacity to harness emerging technologies and innovative approaches, ensuring that the most disadvantaged children benefit from advancements and that UNICEF remains at the forefront of child-focused innovation. The role supports the Global Innovation Strategy 2.0, focusing on scaling innovations, catalyzing new solutions, and connecting stakeholders to solve pressing challenges.

Responsibilities

Support the development and implementation of the innovation portfolio management approach, ensuring alignment with UNICEF's strategic priorities and the Global Innovation Strategy 2.0. This includes tracking progress, identifying risks and opportunities, and facilitating decision-making for innovation initiatives. Generate insights from the innovation portfolio and market trends to inform strategy, investment decisions, and program design. This involves data analysis, research, and synthesis of information related to emerging technologies and their potential impact on children. Facilitate engagement with alumni of UNICEF innovation programs and the UNICEF Venture Fund, fostering a community of practice and leveraging their expertise and networks. Develop and manage relationships with key partners, including startups, technology providers, academic institutions, and other stakeholders, to co-create and scale solutions. Contribute to the identification and assessment of new innovation opportunities and potential investments, particularly in frontier technology spaces. Support the operational aspects of the Office of Innovation, including reporting, knowledge management, and event organization. Assist in building innovation culture and competence across UNICEF by sharing best practices and facilitating learning opportunities. Contribute to the development of innovative financing mechanisms and financial engineering applications to support UNICEF's innovation agenda.

Work Experience

A minimum of two years of professional experience in innovation, programme management, portfolio management, or a related field, preferably within an international organization or a fast-paced startup environment. Experience with emerging technologies and their application to development challenges is desirable.

Skills

Portfolio Management, Innovation Strategy, Stakeholder Engagement, Data Analysis, Market Research, Partnership Development, Emerging Technologies, Project Management, Communication Skills, Problem-Solving, Entrepreneurial Mindset, Reporting

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