Innovation Specialist, P-3, Fixed Term Position, Malawi, Lilongwe, Malawi, #00103341
Organizational Context
UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential. We are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.
Job Purpose
The Innovation Specialist will lead and mainstream innovation and digital technology-enabled programming across the UNICEF Malawi country programme. This role provides technical leadership and support for innovation planning and technology-enabled programme design, implementation, monitoring, and documentation across programme sections and with partners. The specialist will coordinate programme-wide innovation and digital transformation priorities, advising government counterparts on child-centred digital transformation, responsible AI governance, and technology policy implementation. The position supports the testing, scale-up, and institutionalization of innovation products and technology-enabled solutions, strengthening results tracking, evidence use, and knowledge management. It also involves building staff and partner capacity in innovation and digital impact, supporting sustainable financing approaches, and fostering partnerships with various stakeholders.
Responsibilities
Lead and mainstream innovation and digital technology-enabled programming across the country programme. Provide technical leadership and support to innovation planning and technology-enabled programme design, implementation, monitoring, and documentation across programme sections and with partners. Coordinate programme-wide innovation and digital transformation priorities. Advise government counterparts on strengthening child-centred digital transformation, responsible artificial intelligence (AI) governance, and technology policy implementation systems. Support the testing, scale-up, and institutionalization of innovation products and technology-enabled solutions. Strengthen results tracking, evidence use, and knowledge management. Build staff and partner capacity in innovation and digital impact. Support sustainable and innovative financing approaches for scaling promising solutions. Foster partnerships with government, UN, NGO, academia, private sector, and technology actors. Collaborate across programme sections and work closely with the UNICEF Digital Impact Division, Centre of Excellences, and the Office of Innovation. Drive innovation by advancing scalable solutions, digital impact initiatives, and partnerships that remove bottlenecks and deliver better results for children.
Work Experience
A minimum of five years of professional experience in ICT management, business analysis, Programme management, monitoring and evaluation, innovation and digital impact, child-centered digital governance, digital health, digital education, training and capacity building, project management and large-scale roll-out, partnership management, innovative and/or sustainable financing or similar areas in a large international organization and/or corporation.
Skills
Partnership building, Resource mobilization, Innovative/sustainable financing, Strong writing, Communication, Negotiation, Influencing, Cross-functional collaboration, Digital transformation, AI governance, Technology policy implementation, Project management