Open Source Software Development Consultant Advisor, Office of Innovation/Innovation Solution (Stockholm, Sweden), Remote with travel, 12 months, # 595606
Organizational Context
UNICEF operates in over 190 countries and territories, dedicated to saving children's lives, defending their rights, and helping them fulfill their potential. We are committed, passionate, and proud of our work, viewing the promotion of every child's rights not just as a job, but as a calling. UNICEF offers diverse opportunities for professional and personal development.
Job Purpose
The UNICEF Office of Innovation's Solutions team seeks an experienced Open Source Software Development Advisor to provide technical advisory and mentorship to early-stage technology startups and initiatives. This consultancy will support the Venture Fund's efforts to enhance the technical capacity, scalability, and sustainability of innovative digital solutions for children and young people. The advisor will leverage substantial experience in software engineering, IT, and open-source product development, particularly within startup and innovation ecosystems. The role involves mentoring the Solutions team on software architecture, product strategy, development lifecycle management, engineering best practices, code quality, security, scalability, and open-source approaches. The advisor will also contribute to developing technical guidance and resources for startups building high-quality, sustainable open-source digital public goods.
Responsibilities
Provide technical mentorship to the Solutions team on software architecture, product strategy, software development lifecycle management, engineering best practices, code quality, security, scalability, and open-source development approaches. Contribute to the development and maintenance of technical guidance, tools, and resources that support startups in building high-quality, sustainable open-source digital public goods. Work directly with Venture Fund portfolio companies to assess technical needs, identify risks and capability gaps, and develop tailored support roadmaps. Connect teams with relevant expertise and resources to accelerate progress toward agreed milestones and deliverables. Through regular engagement with startups and collaboration with internal UNICEF stakeholders, strengthen the technical execution, product maturity, and long-term sustainability of supported solutions. Assess technical needs, identify risks, and develop support roadmaps for portfolio companies. Facilitate knowledge sharing and capacity building within the innovation ecosystem. Ensure adherence to open-source licensing and community best practices. Advise on strategies for scaling digital solutions to reach more children and young people. Collaborate with product managers and engineers to refine technical roadmaps and implementation plans.
Work Experience
A minimum of 8 years of relevant professional experience in developing applications, with a preference for full-stack software development projects. Extensive experience with system integration, interface design, and API development. Proven capacity to work with collaborative teams across various locations and with different technical skills. Experience in knowledge sharing, capacity building, or training for innovation is desirable.
Skills
JavaScript front-end frameworks (React, Vue, Angular), Node.js, Ruby, Python, Java, Rust, Go, C++, Bash, Powershell, Cloud services (Azure, AWS, Google Cloud), Geospatial DBs, libraries, and data structures, SQL and NoSQL database systems, Git, pull requests, CI/CD, Open-Source project community experience, System integration, Interface design, API development, Technical mentorship, Product strategy