Innovation Specialist, P-3, Temporary Position, GPD/Office of Innovation, 364 days, Solutions, OOI, #00135967
Organizational Context
UNICEF operates in over 190 countries, dedicated to saving children's lives, defending their rights, and helping them fulfill their potential from early childhood through adolescence. 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 fosters career growth with diverse opportunities for professional and personal development.
Job Purpose
The Innovation Specialist - Responsible Innovation in Technology for Children (RITEC) will coordinate the next phase of UNICEF’s RITEC programme, ensuring its workstreams remain responsive to the needs of children, partners, collaborators, and donors. This role supports the integration of RITEC learnings, tools, and implementation approaches across the Office of Innovation and UNICEF Country Offices. It also expands RITEC’s engagement, advocacy, and influence with industry, academia, governments, and other stakeholders. The specialist will act as the primary UNICEF focal point for RITEC’s implementation and external engagement, particularly within the Nordic ecosystem, to advance responsible technology and children’s digital wellbeing. The position requires regular in-office presence in Stockholm due to frequent collaboration and participation in meetings and events.
Responsibilities
Under the leadership of the Innovation Manager, the Innovation Specialist will coordinate projects across the full project cycle, including planning, implementation, budget monitoring, results monitoring, and reporting. They will serve as the technical focal point for RITEC, ensuring quality assurance, partner engagement, and knowledge management among all stakeholders. The specialist will coordinate and facilitate RITEC’s evolving workstreams, including an integrated industry engagement stream, an academic co-creation stream for developing practical roadmaps, and Communities of Practice. This involves ensuring coherence, timely delivery, and alignment with RITEC objectives. Additionally, the role involves contributing to external representation, industry engagement, advocacy, and coordination with communications efforts, representing UNICEF in various forums and maintaining constructive working relationships with diverse partners and funders.
Work Experience
Minimum of five (5) years of professional experience related to children’s rights, including managing complex multi-stakeholder partnerships and working in collaborative, cross-functional teams. Experience representing an organization in external forums is also required.
Skills
Project coordination, Multi-stakeholder partnership management, Cross-functional team collaboration, Facilitation, Conflict resolution, External representation, Innovation environment experience, Budget monitoring, Results-based management, Knowledge management, Advocacy, Industry engagement