AI Centre of Excellence Lead

Organizational Context

The UNOPS IT Group (ITG) drives digital transformation by managing IT infrastructure and business applications globally. ITG provides essential systems for project implementation and corporate initiatives, focusing on operational excellence and continuous improvement. The AI Centre of Excellence is being established to deploy robust AI infrastructure and solutions, ensuring scalability and ethical governance across UNOPS.

Job Purpose

The AI Centre of Excellence Lead, reporting to the CIO, is responsible for the strategic governance, pipeline management, development, implementation, and scaling of AI solutions across UNOPS. This senior role involves leading a team, fostering innovation, ensuring responsible AI adoption, and driving measurable impact through the deployment of AI products. The lead will ensure AI initiatives align with user needs, ethical standards, and organizational goals, contributing to the successful integration of AI across UNOPS' global operations.

Responsibilities

The AI Centre of Excellence Lead will provide strategic governance for AI initiatives, contributing to policy revisions and establishing a framework for AI ethics, transparency, data privacy, and responsible deployment. This includes managing the AI request intake process, validating new AI product opportunities, and defining AI readiness criteria for field offices. The role involves owning the rollout of AI products, managing relationships with engineering teams, and driving AI adoption to achieve measurable efficiency gains. Additionally, the lead will manage a team, foster a collaborative innovation culture, build a global AI community of practice, and continuously monitor emerging technology trends and risks.

Work Experience

Required experience includes working in technology, digital solutions, data-driven initiatives, or operational leadership, managing the end-to-end lifecycle of programs from needs assessment to scaling. Proven experience in establishing governance structures and acting as a strategic interface between technical and business leadership is essential. Desired experience includes AI/ML adoption, digital product lifecycle management, AI-specific governance, inter-agency collaboration, and working within the UN system.

Skills

Innovation Development, Stakeholder Management, Team Leadership, Technical Leadership, Strategic Thinking

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