Background

At UNDP (United Nations Development Programme), we are on a mission to end poverty, build democratic governance, rule of law, and inclusive institutions around the world. UNDP is the United Nations’ global sustainable development organization working across 170 countries with 17,000 staff.

Digital technology is one of the most fundamental drivers of changes this century. Digital not only provides new opportunities and challenges for development, but it is also fundamentally changing the context in which development is taking place. Since the launch of its first Digital Strategy in 2019, UNDP has been on an ambitious transformation journey to harness the potential of digital technology for development. We are now in the next phase of our digital transformation, implementing the Digital Strategy 2022-2025, which puts forth a vision to create a world in which digital is an empowering force for people and planet.

The Chief Digital Office at UNDP is leading this effort with the goal of embedding digital technology in the development projects that we implement, supporting government partners to build inclusive digital eco-systems, and transforming the organization internally to enable these changes.

Project Description

Like roads and bridges, Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) is made of digital building blocks that allow governments to provide safe and inclusive services to people at scale.

Some governments are already deploying DPI at incredible speed and scale, while others are at the beginning of their digital journeys. Regardless of what stage they are in their journey, the necessary safeguards ought to be in place to ensure DPI is safe, trusted, and inclusive for all.

This is where the DPI Safeguards initiative comes in. It is an opportunity for everyone, including from the public and private sectors and civil society, to share lessons learned, create guidance and shape the world’s collective digital future.

The DPI Safeguards Initiative, co-led by UN Office for Digital and Emerging Technologies (ODET) and UNDP aims to minimize risks across all layers of digital transformation—technical, normative, and organizational—while ensuring maximum adherence to standards and regulations. This strategic focus creates an environment where DPI implementation is secure, inclusive, practical, and adaptable, thereby safeguarding the integrity of DPI and fostering a secure and trustworthy environment for all stakeholders.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Project Analyst, Digital Public Infrastructure Safeguards will support the implementation of DPI Safeguards in-country strategy, coordinating and engaging with 25 implementers across local ecosystems to cover all stakeholders such as   governments, DPGs, the private sector, and civil society organizations.

The role will be responsible for the following duties:

• Support in designing and maintaining systems and processes that support the end-to-end delivery of key outputs and work with prioritized countries and implementers
• Support in project managing key country-based convenings spread across the Safeguards adoption lifecycle with implementers.
• Measure outcomes of Safeguards adoption cycle and capture moments to highlight in interesting formats like journals or case studies with a focus should be on identifying evidence of impact.
• Draft presentations for key audiences, ensuring that presentations and key insights support the achievement of DPI Safeguards implementation goals.
• Leverage analytics of the Safeguards Hub to identify improvements, grow community engagement, and boost click rates
• Support in crafting messages, research, and advocacy actions for the DPI Safeguards initiative, including support in coordination and delivery of thought leadership, communication, and advocacy, including through multimedia outputs, working closely with the DT Communications Manager.
• Participate in regular meetings with the DPI Safeguards Secretariat team and stakeholders, supporting alignment of shared goals and outputs, and follow-up.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Institutional Arrangement 

The Project Analyst, Digital Public Infrastructure Safeguards will report directly to the DPI Safeguards Advisor and will work closely with the DPI Manager and Digital Transformation Communications and Advocacy Manager.

Competencies

Core: 

Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline

Think Innovatively: LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking

Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback

Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process

Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident

Engage and Partner: LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships

Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

Digital – Co-creation: Ability to design and facilitate a process that enables a diverse group of stakeholders to solve a common problem, develop a practice, or create knowledge together. Ability to embrace diversity, work with a diverse group of stakeholders understand their interests, perspectives and views and tap into them as a source for creativity. Ability to facilitate processes and create conditions that are open for diverse inputs, stimulate collaboration and sharing.

Digital – Storytelling: Ability to empathise with people’s perceptions, motivations, feelings and mental models and craft narratives to build an emotive argument for change accordingly. Ability to present data, insights or information in compelling ways to mobilise resources, talent or action. Ability to choose media and channels that is fit for purpose to reach specific target audiences.

Digital – Digital ecosystems: Knowledge of how they work, understanding of the opportunities and challenges for governments and society.

Communications – Digital strategy: Ability to plan the use of resources through digital channels to reach and engage target audiences effectively and to achieve particular objectives.

Business Management – Project management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals

Business Management – Partnerships management: Build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies

Business Management – Communication: Communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience. Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels

Required Skills and Experience

Minimum education requirements:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in International Relations, Public Administration, Communications, Media, Journalism, or a related field is required, OR
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas stated above in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Minimum years of relevant work experience:

• A minimum of 2 years (with master’s degree) or 4 years (with bachelor’s degree) of experience in project management is required.

Required skills:

• Demonstrated experience in project coordination.
• Demonstrated experience in multi-stakeholder engagement.

Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section:

• Demonstrated experience with editorial and multimedia production.
• Demonstrated understanding of data and/or digital innovation.
• Experience working with the UN or other large scale development organizations.

Required Language(s):

• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish), or a local language, is advantageous.

Professional Certificates:

• Not applicable

HOW TO APPLY:

The following documents shall be required from the applicants:

• Personal CV or P11, indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate, and at least three (3) the most recent professional references of previous supervisors. References may also include peers.
• A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page) indicating why the candidate considers him-/herself to be suitable for the position.
• Managers may ask (ad hoc) for any other materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, such as reports, presentations, publications, campaigns or other materials.

Please note this vacancy is advertised for a short term IPSA. To learn more about this contract type, visit the UNDP International Personnel Service Agreement Policy page.

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.

Right to select multiple candidates

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Scam alert

UNDP does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process. For further information, please see www.undp.org/scam-alert.