Please note the appropriate Tier indicated in the vacancy title and ensure that you are holding the applicable contract as defined below:

• Tier 1: UNDP/ UNCDF/ UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed term (FTA) appointments (defined as “internal” candidates)  
• Tier 2: UNDP/ UNCDF/ UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA) and personnel on regular PSA contracts 
• Tier 3: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates

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 change 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 Digital, AI & Innovation Hub 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.

Our Team

The Digital, AI & Innovation Hub (DAI) is a global team of innovators, digital strategists, and changemakers who are passionate about making digital a positive force for people and planet. The DAI Hub is a transformation team within UNDP tasked with the responsibility to implement the Digital Strategy by building the required programmatic (planning and implementation of development projects to support government partners) and internal capacities at the country, regional and global level. Within the DAI Hub, the Digital Programme Enablement Team develops and scales UNDP’s digital programmes, building global and local digital ecosystems that reaches and works for everyone, including in areas such as discovery and implementation of scalable digital solutions, digital skills-building, and inclusive connectivity. 

Project Description

The AI Hub for Sustainable Development and UNDP’s Local Language Accelerator Programme are designed to strengthen AI ecosystems in Africa and beyond. 

The AI Hub for Sustainable Development is a collaborative initiative accelerating sustainable AI-driven industrial growth in Africa. The Hub’s mission is to nurture a space where novel ideas emerge and thrive, with transformative solutions by Africa’s innovators and start-ups to build AI foundations—in areas of green compute, data and talent. Connecting everyone into an ecosystem where they can grow together and advance prosperity for all is at the AI Hub's core. The AI Hub is aligned with the African Union’s AI Strategy and is anchored by 14 partner countries in Africa (Algeria, Angola, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Republic of the Congo, Senegal, Tanzania and Tunisia), catalyzing transformation across six key sectors–energy, agriculture, health, water, education & training, and infrastructure.

The Local Language Accelerator Programme focuses on accelerating inclusive access to and local use of data in low-resourced languages to ensure digital products are available in local languages, natively spoken by more than 3 billion people. The main areas of action of the accelerator are global, regional and local advocacy, facilitation of responsible partnerships and strategic investments into UNDP’s Country Offices and their local partners. 

Scope of Work 

Reporting into the Data Lead, Digital & AI Programmes at the Digital, AI & Innovation Hub, the incumbent will be responsible for below;

Result 1: Support implementation of the Local Language Accelerator Programme

Key results include a deep understanding of challenges and solutions in the Language AI space and UNDP’s role in that field, a strong implementation outcome from the country engagements and trusted, engaged relationships with key partners of the programme.

Result 2: Support implementation of the Language AI workstream under the AI Sprint

Key results include successful relationship building with UNDP’s regional bureaux, strong implementation outcomes from the country engagements, and effective knowledge sharing within and across regions on Language AI

Result 3: Contribute to the AI Hub for Sustainable Development

Key results include concrete recommendations for strategy and activities of the AI Hub for Sustainable Development, with a focus on Language AI, an engaged community around the AI Hub and compelling communication products around the Hub and Language AI.

Key Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Data & AI Project Analyst will be responsible for the following duties:

Provision of technical support 

• In close collaboration with country teams, support the implementation of country programmes on Language AI globally and consolidate lessons learned, including from UNDP’s AI Sprint
• Lead the community engagement of participants of the Local Language Partnerships Accelerator Pilot.

Establish partnerships, open channels of communication and support resource mobilization 

• Support stakeholder management with AI experts, funders and other potential partners, including UNDP’s expert group on closing the language gap in AI
• Coordinate with the Communication Specialist to contribute to knowledge products such as blogs and white papers and internal documents on AI and Language AI specifically
• Provide partnership, administrative, and programming expertise support to the Data Lead in managing the DAI Hub’s country digital programmes delivery
• Contribute to the design and strategic planning of data and partnership related initiatives to be implemented by the Country Digital Transformation team, including through setting up the meetings with key stakeholders, and the preparation of the relevant materials

Monitor and report on progress in implementing project activities and achieving the targets set. 

• Lead monitoring and evaluation of project
• Monitor implementation and progress in achieving goals and targets in accordance with the established quality criteria and UNDP rules, regulations, and standards. Identify, analyze, and take adequate measures to manage emerging issues, problems, and risks

Facilitate knowledge and capacity building, knowledge sharing and advocacy relevant to the assigned thematic area(s).

• Organize training, workshops, and capacity building activities in a consultative manner, involving technical experts and stakeholders that may include the government, private sector, NGOs, donors, and/or academia.
• Identify, synthesize and document best practices and lessons learned that are generated from the project and implementing partners.
• 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 position will be reporting to Data Lead, Digital & AI Programmes at the Digital, AI & Innovation Hub

Competencies

• Achieve Results:                                     LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
• Think Innovatively:                                 LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements 
• Learn Continuously:                               LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
• Adapt with Agility:                                 LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible 
• Act with Determination:                         LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident
• Engage and Partner:                               LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion:               LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination

Cross Functional and 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 to them as a source for creativity. Ability to facilitate processes and create conditions that are open for diverse inputs, stimulate collaboration and sharing.
• Collective intelligence design: Ability to design, lead or manage processes that help a collective to become smarter together by bringing together diverse groups of people, data, and technology. Ability to define and articulate why and how collective intelligence can add value to development programming (understanding problems; finding solutions; decision making and mobilizing action; monitor progress in real time, learning and adapting) Being able to integrate different types of data (real- time, ‘ground- truth’ and novel data) to unlock fresh insights. Understand guidelines and principles around data privacy, ethics and protection. Increase diversity of inputs – and look beyond the 'usual suspects', ability to navigate and manage a variety of actors, appreciate the diversity in perspectives, opinions, expertise. Ability to facilitate platforms or sessions where people can contribute by providing their views and ideas independently and freely. Being people-centred: ensure people understand and can determine how their data is used. Feedback inputs and insights to empower people, don't extract data.

Business Direction & Strategy

• System Thinking: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.

Business Management 

• Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals
• Partnerships Management: Ability to build and maintain partnerships Zith Zide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies
• Communication: Ability to 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

Minimum Qualifications of the Successful IPSA

Min. Education requirements

• Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Public Administration, Public Policy, Management, Law, Economics, Finance or a related field is required. Or
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas stated above, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree

Min. years of relevant work experience              

• Applicants with a Master’s degree (or equivalent) in a relevant field of study are not required to have professional work experience. 
• Applicants with a Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) are required to have a minimum of two (2) years of relevant professional experience in AI and data governance. 

Desired skills

• Experience in working in and coordinating global partnerships is required. This also includes proven experience in stakeholder management within global projects.
• Experience in project management 
• Proven track record of sound understanding of the role of AI and data for sustainable development 
• Proven track record of sound understanding ethics in application of data to solve complex problems 
• Experience in data analysis.
• Experience working with the UN or other large scale development organization 
• Experience in resource mobilization 
• Experience in project monitoring 

Required Language(s)  

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

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.

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