UNICEF has a 70-year history of innovating for children. We believe that new approaches, partnerships and technologies that support realizing children’s rights are critical to improving their lives. The Office of Innovation is a creative, interactive, and agile team in UNICEF. We sit at a unique intersection, where an organization that works on huge global issues meets the start-up thinking, the technology, and the partners that turn this energy into scalable solutions.
The Sustainable WASH Innovation Hub, based in Copenhagen, Denmark, aims to source, pilot and scale transformational and frontier climate resilient innovations that respond to key programmatic challenges that, if solved, will unlock faster progress for a water secure future for children and young people. With our partners, the WASH Hub works to identify proven solutions that can be implemented at national scale in multiple countries – taking the ideas that help thousands in one country and bringing them to dozens of countries across multiple regions, impacting the lives of millions of children.
The WASH portfolio is the home of typically 4-7 solutions that the Hub is currently working with to achieve this goal. It is reviewed and new solutions sourced annually, to ensure that the focus solutions reflect current, cutting-edge innovations in the WASH sector. Focus is on solutions addressing the largest challenges and with the greatest potential for impact and demand. The Hub works closely with UNICEF country and regional teams and external partners to accelerate and scale these solutions, reiterating and contextually adapting the innovation as necessary.
How can you make a difference?
This role supports various evidence-related tasks under the guidance and direction of the Innovation Manager, and in close collaboration with solution leads and colleagues within the Monitoring, Evaluation, Evidence & Learning team at the Office of Innovation.
Your main responsibilities will be:
Strengthening results-based management in portfolio management
Define evidence requirements for defined innovation phases with the WASH innovation portfolio
Generating evidence for WASH innovation scaling: strategic and technical guidance for solutions
Develop innovative approaches to building evidence for WASH solutions that support organizational learning and multi-country scaling.
Develop mechanisms to support offices to apply these evidence methodologies appropriately, such as decision support to identify the appropriate methodologies.
Where required and in collaboration with the P4 Innovation Manager and P3 Innovation Specialist, provide direct assistance to key solutions around evidence building strategies.
Provide technical support to WASH portfolio solution leads in any evidence activities they manage – e.g. development of monitoring checklists, assessment methodologies, assessment tools, advising on innovation‐appropriate approaches.
Support monitoring, learning and evidence generation for donor, key partner and funding reporting within the WASH innovation hub.
Provide thought leadership around measurement of innovation and support any ongoing project developing guidance on innovation measurement.
Assist in the identification and documentation of lessons learnt to guide future programming through the development of best-practice models and / or Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the WASH innovation hub
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Minimum requirements:
Education:
An advanced university degree in Social Sciences or Humanities, Innovation-related field, International Relations, Business Administration, or another related technical field.
*A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.
Work Experience:
A minimum of eight (8) years of relevant professional experience is required at national and international levels in the areas of performance management, monitoring and evaluation, innovation and/or social and economic development and cooperation
Demonstrated experience with performance management, KPI development, results-based management, logic model, theories of change, review/evaluation management is critical
Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency
Demonstrated expertise in innovation practice, spanning start-up to scaling innovations, especially in the social and/or development sectors
Professional work experience in monitoring and evaluation activities, especially with a focus on measurement of innovations/innovation programmes, expertise in approaches such as Social Impact Assessment, LEAN impact, Adaptive learning models, Social blueprint/model canvas, is an asset
Language Requirements:
Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese,
French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.
Desirables:
Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.
Travel:
No travel is required for this post.
Advertised: Romance Standard Time Deadline: Romance Standard Time
About the Organization
UNICEF is out to change the world for children vaccination by vaccination, blanket by blanket, biscuit by biscuit, book by book. In most of America, these things are considered completely ordinary. But in many parts of the developing world, they can save a child's life.
UNICEF is unique among world organizations and unique among those working with young people. As a global movement, we use our authority to influence decision makers and diverse partners to turn the most innovative ideas into reality. In 155 countries and territories, UNICEF's field staff uses hard-won expertise to meet the challenges facing children and those who care for them.
Our history has given us a profound understanding of development and the importance of child health, education, equality and protection in advancing humanity. All that we do helps children realize their full potential.
In support of UNICEF's work, the U.S. Fund for UNICEF focuses on five major priorities: education, emergencies, HIV/AIDS, immunization and malnutrition.
Start Your Application
Applications for this position must be completed on the recruiting organization's website.
