UN Global Pulse
UN Global Pulse is the Secretary General’s Innovation Lab. We work at the intersection of innovation and the human sciences to inform, inspire, and strengthen the ability of the United Nations family and those it serves to anticipate, respond and adapt to the challenges of today and tomorrow.
Our teams are spread across the world, with hubs in Uganda, Indonesia, Finland and the United States. Drawing on more than a decade of experience with digital innovation in the UN family, UN Global Pulse unites specialists from the digital and social sciences in search of solutions to the world’s most pressing problems, from conflict to climate change.
We aim to reduce the risks that innovation involves and move towards the opportunities. We restore public trust in technology by making it inclusive, accessible and ethical. Our input brings value to the work of the UN and external partners in protecting the vulnerable and defending human rights.
The goals of the UNGP Network are: i) Support efforts to advance innovations ii) Contribute to the development of global frameworks, and iii) Support the transformation of the UN family.
UNGP wishes to expand its regional operations in Asia Pacific, progressing from its successful facility operating in Jakarta, Indonesia. Its activities will be implemented through UNOPS, (EAPMCO Indonesia).
The incumbent of this position will be personnel of UNOPS under its full responsibility.
To achieve its goals, UNGP is establishing a Regional Hub for Asia Pacific and recruiting a Regional Head of UN Global Pulse (Asia-Pacific) in Jakarta.The incumbent will be an Ambassador for Change and a role model towards promoting a culture of innovation and transformation.
The Regional Hub will include teams on the ground that are deeply embedded in UN, host country government, civil society, academia, and private sector. These rich relationships provide direct access to the most relevant local and regional challenges and innovation opportunities. The Regional Head of UN Global Pulse (Asia-Pacific) will oversee and foster systematic scanning and ideation to surface new options that go beyond the obvious. The hub will employ cutting-edge teams on the ground where experts in the digital/data space work hand in hand with innovation management, foresight, partnership, communications, and behavioural scientists/designers.
Furthermore, the Regional Hub will aim to broaden scope of tested solutions for other contexts in the region and provide advice and support to regional UN leadership and partners.
As a part of the UNGP network, the Regional Hub will be driving the UN Secretary General’s innovation agenda, and play a key role in supporting the implementation of Our Common Agenda to transform the UN to better support the member states and to tackle the complex challenges of the 21st Century.
The role requires experience in managing innovation; strong organisational and people management skills; solid UN experience and a very good understanding of the UN’s role and mandates. It requires regular interaction with UN headquarters staff, country/regional directors of UN agencies, and with UN Resident Coordinators/UN Country Teams.
The ability to build, maintain and improve relationships and partnerships is critical to this role. At the national, regional and global levels, the role will support expanding and strengthening UNGP’s shared value partnerships with UN agencies, member states, academia/think tanks, NGOs/CSOs and the private sector.
The ideal candidate will be driven by values, be people-centred, and seek to improve UN processes in order to drive greater and faster impact. The ideal candidate is able to orientate individuals, teams and a network in a way that accelerates UNGP in achieving a UN family that shapes responsible and inclusive digital innovation to serve people, advances their sustainable development, and protects the planet. The Regional Head of UN Global Pulse (Asia-Pacific) will play a pivotal role in UNGP’s transformation to a more performance, results and impact-driven organisation.
The role is based in Jakarta. Occasional travel and field missions will be required.
Functional ResponsibilitiesThe incumbent will work under the supervision of the UNGP Director and in close coordination particularly with the UN Resident Coordinator in Indonesia, to execute the following duties:
Innovation Leadership / Strategic Direction
Partnership Management
Team Management & Coordination
Team Welfare & Wellbeing
Innovation Leadership / Strategic Direction
Provide advice and support to regional UN leadership and partners in the areas of innovation, digital transformation, data, foresight, and behavioural science.
Oversee and foster systematic scanning and ideation to surface new innovations that go beyond the obvious to address development, humanitarian, and peace opportunities.
Provide strategic direction, expertise and experience to programmatic, capability and operational teams/staff to further the implementation of the UNGP ToR and Strategy, while striving for continuous improvement in support of organizational excellence and world-class performance.
Share learnings, strategic advice and promising approaches and solutions with other UN entities and beyond.
Provide leadership and strategic direction to staff, office and partners.
Participate and contribute to UNGP’s Leadership Team seeking to continuously improve UNGP Leadership as a service to the UNGP Network.
Keep UNGP leadership informed/advised on opportunities, challenges and risks. Regularly identify, update and report on operational risks associated with delivery to senior UNGP management.
Partnership Management
Act as the UNGP focal point for donors in the region. Maintain, promote and evolve UNGP’s donor partnerships. Ensure donors and partners in the region are regularly updated on UNGP activities, results and impact.
Utilise UNGP results and impact to influence the decisions, behaviours and outcomes of UNGP partners including policies and frameworks for innovation and digital development.
Where applicable, represent UNGP in the UN Country Team (UNCT) / UN Coordination Group. Contribute, collaborate and influence UN programming and advocacy, promoting joint UN initiatives as far as possible.
Act as the focal point with UNOPS EAPMCO on all UNGP implementation matters.
Support relevant UN Resident Coordinators, in particular the Resident Coordinator of Indonesia, in driving innovative twenty-first century programming and keep the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office up to date on UNGP activities, results and outcomes. Contribute to and report progress on the implementation of UNSDCF(s) where applicable.
Regularly assess and report to UNGP leadership on the needs of collaborating member states and other partners, particularly on developments which may impact on the mission and reputation of UNGP / the wider UN.
Act as lead secretariat role for office/region to facilitate regional UNGP governance boards/committees.
Working to build and strengthen strategic partnerships in the geographical area through active networking, advocacy and effective communication of UNGP’s work and results.
Represent UNGP in external meetings and forums, promoting UNGP and the UN where possible. Represent UNGP in inter-agency meetings as required.
Carry out other representational duties as required.
Team Management & Coordination
Promote teamwork and collaboration by providing timely guidance and supervision to the Regional Hub team to enable them to perform their duties responsibly, effectively and efficiently.
Ensure internal performance and quality management for the office, including tracking, monitoring and reporting on project delivery and finance/budgets.
Support the Regional Hub to establish direction, workplans and manage priorities. Oversee and support the implementation of activities, projects, capabilities and annual work plans.
Ensure the dissemination and sharing of best practices and lessons learnt for UNGP, the UN and national and regional partners.
Share knowledge with peers across the UNGP network to ensure coordinated delivery of projects, activities and services.
Support the Regional Hub to establish annual objectives and targets, performance measurements and standards which help ensure timely and partner-oriented services.
Guide, oversee and endorse project proposal development and activity/experiment/project agreements.
Regularly plan and propose to the UNGP Director the required allocation of resources (human, financial and administrative) to achieve UNGP’s workplan, goals and mission.
Support decision-making on finance, procurement and HR in line with UN rules and policies.
Manage overall HSSE performance and reporting in the office fulfilling UN corporate requirements and obligations.
Carry out other management and coordination activities as required.
Team Welfare & Wellbeing
Create, foster and promote a role model culture of trust, transparency, empowerment and accountability within the office.
Create, foster and promote a culture of respect and zero tolerance for discrimination, abuse of authority, bullying, harassment, poor professional conduct, sexual harassment and sexual exploitation. Ensure accountability mechanisms are in place and perform duties in accordance with UN/UNOPS policies, standards and commitments.
Act as the office focal point for Diversity & Inclusion. Plan, recruit, manage and develop a flexible and diverse workforce with the skills and competencies needed to ensure optimum performance.
Oversee, monitor and direct appropriate measures to maintain the safety and security of personnel, assets, property and information.
Act as, and/or support the UN country Designated Official, where applicable.
Ensure all Regional Hub people managers have required support systems to lead their teams sustainably and professionally.
Provide mentorship to office staff for skills and career development.
Ensure duty of care. Lead ESG monitoring & reporting.
UNGP Leadership will improve the way UNGP works; enhance the reputation of UNGP and of the UN; and increase the impact of innovation on UN work on the ground. Good UNGP leadership will improve the results and impacts of UN innovation, and progress digital transformation and the journey of the UN family to ‘UN 2.0’ that delivers stronger results for people and planet. The impact will also be felt in an improvement of wider innovation initiatives of the UN and of its development partners.
UNGP Leadership will promote additionality or co-benefits. These could include, but are not limited to: i) How the UN has changed the way it works to become more agile, lean and responsive through its innovation for impact; ii) How UNGP has changed the behaviour, capabilities, or decisions of development partners; and iii) UNGP is successful in integrating gender, climate and diversity across its work.
This role will predominantly contribute to the implementation of the ‘Quintet of Change’, including Data & AI; Innovation; Digital Transformation; Strategic Foresight; and Behavioural Science.
Education/Experience/Language requirementsAn advanced university degree (Masters or equivalent).
A first level university degree (Bachelors degree or equivalent) in combination with additional two (2) years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.
PhD or MBA is an asset
A minimum of 10 years of experience in leading iniatives in an international context in one or a combination of the following areas: sustainable development, humanitarian, or peacebuilding, of which at least 3 years in the management of innovation, or data, or digital transformation efforts.
Experience in applying innovation management frameworks or tools, and/or techniques, with the ability to develop and implement effective innovation strategies.
Proven track record in resource and parthership mobilization.
Experience in leading organisational change.
Experience in managing cross-cultural teams with colleagues from a variety of backgrounds and disciplines.
Experience in using data and technology for innovation, such as design thinking, prototyping, and user testing.
Familiarity with emerging technologies and trends in innovation, such as artificial intelligence, data ecosystems, and digital transformation.
Experience in managing budgets and forecasting for innovation activities.
Language Requirements:
Background Information - UNOPS
The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners' peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. UNOPS supports partners to build a better future by providing services that increase the efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability of peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects. Mandated as a central resource of the United Nations, UNOPS provides sustainable project management, procurement, and infrastructure services to a wide range of governments, donors, and United Nations organizations.
South East Asia and Pacific Multi-Country Office (EAPMCO)
The South East Asia and Pacific Multi Country Office (EAPMCO) supports, develops and oversees the UNOPS portfolio of projects in South East Asia and the Pacific. EAPMCO was established in January 2023 following the merger of the Thailand Multi-Country Office, which covered 20 countries across North East Asia, South East Asia and the Pacific, and the Cambodia Multi-Country Office, which covered 4 countries South East Asia - 3 countries in the Mekong Sub-region (Cambodia, Lao PDR and Vietnam) and the Philippines. EAPMCO currently covers 24 countries across North East Asia, South East Asia and the Pacific. With its head office in Bangkok, the Multi-Country Office comprises nine business units: SEMCO Thailand, EAPMCO Indonesia, EAPMCO Pacific Operations Cluster, EAPMCO Papua New Guinea, EAPMCO China, EAPMCO Vietnam, EAPMCO Lao PDR, EAPMCO Philippines and EAPMCO Cambodia.
In 2022, the UNOPS EAPMCO implemented projects worth more than USD 95.7 million, in the areas of Energy Transition, Digital Transformations, Sustainable Environmental Management, Climate Change, Waste Management, Rule of Law and Access to Justice, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Post Conflict Reintegration, Emergency Relief, Post COVID19 Economic Transformations, and Health, through HR, procurement, construction, contract management, fund and program management services.
The Multi Country Office head office in Bangkok provides strategic direction, operational support, delivery oversight and assurance of the excellence of business processes and quality standards across all of the entire Multi Country Office locations. It is also responsible for developing, delivering and managing the portfolio of engagements in the country of the MCO location itself.
