Associate Innovation Officer (Connectivity for Refugees) – UNHCR jobs in Kenya

• Location: Nairobi, Kenya
• Vacancy No: N/A 
• Salary: N/A
• Organization: UNHCR
• Gender: Both
• Deadline: February 28, 2024

UNHCR’s Innovation Service is dedicated to creating an enabling environment for innovation to flourish at UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. Our programmes provide holistic support to UNHCR colleagues and refugee-led organizations, ensuring innovators have the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to bring lasting positive change to forcibly displaced and stateless communities around the world.

More than ever before, forcibly displaced communities are articulating, with urgency, the importance of  connectivity as a basic and fundamental need and a right. In a fast-evolving digital world, increasingly  diverse communities are using connectivity as a gateway for everything from accessing life-saving  information to learning online, benefiting from digital services, and finding sources of livelihoods.   However, in the absence of a holistic response to connectivity challenges facing forcibly displaced populations, many are still left behind.

As UNHCR and other humanitarian agencies rapidly move towards digital transformation and the provision of digital services, the question of connectivity has become foundational. Can humanitarian responders, supported by mobile network operators, internet providers, and regulators, take action to increase the connectedness of communities and meet basic connectivity needs? Efforts to this date have yet to achieve considerable progress and many communities remain disconnected.

To enduringly address this connectivity challenge, UNHCR, the ITU, and the GSMA’s Mobile for Humanitarian Innovation Programme have come together and developed new initiative around Refugee Connectivity. This new initiative will establish structures and systems  to accelerate partnerships and coordination, mobilize resources, and ensure predictable and consistent  response actions. Within UNHCR, UNHCR Innovation Service lead on the initiative and will seek to identify gaps, prioritizing locations for action based on enabling environments and a deeper understanding of barriers and challenges. Through these efforts, we can build pathways for sustainable connectivity solutions in refugee hosting areas, accelerating the digital transformation and improving the lives of forcibly displaced communities.

2. Purpose and Scope of Assignment

The postholder will play a critical role supporting the operationalization of the Connectivity for Refugees initiative supporting the Senior Innovation Officer and Innovation Officer (Connectivity for Refugees) in all dimensions from partnership management and coordination, to programme design and operations. The Associate Innovation Officer (Connectivity for Refugees) will act as a day-to-day support focal point for field level colleagues, developing capacity building materials, developing talking points and communication materials as necessary. This position is home-based.

Support the establishment of the global Refugee Connectivity initiative, engaging on all relevant elements of delivery as required

Support internal coordination with UNHCR Regional Bureaux and Country Operations regarding Refugee Connectivity programme potential, serving as primary day-to-day support

Support external coordination with key partners including but not limited to the ITU, GSMA et al.

Liaising with communications colleagues on relevant materials for donors, supporting with event coordination, talking points, briefing materials, etc.

Coordinate and support country level Connectivity for Refugees platforms with technical support and guidance

Facilitating M&E across country projects, ensuring adequate documentation is produced including a mapping of projects and activities

Supporting with data management and visualisation

Support national and regional advocacy platforms as applicable

Create capacity building materials and carry out training to country operations in the region

Support global level project management and delivery, including liaising with expert consultants on key deliverables

Ensure that activities undertaken are carried out with due consideration of data protection policies and frameworks

Support on other innovation activities / interventions as required

3. Monitoring and Progress Controls

The incumbent will report directly to John Warnes, Senior Innovation Officer. On a weekly basis, the incumbent will participate in weekly bilaterals with the supervisor, setting agreed-upon deliverables and deadlines for the week. Additionally, in order to help support the Refugee Connectivity initiative, the incumbent will join multistakeholder meetings with key partners held on a regular basis in order to align and coordinate efforts on projects within the initiative.

4. Qualifications and Experience

a. Education

Undergraduate degree (essential) or Graduate degree (desired) in a related discipline (Politics, Human Rights, Computer Science, Telecommunications, Innovation, Technology, Engineering etc.)

b. Work Experience

Minimum of 2 years (with Graduate degree) or 3 years (with Undergraduate degree) of previous job experience in the working in a humanitarian aid or development context with prior experience or interest in issues relating to information technology, telecommunications and digital services, a focus on community-facing solutions a distinct advantage;

Prior Experience working on complex technology projects desired

Prior experience working with a variety of stakeholders in the telecommunications ecosystem i.e. Mobile Network Operators, Satellite Companies, Telecommunications Regulators etc. a distinct advantage

Strong experience in coordination and project management, with experience in the UN system a distinct advantage;

Prior experience in a supporting function to humanitarian country operations (particularly strategy design and implementation pilot projects designed for scaling);

Prior experience working in forced displacement contexts.

c. Key Competencies

(Technical knowledge, skills, managerial competencies or other personal competencies relevant to the performance of the assignment.  Clearly distinguish between required and desired competencies)

Excellent knowledge of English (both written and spoken) and working knowledge of another UN language an advantage;

Specific knowledge on connectivity, telecommunications and digital technology a distinct advantage;

Knowledge of protection principles and community-based protection a distinct advantage;

Highly organized and autonomous, able to multitask and prioritize workload when necessary;

Excellent writing and documentation skills, demonstrating high levels of attention to detail;

Works well in a multicultural team and has a strong work ethic strives to deliver high-quality, error-free deliverables potentially targeting different types of users (e.g., senior management, fundraising specialists and advocacy officers);

Some knowledge of the ICT / telecommunication sector desired.

Standard Job Description

Associate Innovation Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
UNHCR’s Innovation Service aims to create an enabling environment for innovation to flourish in UNHCR by equipping staff with the knowledge, resources, and skills they need to use innovation as a tool to solve challenges.
The Innovation Service facilitates creative problem-solving alongside colleagues, partners, and refugees, generating new and needed, multi-disciplinary approaches that benefit displaced communities and the Organization.
All team members are expected to be able to work on a range of projects in a collaborative manner regardless of subject area and geographic location (HQ, Multi-Country or Country Office). At times this means working directly with the High Commissioner’s team, at other times with the Division of Human Resources, with a remote field operation in an emergency, or in a CRRF operation. As such, the incumbent is experienced in using innovation processes and methodologies through which to innovate, on a wide-range of challenges faced by refugees, UNHCR staff, and partner staff, agnostic of subject area.

All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR’s core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties
– Participate in innovation projects and programmes (both within the service and at organizational level), including research, design, planning, coordination, implementation and monitoring functions as and when requested/appropriate.
– Support UNHCR colleagues in identifying pressing challenges in their context and co-develop novel and creative solutions by drawing on a broad range of innovation approaches, frameworks and methods.
– Cultivate and manage diverse strategic relationships with both UNHCR and external partners, including consultants, donors and subject matter experts, academia, civil society and private sector organisations.
– Proactively solicit and exchange views and methods, ensuring that relevant and promising lessons learned are incorporated from broader ecosystems into UNHCR’s work.
– Support fundraising opportunities for project partners or UNHCR field operations, either through the application and management of a fund or supporting projects managed by innovation fund opportunities.
– Work with strategic communications, designers and writers to contribute to the production of compelling written and visual material to advance the goals of the Innovation Service.
– Promote and support a culture of innovation, learning, risk-taking, diversity and inclusion within operations and teams and across portfolios.
– Remain up-to-date on new innovations, approaches and technologies, particularly those that could be potentially applied to the humanitarian sector and/or forced displacement settings.
– Document and share insights on innovation in UNHCR as a way of strengthening the Innovation Service’s work and building internal credibility for innovation as a respected source of good ideas and tested approaches.
– Ensure that Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) sensitive analyses, rights and community-based approaches inform human-centred design processes.
– Apply relevant research, evidence and data-driven decision making to support UNHCR and Partners in the improvement of services and programmes, as well as innovative approaches through assisting in documenting, codifying and disseminating key programme processes and lessons learned.

– Support the identification and management of risks and seek to seize opportunities impacting objectives in the area of responsibility. Ensure decision making in risk based in the functional area of work. Raise risks, issues and concerns to a supervisor or to relevant functional colleague(s).

– Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Years of Experience / Degree Level
For P2/NOB – 3 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 2 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 1 year relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education
Social Sciences; Science, Technology,
Engineering; Humanities; Administration,
Management; or other relevant field.

Certificates and/or Licenses
Not specified,

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Experience of forging and/or maintaining partnerships and collaborative working methods, simultaneously with a range of stakeholders, including private sector entities, donor governments, civil society, communities of concern, INGO, NNGO, and other UN entities. Experience applying innovation and/or innovative methodologies in forced displacement contexts. Experience of providing support to a range of operations through capacity building around scale, evidence building and provision of guidance and creation of tools. Experience managing budgets for innovation activities, including experimentation. Experience working in organisations with multi-year planning processes, such as development agencies, whether governmental, UN, or other.

Desirable
A strong understanding of theory, principles, established approaches and evidence concerning effective innovation and programme design.

Functional Skills
HR-Inclusion, Diversity and Gender strategy design and implementation
MG-Team building (development/facilitation)
(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Language Requirements
For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.
For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.
For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.

All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination and abuse of power.

As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.

This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates.

Additional Qualifications

Skills

HR-Inclusion, Diversity and Gender strategy design and implementation, MG-Team building (development/facilitation)

Education

Bachelor of Arts (BA): Administration, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Engineering, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Humanities, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Management, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Science, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Social Science, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Technology

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