Innovation and Knowledge Management Programme Specialist, ESARO, Johannesburg

We are pleased to re-announce the following vacancy:

VACANCY NO.: Job ID 2677

CLOSING DATE: 28 October 2014 (5.00 p.m. New York time)

POST TITLE: Innovation and Knowledge Management Programme Specialist

CATEGORY: ICS-10 (equivalent to P-3)

POST NUMBER: 40040

DUTY STATION: Johannesburg, South Africa

POST TYPE: Non-Rotational

DURATION: One year (renewable)[i]

ORGANIZATIONAL UNIT: East and Southern Africa Regional Office (ESARO)

****ORGANIZATIONAL LOCATION****

The Innovation and Knowledge Management Programme Specialist post is located in East and Southern Africa Regional Office of UNFPA, based in Johannesburg, South Africa, and reports directly to the Evidence, Knowledge and Innovation Unit Team/Practice Leader, under the overall guidance of the Deputy Regional Director. S/He is part of an inter-disciplinary team with a focus on developing innovation projects and managing knowledge across the East and Southern Africa Regional Programme and in support of the respective 23 UNFPA Country Offices that fall under the East and Southern Africa cluster.

****MAIN ACTIVITIES / EXPECTED RESULTS****

• Identify new innovation opportunities using best practices;
• Contribute to the design and establishment of innovation processes and projects for the region;
• Promote the value of innovation to all stakeholders;
• Support the Evidence, Knowledge and Innovation Unit in leading staff to participate in the innovation process;
• Provide quality support to knowledge development and use of evidence for policy and programme formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation;
• Contribute to the preparation of regional and national innovation initiatives;
• Contribute to sound knowledge-backed and evidence-based briefings and presentations for the Regional Director and Deputy Reg. Director and provide updates to all ESARO units on strategic regional level and country specific issues;
• Support and undertake as relevant field missions related to reviewing, collecting, documenting and disseminating innovative programme results, lessons learnt and good practices;
• Work with the Communication, Resource Mobilization and Partnership Unit to identify for each thematic area innovative initiatives that enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of UNFPA support, including in terms of technology, processes and approaches;
• Working with the Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor contribute to the design, formulation and review of the Regional;
• Programme (RP) and Regional Programme Action Plan (RPAP) with a specific focus on defining and implementing innovative processes;
• Work with the Communication, Resource Mobilization and Partnership Unit and the Evidence and Research specialist to contribute to the collection, analysis and research of strategic information on donors, preparation of substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation, identification of opportunities for resource mobilization, and preparation of communication outputs designed for donor and partner audiences;
• Help monitor latest trends and developments in the knowledge and innovation area; and
• Contribute to the definition of a methodology on how impact can be measured and how the value of new innovations can be demonstrated.

Capacity development – Ensures an open exchange of state-of-the-art programmatic innovations in partnership with assigned CO Programme/Technical Specialists:

• Formulate effective new ideas and innovative strategies for programme development and implementation;
• Recognize promising ideas and find ways to introduce them into ESARO’s work;
• Support the Team/Practice Leader in managing requests from Country Offices and national and regional institutions in the area of knowledge management (e.g. community of knowledge, production and dissemination of information and communication products/outputs tailored to target groups and/or users’ needs, web-based integrated management information systems), and help anticipating users’ needs through the provision of innovative and forward-looking solutions;
• Develop strong and innovative concepts for new products, tools and resources for a more vibrant and innovative approach towards communicating results and achievements, and assist Country Offices in the implementation of innovative prototypes;
• Support the development and implementation of a capacity development strategy and culture change process for the region with a focus on embracing innovation;
• Identify capacity building needs of the Country Offices in the area of knowledge management and follow-up through organization of capacity building activities with Country Office staff, national counterparts, and civil society partners; and
• Participate in technical meetings, working groups and task teams.

Evidence and knowledge development and dissemination – Ensures an open exchange of best practices/lessons learned between HQ, ROs and COs in partnership with CO Programme/Technical Specialists and regional Technical Advisers:

• Liaise with the Unit Team/Practice Leader and the Evidence and Research Specialist to manage the in-depth analysis and research findings, and exchange of good practices in order to build knowledge related to UNFPA strategic plan and regional programme and thematic areas including integrated sexual and reproductive health, adolescent and youth development, gender and GBV and population dynamics in support of sustainable and inclusive development;
• Monitor research and development of other organizations to spot trends in innovation and supplement research findings in the organization;
• Support and assist the assigned Country Offices to identify opportunities or lessons learnt/best practices in countries;
• Liaise with the Technical Division and Programme Division to ensure that state-of-the-art, global technical and programming knowledge and lessons learnt/best practices are available for use in countries to improve the effectiveness of UNFPA programmes;
• Act as specific focal point for individual areas of programmatic expertise in the Regional Office with responsibility for knowledge sharing and providing support to the Country Offices in developing programme interventions in the area of expertise; and liaise with other UNFPA structures for ensuring knowledge transfer across the regions on programmatic area of focus or on matters related to countries under his/her responsibilities; and
• Maintain and foster partnerships with UN agencies and other partners in UNFPA focus areas for advancement of knowledge.

*Technical representation and collaboration:*

• Liaise with the Team/Practice Leader to coordinate the engagement of the regional community of knowledge in technical discussions around the post-2015 development agenda and the linkages between UNFPA calls and the broader development agenda;
• Assist in the development of partnerships with other organizations in the knowledge and innovation area, with a particular focus on South-South collaboration; and
• Support national and regional innovative initiatives and activities in the area of access and use of quality data for development for moving the region and the continent into a data revolution.

Programme Management Support:

• Ensure the sharing of evidence, lessons and tools within and between units, and between partners for increasing effectiveness of regional support towards improving performance of national initiatives and responses;
• Analyse existing practices for improvement or enhancement and brainstorm with the ESARO management and technical teams to discover new solutions and approaches to old problems;
• Establish a strategy for creative thinking in the staff in the region and find ways to nurture innovative thinking across the regional programme focus areas;
• Serve as the ESARO focal point for knowledge management and be accountable for liaising with Knowledge Management/Sharing staff in the HQ Programme Division; and

Carry out any other duties as may be required by the Regional Director or the Deputy Regional Director.

****REQUIRED COMPETENCIES****

i) Values: Exemplifying integrity, Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system, Embracing cultural diversity, Embracing change

ii) Core Competencies: Achieving results, Being accountable, Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen, Thinking analytically and strategically, Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships, Communicating for impact

iii) Required Skillset:

• Advocacy/Advancing a Policy Oriented Agenda;
• Results-Based Programme Development and Management;
• Leveraging the Resources of National Governments and Partners/Building Strategic Alliances and Partnerships;
• Innovation and Marketing of New Approaches;
• Resource Mobilization;
• Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise

Qualifications, skills and experience required:

****Education:****

• Advanced University degree in public health, medicine, sociology, demography, gender, economics, international relations, international development, public administration, marketing, management or other related field.

Knowledge and Experience:

• 5 years of increasingly responsible professional experience in management and development relevant to population and development, sexual and reproductive health, and gender, of which three at the international level;
• Ability to catalyse and scope for innovative initiatives that enhance programme quality;
• Substantive knowledge and practical experience in knowledge management and strategic information management;
• Experience in programme and/or technical assistance with the UN System;
• Ability to explain complex ideas and findings in a way that can be easily understood and to work creatively within a budget and use innovation to find ways of more effectively managing resources; and
• Strong communications, interpersonal and writing skills in English. Knowledge of French and/or Portuguese desirable.

****Languages:****

Fluency in English is required. Working knowledge of French and/or Portuguese is desirable.

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender quality, teamwork, respect for diversity, integrity and a healthy balance of work and life. We are committed to maintaining our balanced gender distribution and therefore encourage women to apply.

We offer an attractive remuneration package commensurate with the level of the position. The package includes a competitive salary plus housing allowance, home leave, health insurance and other benefits.

[i] No expectancy of renewal in accordance with UN Staff Regulation 4.5

How to apply:

UNFPA has established an electronic application management system. This allows applicants to create a candidate profile, which can be updated regularly and submitted for more than one vacancy.

Download the Step by Step Guide to Applying in the E-Recruit System of UNFPA at

http://www.unfpa.org/employment/

Please print out the Guide for your reference during the registration and application process.

Notice: There is no application, processing or other fee at any stage of the application process. UNFPA does not solicit or screen for information in respect of HIV or AIDS and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV or AIDS status.

In accordance with the rules of the United Nations, persons applying to posts in the international Professional category, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, are required to renounce such status upon their appointment. Exceptions to this rule are very limited and can be made only for: (a) stateless persons; (b) newly appointed staff members who have applied for citizenship by naturalization, when such citizenship will be granted imminently; (c) acting staff members in the General Service and related categories with permanent residency status, on promotion to the Professional category; (d) staff members appointed under a temporary appointment. Please understand that UNFPA is not in a position to provide advice on or assistance in applying for any citizenship.