Regional Chief of Digital Impact, (P-5) FT, Panama City, Panama LAC Regional Office #17462

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, innovation

How can you make a difference? 

Reporting to the Regional Chief of Operations the Regional Chief of Digital Impact, RCDI, strategically leads the use of digital for programmatic and operational impact, oversees ICT compliance and quality assurance, and co-leads digital initiatives in the regional office and country offices. She or he is a business relationship manager, facilitating governance, demand prioritization, partnerships, and inspiring digital innovation. The RCDI plays a key role in the implementation of the ICT strategy, reinforcement of digital transformation and in boosting ICT business alignment, and regional cohesion.

A matrix reporting line to the Chief Information Officer exists to ensure the RCDI’s performance is appropriately evaluated and that the functional accountabilities defined in the UNICEF accountability framework are upheld.

The position might oversee several positions in the Regional Office both at the international and local level and supervises ICT staff in Country Offices in a matrix management.

Key functions, accountabilities, and related duties/tasks

1. Digital transformation

• Fosters growth in the use of digital in the region, guiding the organization towards the use of technologies for impact (T4D).
• Coordinates with regional stakeholders and the Digital Impact Division (DID) to develop the regional Digital Transformation (DX) roadmap, identifying and pinpointing areas where digital technologies can be leveraged to improve efficiency, enhance user experience, and drive innovation.
• Oversees regional DX projects and programmes in collaboration with regional stakeholders.

2. Business relationship and demand management

As the senior liaison between the Regional Office, Country Offices and HQ Divisions, the Regional Chief of Digital:

• Identifies, manages, facilitates and prioritizes business demands and objectives for optimal impact.
• Leads and guides the design and development of business cases, applicable IT service design, and works towards the realization of value.
• Represents UNICEF ICT in regional UN groups, events or forums, and advises country offices on One UN, Delivering as One, CBO and other similar initiatives related to UN Reform.
• Supports country offices to build and strengthen relationships with counterparts in the ICT and Digital Impact function. Counterparts include but are not limited to Government, United Nations Agencies, international nonprofit organizations (INGOs) and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).

3. Strategic oversight and policy compliance

As strategic partner and advisor to regional and country offices:

• Oversees compliance to relevant organizational policies and directives.
• Supports the response of country offices to audits and guides the implementation of audit recommendations.
• Guides and facilitates the implementation of the field IT operating model.
• Contributes to the development of regulatory constructs applicable within the field context.
• Evaluates the region’s digital innovation initiatives and the potential opportunities and risks to improve productivity, efficiency and effectiveness, and shares with the country and regional office leadership.
• Develops guidelines to support country offices to facilitate connecting academia to digital innovation opportunities, i.e., vocational schools, colleges, and universities.

4. Support for internal process efficiency and operations

• Engages with programme advisors and country offices to form reference or governance groups to identify, analyze, research, and promote innovative and viable solutions to improve the delivery of results and enhance results-based management and programming.
• Provides oversight and quality assurance to the ICT function in the regional and country offices, including technical direction and guidance within the regional office.
• Oversees ICT emergency preparedness and supports COs to strengthen their preparedness posture.
• Oversees the implementation and proper adoption of enterprise systems and applications.
• Builds capacity in country offices to promote the use of technology for digital impact, best business practices for better knowledge management, increased capacity building and to preserve institutional memory.

5. Manage and lead staff under supervision, both in the Regional Office, and as a Matrix Manager for Country Office ICT Staff

• Provide leadership and supervision to staff under their supervision, both direct and in a matrix structure.
• Establish clear team and individual performance objectives, goals and timelines; provide timely guidance to enable the teams to achieve their goals. Motivate and inspire staff, so they perform at their best.
• Identify training opportunities to meet staff development needs, aligning with the regional goals.
• Build a positive and collaborative work culture.
• Nurture and empower talent, so staff can reach their full potential.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:  Regional Chief Digital Impact P5

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Minimum requirements:

• Education:
  • An advanced university degree is required in computer science, software engineering, information technology management, or another relevant technical field.

• Work Experience:

  • A minimum of ten years of professional experience in information technology management and business operations in a large international organization and/or corporation is required.

  • Experience in analyzing complex business problems, identify opportunities for improvement, and translate business requirements into technical solutions.

  • Experience in a wide range of technical domains and capabilities including emergency preparedness. Experience in the coordination of ICT emergency response is a distinct advantage.

  • Experience successfully leading large, complex projects or in IT consulting/management roles.

  • The ability to think strategically and align technology solutions with long-term business goals. Experience managing change in major custom or packaged implementation projects with delivery to a large or remote user base. 

  • Experience managing multiple stakeholders in a large context geographically dispersed organization. 

• Language Requirements:
  • Fluency in English and Proficiency in Spanish are required.

Desirables:

• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is desirable
• Experience in a UN organization is an asset.
• Working knowledge of another UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French and Russian) is desirable.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2)

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (2)

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact (2)

(4) Innovates and embraces change (2)

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (2)

(6) Thinks and acts strategically (2)

(7) Works collaboratively with others (2)

(8) Nurtures, leads and manages people, for a supervisory role (2) 

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility jobs-near-me.org UNICEF.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF’s active commitment to diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.