UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.
UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.
The UNDP Strategic Plan 2018-2021 embraces the complexity of development and commits the organization to help countries to find faster, more durable solutions to achieve Agenda 2030. Important development trends like urbanization, climate change, and rising inequalities pose significant challenges to achieve the 2030 agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
UNDP has begun incubating several strategic initiatives aimed at ensuring UNDP is ‘fit for purpose’ to deliver a new generation of solutions in line with the challenges the world faces. One such key strategic initiative is the Country Accelerator Lab Network. The initiative is a recognition that increasingly interrelated development challenges require going beyond “business as usual” and single point, linear and silver bullet responses in development. Instead, they call for interdisciplinary approaches and non-linear solutions that crowd in the collective efforts of a variety of partners and tap into local insights and the knowledge of people closest to the problem and the solutions.
The initiative is also a recognition and investment in the emerging momentum among a growing number of UNDP Country Offices to adopt disruptive, cutting edge methodologies with contextual, country-based insights and expertise to accelerate impact and progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals.
As an upper-middle-income country, Thailand has advanced far beyond having many of the more basic development challenges affecting other nations. However, several challenges remain. Even in areas where Thailand has advanced and even become a model for other countries, improvements are possible. Those challenges are no longer best solved by conventional approaches and innovation is better suited.
Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic and its socio-economic consequences highlight the irrelevance of traditional ways of formulating public policies and delivering public services that are not sufficiently agile, efficient and effective to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals
In Thailand, for many years UNDP has been investing in exploring innovation by providing seed-funding to initiatives with the belief that innovation happens through practical explorations of new ways to address old development problems.
To accelerate innovation in public policy and services, UNDP and the Royal Thai Government through the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) see an opportunity to accelerate innovation for policies and public services in Thailand and have entered in an agreement to establish a policy innovation platform “Thailand Policy Lab” or “TPLab” to connect and build capacities of various stakeholders in Thailand including government; academic; private sector; and citizen, to accelerate the impact of innovation in public policy and services in Thailand, and exchange knowledge and experience with other countries in the Asia Pacific region and beyond.
The Thailand Policy Lab (TPLab) will provide 3 core capacities to partners in Thailand as follow:
a. Exploration
b. Portfolio Options & Experiment
c. Learning
Head of TPLab will lead the formulation and oversee the implementation of the innovation agenda of the TPLab in support and alignment with the plans of the Royal Thai Government and UNDP in Thailand. Head of TPLab will work in close collaboration with government agencies, CSOs, private sector and relevant UNDP program and operation teams to ensure successful acceleration of innovation to improve public policy and services towards the achievement of the SDGs.
She/He reports to the UNDP Deputy Resident Representative for Thailand and works closely with team of UNDP and NESDC.
1. Strategic management and leadership of the innovation agenda of the TPLab
2. Resource mobilization and building partnerships with key government agencies, private sector and UN stakeholders
3. Ensure provision of top-quality advisory services and facilitation of knowledge building and management focusing on achievement of the following results:
Core
Innovation
Ability to make new and useful ideas work
Level 5: Creates new and relevant ideas and leads others to implement them
Leadership
Ability to persuade others to follow
Level 5: Plans and acts transparently, actively works to remove barriers
People Management
Ability to improve performance and satisfaction
Level 5: Models high professional standards and motivates excellence in others
Communication
Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform
Level 5: Gains trust of peers, partners, clients by presenting complex concepts in practical terms to others
Delivery
Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement
Level 5: Critically assesses value and relevance of existing policy / practice and contributes to enhanced delivery of products, services, and innovative solutions
Technical/Functional
Job Knowledge and Technical Expertise
In-depth knowledge of the subject matter
Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise
Building Strategic Partnerships
Ability to engage with other agencies, donors, and other development stakeholders and forge productive working relationships.
Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise
Resource Mobilization
Ability to provide inputs to resource mobilization strategies
Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise
Knowledge Management
Ability to capture, develop, share and effectively use information and knowledge
Level 5:Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise
Education:
Experience:
Language Requirements:
Important applicant information
All posts in the SC categories are subject to local recruitment.
Applicant information about UNDP rosters
Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.
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Contract Duration: 1 Year with possibility of extension
This vacancy is archived.