Background
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the Philippines seeks to strengthen its assistance to the government and key stakeholders as they aim to harness digitalization to improve public services and support inclusive socioeconomic development. It established the Pintig Lab as its in-house analytics unit that also leverages its multidisciplinary network of practitioners of data for decision-making. Pintig lab aims to ensure that 1) data-driven policymaking is promoted, 2) the capacity of partners in government, civil society, and within the UNDP country office to use data for decision-making is increased, and 3) the data ecosystem for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is strengthened.
Pintig Lab was founded in 2020 to assist the government in bolstering its use of data for COVID-19 pandemic response and recovery. Through the years, the service offering of Pintig Lab has necessarily evolved from the application of advanced data analytics tools and towards building robust data systems and accompanying partners in their respective digital transformation journeys. Over the last three years, the interventions of Pintig Lab in digitalization and analytics have expanded into various domains.
Pintig Lab has active and forthcoming engagements in 2025 in local disaster resilience, SDG and climate finance, enterprise development, and democratic governance and institutions, among others. On local disaster resilience, for instance, Pintig Lab works closely with the UNDP Climate Action Programme Team (CAPT) to support policy research and digitalization on risk-informed planning and increasing investments in resilience through exploring and integrating non-traditional datasets, co-developing mock-up dashboards and platforms, and conducting policy research.
UNDP Philippines’ Pintig Lab is in need of a Digital Solutions Architect (Architect) who will provide quality digital solutions for various socioeconomic development domains. The Digital Solutions Architect will accompany stakeholders in determining business needs, defining digitalization goals, and specifying the requirements for software and other solutions development. He/she will also perform quality assurance tasks on the work and deliverables of UNDP firms and contractors that are related to the implementation and development of digital solutions.
Duties and Responsibilities
The Digital Solutions Architect will directly report to the Digitalization and Data Analytics Specialist who serves as the head of the Pintig Lab. The Economist, as head of the IAT, performs oversight on the strategic direction and quality of outputs and services of the Pintig Lab and as such may provide oversight and instruction to the Digital Solutions Architect. He/she may also be expected to collaborate closely with other members of the IAT.
The Digital Solutions Architect is expected to closely collaborate with team leaders, project managers, and staff of UNDP programmes and projects to which he/she is rendering services and outputs. Outputs shall be jointly cleared by the Project Manager of the client-project, the Head of Pintig Lab, and Senior Digital Solutions Architect. The Digital Solutions Architect is also expected to interface with external partners particularly counterpart digitalization and information technology officials in the government.
Lead the process of determining business needs to understand the objectives of project partners and to identify areas where digital solutions are needed.
Design and co-lead consultations, discovery workshops, and other meetings to assess needs, define digitalization objectives, and map requirements; Assess the readiness of partners for digitalization, including the openness to reform manual processes into digital, and the technical capacity of manpower and infrastructure; With internal and external partners, co-develop Digital Solutions Roadmaps that include an assessment of the current state of digitalization, the potential benefits and risks of digitalizing systems, and capacities that need to be built.Translate the digitalization goals of partners into requirement specification with accompanying strategy for contracting the required service providers.
Conduct market research and scoping of available technologies and applications, with focus on digital public goods, that can be deployed for particular digital projects; Craft technical specifications, terms of reference (TOR), and other documents for consultation with and submission to the UNDP procurement team; Support the process of procuring firms, consultants, and other contractors by, among others, serving as expert technical resource to evaluation panels.Provide quality assurance on the work and deliverables of firms, consultants, and other contractors that UNDP hired to develop, implement, maintain, and hand-over digital solutions.
Review the technical and other substantive aspects of the outputs delivered by contractors at key stages of the development process against the desired specifications; Assist both partner and contractor in user acceptance testing and other quality assurance activities, and guide and oversee the contractor in improving their outputs according to partner feedback; Assist both partner and contractor to ensure a smooth handover of the digital solution, including but not limited to assisting in the conduct of capacity building activities.Provide other strategic support to UNDP as it strengthens its digital services offer to partners.
Assist the Digitalization and Data Analytics Specialist and the Senior Digital Solutions Architect in the strategic management of the country office’s digitalization and analytics portfolio and strategy that should advance the UNDP Philippines’ development agenda as reflected in its Country Programme 2024-2028; Support UNDP Impact Advisory Team (IAT) and programme teams in pursuit of opportunities for digitalization efforts particularly in engaging partners, scoping donor interest, and developing project proposals; Collaborate with Pintig Lab in the solutions architecture aspects of efforts to strengthen the SDG data ecosystem, including but not limited to managing its own data repositories;The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization
Competencies
Core competencies:
Achieve Results: Level 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline Think Innovatively: Level 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements Learn Continuously: Level 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback Adapt with Agility: Level 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible Act with Determination: Level 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident Engage and Partner: Level 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships Enable Diversity and Inclusion: Level 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discriminationCross-Functional & Technical Competencies:
Business Direction & Strategy
Entrepreneurial thinking. Identify and seize opportunities to service and add value to clients, create clarity around UNDP value proposition to beneficiaries and partners, develop clear service offers responding to client needs in line with UNDP’s organizational priorities and mandate.Information Management & Technology
Solutions architecture. Ability to design and manage the information system architecture supporting corporate business processes. Design integration strategies and approaches to integrate one or more applications or services to maintain a coherent and effective IT architecture. User experience and business analyst. Capacity to translate efficiently user’s needs in IT requirements around human-centered design principles. IT project management. Capacity to manage ICT projects, using IT methodologies and approaches such as agile deployment and/or waterfall system development methods. PMP and PRINCE2 certification or equivalent desirable.Digital
Digital transformation design. Practical and strategic skills in digital transformation for governments and organizations Data privacy and digital ethics. Knowledge of ethical usage of digital technology (e.g. AI, robotics, automation) and data. Ability to assess ethical implications when using, combining or sharing data, when building or implementing AI systems, and when advising on robotization and automation etc. Ability to design privacy protocols to ensure data is protected and used for legitimate purposes without unnecessary privacy risks.Business Direction & Strategy
System Thinking. Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the systemRequired Skills and Experience
Education:
Advanced university degree (master’s degree) in information management, statistics, computer science, information technology, sustainable development, economics, data science, social sciences, or related fields, OR First-level university degree (bachelor's degree) in fields mentioned above in combination with additional two (2) years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advance university degree.Experience:
Minimum of 2 years (with master’s degree) or 4 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience at the national or international level in public relations, advocacy, or communications in enterprise and solutions architecture, digital projects management, software product development, data governance, and other related information and communications technology (ICT) roles. Knowledge and experience in The Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF) or similar framework for solutions and enterprise architecture. Training and experience in applying relevant software project management approaches, such as but not limited to Agile Project Management and the Project Management Body of Knowledge. Knowledge and experience in Human Centered Design, Service Design, System Design, and other design thinking-based processes and approaches. Exposure to and experience with Digital Public Goods including but not limited to the development and/or reuse of free and open-source software. Knowledgeable with issues on data and digital rights, including but not limited to the protection of data privacy, and the inclusion of marginalized groups in digitalization efforts. Experience in the private sector, government, and international development organizations.Required Languages:
Fluency in spoken and written English and Filipino is required.Equal opportunity
As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.
UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.
Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority
UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.
Right to select multiple candidates
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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