UN Women seek to recruits Innovation Consultant Harare, ZIMBABWE-July 2020

The communications and public advocacy function champions messages of gender equality and women’s empowerment linking them to the Sustainable Development Agenda and bolstering UN Women’s role as the global authority in this context.

Adolescent girls and young women in Zimbabwe are the least likely to be able to exercise their SRHR due to a combination of factors that also include lack of knowledge and information. Other factors that contribute to women and girls lack of participation in decision-making include limited human and financial resources to reach and include wider segments of the population in consultative processes as well as fewer opportunities to meaningfully engage the duty-bearers through a range of actions to strengthen their application of the gender equality and women’s rights provisions in the Constitution.

Efficient communication is also an essential tool for realizing Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment at country level. To this end, UN Women Zimbabwe Country Office plans to work with media, bloggers, information experts and innovators in the  creation of multiple interactive web-based and other platforms for widening the spaces through which women and girls, especially those who are not within close proximity to Parliament, can contribute to consultations on the development of laws and policies that impact on their lives.

As such UN Women seeks to engage an Innovation Consultant to inspire innovative solutions to persistent societal and economic challenges that are disrupting participation of women in decisions that affects their lives. The consultant will also guide the ideation process and also oversee and support the contracted organization through the development of a web-based platform.

• Design concept note to guide the ideation process from pre-stage to full development.
• Oversee and support organization of one ideathon event.
• Provide training to prospective solution providers and assist in pitching their ideas.
• Provide mentorship to the contracted organization to bring the idea to fruition.
•  Assist with administrative tasks related to the development and launch of the web-based platform.

Expected deliverables:

• A chronological action plan to carry out the online Ideathon.
• 3-day ideation program, focusing on the creation of solutions online ideathon carried out with potential solution providers.
• An acceleration program is developed with the winning team to enable them, through methodology and mentorship, to develop their solutions.
• Develop and launch a web-based platform with high technical quality.

• Respect for Diversity
• Integrity
• Professionalism

Core Competencies:

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues
• Accountability
• Creative Problem Solving
• Effective Communication
• Inclusive Collaboration
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Leading by Example

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Core Values and Competencies:

http://www.unwomen.org/-/media/headquarters/attachments/sections/about%20us/employment/un-women-employment-values-and-competencies-definitions-en.pdf

Functional Competencies:

• The ability to communicate simply, clearly, and effectively with excellent written skills
• Proven analytical skills and ability to conceptualize and write concisely and clearly.
• An ability to work under pressure.
• An ability to work on a team

• University degree in economics, Information Technology, Communications, Innovation  or other related field or other relevant subjects is required.

Experience:

• At least 5 years’ experience with conducting hackathon initiatives and guiding solution providers to bring their ideas to life
• 5 years’ practical knowledge in the field of event management, innovation, ideation process planning, strategic development, or IT.
• Practical knowledge in working with various target groups in solutions mapping and developing products from ideation stage.
• Proven experience in organizing hackathons or hackathon-like events (open innovation challenges or similar);
• Have enough knowledge and experience in carrying out acceleration programs; in innovation, incubation, and acceleration initiatives; and in an entrepreneurial ecosystem

Language:

• Excellent communication skills (written and oral) in English are required.
• Working knowledge of another UN language is an advantage.

Application Information:

All applications must include (as an attachment) a completed UN Women Personal History form (P-11) which can be downloaded from http://www.unwomen.org/about-us/employment; Applications without the completed UN Women P-11 form will be treated as incomplete and will not be considered for further assessment.