Background

Project Description  

The National Registration and Identification System (NRIS) project in Malawi is a comprehensive initiative aimed at creating a centralized database of citizens and residents. This database contains biometric information, such as fingerprints and facial images, as well as demographic data. The primary goal of the NRIS is to provide a secure and reliable means of identifying individuals, which can be used for various purposes, including voter registration, social welfare programs, and law enforcement.

The NRIS project is being implemented by the Malawi Government, with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The project began in 2016 and is expected to be completed by June 2024. It involves the registration of all Malawian citizens who are 16 years and above and residents, as well as the issuance of national identification cards. The project is also conducting birth and death registration and planning to introduce marriage registration.

Following successful implementation of the first phase of National ID registration with over 11 million people registered and smartcards distributed, the NRIS project is currently undergoing a transition to a new initiative known as the "Inclusive Digital Transformation for Malawi (IDT4M)”. This transition after review and consultation with relevant stakeholders was officially endorsed by the Steering Committee on September 6th, 2023. This new direction was based on the emerging concepts of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) with a Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) and identity Management system at its core. It is increasingly apparent that the ability to respond swiftly and effectively to global crises whether they be health-related, climate change, education economic recession, governance or more—requires strong DPI. The DPI includes solutions and systems that enable the effective provision of essential society-wide functions and services in the public and private sectors. This includes but is not limited to digital forms of ID and biometric verification, civil registration, digital transactions, data exchange, and information management systems.

The project’s renewed focus with inclusion of DPI contributes towards Government of Malawi’s efforts to guarantee the fundamental right to identity, entitlement, and enjoyment of full citizenship in Malawi. This is consistent with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16 and SDG Target 16.9 “providing a legal identity for all and will also facilitate the goal of achieving comprehensive birth registration by 2030”. This approach offers improvements in development planning, service delivery, and the operation of administrative systems supported by a robust and agile CRVS and ID Management system. Moreover, the project will prioritize bridging the digital gender gap by enhancing digital literacy and productivity skills, particularly among women. The three outputs of the project are:

Output 1: Establishing safe, trusted and inclusive digital ID and CRVS System to guarantee legal identity to all.

Output 2: Enhancing digital governance to advance service delivery while safeguarding human rights; and

Output 3: Reducing digital gender divide by increased digital literacy and productivity.

Scope of Work 

The Digital Innovation Analyst will help the IDT4M project to identify, develop, and implement innovative digital solutions that address the needs of marginalized communities and promote inclusive growth. Under the guidance of the UNDP NRIS Project Manager and the Monitoring and Evaluation Analyst, the Digital Analyst will be responsible for the following tasks:

Identifying Opportunities for Digital Innovation: 

• The Digital Innovation Analyst is responsible for identifying opportunities for digital innovation within the IDT4M project. This may involve researching new technologies, analyzing trends, and identifying areas where digital solutions can improve efficiency or effectiveness. 

Gender-Inclusive Solutions: 

• The Digital Innovation Analyst will play a crucial role in ensuring that digital solutions are gender-inclusive. This may involve conducting gender analyses to identify the specific needs and challenges faced by women and men, and developing digital solutions that address these needs. For example, in a project focused on improving access to healthcare, the Digital Innovation Analyst may work to develop digital health solutions that are accessible and user-friendly for both women and men.

Developing Digital Strategies: 

• Once opportunities have been identified, the Digital Innovation Analyst is responsible for developing digital strategies to address them. This may involve creating a roadmap for implementing new technologies, setting goals and objectives, and developing plans for measuring success.

Implementing Digital Solutions: 

• The Digital Innovation Analyst is responsible for overseeing the implementation of digital solutions. This may involve working with internal teams or external vendors to develop and deploy new technologies, managing budgets and timelines, and ensuring that projects are completed on time and within budget.

Training and Support: 

• The Digital Innovation Analyst is responsible for providing training and support to staff and stakeholders who will be using new digital solutions. This may involve developing training materials, conducting training sessions, and providing ongoing support to ensure that users are able to effectively use new technologies.

Monitoring and Evaluation: 

• The Digital Innovation Analyst is responsible for monitoring and evaluating the impact of digital solutions. This may involve collecting and analyzing data, measuring key performance indicators, and making recommendations for improvements based on the results.

Stakeholder Engagement: 

• The Digital Innovation Analyst is responsible for engaging with stakeholders to ensure that their needs are being met and that they are involved in the development and implementation of digital solutions. This may involve conducting stakeholder interviews, holding workshops or focus groups, and communicating regularly with stakeholders to keep them informed of progress.

Research and Development: 

• The Digital Innovation Analyst is responsible for staying up-to-date on the latest digital trends and technologies. This may involve conducting research, attending conferences and workshops, and networking with other professionals in the field.

Project Management: 

• The Digital Innovation Analyst is responsible for managing digital innovation initiatives from start to finish under the guidance of the project manager. This may involve developing project plans, managing budgets and timelines, and coordinating with internal and external teams to ensure that projects are completed on time and within budget.

Communication: 

• The Digital Innovation Analyst is responsible for communicating with internal and external stakeholders about digital innovation initiatives. This may involve writing reports and presentations, giving presentations to senior management or other stakeholders, and communicating regularly with project teams to keep them informed of progress.

Problem Solving: 

• The Digital Innovation Analyst is responsible for identifying and solving problems that arise during the development and implementation of digital solutions. This may involve troubleshooting technical issues, resolving conflicts between stakeholders, and finding creative solutions to complex problems.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Institutional Arrangement:

The Digital Innovation Analyst will be reporting to the IDT4M Project Manager in consultation with the Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist. The position is based in Lilongwe, Malawi with visits to the field as required. 

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 discrimination.

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

Business Direction and Strategy:

• Strategic Thinking
  • Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDPs objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks, and opportunities, linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions;
  • Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends; to demonstrate foresight in order to model what future developments and possible ways forward look like for UNDP.

Business Development:

• Knowledge Generation
  • Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need.

Business Management:

• Working with Evidence and Data
  • Ability to inspect, cleanse, transform and model data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions and supporting decision-making.

Digital and Innovation:

• Digital Business Analysis
  • Ability to support digital business processes across a range of digital projects, programmes and activities.

Digital and Innovation:

• Digital Identity and Wellbeing
  • Knowledge of issues around digital identity and digital wellbeing and the ability to advise safe/healthy practices in regards to these areas.

Digital and Innovation:

• Digital Product Management
  • Ability to design and lead digital product development including testing, ongoing product iteration, product strategy and delivery.

Business Direction and 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 system.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Social Science, ICT, or a related discipline is required. Or
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• Applicants with a master’s degree (or equivalent) in a relevant field of study are not required to have professional work experience. 
• Applicants with a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) are required to have a minimum of two (2) years of relevant professional experience in the digital field.

Required  skills:

• Demonstrated ability to build cross-functional relationships that result in adoption of organizational change;
• Demonstrated team working and coordinating skills;
• Demonstrated ability to plan and produce quality results to meet established goals;
• Demonstrated ability to generate innovative, practical solutions to challenging situations.

Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section:

• Demonstrated experience in development of digital strategies in an organization; 
• Experience in monitoring and evaluation of digital solutions; 
• Demonstrated experience in developing and operationalizing data-based guidelines, policies, procedures, and standards within any set-up;
• Experience working in the UN or any other national or international organization in work of similar nature;
• Demonstrable experience in research and development in the area of digital innovation;
• Report writing skills.

Required Language(s) 

• Fluency in  English and Chichewa 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.

Scam alert

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