Digital Public Infrastructure Advisor [Open to Tier 0, 1 & 2 applicants]

Tiered Approach

In line with the commitment to safeguard capacity and support personnel already in the Organization, a majority of UNDP UNCDF/UNV vacancies are advertised using a tiered application process whereby:

• Tier 0: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.
• Tier 1: Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments
• Tier 2: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers
• Tier 3 or no tier indicated: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates

Please make note of the Tier(s) indicated in the vacancy title, if any, and ensure that you satisfy the eligibility to apply.

Background/ Office/Unit/Project Description  

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end poverty, inequality and climate change, working in more than 170 countries.

The Regional Bureau for Africa (RBA) provides strategic direction, quality assurance and oversight across UNDP's 46 Country Offices in sub-Saharan Africa. Its Regional Programme Document (RPD) 2026–2029, anchored in the African Union's Agenda 2063 and the Second Ten-Year Implementation Plan — the "decade of acceleration" — pursues four outcomes: Prosperity, Governance, Crisis Prevention and Resilience, and Planet. Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) — digital identity, payments and data exchange — is a foundational enabler across all four. It provides the digital rails for AfCFTA implementation and for SME and youth access to markets and credit; underpins RPD Output 2.4 on digital and AI policy for safe, secure public service delivery; enables risk-informed social protection and digital health; and strengthens natural resource governance and just energy transitions.

The Digital, AI and Innovation (DAI) Hub is UNDP's global centre of excellence for digital transformation, providing technical advisory, capacity building and programmatic support to Regional Centres and Country Offices. Within it, the DPI Safeguards Team ensures Africa's foundational digital rails are built with protection and equity at their core, so that scaling DPI does not deepen inequality or compromise human rights.

The position sits within the DPI Safeguards Team and is the operational bridge between the DAI Hub and RBA. It translates the RPD's digital ambition into country-level delivery — embedding safeguarding-by-design across the regional DPI portfolio, supporting country readiness assessments and national implementation roadmaps, and mobilizing partnerships and financing for the Africa DPI Accelerator.

Delivery spans 46 diverse country contexts — Anglophone, Francophone, Lusophone and Arabic-speaking, several fragile or crisis-affected — with uneven digital maturity, politically sensitive data governance environments, and multiple sovereign and continental stakeholders. The role is home-based and requires remote engagement across time zones.

Duties and Responsibilities

Lead strategic design and alignment of the regional DPI portfolio

• Align the Africa DPI Accelerator with the RPD 2026–2029, embedding digital ID, payments and data exchange in the Prosperity and Governance outcomes through a use-case-led approach across health, financial inclusion, livelihoods, agriculture, climate and digital trade.
  Contributes to: RPD Outcomes 1 and 2; AU Digital Transformation Strategy and Agenda 2063 Second Ten-Year Implementation Plan.

Lead country readiness and national implementation roadmaps

• With the DAI Hub readiness assessment lead, programme-manage DPI readiness assessments in priority countries, identify programmatic entry points to close the digital divide, and support national implementation roadmaps.
• Contributes to: Country Office programming across 46 offices; national digital transformation strategies; SDG acceleration.

Safeguarding-by-design across the DPI lifecycle

• Integrate universal DPI safeguards — data privacy, digital rights, inclusive governance — into country implementation plans from design through maintenance, and standardize repeatable protocols across Country Offices.
• Contributes to: RPD Outcome 2 (Governance) and Output 2.4; UNDP Universal DPI Safeguards Framework and the global DPI Safeguards agenda; UNDP Social and Environmental Standards.

Provide high -level technical advisory and regional intelligence

• Advise RBA leadership and Country Offices on responsible DPI and AI deployment, generate evidence on how DPI accelerates sectoral results, and track global and regional DPI trends, innovations and emerging risks.
• Contributes to: RPD target of 15 regional and national institutions strengthened by 2029; RBA knowledge leadership and UNDP's global DPI positioning.

Build strategic partnerships, knowledge management and sustainable financing

• Build alliances with the AU, RECs and Smart Africa to harmonize cross-border digital policy and interoperability standards; mobilize resources through concept notes, proposals and blended finance; and leverage timbuktoo to connect startups and tech hubs to national DPI projects and capital. Advise on knowledge building and sharing.
• Contributes to: AfCFTA implementation; RPD resource mobilization targets; timbuktoo and the Digital Public Goods Alliance, Co-Develop, GovStack and 50-in-5 communities; South-South and triangular cooperation.

Ensure Institutionalization and sustainability

• Curate regional DPI intelligence for the "State of DPI in Africa" agenda, convene a regional community of practice, and design the roadmap for transitioning the DPI Accelerator from a catalytic programme into a permanent regional facility.
• Contributes to: sustainability of the Africa DPI Accelerator beyond 2028; integration of DPI safeguards into UNDP's core service offer.

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 Public Infrastructure Advisor – Africa reports directly to the Director, Regional Programme for Africa (RBA) and to the Director, AI Hub and Head of Digital and AI Programmes.

As an RBA-anchored position, the Director, Regional Programme for Africa is the primary supervisor, responsible for setting priorities, approving workplans and conducting performance assessment. The Director, AI Hub and Head of Digital and AI Programmes provides second-level reporting, ensuring technical coherence with UNDP's global digital, AI and DPI safeguards standards. The incumbent maintains regular coordination and information sharing with the DAI Hub, including the DPI Safeguards Team, so that regional delivery remains aligned with global methodologies and the Hub's work benefits from regional evidence.

The incumbent works in close collaboration with RBA regional programme teams and the 46 Country Offices in sub-Saharan Africa, DAI Hub technical teams, and relevant continental and regional partners. The position carries no supervisory responsibilities but is expected to lead joint RBA–DAI workstreams and task teams on a matrix basis.

The position is home-based.

Competencies

Core competencies:

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact 
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems 
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences 
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands 
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results 
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration 
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

People Management competencies:

The incumbent supervises consultants engaged under the regional DPI portfolio, including defining terms of reference, managing deliverables and quality assurance, and assessing performance.

• UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

Business Direction & Strategy 

• Strategic Thinking    
  • Develop effective strategies and prioritised plans in line with UNDP’s mission and objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, opportunities and potential risks; link the general vision to reality on the ground to create tangible targeted solutions; learn from a variety of sources to anticipate and effectively respond to both current and future trends; demonstrate foresight.
• Systems 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 

Business Management

• Results-based Management    
  • Ability to manage the implementation of strategies, programmes, and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results. Knowledge and understanding of relevant theories, concepts, methodologies, instruments, and tools

Partnership Management

• Multi-stakeholder engagement and funding    
  • Knowledge and ability to forge multi-stakeholder partnerships, and remove any obstacles to resource mobilization and multi-stakeholder funding platforms 

2030 Agenda: Engagement & Effectiveness

• Digital transformation design    
  • Practical and strategic skills in digital transformation for governments and organisations. 

Digital & Innovation

• Data governance     
  • Knowledge of data science, skills to develop data management tools, organize and maintain databases and operate data visualization technologies         

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• An advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in International Development, International Relations, Governance, Public Policy, Public Administration, Political Science, Law, Human Rights, Economics, or Social Sciences is required. OR
• A first-level university degree (Bachelor's degree) in the above fields, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience, will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree. 

Experience:

• Minimum 10 years (with Master's degree) or 12 years (with Bachelor's degree) of progressively responsible professional experience in regional or multi-country programmes, governance, digital transformation, public policy or related development fields is required.

Required skills:

• Demonstrated experience supporting digital, data or technology programmes in a development context, including advising on their governance and implementation.
• Demonstrated experience building and managing multi-stakeholder partnerships across government, regional bodies, private sector and development partners.

Desired skills:

• Hands-on experience with digital public infrastructure components — digital identity, digital payments or data exchange layers.
• Experience designing or implementing digital platforms or data-driven tools in developing country contexts.
• Experience applying safeguards or do-no-harm approaches to digital systems in fragile or conflict-affected settings.
• Experience working within the UN system, particularly UNDP.
• Experience working with the African Union and regional bodies, as well as development partners and south-south cooperation partners.
• Experience working in or with countries in the Africa region.
• Proven Familiarity with the AU Digital Transformation Strategy, Agenda 2063 and AfCFTA.
• Experience engaging start-up ecosystems, innovation financing or blended finance instruments.
• Demonstrated experience managing or leading multi-country or regional development programmes, including workplanning, delivery oversight and results reporting.
• Demonstrated experience applying governance, human rights or accountability frameworks to digital or data systems, including data protection, digital rights or responsible technology approaches.
• Demonstrated experience providing policy or technical advisory services to governments, regional institutions or continental bodies.
• Demonstrated experience in resource mobilization, including developing concept notes and funding proposals and engaging donors
• Demonstrated experience managing consultants or technical teams, including terms of reference, deliverables and quality assurance 

Languages

• Fluency in English is required. 
• Working knowledge of another UN official language is an asset.
   

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.

Use of AI by candidates

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