Digital Impact Specialist – Foundations and Guardrails

Host entity: UNICEF

Volunteer type: National

Areas of expertise: Information technology and telecommunications

Application deadline: 25/09/2026

Mission and objectives

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfilling their potential. Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. And we never give up.
In the East Asia and Pacific Region, UNICEF works to uphold the rights of all children. This means the rights of every child, irrespective of their nationality, gender, religion or ethnicity, to:

• survival – to basic healthcare, peace and security;
• development – to a good education, a loving home and adequate nutrition;
• protection – from abuse, neglect, trafficking, child labour and other forms of exploitation; and
• participation – to express opinions, be listened to and take part in making any decisions that affect them

Recognizing children, adolescents and youth have a right to participate in decisions that affect their lives, a right to a healthy and safe environment, and a right to protection from harm, UNICEF is calling for governments and businesses to address the climate crisis through reduction in greenhouse emissions, increased investment in children’s awareness and climate literacy, and by engaging young people in environmental and climate related policy making.

Assignment context

This assignment is part of UNICEF Asia Pacific’s Regional Office (APRO) Digital Impact section. The role will provide Regional Office (RO) oversight, technical assurance and coordinated support for Digital Foundations and Guardrails across UNICEF Country Offices (COs) in the Asia-Pacific region. Working in close collaboration with UNICEF’s Digital Impact Division (DID), the role will support the consistent application of UNICEF’s global technology standards, architecture, cybersecurity and digital risk requirements, while responding to Country Office needs and regional priorities.

Task description

a. Support Regional Digital Foundations and Guardrails
In collaboration with Headquarters (HQ), Country Offices (COs) and relevant regional teams, the Digital Impact Specialist will contribute to strengthening secure, resilient and scalable digital foundations across the region, in alignment with UNICEF’s Digital Impact Strategy, enterprise architecture, technology standards and cybersecurity requirements.

Key activities include :

• Support the regional implementation and adoption of cloud-based and cloud-native services, unified communications, modern workplace technologies and next-generation network infrastructure to improve reliability, scalability, interoperability and secure access across COs.
• Liaise with global and regional Digital Impact teams in COs to support alignment of Country Office digital architectures, infrastructure and services with UNICEF enterprise architecture, cloud modernization and technology standards.
• Provide technical guidance and coordination to COs in the implementation of UNICEF’s Global Cyber Resilience Initiative (GCRI) and related cybersecurity, information security and digital risk-management measures.
• Assess and consolidate Country Office requirements for ICT, cloud, data and AI infrastructure, platforms and related digital services for both operations and programme delivery and facilitate access through regional Long-Term Arrangements (LTAs), global contracts, HQ services or other appropriate mechanisms.
• Provide technical assurance for digital solutions and services to ensure that relevant requirements relating to cybersecurity, privacy, data protection, interoperability, accessibility, resilience, scalability and sustainability are considered throughout their lifecycle.
• Support Regional and Country Office Supply teams in establishing or using regional and local LTAs and other contracting mechanisms for ICT products, digital services and technology-related programme requirements.

b. Strengthen Regional Digital Governance, Coordination, Capacity and Partnerships
The Digital Impact Specialist will support effective governance, coordination and capacity development for Digital Impact across the region and contribute to coherent implementation of UNICEF global standards, policies and good practices.

Key activities include :

• Coordinate and contribute to regional technical capacity-building initiatives in areas including digital foundations, cybersecurity, data governance, responsible use of emerging technologies, enterprise platforms and digital service delivery.
• Contribute to the TeamOne approach for strengthening the capabilities of Digital Impact personnel across the region, working closely with HQ, Digital Centre of Excellence (DCoE) and other regional technical teams to identify learning needs, develop resources and facilitate knowledge exchange.
• Provide technical review and assurance for business-process automation solutions developed or procured by Country Offices and the Regional Office to ensure compliance with UNICEF requirements for cybersecurity, privacy, data management, access control, maintainability and enterprise technology standards.
• Provide technical guidance and governance support for digital fundraising platforms and channels in the region, particularly in relation to solution architecture, data management, privacy, cybersecurity and integration with UNICEF enterprise systems.
• Prepare, coordinate and present relevant regional digital initiatives to UNICEF governance and oversight mechanisms, including the Portfolio and Project Management (PPM) forum, and support follow-up on recommendations and decisions.
• Represent in Digital Impact/ICT in relevant regional inter-agency mechanisms, technical working groups and coordination forums, and contribute to common UN digital initiatives where appropriate.
• Facilitate communities of practice, knowledge exchange and peer support among Country Offices, helping identify common requirements, reusable solutions, lessons learned and opportunities for regional collaboration.
• Maintain and develop their own knowledge and professional capability across enterprise technology, cybersecurity, cloud services, data and AI, digital public infrastructure and other relevant areas, through continuous professional development, professional networks, training and relevant certification

c. Support the Design, Implementation and Management of Digital and Data Solutions
The Digital Impact Specialist will provide technical support to the Regional Office and Country Offices in the assessment, design, implementation, operation and improvement of digital and data solutions for programme and operational needs.

Key activities include :
(i) Business process automation and analytics
• Work with Regional Office sections, including Operations, Human Resources, Supply, Programme COEs [JH5.1][JH5.2][JH5.3]and other teams, to analyse business requirements and identify opportunities for appropriate process improvement and automation.
• Design, develop, implement and maintain business applications, workflows and analytics solutions within UNICEF’s approved enterprise environment, including Microsoft 365, Power Platform, Power Automate, Power Apps and Power BI, in accordance with organizational architecture, security and data-governance standards.
(ii) Digital solution architecture and technical advisory support
• Provide technical advice and assurance to Regional and Country Office teams on the design and review of ICT, Technology for Development(T4D)[NP6.1], digital, data and technology interventions, including requirements analysis, solution architecture, integration, interoperability, hosting, data management, cybersecurity, accessibility, scalability and sustainability.
• Support Country Office Digital Impact teams, programme sections and other relevant stakeholders to define technical requirements, assess solution options and identify technically viable, secure, scalable and sustainable approaches, including engagement with government counterparts and implementing partners where appropriate.
• Promote the reuse of existing UNICEF and UN platforms, Digital Public Goods and other suitable solutions before the development or procurement of new bespoke solutions, taking account of UNICEF enterprise architecture, technology standards and programme requirements.
(iii) Enterprise and programme platforms
• Support adoption and effective use of UNICEF-led, endorsed or enterprise platforms used across the region, including, as relevant, RapidPro, InForm/ODK, HOPE, UNICARE, Learning Passport and other global or regional digital services.
• Help Country Offices troubleshoot common technical or operational issues, coordinate vendor support where applicable, identify systemic issues affecting multiple offices, and consolidate and escalate matters to HQ product and platform teams as required.
• Support lifecycle management of regional digital services, including adoption, configuration, user support, vendor coordination, upgrades, documentation, risk management and transition or decommissioning where required.
(iv) Web and online services
• Coordinate or provide technical oversight for the development, maintenance and improvement of websites, microsites and other online services where regional support is required, ensuring alignment with UNICEF standards for security, accessibility, branding, privacy and content management.
(v) Knowledge management and collaboration platforms
• Support Regional Office knowledge-management focal points in administering and maintaining intranet, SharePoint and collaboration environments, including Enterprise Content Management (ECM), Microsoft 365, Teams and related platforms.
• Support appropriate user-access, permissions and information-management arrangements and provide knowledge transfer, guidance and end-user training on relevant knowledge-management and collaboration tools.
(vi) Regional solution coordination and procurement support
• Identify recurring digital and ICT requirements across Country Offices and work with Supply, HQ and technical teams to develop common specifications, procurement approaches, LTAs or shared services where these can improve quality, efficiency, interoperability and value for money. Document and disseminate technical guidance, solution patterns, lessons learned and reusable resources that enable Country Offices to implement digital solutions consistently and efficiently across the region.

Skills and experience

A minimum of five years of professional experience in information technology management and business operations in a large international organization and/or corporation is required, including :
• Experience identifying, designing and implementing solutions for large-scale projects with technical components – including supervising external vendors and software developers; responsibility for business analysis, budgets, contracts, project management and procurement, etc.
• Demonstrated substantial hands-on experience in software development of web-based applications using Microsoft frameworks tools and platforms, eg. .Net and MS SQL Server, and Open-Source platforms, eg. PHP and MySQL.
• Demonstrated substantial hands-on experience in development solutions using SharePoint 2010 or higher.
• Familiarity with and good understanding of Microsoft IT network environment concepts and operations, eg. server and VM installation and administration, Active Directory Services.
• Experience in managing IT projects, particularly software development projects.
• Certification and/or proven experience in one of these several ICT technical competencies: ICT Project Management, Business Analytics, Information Security, ICT Audit and Risk Management, Telecommunications, Networks Information Security and Software Engineering and Programming.
• Exposure to UNICEF, UN, or other INGO programmatic areas, including health, nutrition, child protection and/or education.
• Experience in applying technical solutions to address programmatic issues.

Experience in the following areas is desirable :

• Experience in open source, mobile and emerging technology applied to UNICEF programme areas
• Experience working in T4D/ICT4D program design, service design, and field deployment/implementation in developing countries
• Experience with RapidPro, mSupply, DHIS2, ODK and other global public good technologies, and deploying, maintaining, and scaling these technologies
• Experience in coordination with multiple stakeholders like Government agencies, academic institutions, research organizations, private sector etc. in implementing ICT projects and exploring space for collaboration and partnerships
• Software programming experience, including quality assurance and product ownership to deliver enhancements, new functionality, and defect resolution as well as proficiency with source code and related tools (e.g. GitHub, DevOps, etc.)
• Knowledge of UNICEF’s ICT landscape, standard platforms and KM solutions an advantage.
• Experience in a UN organization is an asset.

Competencies and values

• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (1)
• Works Collaboratively with others (1)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (1)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (1)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (1)
• Drive to achieve impactful results (1)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)

Living conditions

Bangkok provides basic living needs, with accommodation, banking facilities, medical services, and telecommunications/internet services readily available. Staple foods, such as rice, meat, vegetables, fruit, cooking oil, and salt, can be found in local markets. Many imported goods are also available in Bangkok and other parts of Thailand. Bangkok has a wide range of good restaurants with acceptable health standards, and most guesthouses also provide food. The most commonly used means of transportation in Thailand are taxis and local buses, while Bangkok also has an elevated train service. Mobile phones are a dependable way to stay in touch with colleagues and friends. Internet service is readily available and affordable in most apartment complexes. ATMs are widely available across Thailand, and most international cards can be used to withdraw Thai Baht. For those with children, schooling options in Bangkok should be carefully reviewed and decided before bringing children to the duty station. School fees and locations vary depending on personal preferences. Admission fees for schools in Thailand range from USD 3,000 to USD 9,000, while annual tuition fees range from USD 5,500 to USD 25,533. Depending on the quality of education and location, which may affect the cost, Volunteers are encouraged to explore available school options to identify those that best meet their children’s needs. No specific allocation is available for schooling, and Volunteers will need to bear the full costs.

Full eligibility requirements, conditions of service and application instructions are available on the official UNV platform.