Social Systems Lead

The Social Systems Lead will be directly supervised by the Head of UNGP-AP to undertake the following tasks:

1. Provide high-quality policy relevant research to the partners.

2. Identify and support the delivery of strategic coordination for research partnerships and collaboration advice for UNGP-AP, with the social systems unit leading the technical work.

3. Coordinate activities of involving a team of design researchers, strategic foresight, and behavioral sciences technical experts to conduct relevant research and capability development and project implementation work.

4. Support Business Development and outreach portfolio development, providing advice on strategy and supporting the management team to enhance UNGP-AP’s outreach activities.

5. Manage The Social System team to ensure effective support and engagement of team members

• Provide technical oversight and serve as a lead technical resource for the provision of technical assistance and capacity building initiatives implemented by the social systems team.

• Identify and coordinate the implementation of qualitative research activities to partners.

• Ensure the introduction of performance indicators/success criteria, targets, and milestones to activities under management.

• Ensure that collaborative research projects are implemented in accordance with the gender equality accountability framework and Gender equality Results Based management.

• Lead team members to develop knowledge products and communication assets for appropriate usage.

• Scoping and costing activities to be conducted with the aim of obtaining cost recovery for delivery of the activities as agreed to with potential partners. These activities range from research, co-design workshops, to training both in Indonesia and across the region.

• Support identification of both public and private sector partnerships to enhance impact and influence for UNGP-AP’s strategic priorities.

• Support effective relationships with key counterparts in UN agencies, Donor agencies and other development programmes to promote and strengthen coordinated support for UNGP-AP.

• Lead social systems’ team activities to meet delivery of UN Global Pulse Asia Pacific Work Plan and strategic direction.

• Keep management abreast of new developments and trends in human-based design, user research and other relevant qualitative research methodologies.

• Supports identification of new opportunities to expand UNGP-AP’s portfolio across the region

3. Coordinate activities involving a team of design researchers, strategic foresight and behavioral sciences technical experts to conduct relevant research and capability development and project implementation work.

• In depth exploration of social systems through the application of qualitative research methodologies on social issues and provide recommendations linked with possible data innovation solutions

• Introduction and application of new and relevant methodologies such as Strategic Foresight, human centered design, systems thinking, or behavioral insights.

• Synthesize and present research results to relevant partners and users

• Identify, scope, manage, and implement strategic partnerships in which social systems lead the technical work, ranging from research, co-design workshops, to trainings

• Effective contribution to the regional and global network for gender mainstreaming learning and knowledge sharing

4. Support business development and outreach portfolio development, providing advice on strategy and supporting the management team to enhance UNGP-AP’s outreach activities.

• Support UNGP AP in the implementation of the Hub’s business development strategy with a focus on Indonesia, and the Pacific, building on current ongoing activities and programmes, including providing technical support to multi-stakeholder mechanisms, especially in regard to the Lab’s government/civil society partnership-building activities.

• Provide input in the development of practical policies and action recommendations for UNGP-AP’s development.

• Contribute to decision making and prioritization of activities and engagement areas for the hub.

• Support Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning efforts on all engagements through ensuring appropriate reporting and documentation.

5. Manage the Social System team to ensure effective support and engagement of team members

• Provide day to day management support to members of the social system team

• Identify and effectively explore opportunities for strengthening team members’ capacities either through adding members to the team or giving learning opportunities for existing team members.

• Contribute to creating a continued learning and development environment for the hub’s staff through knowledge and expertise sharing and engagements.

• Minimum five (5) years of professional relevant experience with a Master's degree or seven (7) years of experience with a Bachelor's degree at the national or international level, preferably in research relating to digital innovations, behavioral sciences, or related fields, is required,

• Experience working on innovation projects in the development or humanitarian sectors is required.

• Experience in managing technical teams towards achieving common objectives and providing leadership and decision making support is required.

• Exposure to ASEAN and/or Pacific regional development issues through engaging in projects or programmes is desirable.

• Solid understanding of how innovation methods such as behavioral science, Strategic foresight and data innovation is desirable.

• A creative thinker, with hands-on experience in capacity building with local government counterparts is desirable.

• Prior experience in managing partnerships and relationships with government, UN and development partners is desirable.