Chief, Digital Center of Excellence, Information Technology Solutions Office (ITSO), New York, P-5

UNFPA is seeking an accomplished and strategic leader to head our Digital Center of Excellence. This pivotal role will provide strategic leadership and oversight for all digital products and services directly supporting UNFPA's core programmatic work, as well as the organization's evolving practice in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Data, and Knowledge Management (KM).

This includes responsibility for implementing our strategic vision in this area as well as managing the team supporting the solutions. 

You will report directly to the IT Director.
 

UNFPA is the lead United Nations agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is intended, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled. The UNFPA Strategic Plan for 2026-2029 articulates the organization’s response to a complex global environment, providing a roadmap for resilience and renewal. It is designed to accelerate the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. This mandate is pursued through a focus on four interconnected outcomes: ending the unmet need for family planning; ending preventable maternal deaths; ending gender-based violence and harmful practices; and adapting to demographic change through evidence and rights-based policies. 

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates who transform, inspire, and deliver high-impact and sustained results and ensure effective external relations, communications, and partnership-building and resource mobilization in a rapidly changing development and funding landscape. We need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them, and who commit to delivering excellence in programme results.

The Chief, Digital Center of Excellence provides leadership in UNFPA’s digital transformation agenda engaging in and supporting developing digital interventions and solutions for UNFPA’s programmes. The Chief builds and maintains strong relationships with regional and country leadership as well as headquarter divisions, UN agencies and external partners.

The Chief of the Digital Center of Excellence (CoE) is a key leadership role, responsible for setting the vision, strategy, and directing the execution of a comprehensive, programme-focused portfolio of digital solutions. Serving as the principal IT leader and visionary for the CoE's solution landscape, the incumbent will accelerate impact by strategically integrating tools for AI, Data, and Knowledge into core programmatic solutions, thereby supporting programming at the global, regional, and country levels.

Carry out any other duties as may be required by UNFPA leadership. 

 This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA's workforce - click here [link removed] to learn more.

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements. 

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts. 

Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.