Consultant on Business Strategy

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has established a Centre for Humanitarian Data in The Hague, the Netherlands to help increase the use and impact of data in the humanitarian sector. The vision is to create a future where all people involved in a humanitarian emergency have access to the data they need, when and how they need it, to make responsible and informed decisions.

The Centre focuses on four areas: data services, data policy, data literacy, and network engagement. The Centre’s data services work includes direct management of the Humanitarian Data Exchange (HDX) platform and the Humanitarian Exchange Language (HXL) data standard. The data literacy work focuses on improving the data skills of technical and non-technical humanitarians. For data policy, the Centre creates guidelines for the responsible use of data by OCHA staff and partners. Finally, the Centre works to further build and engage an active community in support of its mission and objectives through a number events and communication activities.

The Centre’s Data Fellows programme began in 2018 and aims to expose the Centre and its partners to new areas of data-related expertise that can impact humanitarian response. The structure of the programme provides Fellows with exposure to different parts of the humanitarian system while allowing them to focus time and energy on an individual project that addresses a challenge related to the use and impact of data in the sector.

The Centre will host its second class of Data Fellows in The Hague in June and July 2019. The 2019 Fellows will focus on four areas where the Centre is seeking new perspectives, insights and partnerships including: Business Strategy, Data Science (education data), Predictive Analytics, and Statistics (disability data). The Fellowship programme is residential, with Fellows living and working in The Hague under the direction of the Coordinator for the Data Fellows Programme. https://centre.humdata.org/data-fellows

Sustainable Business Models for the Centre

The Centre was created based on a three-year business plan, covering the period from mid-2017 to mid-2020. The Centre has a robust results framework which includes four objectives related to its four work streams. The Centre is seeking to achieve three outcomes: increasing the speed of data from collection to use, increasing the number and strength of partnerships, and increasing the use of data through HDX.

The Centre receives support from a variety of partnerships through direct funding, partner secondments, and in-kind contributions. We would like to explore the feasibility of a variety of sustainable business models for how the Centre operates. The model might include a fee-for-service or subscription process for an advanced aspect of HDX; a paid accreditation for part of our data literacy programme in partnership with an educational institution; or a volunteer programme that broadens the number of people who can provide data services to partners, among other ideas. In order to adopt a new model, the Centre would need to understand the potential market for the solution and clarify the value proposition to partners.

We are looking for a candidate who is self-motivated and can thrive in an international, multidisciplinary team. The right candidate has the skills and abilities that together comprise the appropriate level of expertise to develop new business models and to think strategically about the challenges the humanitarian sector faces in using data and whether and how the Centre can address those challenges.

Accountabilities 

-          Design and execute a project related to sustainable business modeling based on the problem statement provided by the Centre, including the design and testing of at least one sustainable business model and recommendations for how the Centre can further develop such a model

-          Design and deliver at least one session (in person or online) for the Centre team and broader community on an aspect of their area of technical expertise.

-          Communicate publicly about the project focus and key outcomes (in the form of a blog and other related channels).

-          Produce a final report outlining the key insights from the projects and, as relevant, providing recommendations for further work in the area of focus.

-          Utilize available project management and office communication tools to effectively track and deliver expected outputs.

-          Maintain active and clear communications with relevant members of the Centre and the Fellowship partner organization(s) throughout the course of the programme.

Deliverables

-          A briefing note outlining the Fellows’ understanding of the specific challenge related to the Centre’s business model with a plan for how the Fellow will address this challenge through their capstone project.

-          At least one concept note with a rationale (user demand, projected cost savings, partners, roadmap) for a sustainable business model for the Centre to adopt.  

-          Detailed strategic documentation (method, requirements, development roadmap) for the model.

-          At least one blog post on the outcomes of the project.

-          A final report outlining the key achievements of the project and, as relevant, providing recommendations for further work in the area of focus.

Education

• Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in social sciences, business, economics, international relations, social policy, development studies, or other relevant disciplines.
• Bachelor’s degree with additional two years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Work Experience

• Two years of experience with project management, with an ability to translate complex ideas from various fields into unified, clear guidance is a must.
• Demonstrated experience with developing sustainable business models for growth, especially in the non-profit sector.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience with processing large amount of information and synthesizing it.
• Strong interpersonal and networking skills.

Language

• Fluency in English is required (both oral and written).

Contract type: ICA
Contract level: IICA-1/ICS-9
Contract duration: 8 weeks- Lumpsum (Start date: 3 June 2019)

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns.
Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.

Sustainable Development Cluster (SDC)

Based in New York, the Sustainable Development Cluster (SDC) supports diverse partners with their peacebuilding, humanitarian and development operations.

The SDC’s services include grants management, development and special initiatives support, and technology support to the UN and UN agencies.

The SDC is part of the New York Service Cluster that supports the United Nations Secretariat, as well as a broadening community of other New York-based United Nations organizations, bilateral and multilateral partners in the delivery of UNOPS mandate in project management, infrastructure management, and procurement management.