Innovation Roadmap for UNFPA Asia and the Pacific Consultant

Purpose of consultancy:

The consultant will work in collaboration with the UNFPA Asia and the Pacific Regional Office (APRO) to:

Develop a 2022-2025 costed innovation roadmap for UNFPA Asia and the Pacific, including:

1. With senior UNFPA Asia and the Pacific leaders, faciliate the identification of opportunities and priority actions within the region, ensuring alignment with UNFPA’s corporate strategies, and further develop strategies for fostering an innovation focused environment and innovation leadership capacities in the region
2. An approach for Asia and the Pacific for resource mobilization and partnership development, including a mapping of existing private sector and strategic partnerships in UNFPA Asia and the Pacific

Guided by the 1994 Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and the ICPD25 Nairobi Summit, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) partners with governments, civil society and other agencies to accomplish its mission, which aims to promote the rights of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity and supports countries in using data for policies and programmes to reduce poverty. In 2018, UNFPA set in motion a strategic effort, based on quality data, to achieve three zeros by 2030: zero unmet need for contraception; zero preventable maternal deaths; and zero gender-based violence and harmful practices, such as child marriage and female genital mutilation.

In 2021, UNFPA launched a global innovation roadmap in order to achieve the three zeros and the new UNFPA strategic plan includes innovation and digitalization as a key accelerator for change. These strategic documents provide the framework for innovation in UNFPA in the Asia Pacific region. The consultant will work with APRO and key partners in the region to identify priority areas for action within the existing corporate frameworks.

Scope of work:

The consultant will support UNFPA Asia and the Pacific to identify new ways of doing business.

The consultant will be expected to work with APRO to develop an innovation roadmap 2022-2025 for the UNFPA Asia and the Pacific region that aligns with corporate guidance and regional consultation feedback.

The scope of service will include:

1. Develop a work plan with the supervisor and develop an innovation roadmap based on consultations in the region.
2. Conduct a desk review of existing corporate strategies and innovation guidance and share examples of good practices from other stakeholders.
3. Facilitate virtual discussion groups and key informant interviews within the region with UNFPA country offices, UN partners and key stakeholders on the positioning of UNFPA Asia and the Pacific (AP) in the innovation space, including in innovation leadership and fostering innovation culture within UNFPA.
4. With UNFPA resource mobilization and strategic partnership specialists, review existing UNFPA partnerships in the Asia Pacific region for both innovation scale up and for innovation potential. Provide a summary of partnership opportunities for UNFPA APRO and AP country offices. This information may be in a table form or other format as agreed with the supervisor.

With UNFPA APRO, facilitate discussions to clarify the regional innovation vision and provide strategic guidance in developing a costed innovation roadmap. Facilitate the identification of priority areas for action from 2022-2025 and guide the development key milestones for implementation. Guide the estimation of resources required for implementation.

Duration and working schedule:

Up to 30 working days starting from 15 September to 15 December 2022,

Place where services are to be delivered:

Home-based with no travel envisioned for this consultancy.

Delivery dates and how work will be delivered:

The consultant will deliver a 2022-2025 costed innovation roadmap for UNFPA Asia and the Pacific, including a summary of UNFPA innovation partnerships in the region. The documents will be delivered electronically.

Schedule of Payment:

1. As per the agreed work plan and after acceptance by UNFPA APRO, 1st lump-sum payment of 50% upon submission of the first draft of the innovation roadmap document with priority actions, review of existing corporate strategy and country good practices and summary of consultations;
2. As per the agreed work plan, 2nd lump-sum payment of 50% upon submission and approval of final product of a costed innovation roadmap with priority actions and implementation milestones; mapping of strategic innovation partnership opportunities; summary of best practices by 15 December 2022.

Monitoring and progress control

• An initial virtual meeting will be held with the supervisor to discuss the expected deliverables and develop a work plan against a timeline.
• Regular weekly updates will occur through communication by email or Zoom as needed.
• Meetings will be held after the submission of first and second draft, if required to review comments and recommendations.

Supervisory arrangements:

Consultant is expected to provide services under the overall guidance of the direct supervision of UNFPA’s Asia-Pacific Regional Programme Specialist, with the support of the Regional Innovation Analyst.

Required expertise, qualifications and competencies, including language requirements:

Master degree or above in business administration, industrial design thinking or relevant field plus 7 years of relevant experience with a minimum of one year experience in innovation strategy, or a Bachelor degree in business administration, industrial design or relevant field plus 9 years of relevant experience with a minimum of two years experience in innovation strategy.

In addition, the consultant should have:

• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Balances entrepreneurial mindset with a teamwork mentality
• Track record as an outstanding problem-solver and strategic thinker
• Able to synthesize disperse information into effective strategies and insights
• Translating complex ideas into simple, actionable recommendations
• Quantitative & qualitative value-case development
• Strong client relationship skills and strong business development acumen
• Knowledge of competitive products/services in the market
• Knowledge of modern and traditional technology model and its adoption processes
• Experience design operating models and building change management plan
• Ability to successfully lead, coach, and develop teams
• Fluency in oral and written English is essential.

Other Desirable Skills:

• Prior experience in Asia and the Pacific is an asset

Prior experience working with UNFPA or similar partners would be an asset.

Inputs / services to be provided by UNFPA:

Access to UNFPA documents will be provided.