Urban Data and AI Specialist (Green Transition)

Tiered Approach

In line with the commitment to safeguard capacity and support personnel already in the Organization, a majority of UNDP UNCDF/UNV vacancies are advertised using a tiered application process whereby:

• Tier 0: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.
• Tier 1: Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments
• Tier 2: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers
• Tier 3 or no tier indicated: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates

Please make note of the Tier(s) indicated in the vacancy title, if any, and ensure that you satisfy the eligibility to apply.

Background

Governments across the Asia–Pacific region are actively leveraging digital and artificial intelligence (AI) to improve public service delivery, decision-making, accountability, and inclusive, sustainable development pathways, especially as cities expand and climate pressures intensify. Yet translating ambitions into responsible and scalable implementation remains difficult due to capacity gaps, fragmented data ecosystems, uneven digital infrastructure, evolving governance needs, and uncertainty on how to safely test and operationalize emerging technologies.

UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub (BRH), through its Regional Innovation and Digital Team, supports government partners and UNDP Country Offices across Asia-Pacific to address these gaps. The team is building a growing portfolio that connects institutional design, AI and data governance, digital public infrastructure (DPI), experimentation and system approaches for urban and green transformation. It provides capability diagnostics, responsible use-case identification, co-design approaches, and implementation guidance tailored to government's needs, alongside hands-on support to operationalize AI for people-centred, climate resilient development. In parallel, the digital stewardship and experimentation will further strengthen institutional capacity, foster peer learning and enable urban and rural focused data and AI-enabled innovation.

The Urban Data and AI Specialist (Green Transition) will support the green digital city initiatives, building on country experiences with urban data platforms, AI-enabled planning and policy systems. The role will demonstrate how data and AI accelerate system-based urban transitions and improve cross-sector policy coherence.
 

Duties and Responsibilities

The Urban Data and AI Specialist (Green Transition) will report to the Team Lead- Regional Innovation and Digital Team, and work closely with the Strategic Innovation Designer, and colleagues across teams relevant. 

Provide specialized advisory and co-design support for green digital transition initiatives

• Provide advisory support to UNDP Country Offices and government counterparts to define priority use-cases where data/AI can support green transition outcomes (urban and rural contexts).
• Co-design intervention concepts and technical approaches that combine systems sensing/learning with practical data/AI applications (e.g., urban data platforms, AI/ML, earth observation), ensuring feasibility and responsible use.
• Produce clear design notes (problem statement, proposed solution, roles, dependencies, risks) that support decision-making and next steps.
• Ensure design quality by defining minimum technical standards (data readiness, interoperability, privacy/safeguards, inclusion) and producing actionable technical notes and design briefs.

Implementation readiness and quality assurance for pilots/experiments

• Guide teams to translate concepts into implementable plans (minimum data requirements, governance needs, delivery steps, and partner roles).
• Provide technical review and quality assurance for pilot/experiment designs to ensure readiness for implementation and potential scale-up
• Advise on practical safeguards and responsible data/AI considerations relevant to the use-case (e.g., privacy, security, bias, accountability) in public sector contexts.

Data-driven sensemaking and development intelligence to inform decisions

• Guide the use of practical data tools and approaches to generate development intelligence and identify system-change signals relevant but not limited to green urban and rural transition and resilience.
• Package insights into decision-ready outputs that can inform policy and investment planning, including portfolio decisions to adapt, scale and stop where relevant.
• Provide guidance on participatory sensemaking approaches that help partners interpret evidence and align across sectors.

Capability strengthening and peer learning

• Support design and deliver targeted clinics or peer-learning sessions to strengthen institutional capabilities and a community of practice across Asia-Pacific
• Provide coaching and practical guidance to UNDP teams and partners on applying data/ AI approaches in green urban and rural transition programming.

Knowledge capture, codification, and partnerships/resource mobilization support

• Capture and codify learning from pilots and experimentation into concise products, integrating responsible AI, gender equality, and climate/green finance linkages where relevant.
• Maintain a curated repository of reusable materials and feed lessons into evolving service offers.
• Contribute technical inputs to partnerships and resource mobilization efforts, including proposal support and data-informed pipeline development.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organisation

Competencies

Core Competencies:

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact 
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems 
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands 
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

Cross-Functional & Technical Competencies:

Business Direction and Strategy

• System Thinking: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.

Business Development

• Knowledge Generation: Ability to research information and to turn it into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need. Ability to apply existing concepts to new situations, and to develop new concepts to generate workable solutions and new approaches. Knowledge of relevant concepts, conceptual models, and theories that can be useful in addressing new situations
• Human-Centered Design: Ability to develop solutions to problems by involving the human perspective in all steps of the problem-solving process. Knowledge and understanding of human- centered design principles and practices. 

Business Management

• Partnership Management: Build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies

Digital 

• Digital Transformation Design: Practical and strategic skills in digital transformation for governments and organizations.
• Artificial Intelligence Thought Leadership: Deep understanding of current and emerging trends in digital and AI, along with their social, ethical, and economic implications, including data privacy and human rights. Ability to engage with industry experts, government representatives, and academics to stay updated on latest trends and to form partnerships. Understanding global trends and cultural nuances, as they relate to the field of AI. Familiarity with international and regional standards regarding technology, particularly in a multistakeholder environment like the UN.
• Innovation Management: Being able to create strategies, conditions, structures, and systems to enable innovation at an organizational level. Ability to shape demand for innovation services, navigate political constraints and make the case for allocation of resources to innovation, connect the appropriate innovation approaches based on business needs and make the case for innovation to be integrated at the planning level within their context. Having in-depth theoretical and experiential knowledge of innovation processes, methods, and capabilities.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Computer Science, Data Science/Analytics, Information Systems, Engineering, Public Policy/Administration, Urban Systems, or a closely related field.
• A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• Minimum five (5) years (with Master’s) or seven (7) years (with Bachelor’s) of progressively responsible experience in AI and digital transformation for public service delivery in Asia Pacific context.
• Experience working with government institutions and other public sector organizations for digital transformation and/or AI initiatives in Asia Pacific context, both at national and subnational level.
• Experience in design and deliver practical digital/AI solutions for public services in Asia Pacific context.
• Experience with responsible data and AI governance (privacy, security, fairness/bias, accountability) in public‑sector contexts.
• Experience coordinating projects/ programmes and engaging multiple stakeholders.

Desirable Skills:

• Experience in development project in the UN System or International Organization.
• Experience with Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and/or GovTech unit set‑up/operations.
• Experience building partnerships and supporting resource mobilization with government, academia, private tech, donors and civil society.
• Experience in urban and limited connectivity contexts.

Required Languages:

• Fluency in English is required. 
• Working knowledge of another language from Asia Pacific countries is an asset.

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination. 

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles. 

Right to select multiple candidates

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

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