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Career Opportunity for Design Thinking Expert For UN Programme Development at United Nations
Position Title: Career Opportunity for Design Thinking Expert For UN Programme Development
Employer: United Nations
Employment: Full-Time | Contract
Place of Work: Addis Abeba - Ethiopia
Posted date: 6 days ago
Deadline: February, 10/2026 (1 days left)
Duties and Responsibilities
- Under the overall supervision of the Partnership & Development Finance Officer, the International Consultant will be responsible for proposing an appropriate training methodology and developing a detailed training programme aligned with the overall objective of enhancing UN staff capacity in design thinking for the purpose of developing high-impact, people-centred programmes.
- The consultant will also be responsible for delivering training to UN staff on design thinking with a focus on introducing the core concepts of a design thinking approach as well as guiding UN staff on how to practically apply design thinking methodologies to develop and design new programmes.
- The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the Partnerships and Development Finance Officer and with the overall guidance and support of the Head of Office in the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator for Ethiopia.
The consultant will be required to:
- Prepare a design thinking training methodology, assessing the current UN Cooperation Framework outcomes and transformative results
- Develop design thinking training materials for UN staff, including any updates and adjustments made to materials based on training feedback and experience
- Conduct 3 in-person workshops (design clinics) for 30-50 UN staff participants in Ethiopia
- Prepare a comprehensive final report on the assignment.
The training content should
- Theoretically and practically introduce core design thinking concepts, such as ideation, iteration, prototyping, human-centred design, agility, and pivoting
- Introduce tools including personas, journey mapping, and “jobs to be done.”
- Provide practical examples of how international development organizations have integrated design thinking into their programming
- Be highly visual, participatory, and practice-oriented with substantial hands-on exercises
- Include content that can remain relevant and valuable over a long period
- Incorporate and build upon feedback and insights from previous clinics
- Address additional areas deemed critical by the consultant
Qualification And Skills:
- An advanced university degree (master’s or equivalent) in Social Sciences, Design, Innovation, or a related field is required.
- A first-level university degree, combined with two (2) additional years of qualifying experience, may be accepted instead of an advanced university degree.
- Certification in International Design Thinking is desirable
- 7 years of demonstrated expertise in design thinking, including partnerships with reputable design thinking institutions or hubs (regional or international), is required
- A strong understanding of design thinking methodologies in civil society and international NGOs, particularly in a non-Western context, is required
- Excellent knowledge of social innovation techniques is required
- Experience developing and/or delivering training programmes for international development organizations in sub-Saharan Africa is required
- Ability to work under tight deadlines and collaborate effectively in teams is required
- Excellent oral and written communication skills, including report writing, is required
- Experience working in Ethiopia or in-depth knowledge of development in the Ethiopian context is desirable
How to apply
Interested and qualified applicants can apply through this link:
https://inspira.un.org/psp/PUNA1J/EMPLOYEE/HRMS/c/UN_CUSTOMIZATIONS.UN_JOB_DETAIL.GBL?Action=A&UNAction=Apply&JobOpeningId=270632&languageCd=ENG&
THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.
