🇮🇹 AI Hub Campaign & Knowledge Specialist (IPSA-10) 🤖 UNDP Job in Rome, Italy 🌍

Artificial intelligence could let African economies leapfrog whole stages of development — but only if the right partnerships, narratives and campaigns move the ecosystem to act. UNDP's Digital, AI and Innovation Hub is hiring an AI Hub Campaign & Knowledge Specialist at the IPSA-10 level in Rome, Italy, to shape the story and mobilise stakeholders behind its AI Hub for Sustainable Development. At Youth Works Hub we surface international careers alongside youth opportunities, and this is a strategic role at the intersection of AI, development and advocacy, working across the G7 and 14 African partner countries.

About UNDP and the Digital, AI and Innovation Hub

UNDP is the United Nations' global sustainable development organisation, working across 170 countries with 17,000 staff to end poverty and build democratic governance, the rule of law and inclusive institutions. Digital technology is one of the most fundamental drivers of change this century, and since launching its first Digital Strategy in 2019, UNDP has been on an ambitious transformation journey — now implementing the Digital Strategy 2022–2025, with a vision of digital as an empowering force for people and planet. That vision is anchored in the Digital, AI and Innovation Hub within the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS).

About the AI Hub for Sustainable Development

The AI Hub's mission is to nurture a space where novel ideas thrive, with transformative solutions from Africa's innovators and start-ups building AI foundations in green compute, data and talent. Inspired by Enrico Mattei — the namesake of the Italy–Africa Mattei Plan — Italy is again driving an ecosystem of equal partnerships through the AI Hub. Aligned with the African Union's AI Strategy, it is anchored by 14 partner countries in Africa (Algeria, Angola, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Republic of the Congo, Senegal, Tanzania and Tunisia), catalysing transformation across six key sectors: energy, agriculture, health, water, education and training, and infrastructure. With 60% of Africans under 25, AI presents a unique opportunity to leapfrog traditional development and deliver impact in healthcare, education, agriculture, finance and governance.

Duties and Responsibilities

The AI Hub Campaign Specialist plays a pivotal role in shaping the programme narrative, focusing on the convergence of AI foundations for development and private-sector growth within the AI Hub. The role involves co-designing innovative AI Hub programmes during their development and engagement phases, and leading tailored campaigns to mobilise stakeholder action and establish the AI Hub as a dynamic systems orchestrator — collaborating closely with partners across the G7, African nations and relevant authorities in the 14 partner countries.

AI Hub Programme Knowledge & Insights:

🧠 Lead the design, implementation and monitoring of the AI Hub's knowledge and insights strategy, generating timely, action-oriented insights and creating new knowledge to drive delivery across the six-month to one-year programming cycles;

🔗 Working with the AI Hub Head of Programme Design & Engagement and the wider Digital, AI and Innovation Hub teams, build processes, methodologies and campaign strategies in partnership with the G7, Africa and partner-country authorities;

🤝 Support Italy, G7 countries and African government partners in identifying and fostering new partnerships and catalysing exponential action through effective campaigns and advocacy;

📈 Contribute to UNDP's ability to identify narrative trends, emerging campaign tools and changing stakeholder dynamics, keeping the AI Hub ahead of the frontier issues of AI and digital development.

AI Hub Programmes Campaign Implementation & Scale:

🎯 Develop and execute the AI Hub campaigns — setting clear objectives and outcomes, conducting stakeholder mapping and analysis, establishing touchpoints and processes for sourcing and implementing new AI ideas, tracking workstreams and managing the team;

📊 Establish monitoring, evaluation and learning approaches — including KPIs and stakeholder interviews;

📡 Design and pilot new approaches connecting media, communities and partners' communications teams to harness AI opportunities and mitigate risks;

🤝 Collaborate closely with the Digital, AI and Innovation Communications team at BPPS.

Campaign Operations and Management:

🚀 Under the Head of Programme Design & Engagement, work with the Director of the AI Hub and Head of Programmes on go-to-market strategies for all AI Hub programmes and partnerships;

👁️ Manage partnership expectations and partner visibility.

Advocacy & Thought Leadership:

📚 Steer research to identify priority themes for thought leadership, and design creative, mixed-method approaches (grassroots, traditional and new media) to communicate the AI Hub's work;

🎤 Participate in global AI forums, conferences and high-level discussions to position UNDP as a thought leader in responsible AI for development;

🎪 Manage stakeholder events spotlighting the opportunities and challenges of AI development.

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Who Can Apply

🎓 Education: An advanced university degree (master's) in Design, Business Administration, Engineering, Information Technology management, Education or a relevant technical field; or a bachelor's degree in those areas with two additional years of qualifying experience in lieu.

💼 Experience: A minimum of 5 years (with master's) or 7 years (with bachelor's) of experience in AI, digital transformation or sustainable development.

🧩 Required skills: A proven track record leading impactful multi-stakeholder campaigns, managing diverse partner visibility, navigating high-stakes environments and driving ecosystem action; identifying partnerships and designing impactful private-sector initiatives; deep understanding of diverse stakeholder groups with experience in LDCs, Africa and other underserved regions; and project management with a demonstrated ability to influence global policy and drive organisational change.

🌍 Desired: Understanding of developing-country contexts and knowledge of international development challenges.

🗣️ Languages: Fluency in oral and written English is required; working knowledge of another official UN language or a local language from partner countries is advantageous.

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Good to Know

📄 This is an International Personnel Service Agreement (IPSA-10), full time, with a contract duration of one year, in UNDP's Innovation practice area under BPPS. The role reports to the AI Hub Head of Programme Design & Engagement, working in tandem with the global Digital, AI and Innovation Hub, the UNDP Rome Centre, and the Bureaus for Africa and Arab States. UNDP applies a tiered application process (internal candidates in Tiers 1–2; all external candidates in Tier 3) and does not charge a fee at any stage of recruitment.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ What grade and contract? IPSA-10, a one-year International Personnel Service Agreement, based in Rome.

❓ How much experience do I need? 5 years with a master's (or 7 with a bachelor's) in AI, digital transformation or sustainable development.

❓ What does the role focus on? Campaigns, knowledge and advocacy for UNDP's AI Hub for Sustainable Development across the G7 and 14 African partner countries.

❓ Is another language required? No — English is required; another UN or partner-country language is advantageous.

Deadline

⏳ 10 September 2026 (06:59 AM, apply-before time). Youth Works Hub keeps time-sensitive international roles like this in one place so you can apply before they close.