Consultancy - Giga, Partnerships Expert, Office of Innovation, 12 months, REMOTE, REQ

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UNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund

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SE Home-based; Stockholm (Sweden)

Application deadline 11 months ago: Sunday 16 Apr 2023 at 21:55 UTC

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Contract

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UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, innovate...

About Giga

Launched in 2019 as a joint initiative between UNICEF and ITU, Giga has set the ambitious goal to connect every school in the world to the internet.

Half of the world’s population has no regular access to the Internet. Millions of children leave school without any digital skills, making it much more difficult for them to thrive and contribute to local and global economies. This has created a digital divide between those who are connected and those who are not, a divide that has become even wider during the Covid-19 pandemic. UNICEF and ITU have therefore joined forces to create Giga, an initiative to connect every school in the world to the Internet and address this new form of inequality.

Giga focuses on connecting schools so that children and young people have access to information, opportunity, and choice. It also uses schools as anchor points for their surrounding communities: if you connect the school, you can also connect local businesses and services. This creates opportunities for service providers to generate revenue from paying users, making connectivity more sustainable. A recent report by the Economist Intelligence Unit found that a 10% increase in school connectivity can increase effective years of schooling by 0.6% and increase GDP per capita by 1.1%.

You cannot fix a problem unless you can see it, so the first step is to map schools and their connectivity levels. Giga uses machine learning to scan satellite images and identify schools. These are then marked by coloured dots on an open-source map: green where there is good connectivity (over 5mb/s); amber where it is limited; and red where there is no connectivity at all.

Connecting every school in the world could cost US$428 billion or more. Much of the funding already exists but it is not always well aligned. Giga therefore works with governments to unlock public funds for use in delivering connectivity and to attract private investors by reducing the risks in harder-to-reach areas. We are also proposing a $5 billion Bond to finance last-mile connectivity and catalyze large-scale investment. The bond would be backed by donor governments and private foundations, much like the one issued by Gavi / IFFIm to deliver vaccines around the world.

Once school connectivity has been mapped and financing secured, Giga works with a range of partners to bring the Internet to schools. We support governments in designing competitive procurement processes. We are also developing real-time payment mechanisms, meaning that if a dot on the connectivity map is only green for three hours a day, the provider only gets paid for three hours of access. Giga is already connecting schools in 19 countries and is prototyping several test solutions, including in refugee camps and remote, mountainous regions.

Just as building railroads allowed previously isolated towns to flourish, providing good quality Internet access will allow communities to participate in the digital economy for the first time. But Giga’s work in laying the tracks for connectivity is only one part of a wider effort to bridge the digital divide. UNICEF’s Reimagine Education initiative brings all of this work together and has set the goal of connecting every child and young person – some 3.5 billion - to world-class digital learning solutions by 2030. In addition to Giga, it includes components focusing on the affordability of data and content, access to devices, teacher certification and the engagement of young people. Along with ITU’s digital skills programme and other initiatives, Reimagine Education aims to ensure that, once connected, young people are empowered with the tools they need to shape their own futures.

Our partners are a huge part of our work, supporting us with both financial resources and in-kind support. We currently have a portfolio of a small group of major financial partners, and a larger group of others who provide technical assistance on important projects, including data sharing, cost model development, and more.

You can read more about Giga’s work at https://giga.global and by following us on twitter @Gigaglobal

About UNICEF

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. And we never give up.

UNICEF has a 75-year history of innovating for children. We believe that new approaches, partnerships and technologies that support realizing children’s rights are critical to improving their lives.

About Our Team

We are a fast-paced, multi-disciplinary team of software engineers, finance specialists, data scientists, policy experts, and much more. We are growing fast. Much, if not all, of this growth is supported by our partners and the work of our Partnerships Team. To-date, Giga has brought on more than a dozen partners. But many of our partners contribute more than just funding. To us, partners are collaborators, working shoulder to shoulder with our team to develop software, analyze data, conduct groundbreaking research, and much more!

The Partnerships Expert would help conceptualize the work of a team of 1-4 people and work closely with the Communications Lead and Programmatic Leads across country engagement, technology, and structured finance to develop and manage partnerships that are in-line with Giga’s strategic vision.

Outside of the Giga team, this individual will work with the UNICEF Private Fundraising and Partnerships Division and relevant National Committees, as well as the partnerships focal points for the UNICEF Office of Innovation and ITU.

How can you make a difference?

We are seeking a strong and committed Partnerships Expert who is:

• Motivated to create and grow Giga’s program across multiple functional areas of work • Interested in exploring the ways in which Giga can achieve its mission to connect every young person to the internet • Inspired to redefine partnership models and find new ways of collaborating to bring value to our work

Your main responsibilities will be...

The consultant is to conceptualize, support and drive the coordination and management of partnerships for the Giga team. In collaboration with the Private Fundraising and Partnerships Division/UNICEF and in some instances in coordination with ITU, the consultant will:

  • Lead strategy to develop and grow the partnership portfolio to enable Giga’s continued growth as an initiative for global connectivity
  • Support overseeing management of existing partnerships, including developing and owning relationships with counterparts within partner organizations
  • Support the management team to develop novel partnerships modalities leveraging the Giga Technology Centre to drive technology-based collaborations for open-source products, including the UN’s first connectivity-focused accelerator
  • Help define and execute Giga’s strategic engagements with Barcelona ecosystem, developing relationships with academic / research institutes, public sector, and start-up actors
  • Conceptualize and execute on an strategy for future engagement with the Telecommunications Sector, including building a programme for incentivizing internet service providers to connect schools
  • Work alongside Giga Co-leads and functional workstream leads to understand how the Partnerships Team can continuously improve to support shared goals
  • Lead on strategy and processes for engaging with key stakeholders, such as internal UNICEF teams, ITU, and National Committees.

Your main deliverables will be... Deliverable 1: Slide deck on landscape evaluation for Giga Partnerships

Deliverable 2: Slide deck on key programmes and products for Giga Partnerships

Deliverable 3: Strategic plan, and roadmap for build and roll-out of key programmes and products for Giga Partnerships

Deliverable 4: Detailed concept note and implementation plan for Data Ingestion Platform

Deliverable 5: Report on Data Ingestion Platform pilot, including successes, challenges, KPIs, and next steps

Deliverable 6: Detailed concept note and implementation plan for Accelerator for Connectivity

Deliverable 7: Report on Accelerator pilot, including successes, challenges, KPIs, and next steps

Deliverable 8: Detailed concept note and implementation plan for 2023 Partners Day

Deliverable 9: Partners Day post-event report and evaluation

Deliverable 10: Partnerships Workstream evaluation and recommendations for path forward

Deliverable 11: Report on phase 2 roll-out of Data Ingestion Platform, including successes, challenges, KPIs, and next steps

Deliverable 12: Report on phase 2 roll-out of Accelerator, including successes, challenges, KPIs, and next steps

Description of assignment

TasksEnd Prodcut / DeliverablesTime FramePercentage of payment Evaluate partnerships landscape and team performance over the past yearSlide deck on landscape evaluation for Giga PartnershipsMonth 18% Define key programmes and products for partnerships strategy and growthSlide deck on key programmes and products for Giga PartnershipsMonth 210% Scope roadmap for building key programmes and products for partnershipsStrategic plan, and roadmap for build and roll-out of key programmes and products for Giga PartnershipsMonth 38% Build first key programme/product: Data Ingestion Platform for service providers connecting schoolsDetailed concept note and implementation plan for Data Ingestion PlatformMonth 48% Pilot first key programme/product: Data Ingestion Platform for service providers connecting schoolsReport on Data Ingestion Platform pilot, including successes, challenges, KPIs, and next stepsMonth 58% Build second key programme/product: Accelerator for ConnectivityDetailed concept note and implementation plan for Accelerator for ConnectivityMonth 68% Pilot second key programme/product: Accelerator for ConnectivityReport on Accelerator pilot, including successes, challenges, KPIs, and next stepsMonth 78% Build third key programme/product: 2023 Partners DayDetailed concept note and implementation plan for 2023 Partners DayMonth 810% Execute on third key programme/product: 2023 Partners DayPartners Day post-event report and evaluationMonth 98% Review ongoing progress of first two programme/products: Data Ingestion Platform and Accelerator for ConnectivityEvaluation and recommendations for path forwardMonth 108% Phase 2 roll-out of key programme/product: Data Ingestion Platform for service providers connecting schoolsReport on phase 2 roll-out of Data Ingestion Platform, including successes, challenges, KPIs, and next stepsMonth 118% Phase 2 roll-out of key programme/product: Accelerator for ConnectivityReport on phase 2 roll-out of Accelerator, including successes, challenges, KPIs, and next stepsMonth 128%To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

  • An Advanced University Degree (Master’s or higher) in one of the following fields: International Development, Public/Business Administration, International Relations, Social Sciences, or a related field
  • A minimum of 7 years of experience in partnerships, project management, strategic planning, or management consulting
  • Relevant experience in development of partnership pitches and proposals, negotiating partnership agreements and managing and developing relationships with partner organizations
  • A proven track record of managing teams and developing resources
  • The ability to prioritize and manage progress and deadlines across a diverse range of partners, projects, and activities
  • Very strong writing, editing, and content development skills, as well as demonstrated strength in communication
  • Experience working with (or ability to quickly learn about and speak to) technology, data, telecommunications, and innovative solutions
  • Ability to manage multiple perspectives and sets of priorities, driving toward consensus across several stakeholders
  • Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
  • Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

Payment details and further considerations

• Payment of professional fees will be based on the submission of agreed deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant. • Consultant is responsible for his/her own health and travel insurance • Consultant is responsible to arrange his/her own travel, including visa

Travel :

• The consultant is expected to travel to Giga’s technology center in Barcelona three times. The Barcelona trips will require a stay of 1 week (5days) each. • The consultant is responsible to arrange his/her own travel, including visa and travel insurance.

Duty Station : Remote.

Duration: 12 months

Insurance:

UNICEF will not be responsible for costs arising from accidents and/or illness incurred during the consultant’s service. Therefore, the selected candidate must provide proof of enrollment in a health/accident plan prior to starting his/her work.

How to apply:

• Interested applicant is required to submit a financial proposal with all-inclusive fee. Please complete your profile in UNICEF's e-Recruitment system. • Financial proposal must include travel costs (economy class), daily subsistence allowance (limited to UN official rates), and other estimated costs such as visa and travel/health insurance. Please indicate your ability, availability and financial proposal (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference above. • Applications submitted without a financial proposal will not be considered.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.

Added 1 year ago - Updated 11 months ago - Source: unicef.org

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