Consultancy: ICT Specialist (Emergency Preparedness and Emerging Technologies), ICTD Digital Core, Valencia, Spain (Remote Based)

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, a connected world.

The overarching strategic goal of UNICEF’s Information and Communication Technology Division (ICTD) is to transform and build partnerships with our stakeholders to successfully implement UNICEF programmes globally through innovative technology-enabled solutions.

How can you make a difference?

The growing number of emergency and humanitarian response operations is driving the need to increase their efficiency and effectiveness. For this purpose, the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Business Relationship Management team for Emergency Programmes and Humanitarian Response is seeking to strengthen the ICT emergency preparedness efforts and better leverage the use of emerging technologies for emergency operations.

ICT emergency preparedness refers to the planning process undertaken before an emergency to enable an effective and timely emergency response. Preparedness is a key pillar of emergency response as it can limit its impact on the ICT infrastructure. The team is looking at strengthening both the internal UNICEF ICT emergency preparedness efforts as well as the external, local, and government-led ICT emergency preparedness work.

New and emerging technologies offer an opportunity to respond more efficiently and effectively to emergency operations albeit also introduce other challenges and risks. Indeed, we are witnessing an increasing number of technology-based programming in the humanitarian context. The team is looking for research and analysis support in the area of technology and its impact and potential in humanitarian settings.

Scope of Work

The ICT Specialist (Emergency Preparedness and Emerging Technologies) is an exciting new role within the ICTD Business Relationship Management team for Emergency Programmes and Humanitarian Response. The ICT Specialist will have two key areas of responsibility: emergency preparedness, and analysis and research of technology-related topics in the context of emergency programmes. Specifically, the candidate will lead ICT emergency preparedness efforts internally for UNICEF and externally for local actors (namely government counterparts). Within the area of analysis and research, the ICT Specialist will proactively explore how emerging technologies and other technology-related phenomena can be of support to UNICEF’s emergency operations.

The key areas of responsibility are:

1. Lead the ICT Emergency Preparedness efforts • In close collaboration with key internal actors, develop an internal guideline (checklist and procedures) for UNICEF’s ICT emergency preparedness. • Lead the ICT Emergency Preparedness for local actors’ portfolio. • Support the development of a local ICT emergency preparedness strategy and provide on-site and remote support to pilots.

2. Explore the use of emerging technologies and technology-related phenomena in emergency preparedness and response • Identify, assess and document how different new technologies and digital innovations can support UNICEF’s emergency operations. Provide an overview of needs, gaps, opportunities, risks, and scale-up strategies accordingly. • Research and document how different technology-related phenomena affects, or can affect, humanitarian settings. • Keep abreast of internal requirements for emergency operations, as well as on the need and use of emerging technologies within the organization.

3. Knowledge Management • Document and share information from the different initiatives with relevant stakeholders within and outside ICTD. • Support advocacy and communication efforts.

Work Assignment Overview

Tasks/Milestone:

Deliverables/Outputs:

Timeline

Lead internal ICT emergency preparedness efforts

Develop an internal ICT emergency preparedness guideline.

1.5 months

Lead the ICT emergency preparedness for local actors’ portfolio.

Develop a local ICT emergency preparedness strategy.

1 month

Lead the ICT emergency preparedness for local actors’ portfolio.

Provide remote and on-site support to local preparedness exercise(s).

On-going

Explore use-cases of emerging technologies in emergency preparedness and response

Document the needs, gaps, opportunities, risks and scale-up strategies of different emerging technologies for emergency operations.

6 months

Identify how technology-related phenomena affects, or can affect, humanitarian settings

Research and document the effect of technology in emergency humanitarian settings.

2.5 months

Support advocacy and communication efforts.

Share information on the different initiatives with relevant stakeholders.

On-going

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Education Requirements: • An advanced university degree (Master’s Degree of higher) in computer science, software engineering, management information systems, information technology, innovation, digital development, international development or another relevant technical field is required. (A first-level university degree in a relevant field combined with seven years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.)

Experience Requirements: • A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in information communication technology, with at least two within a large humanitarian organization. • Good understanding of UNICEF and its role during emergencies. • Excellent analytical and communication skills. • Experience exploring, analyzing and documenting use-cases for emerging technologies is highly desirable. • Experience working with governments or local actors in emergency preparedness is desirable.

Language Requirements: • Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language or local language of the duty station is considered as an asset.

Contract Duration and Location

This consultancy is remote based for a duration of 11.5 months.

Financial Proposal

Please indicate your ability, availability and daily/monthly rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference above.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: https://uni.cf/UNICEFValues

Remarks

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

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.

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 (if 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.