Consultant to support the schools’ connectivity to good quality internet (Giga) and DPG work in Kazakhstan

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

Type of contract: Consultant Duration: from 01 July 2023 to 31 May 2024 (240 working days) Workplace: office-based

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 fair chance

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=E1xkXZs0cAQ

Purpose of Activity/Assignment

UNICEF Kazakhstan is looking for a consultant to support technically the improvement of schools’ connectivity to high-speed internet through the Giga initiative, Digital public goods sustaining and acceleration, children and STEAM skills through space. UNICEF Kazakhstan was a leading organization in the Giga initiative in Central Asia. A national level Giga steering committee was established in 2021 and a total of 7,400 schools were mapped for Project Connect to show their connectivity status. In 2022 the application on daily monitoring of internet speed was scaled up to 4,100 schools. The fiber optic and satellite-based solutions were also considered as sustainable and innovative solutions of internet connectivity of schools in remote and rural areas. In support of the Giga initiative roll out in Kazakhstan further, UNICEF Kazakhstan is interested to hire a consultant who will technically support the schools’ connectivity to high speed internet through the Giga initiative in accordance with 5 year plan, this includes the support to further scale connectivity through advanced solutions, sustaining of Digital public goods function in the country ensuring that any technology solution (or data), that is being identified, developed and/or piloted will be included into the roster and deployed as a DPG and therefore should meet the DPG technical and functional criteria. They include Openness, Decentralization, Privacy and Security, Digital Inclusion, Product Quality, Utility and Scalability. Detailed guidance on these criteria will be provided. Another important aspect will be to ensure speed of school connectivity is regularly monitored, and real time monitoring systems are operationalized. The new entry is also an engagement of children into space technologies and ensuring their participation in the STEAM skills programmes, co-creation activities with gamification and environment studies data science knowledge sharing.

Background.docx

Scope of Work.docx

Work Assignment Overview.docx

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… Education: • An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in ICT, social sciences, development sciences, public relations, business administration and management or related field

Work experience: • Work experience: 5 years progressively responsible professional work experience in start-ups, innovations, private sector, research and management consulting or a relevant field. • Experience in project management, monitoring, reporting, analytics, development, and coordination in either public or private sector organizations is asset. • Experience with successfully pitching new ideas and business models to a variety of stakeholders with varying interests. • Experience in planning, delivery and leading projects that specifically relate to innovation in promotion of child rights and technology for development is desirable. • Strong writing and communication skills and the aptitude to handle competing messages and priorities with multiple audiences. • Proven experience of working (at least 2 years) in the area of digital products development, data, blockchain, fintech, and public policy. • Experience engaging with senior government, NGOs and private sector stakeholders in the country. • Experience in project management is an asset. • Skills and competencies: - Good familiarity and comfort with failure. - Strong familiarity with the cultural and political context of the region, including policy and regulatory in the area of ICT and digitalization - Proven capacity to work with collaborative teams across different locations and with different technical skills. - Fluency in English and Russian is required. Knowledge of Kazakh language is an asset. - Previous experience with UNICEF or the UN is an advantage. - Technical competencies: 1. Conceptualizing and development of analytical documents, donor report and updates 2. Supporting of the regular knowledge exchange, advocacy and consultations with partners and finalizing the documents after their feedback 3. Reviewing of the strategic documents, policies and providing analytical comments from equity, inclusion and quality perspectives 4. Supporting in collecting, analyzing data on digitalization, connectivity, innovations, space and environment studies, funding proposals and building common vision in advancing innovations in education

For every Child, you demonstrate… UNICEF’s core values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability (https://www.unicef.org/about/unicef-culture)

Evaluation Criteria A) Technical Evaluation - relevant education and experience - agreement to the scope of work and tasks, dates - expression of interest, cover letter and proposal: a) Competency: knowledge of the innovations, digital development, STEAM, ability to undertake literature and policy reviews, conducting comparative analyses, writing up findings Indicator: the proposal demonstrates research and analytical skills, logic, clarity of analysis, creativity and understanding of connectivity data. b) Competency: ability to develop product development strategy, vision. Strong familiarity with the cultural and political context of the region, including policy and regulatory in the area of ICT, digitalization and connectivity; indicator: the proposal demonstrates strong knowledge of the regulatory and industry landscape of the region, including policy and regulatory in the area of DPG, digitalization and connectivity. B) Financial Proposal The financial proposal that provides the best value for money, meaning the lowest financial proposal, will receive the highest score during assessment. This is the main principle because saved funds will be directed towards other activities to aid children in Kazakhstan.

Remarks • UNICEF will only make milestone payment based on achievement of specific deliverables. Also note that UNICEF does not make advance payment and UNICEF is exempted from paying VAT and any other form of taxes. • All submissions should be in English languages in electronic version (Word, Excel, Power Point, SPSS, tabulations etc.). • Completion of the UN/UNICEF mandatory trainings is obligatory upon commencement of the contract. • Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. • All materials developed will remain the copyright of UNICEF and UNICEF will be free to adapt and modify them in the future. • The Individual contractor or Consultant will perform his/her duties in line with UNICEF standards and procedures. • 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. • Payment of professional fees will be based on 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 • 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. • 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.