Home-based consultancy: Parent Buddy Project Manager (10.5 months)

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, results

Recognising the potential of digital solutions in improving quality of life and services for children and their families, UNICEF Europe and Central Asia Regional Office (ECARO) supports careful development and scale up of technology-based solutions across the countries in ECA region. UNICEF ECARO seeks to hire a consultant to support the work on two specific initiatives described in some detail below.

Parenting application:

UNICEF ECARO initiated development of the parenting app “ParentBuddy” as an innovative solution that should support parents and caregivers to respond to multiple needs of their children related to health, well-being and care, and learning. The app is particularly needed in the circumstances of limited direct contact with service providers, imposed by COVID-19.

The easily accessible mobile app for IOS and Android platforms, will provide evidence-based guidance that supports childcare and development as well as parental wellbeing and mental health. In addition to ECD content across domains of health, nutrition, play, safety, responsive parenting and parental wellbeing, the app will offer functional features related to monitoring and recording of vaccinations, child growth and development, customizable and tailored to child’s age and gender, and other parameters. The “ParentBuddy” app is free, developed to enable deployment in several languages with centrally developed content stored in a Drupal based Content management system. The App is developed based on the prototype created by UNICEF Serbia and is further optimized to advance user experience and scalability.

Following the careful review of the first version of the app released in Serbia (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.unicef.ecar.parentbuddy) an optimization process is initiated and is expected to result in development of the new version of the app by the end of Q2 2021. The development process will require close collaboration and provision of inputs to the vendors tasked to optimize the app, oversight of the development process, consecutive testing and deployment. The app will be deployed in 10 countries during the next 3-6 months that will require support for the adaptation of the content and functional features to fully mirror the national contexts.

Within the overall process of the Parentbuddy optimization process and its deployment to ten countries, UNICEF ECARO will:

1. Manage the Parentbuddy optimization process with technical vendors resulting in the new scalable version of the app
2. Optimize and expand the content management system to provide a rich library of content served through the app as a basis for the country level adaptations
3. Facilitate the process of content translation to local languages and sharing across countries
4. Support development of methodologies and tools for the monitoring of use and accessibility of the application across countries to inform future efforts and onboarding of other countries, document lessons learned and experiences of country offices that launched the app
5. Support UNICEF country offices to establish local partnerships and management structures to ensure effective deployment of the app
6. Support UNICEF country offices to develop communication and promotion strategies to facilitate use of the application and its integration into program delivery
7. Develop a robust deployment package for the app to enable roll out to other countries in the ECA region and beyond
8. Lead regional communication and promotion of the app
9. Facilitate establishment of long-term partnerships and fundraising efforts
10. Ensure coordination, exchange and content management across different ECD digital initiatives

How can you make a difference?

Under the supervision of the ECD Specialist, in coordination with the ECD Regional Adviser, the consultant will provide technical assistance related to the different streams of support as specified above, envisioned to be provided by the RO to country offices. The UNICEF ECARO ECD section is seeking to employ a consultant with strong project management and coordination skills as well as with technical expertise in the area of early childhood development to support deployment of Parentbuddy application in ECA region and beyond.

Scope of work and specific tasks

Under the supervision of the Regional ECD Advisor and ECD Specialist, the consultant is expected to undertake the following tasks:

1. Coordinate the Parentbuddy optimization process with technical vendors resulting in the new scalable version of the app
   • Oversee the work of the technical vendors tasked to deliver optimized version of the app in terms of the alignment with the ToR specifications and timeliness
   • Establish communication flows between the key actors (app development vendors, UNICEF consultants, engaged COs)
   • Coordinate inputs and requirements coming from UNICEF teams and technical vendors
   • Ensure adequate monitoring and documentation of key processes and transactions
   • Develop a detailed plan for deploying ParentBuddy based on CO inputs and workplan with technical vendors.
   • Address implementation challenges in proactive, constructive, and innovative manner

2. Coordinate optimization of the content management system to provide a rich library of content served through the app as a basis for the country level adaptations

   • Support identification of content gaps
   • Facilitate the process of the regional content identification and population in the content management system
   • Oversee and coordinate consultants supporting population and adaptation of the regional content
   • Coordinate the process of curation and adaptation of additional content
   • Oversee and coordinate development of guidance for the content adaptation
   • Ensure coordination, exchange and content management across different ECD digital initiatives

3. Facilitate the process of content translation to local languages and sharing across countries

   • Oversee and coordinate development of tools and technical guidance packages to support country offices in the translation process
   • Coordinate support of technical vendors in the translation process and facilitate communication between country offices and providers of technical support
   • Facilitate exchange and collaboration across countries in sharing of the content and optimizing translation processes
4. Support development of methodologies and tools for the monitoring of use and accessibility of the application across countries to inform future efforts and onboarding of other countries, document lessons learned and experiences of country offices that launched the app
   • Develop regional M&E framework with the key performance indicators for the Parentbuddy
   • Support development of tools and mechanisms to enable data collection on the app use and effectiveness, including in ECD program implementation
5. Support UNICEF country offices to establish local partnerships and management structures to ensure effective deployment of the app
   • Provide guidance and templates of key documents required for establishment of the local governance structures and partnerships
   • Coordinate development of workplans across countries, ensure synergy and oversee overall timeliness in implementation
   • Oversee and support timely implementation of the plans across countries by proactively providing direct support and by facilitating regular communication and exchange between RO and countries
   • Support development of the broader plan on how to integrate the app and use it as a programmatic tool to complement program efforts (identify key partners, programs, ways of engagement with them and app promotion)
   • Facilitate sharing of good examples across countries
6. Support regional activities related to the communication and promotion of the app and support UNICEF country offices to develop communication and promotion strategies to facilitate use of the application and its integration into program delivery
   • Develop project briefs and other products (PPTs etc.), supporting project promotion, regional sharing and communication
   • Provide inputs to the media and communication activities at the regional level related to the app
   • Provide inputs to the regional Parentbuddy promotion strategy
   • Support country offices to develop national app promotion and launch plans
   • Document country experiences and media footage, share across countries and support amplification of best practices
7. Develop a robust deployment package for the app to enable roll out to other countries in the ECA region and beyond
   • Coordinate development of the deployment package containing the roadmap for CO deployment, promotion and communication strategies, technical guidance packages for the content management, governance structure and partnerships etc.
8. Facilitate establishment of long-term partnerships and fundraising efforts
   • Support identification of potential partners for the technological advancement of the app, content strengthening and fundraising and facilitate partnership building
   • Coordinate development and provide inputs into fundraising strategies and proposals

Expected results: (measurable results)

The consultant will deliver the following outputs and products within the timeline indicated. *Noting that these timelines depend on resources and personnel being available within the relevant countries in a timely fashion.

Duty Station: This is home based consultancy within Europe, preferably ECA region.

Timeframe: The consultant is required on a full- time basis for a period from February 2021 until the end of December 2021

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

• Advanced university degree in a field related to early childhood development. A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with ten years of professional experience will be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.
• At least 5 years of experience in project management
• At least 5 years of experience and expertise related to early childhood development.
• Progressively responsible professional work experience in relevant field.
• Proven ability to manage relationships with UNICEF programmes and partners, including government, universities, UN organizations, NGOs and the private sector.
• A strong understanding of UNICEF programmes, policy, and principles, including knowledge of communication, technology, and human centered design
• Proven experience of delivering multi-stakeholder training and capacity building
• Excellent communication abilities, in both written and oral forms. Consultant should be at ease in presentations and meetings with D-level (UN) or C-level (private sector) executives.
• Extensive experience in international collaboration
• Demonstrated ability and experience in coordination, and able to work under pressure is required.
• Fluency in English is a minimum requirement. Fluency in Serbian, Croatian, Montenegrin or Bosnian would be an advantage.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

View our competency framework at

http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

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 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.

To apply:

Candidates are invited to:

1. complete their UNICEF profile
2. attach latest P-11 History Form, CV and Motivation Letter (http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/index_53129.htm)
3. Indicate a monthly fee. Applications without fees will not be accepted.

Remarks:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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.