Home-based: Product Management Consultant (120 working days between Dec 2023 and July 2024) - Europe and Central Asia Regional Office (ECARO)

Consultant Programme & Policy IT & Telecom

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

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, innovation.

Purpose of Activity/Assignment

Under the supervision of the Innovation Manager, in coordination with the ECD Specialist, ECD Regional Adviser and the Technology for Development Business Analyst, the consultant will provide technical assistance related to the different streams of work as specified above under next steps, envisioned to be provided by the Regional Office to Country Offices.

Background

Recognizing the potential of digital solutions in improving the quality of life and services for children and their families, UNICEF’s Europe and Central Asia Regional Office (ECARO) supports the careful development and scale-up of technology-based solutions across the countries in the Europe and Central Asia (ECA) region. UNICEF is seeking an experienced product management consultant to support Bebbo’s growth journey.

THE CHALLENGE - To thrive and develop optimally, young children need nurturing care primarily provided by their parents, with support from service providers and the wider community. Parents require information on all aspects of health and development from reliable sources, guidance on how to promote children's well-being through daily practices, even if they cannot access services, as well as motivation, encouragement, and support for their own well-being. However, in many instances, this support is lacking due to staff shortages, disruptions in service provision caused by the pandemic, war, and a lack of validated information.

Several apps that offer guidance to parents are currently available on the market. However, they are typically offered only in English, focus mainly on limited thematic content like play activities, and lack the capacity for parents to familiarize themselves with, track, and support all aspects of their child's health and development. Additionally, most of these apps are not free of charge and cannot function offline, posing a significant barrier, especially for the most vulnerable families.

THE SOLUTION - The UNICEF Europe and Central Asia Regional Office has developed and launched a parenting application called Bebbo that supports a digital parenting support programme. The aim is to engage parents and caregivers in nurturing care, positive parenting, stimulation, and learning. This goal is achieved by improving the availability of information and supporting parents through innovation and behavior change initiatives. The app has been successfully launched in 14 countries and has already garnered more than 1 million downloads.

The Theory of Change for the Bebbo app stipulates that as parents download the app and regularly access and use its key functions, they will increase their knowledge and awareness of key aspects of child development. This increase in awareness is expected to lead to greater parental engagement in nurturing care, positive parenting practices, stimulating and learning activities, and improved parental well-being, ultimately resulting in improved outcomes for children.

Bebbo’s potential to create these improved outcomes is supported by several success factors:

• Increasing adoption of and familiarity with mobile devices across the target demographic
• Difficulties accessing service providers (another source of such information and guidance)
• UNICEF’s ability to provide reliable and useful content in a user-friendly manner
• UNICEF’s understanding of local service provider ecosystems to support rather than disrupt/compete and to enable integration of the app into overall ECD program response
• Success of the app as an opens source solution, open for easy translation and customization to different languages and local contexts
• The mobile application supports the most vulnerable parents/caregivers, in terms of the navigation modalities, off-line operability and selection of the core content

The Bebbo app - Bebbo is a free, easily accessible mobile app available on iOS and Android platforms. It provides evidence-based guidance to support childcare and development, as well as parental well-being and mental health. In addition to early childhood development (ECD) content covering various domains such as health, nutrition, play, safety, responsive parenting, and parental well-being, the app offers functional features for monitoring and recording vaccinations, child growth and development. These features are customizable and tailored to a child's age, gender, and other parameters. Furthermore, the application is designed to be available in multiple languages, with centrally developed content stored in a Drupal-based Content Management System (CMS).

Next steps - The next phase of this initiative will focus on:

• Continuing to improve the existing app and CMS
  • Review of the current version of the application, CMS and suggested improvements that would improve the user experience and support wider deployment and growth. Development of these improvements is underway, and a new version of the application is released regularly. Note that this includes improvements to the CMS as well as the android and iOS apps.
• Continue leveraging push notifications for user engagement
  • Build on the current push notifications learnings in coordination with Bebbo program countries to strengthen user engagement.
• Making the app available in more countries and regions (as the app goes global)
  • The app is currently deployed in 14 countries and ongoing work is happening to support 2-3 more countries. This will necessitate adapting the content and the app itself to align with national contexts.
• Design requirements for next major app version (Bebbo 2.0)
  • Documentation of functional and technology requirements for Bebbo 2.0 is required for the next major app upgrade.
• Changes in technology architecture
  • As more countries and regions join the digital parenting programme the technology architecture of the app needs to be relooked at and migrated from single site architecture to multi-site architecture.

To achieve these objectives, the Bebbo team – including the Product Manager Consultant will do the following:

1. Work with technical vendors to improve, test and deploy a new version of the app that is fit for use across the new countries
2. Optimize, expand and support COs on the Content management system to provide a rich library of content in master languages with integrated machine translation as a foundation for the management of the content served through the app adapted to different languages and countries
3. Support development of methodologies and tools for the requirement gathering, 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
4. Support UNICEF country offices with guidance on how to establish local partnerships and management structures to ensure effective deployment of the app in each of the countries
5. Support UNICEF country offices to develop communication and promotion strategies to facilitate use of the application and its integration into program delivery
6. Facilitate establishment of long-term partnerships and fundraising efforts
7. Ensure coordination and exchange with teams supporting other ECD digital initiatives to facilitate use of the available content and technical solutions across projects

Scope of Work

Under the supervision of the Innovation Manager, the consultant is expected to contribute to the following tasks:

A. Coordinate and manage app and CMS updates and enhancements with technical vendors

• Drive product development and implementation of new features for the app in line with the technical specifications
• Manage backlog and provide user support, including communicating and monitoring support and maintenance requests with software developers
• 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
• Lead the testing and quality assurance of the app and CMS
• Establish communication flows and coordinate inputs and requirements between the key actors (app development vendors, UNICEF consultants, engaged COs)
• Manage Bebbo technology as a Digital Public Good
• Address implementation challenges in proactive, constructive, and innovative manner

B. Facilitate and support country offices in deploying the app, setting up CMS content and integrating the app in the programmatic response

• Work with CO teams, partners and technology vendor for app and CMS setting up for the CO
• Guide and facilitate content management for the COs both within ECAR as well as expansion to other countries outside ECAR
• Work with and coordinate inputs of the cross-functional Bebbo regional team (consultants and staff supporting content adaptation, communication, M&E etc.)
• Develop plan and coordination regional support for its implementation for deploying Bebbo based on CO inputs and workplan with technical vendors
• Coordinate updation 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.
• Develop project briefs and other products (PPTs etc.), supporting project promotion, regional sharing, and communication

C. Design and Support for activities related to Bebbo 2.0

• Develop a multi-year Roadmap for the app technology model in discussion with stakeholders and considering the existing apps in the market
• Define and update the functional and technical requirements of Bebbo 2.0 to support the roadmap
• Support identification of potential partners for the technological advancement of the app, content strengthening and fundraising and facilitate partnership building
• Coordinate for implementation of Bebbo 2.0

D. Project management and implementation of the measures and strategies for user engagement

• Ensure effective management, drafting necessary project management documentation, coordinating inputs, providing quality assurance, liaison with all project partners, and other relevant as needed
• Support development of tools, content and mechanisms to enable push notifications for user engagement
• Monitor the performance, recommend and implement new approaches for user engagement
• Support response to product reviews on app review

Work Assignment Overview

*Tasks / Milestone******Deliverables / Outputs******Timeline / Deadline*****Coordinate and manage app and CMS updates and enhancements with technical vendors1. 24 Weekly meetings with the Vendor to coordinate the project and follow-up on any bug fixing and enhancements12 working days;

By 30 June 2024

2. 6 Monthly payments to vendor reviewed and processed based on continuous budget monitoring3 working days;

By 30 June 2024

3. Coordinate with technology vendor and carry out testing to have 2 app updates ready for deployment on the app stores12 working days;

By 15 July 2024

Facilitate and support country offices in deploying the app, setting up CMS content and integrating the app in the programmatic response4. 6 Monthly status reports on the progress of existing Bebbo countries developed summarizing support provided through different modes of communication18 working days;

By 30 June 2024

5. Onboarding support provided to 3 countries (including capacity building and content coordination)24 working days;

By 30 June 2024

6. Regional and country deployment kit updated6 working days;

By 31 March 2024

Design and Support for activities related to Bebbo 2.07. Develop and draft technology documentation for Bebbo 2.0 in agreement with the requirements12 working days;

By 31 March 2024

8. Organize and prepare for 24 regular/strategic meetings (4 every month) with technology teams and technical meetings, including agenda, background documents and technical documents, presentations12 working days;

By 30 June 2024

Project management and implement the measures and strategies for user engagement9. Develop content structure, taxonomies and format guidelines based on the learning6 working days;

By 30 June 2024

10. Prepare 6 monthly product progress and update report on all aspects of the project9 working days;

By 30 June 2024

11. Schedule and manage the 20-25 push notifications for each month on Bebbo6 working days;

By 30 June 2024

Estimated Duration of the Contract

120 working days between 27 December 2023 and 15 July 2024

Consultant's Work Place and Official Travel

The assignment will be remote/home-based, no travel is foreseen.

Estimated Cost of the Consultancy & Payment Schedule

Payment will be made on submission of an invoice and satisfactory completion of the above-mentioned deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if work/outputs are incomplete, not delivered or for failure to meet deadlines. All materials developed will remain the copyright of UNICEF and UNICEF will be free to adapt and modify them in the future.

Please submit a financial proposal (in USD) in your application based on 120 working days to undertake this assignment. Please do not include travel fees as this will be reimbursed as and when they take place.

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in computer science, engineering, or another relevant field.
• A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.
• A minimum of five (5) years of relevant professional experience in building and shipping technical products, ideally including mobile applications.
• Experience in working with a multidisciplinary team of designers, engineers, researchers, domain experts, both in-house and external.
• Experience working in an agile software development environment as well as with more traditional methodologies.
• Knowledge of project management tools, preferably open-source ones (e.g. GitHub, ZenHub).
• Knowledge of the environment in which UNICEF operates and understanding the constraints of working in a developing-world environment.
• Excellent communication abilities, in both written and oral forms.
• Ability to align technical goals with UNICEF strategic goals — that always will mean UNICEF's mission over any particular technology.
• Fluency in English is a minimum requirement. Fluency in languages of the UNICEF ECA region would be an advantage.
• Familiarity with the domain of early childhood development would be a plus, but the consultant will be supported by subject matter experts.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most marginalized children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family 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.

Remarks:

Please include a full CV in your application. Additionally, indicate your availability and professional fee (in USD) to undertake the terms of reference above. Applications submitted without a professional fee will not be considered. 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.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants 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.

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Added 7 months ago - Updated 7 months ago - Source: unicef.org