Internal & External: Programme Specialist – Field Beneficiary Data Systems (P-3) (2 positions), FT# 118752 & FT, Social Policy Team, PG - Geneva

Contract

This is a P-3 contract. This kind of contract is known as Professional and Director staff. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 5 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 137,951 USD and 180,636 USD.

Please keep in mind that the salary displayed here is an estimation by UN Talent based on the location and the type of contract. It may vary depending on the organization. The recruiter should be able to inform you about the exact salary range. In case the job description contains another salary information, please refer to this one.

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.

To achieve better results for children, in a more efficient and effective way, UNICEF has initiated the mainstreaming and scale up of the use of Humanitarian Cash Transfer (HCT) across the organization. This has become a priority area of work under UNICEF’s strategic plan.

In March 2021 UNICEF released the first version of its corporate Management Information System for HCT called Humanitarian cash Operations and Programme Ecosystem (HOPE). In 2021 HOPE was deployed in six countries. The Country Offices demand for HOPE deployment and related data management support has been increasing, requiring dedicated field deployment capacity with personal data management expertise

Humanitarian cash Operations and Programme Ecosystem – HOPE is UNICEF’s humanitarian cash transfer management information system. HOPE can (i) collect beneficiary data, (ii) associate data with cash programmes, (iii) create target population (iv) manage payment lists (v) send them to Financial Service Providers (FSP), (vi) reconcile payments, (vii) triangulate payment verification information directly from beneficiaries , (viii) handle grievances and feedback, as well as reporting. HOPE is flexible and can use either UNICEF collected beneficiary data using KoBo Collect, or data collected by other partners including UN agencies and governments.

For every child, hope……

Under the supervision of the Beneficiary data system specialist, this position will support UNICEF work to deploy HOPE in country offices with scaling up HCT programmes and contributes to the UN Common Cash System Data workstream by providing in country and remote oversight of country data models for Humanitarian Cash Transfer (HCT).

This position is based in the Humanitarian Cash Transfer unit, that is part of the UNICEF the Social Policy and Social Protection Team Programme Group. The incumbent works under the direct supervision of the Beneficiary data specialist, and in close collaboration with the internal and external stakeholders mentioned above.

How can you make a difference?

This position is a roving position i.e. 60%-75 % of the position time is expected to be spent on field missions.

Tasks and accountabilities will include the following:

1. Provision of technical field support

Support Country Offices in shaping solid data management models for humanitarian cash transfer, including by undertaking the country level roll out of the Humanitarian cash Operations and Programme Ecosystem (HOPE) for population data, targeting methodologies, payment verification and management information, grievances and response mechanism and monitoring. This includes:

• Support country offices in the HOPE roll out process including the use of its complementary applications (i.e.: Kobo, Cash Assist, RapidPro, Vision EzHACT).
• Train UNICEF Staff and partners in the HOPE use including its complementary applications (i.e.: Kobo, Cash Assist, RapidPro, Vision EzHACT).
• Identify country specific and global requirements for HOPE improvement considering UNICEF Country office programmatic needs as well as those linked to interagency collaboration.
• Ensure data protection and information security standard are uphold at country level.
• Design and implement data processing solutions for household and individual information by leveraging global and local tools as relevant.
• Support Country Offices in developing data collection, consolidation and analysis Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) or adapt existing country office ones to the specificities of HCT and UNCCS.
• Provide training to UNICEF and partners to use mobile data collection technologies (e.g.: Kobo, ODK, Rapid Pro).
• Support in country or remotely data related troubleshooting processes.
• In close collaboration with the supervisor, liaise with relevant HQ focal points to seek technical guidance required by the country office on topics whose accountabilities lies with Information and Communication Technology Division (ICTD) or Division of Data, Analytics, Planning and Monitoring (DPAM).
• Support Country Offices in analyzing collected data for targeting purposes as well as programme operational analysis.
• Support Geographic Information System (GIS) data collection and analysis needs.

2. Data analysis

• Support Country offices in cleaning data by reviewing datasets and performance indicators to locate and correct data collection problems
• Based on available datasets, Interpret data, analyze results using statistical techniques and provide findings required for decision making at country, regional and global level as required.
• Identify, analyze, and interpret trends or patterns in complex data sets to inform knowledge management initiatives.
• Work with supervisor to prioritize business and information needs
• Locate and define new process improvement opportunities

3. Interagency engagement

• Engage with UNCCS agencies and partners to assess mutual synergies in data management of current and forthcoming HCT interventions.
• Establishes and maintains contacts with data specialists’ counterparts within UNCCS agencies and partners to facilitate collaboration and exchange of information.
• Support UNCCS country focal points to design data models leveraging UNCCS agencies respective data collection capacity for common goods in terms of beneficiary identification and assistance tracking.
• Jointly identify solutions, with other UNCCS agencies, to data exchange needs arising at country office level while a long-term solution is being developed (Data-hub).
• Contribute to the work of the UNCCS Data Interoperability Working Group by ensuring country specific requirements are included in those agreed for the UNCCS Interagency Data hub.

To qualify as a champion for every child, the candidate must have…

• An advanced university degree in Economics, Social Science, Database management, data analytics or related field is required. *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.
• Minimum 5 of data and information management system experience, including with multiple stakeholders
• Experience in implementing humanitarian cash transfers programme is strongly desirable
• Experience in Beneficiary Data system for humanitarian cash transfer at field level
• Experience in business operation environments with a proven track record of interfacing with multiple stakeholders (internal and external) and successful project completion.

Experience in working with UN agencies (UNICEF experience preferred) at interagency level

• Experience in using mobile data collection applications (e.g.: ODK and Kobo).
• Experience in using GIS software and data sources.
• Detailed knowledge of Structured Query Language (SQL), alternatively solid command of STATA or other statistical software is accepted.
• Experience collaborating across multiple functions and working with operational subject matter experts, technical resources and architecture teams.
• Excellent communication & presentation skills (written & verbal) across multiple audiences with the ability to influence others while working in a multicultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.
• High motivation, and dedication to deliver results within strict timeframes.
• Experience in programming language (Phyton, Visual Basic, Java) is an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French or another U.N. language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability.

For more information on remuneration and benefits, please visit UNICEF’s Entitlements’ page. If you would like to find estimates for entitlements, you may use the online Salary Estimate Calculator

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

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, race, sexual orientation, nationality, culture, appearance, socio-economic status, ability, age, religious, and ethnic backgrounds, 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, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

“UNICEF only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/”