International consultant for management, training and scaling up of U-Report platform, Mogadishu, Somalia - 3 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, a chance

www.unicef.org/somalia

How can you make a difference?

Purpose of assignment: UNICEF Somalia launched the U-Report platform in April 2023, with over 78,000 people registered. Various UNICEF partners in Education, WASH, Nutrition and SBC have been trained to support the rollout of U-Report and accelerate the mobilization efforts. This includes training of 80 social mobilizers in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health in Mogadishu, 65 WASH Cluster partners, 40 partners from the Protection cluster and 33 partners from the Nutrition cluster. In Somaliland, 40 Youth Champions have been trained in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare and the University of Hargeisa as well as 15 Nutrition partners in Banadir. Different polls have been run with Emergency, Child Protection and Health sections engaging and receiving feedback from over 30,000 U-Reporters.

To scale up registration and use of the platform, there is need to continue building the capacity of partners, champions, and frontline workers in collaboration with program sections to mobilize young people. There is further need to design systematic engagement with program sections for including identification of needs and having a clear poll calendar. Engagement of a U-Report consultant will therefore ensure that the U-Report scale up strategy is efficiently rolled out, capacity of SBC staff is strengthened to manage the platform as well as forging strong partnerships with stakeholders.

Scope of work:

Key activities and results for the period of the consultancy include, but are not limited to:

• Develop a model to facilitate integration of U-Report in UNICEF programmes through registration and participation of U-Reporters in large scale campaigns and activities supporting UNICEF programmes.

• Establish the U-Report website, set up U-Report social media platforms and develop content for these sites.

• Develop data visualization products for the programmes team, including dashboards, using available information to best represent information for UNICEF decision-making.

• Introduce a mechanism to monitor, analyze and disseminate the information collected through U-Report to inform decision-making processes, designing of program interventions responsive to the needs of vulnerable communities affected by multiple emergencies

• Facilitate the development of the U-Report platform for achieving strong community participation, engagement and Accountability for Affected Population with young people and other community members by giving the space to raise their voices, access information and services in their respective localities.

• Train SBC/AAP teams to manage U-report platforms

• Engage with program sections on the possibilities available with U-Report and the benefits of using U-Report for stronger engagement of young people and communities in achieving UNICEF results.

• Support the functionality of U-Report Steering Committee in all respective field offices.

• Develop integration of Facebook messenger and Telegram via Rapid Pro to enable U-Reporters to engage through various channel.

Work Assignment Overview

Tasks/Milestone:

Deliverables/Outputs:

Timeline

Develop U-Report key guidance documentation (workplans, strategies, data management SOPs) in consultation with partners, and monitor progress of the implementation as per identified indicators

• Draft work plan for the assignment (to be reviewed

• Draft and final (validated) U-Report implementation plan

• Update U-Report M&E framework.

• U-Report data management SOP

• Develop partnership strategy for youth NGOs and CSOs engagement

• Develop resource mobilization strategy to scale up U-Report in Somalia.

14 days

Build capacity of UNICEF frontline workers, government counterparts, UNICEF partners

• Develop training materials and tools

• Travel to sub-offices to conduct the capacity building workshops on U-Report.

• Generate monthly reports from training to wider audiences.

• Conduct capacity building sessions on U-Report for all relevant program sections, partners, Gov counterpart

20 days

U-Report implementation:

• Monthly reports on mentorship for SOMNET, Youth Champions, Youth and Women Groups.

• Manage steering committees (Gov’t, CSOs, UNICEF, UN sister organizations).

• Effectively configure questionnaires in U-Report applying UNICEF’s Ethical Data Guidelines.

• Liaise within the UNICEF Country Office to ensure integration of U-Report across sections and programmes as a tool for obtaining feedback and generating evidence.

60 days

Data and knowledge management

• Collaborate with all stakeholders to present achievements, challenges and lessons learnt on the use of U-Report.

• Assessment of U-Report implementation by partners, with realistic, practical recommendations for continued implementation.

• U-Report including recommendations for Phase 2 of U- Report implementation

21 days

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

• Advanced university degree (Master's or higher) in social sciences, international relations, development, community development, information technology or related fields and a minimum of five years of professional experience.

  • A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with two additional years of professional experience may be considered.
• Progressively responsible professional work experience in communication, education, and technology fields, some of which should be in an international setting
• Experience with RapidPro or other SMS-based engagement pilot is an added advantage.
• Demonstrated experience leveraging new technologies to implement SBC strategies.
• Familiarity with information systems and communication technologies
• A strong understanding of UNICEF’s mission and vision as well as its programmes through direct or indirect work experience with UNICEF
• Proven skills in communication, networking, strategic thinking, advocacy, negotiation, and ability to relate this to new media and young people.
• Ability to interact with government agencies, CSOs, UN Humanitarian Staff
• Excellent interpersonal, communication skills and organizational proficiency.
• Fluency in English

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

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.

Remarks:

Kindly include an all-inclusive technical and financial proposal with your application.

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.

*Kindly note that health insurance with medical evacuation coverage is procured at the expense of the consultant.