National Consultancy: U-report Project Manager with UNICEF in Uzbekistan (Open to Uzbekistan nationals only)

Consultant Programme & Policy

Overview

Enhance U-Report platform and youth engagement across Uzbekistan.

You have:

• Master’s Degree in social policy or other relevant disciplines
• At least five years of professional experience in social policy, youth policy, or related fields
• Proven ability to conceptualize and execute high-level communications campaigns
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in Uzbek and Russian and working level of English
• Computer literacy, experience working with web-based applications (such as RapidPro)
• Experience working with UN(ICEF) on youth participation and empowerment is an asset

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.

Background

In 2018 UNICEF Uzbekistan jointly with the national partners launched a digital youth engagement platform, U-Report. U-Report is a global UNICEF project aimed at strengthening youth participation and building dialogue between young people and decision makers. It is based on innovative, user-centered opinion monitoring tool which enables real-time and anonymous data collection through free SMS, Facebook Messenger, and Telegram. Moreover U-Report is an effective tool for quick dissemination of reliable information among young people, that is specifically valuable force-major situations, such as natural disasters and pandemic.

As of today, U-Report engages over 300,000 young people across all regions of Uzbekistan. The governance and promotion of the platform is supported by over 500 young volunteers. 30 state agencies are regular partners of U-Report. U-Report poll results have impacted several decisions to improve the state of young people, e.g. reduction of the tuition fee on 10% during the pandemic. To keep young people engaged, besides polls U-Report team runs a wide range of online and in-person activities, including youth challenges, learning and skilling webinars, retreats.

However, currently only one function is U-Report – polls – is mainly used. Such functions as chat bot and live chats, which give young people an opportunity to ask questions to the decision-makers remains unexplored. Moreover, use of U-Report for the internal UNICEF programme needs remains limited.

In this context, UNICEF is looking for an individual national consultant to enhance further development of the platform and ensuring growth in the number of U-Reporters in Uzbekistan by operationalizing new functions of U-Report, strengthening collaboration with UNICEF programme sections, continuing best practices in partnership building and youth engagement.

Objectives

The objective of this individual consultancy is to modify U-Report Uzbekistan to ensure stronger and more efficient cooperation with UNICEF programmes and to coordinate further scaling-up of the platform nationally.

Timeline & Deliverables

The following deliverables are expected to be prepared within 11.5 months during the period of September 2022 – August 2023:

1. Strategic Development of U-Report

Tasks

1.1. Develop U-Report Uzbekistan Strategy 2023-2025, including lessons learned, partnership, cross-sectorial collaboration, communication and advocacy strategic approaches for scale-up

1.2. Explore and operationalize new functions of U-Report such as live chats, chatbots and learning platform FunDoo, jointly with the UNICEF programme colleagues

Deliverables and Timeframe

1.1. U-Report Uzbekistan Strategy 2023-2025 is developed to ensure the reach of 1 mln; U-Reporters by 2025 and sustainability of the project - October 2022

1.2. Live chats and chat bot are in place and used for internal UNICEF programme needs and external needs of the government - December 2023

U-Reporters have access to learning and skilling content through FunDoo Uzbekistan platform - March 2023

2. Facilitate meaningful civic youth engagement at the national and local levels

Tasks

2.1. Facilitate engagement of young people into decision-making at the local level in the framework of the Youth and Child-Friendly Local Governance

2.2. Develop, conduct polls, disseminate results and follow-up on the actions taken

2.3. Facilitate meaningful participation of U-Report volunteers in consultations, policy dialogues, conferences, UN(ICEF) campaigns, including for UN Observances Days

Deliverables and Timeframe

2.1. Youth-U-Report-Khokim dialogues are undertaken each of six pilot cities - April 2023

2.2. At least 22 polls are conducted, and the results are shared with the decision-makers; At least 5 poll results impact change in actions of the authorities - By August 2023

2.3. At least 50 U-Report volunteers participate in the consultations, policy dialogues, conferences, UN(ICEF) campaigns on topics affecting life of young people as speakers and/or moderators - By August 2023

3. Managing the U-Report project

Tasks

3.1. Organize quarterly Steering Committee meetings to approve 3-month poll plans, to share the most interesting poll results and to discuss opportunities of the platform development

3.2. Conduct monitoring and evaluation twice a year following the U-Report M&E guide

3.3. Manage partnership

3.4. Manage network of U-Report volunteers

Deliverables and Timeframe

3.1. Four Steering Committee meetings are conducted; Four 3-months poll plans are approved - By August 2023

3.2. Two M&E evaluation reports are developed - By August 2023

3.3. Partnership agreements are singed, implemented and closed on time; Partnership is built with at least two new partners to support scaling-up of the platform - By August 2023

3.4. 13 Youth Committees and volunteers continue to support the governance and promotion of the platform among the peers - continuous

Management

The consultant will work under the direct supervision of Youth and Adolescent Development Officer, in close cooperation with UNICEF Communication and Programme Sections.

Resource requirements and payments

According to UNICEF policy, the final fees will be set up based on the “best value for money” principle. Payment will be made upon satisfactory completion of the assignment on monthly bases and provision of monthly reports of accomplished tasks and deliverables approved by the supervisor.

The candidates are requested to submit their financial offer consisting of fee for the services to be provided. The Individual Contractor will receive direct payment to his/her indicated bank account in Uzbek Sums based on the UN currency exchange rate.

All required travel expenses within consultancy will be covered by UNICEF according to its procedures (transport fares, terminal, DSA).

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

1. Master’s Degree in social policy or other relevant disciplines
2. At least five years of professional experience in the areas of social policy, youth policy, adolescent development and participation, media, partnership development
3. Proven ability to conceptualize, plan and execute high-level communications campaign across multiple mediums, with national brand recognition
4. Excellent written and oral communications skills in Uzbek and Russian and working level of English language (Examination of a previous authentic written work in Uzbek and Russian)
5. Computer literacy, experience working with web-based applications (such as RapidPro)
6. Experience working with UN(ICEF) on youth participation and empowerment is an asset.

Procedures and Working Conditions

The assignment is office-based and will require travel within Uzbekistan.

Reservations

UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if deliverable(s) incomplete, not finalized or for failure to meet deadlines. UNICEF will reserve copyright of all developed materials and own primary data collected through this assignment. The materials cannot be published or disseminated without prior written permission of UNICEF. UNICEF will be free to adapt and modify them in the future. The contractor must respect the confidentiality of the information handled during the assignment. Documents and information provided must be used only for the tasks related to these terms of reference.

UNICEF undertakes no liability for taxes, duty or other contribution payable by the consultant on payments made under this contract.

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 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 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:

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.

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Potential interview questions

Added 3 years ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: unicef.org