National Individual Consultancy: Gender-based Violence User Research Consultant, Caracas - Venezuela

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, courage

Safe spaces for women and girls have been established as a key approach of reaching adolescent girls and providing them with key information, links to services, skills-building, peer connection, and support. UNICEF has been developing a platform to act as a virtual safe space for adolescent girls to access gender-based violence information. The virtual safe space model is designed to facilitate access to information and services in a way that is safe, culturally appropriate and accessible to adolescent girls, particularly those who face higher levels of marginalization, such as girls with disabilities and married girls. Piloting of the virtual safe space platform has taken place in Iraq and Lebanon with adolescent girls, their female parents/caregivers and female staff working at traditional (“static”) safe spaces

Using the feedback from the pilot, UNICEF is now working on a new platform (VSS 2.0) rolled out in Ecuador and Iraq. This version of the VSS used human-centered design (HCD) methodology to delve into the needs, desires of women and girls in order to design an accessible and secure platform.

How can you make a difference?

Under the guidance of the UNICEF GBV Specialist at the Venezuela Country Office and the GBViE Tech Team, the User Research consultant will be responsible for designing and conducting user research, and identifying the best methods based on research goals and resources. The User Research consultant will be responsible for all aspects of research (planning, recruiting, moderation, analysis, reporting) for both generative (participatory design) and evaluative (usability testing) research. They will be using a variety of user testing methodologies to reveal actionable participant insights.

• Develop budget and the research roadmap for user experience research in across in Venezuela based on available resources
• Lead the human centered design process to effectively derive insights from women and girls who will be using the VSS, IA GBV SS
• Coordination and Service Providers who will be using eRPW and the various stakeholders involved in the process in close collaboration with UNICEF Ecuador and partners.
• Assess the digital divide that exists in terms of access.
• Assess digital literacy and social constraints that limits adolescent girls and women’s digital engagement.
• Combine qualitative and quantitative methods (e.g., conducting interviews, focus groups, survey sampling and design, and experimental design).
• Translate research findings into clear insights, durable frameworks, and actionable recommendations to guide product development.

Work Assignment Overview

Tasks/Milestone: Deliverables/Outputs: Timeline Project plan with activities, delivery and review dates; stakeholder map with focal points Research roadmap for user experience research in across specified regions based on available resources 5 days Insights from initial HCD process Lead the human centered design process to effectively derive insights from women and girls who will be using the VSS, IA GBV SS Coordination and service providers who will be using eRPW and the various stakeholders involved in the process in close collaboration with UNICEF Country Office and partners. Combine qualitative and quantitative methods (e.g., conducting interviews, focus groups, survey sampling and design, and experimental design). Translate research into actionable design and product results. HCD process should consider: • gender digital divide, • contextualization of the existing content and design, • development of user journey, user personas and user flows, specifications for the user forum and gamification features to be developed. 25 days Usability testing with users of the current platform & application Support developers in testing of the platform by providing user insights. Translate research findings into clear insights, durable frameworks, and actionable recommendations to guide product iterations in collaboration with the software developers. 15 days Conduct training for UNICEF staff, partners organizations on the use and dissemination of the VSS platform & eRPW applicationTrainings will aim at ensuring partners know how to use the VSS platform & eRPW application and can train women and girls if needed. This includes the development of specific training material for country admin role and end users (women and girls) for VSS and development of training material for country admin and service providers for eRPW. The training should also include an M&E component to track progress and success. 20 days Total****65 days****The full terms of reference can be found here 553085 - Terms of Reference for Advertisement.docx

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in in psychology, human computer interaction, public policy anthropology, sociology or related discipline. *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 5 years of relevant professional experience in consumer research, including end-to-end research experience with various methods (e.g., interviews, usability testing, contextual inquiry, surveys, concept testing), with experience conducting both qualitative and quantitative research.
• 3 plus years of UX research experience across early stages of product development is desirable.
• Experience with wireframing, process mapping, qualitative research, usability testing, survey research, card sorting, journey mapping, persona development, quantitative research, or process flowcharting.
• Experience applying user research to digital products.
• Experience with working in cross-functional Agile teams to design large-scale digital experiences that meet business objectives.
• Fluency in English and Spanish are required. Fluency in another UN language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

• Attention to detail, excellent organizational skills, ability to work well with others.
• Ability to work with virtual teams.
• Excellent organizational and analytical skills.
• Excels in collaboration and is team-oriented.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.

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

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Work Conditions

The Consultant will work in Caracas, he/she can telework from home but ensuring that for at least one day per week he/she will meet up with the GBViE specialist at UNICEF VCO and provide updates. He/she will realize two field visits in UNICEF field offices to be determined.

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:

Consultants will be asked to stipulate all-inclusive fees, including lump sum travel and subsistence costs, as applicable with their application for each Work Assignment Task.

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.