Senior Adviser - Ethics in Evidence Generation, Fixed Term P5 - Office of Research - Innocenti, Florence Italy

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Application deadline 2 years ago: Sunday 6 Feb 2022 at 22:55 UTC

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This is a P-5 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 10 years of experience, depending on education.

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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, Research

Job organizational context:

To underpin its programmatic, policy and advocacy work, UNICEF invests substantially in commissioning and conducting research, evaluation and data collection and analysis in order to create a strong evidence base to support the realization of the rights of every child, especially the most disadvantaged.

The Office of Research-Innocenti (UNICEF Innocenti) is the dedicated research office of UNICEF. It commissions and undertakes research on emerging or current issues of relevance for children in order to inform the strategic directions, policies and programmes of UNICEF and its partners. The office explores emerging issues, identifies research gaps, and brings together existing researchers to support or undertake new research, data collection and analysis to address critical questions. Under the UNICEF Policy on Research (CF/EXD/2016-2003) of 19 April 2016, the Office also supports and facilitates the research of other parts of UNICEF, including through the development of appropriate procedures and guidelines and establishing quality and ethical standards. This includes the establishment and oversight of the UNICEF Procedure for Ethical Standards in Research, Evaluation and Data Collection and Analysis (CF/PD/DRP/2015-001 v.2 March 2021) of 1st April 2021.

DAPM is responsible for driving and shaping UNICEF's evidence-informed analysis and advocacy, strategic planning, monitoring, reporting and learning. The work enables UNICEF to function in a more coherent manner across headquarters, regional offices and country offices to accelerate results for children at-scale based on data, evidence, and analysis, and the application of human-rights based and results-based management approaches. The Data & Analytics section (D&A) which sits within the Division of Data Analytics, Planning and Monitoring (DAPM), is the global go-to for data on children. It leads the collection, validation, analysis, use and communication of the most statistically sound, internationally comparable data on the situation of children and women around the world. D&A upholds the quality, integrity and organization of these data and makes them accessible as a global public good on the data.unicef.org website.

UNICEF’s Evaluation Office, based in New York, serves as the steward of UNICEF’s independent evaluation function. The Evaluation Office commissions and manages independent corporate evaluations and other evaluative exercises (e.g., evaluability assessments, syntheses, reviews), usually conducted in collaboration with external consultants but sometimes embedding Evaluation Office staff in the evaluation teams. It also leads in the development and implementation of evaluation policy, strategy and systems; oversees evaluation quality assurance processes; undertakes evaluation capacity development activities within and outside the Organization; actively promotes an enabling environment for evaluation and a strong evaluation culture; and ensures transparent access to evaluation information. Working in a complementary manner with UNICEF’s other data, evidence and research functions, the Evaluation Office aims to deliver consistently timely, credible and useful independent analyses that harness knowledge to help the Organization deliver results for children.

All three offices play a key role in building an evidence and learning culture across UNICEF and beyond and have responded to the institutional requirement for stronger ethical standards in all evidence generation and use activities by developing relevant procedures, guidance and tools. They have also provided technical assistance across the organization and beyond to strengthen generation, communication and use of quality-assured and ethically generated evidence in decision-making

Further information on UNICEF-Innocenti can be found at https://www.unicef-irc.org/ and some of its work to date on ethical evidence generation at https://www.unicef-irc.org/research/ethical-research-and-children/

Information on the Evaluation Office and evaluation function can be found at https://www.unicef.org/evaluation/.

information on the Data and Analytics function can be found at: https://data.unicef.org/about-us/

Purpose of the job: Ethical reflection and conduct in evidence generation is requisite in an equity-based organizational framework. A focus on the most marginalized, and frequently, the most vulnerable population groups necessitates measures to ensure that participants are respected and that the dignity, rights, safety and well-being of all children, groups and persons involved in or likely impacted by the evidence generation activity are protected throughout the process. Further, efforts must be taken not only to mitigate against risks to participants, but also to staff and to the organization as a whole. Finally, the practice of data collection and analysis entails ethical issues that extend beyond the “do no harm” principle and include issues around bias mitigation and other threats to the validity and reliability of data being used in analysis, as well as ethical knowledge management practices in the dissemination and rollout of analytical work.

The incumbent is responsible for acting as an institutional focal point for technical advisory support in ethical evidence generation (EEG) to UNICEF’s 220+ offices and National Committees. This role also has a mandate within UNICEF for developing standards, training and education on ethical evidence generation issues and for representing the organization or providing inputs to relevant UN and other external for a on such issues. The incumbent will also develop think pieces in new and emerging areas of ethics and child rights, for example, ethics in a digital age or ethics and innovation, particularly in relation to global audiences and as a contribution to our global public goods mandate.

He/She will work with staff to attain high ethical standards in their proposed evidence generation and use activities and will be responsible for establishing processes to ensure the organization has access to internal and external ethical review processes. Where relevant, the incumbent will manage, design or implement these processes and support their development where local responses are created.

The incumbent will be required to deliver training on EEG which may take place at any of our global locations or be delivered remotely. The post will also be responsible for developing other capacity-strengthening materials or tools as necessary in order to support ethical evidence generation and use amongst UNICEF staff and partners more widely.

This post will report directly to the Director of UNICEF Innocenti with on-going guidance and input from the Director of Evaluation and the Chief Data Officer, Division of Data, Analytics, Planning and Monitoring. More formal matrix management reporting arrangements will also be explored in 2022.

The post will be based at the UNICEF Office of Research-Innocenti in Florence, Italy.

Summary of the key functions/accountabilities:

1. Set an agenda for the Ethics in Evidence Generation function for the period of the new Strategic Plan 2022 2025 (15%) and monitor outcomes. • Audit organizational needs across UNICEF’s service and programme functions in relation to ethical evidence generation, technical gaps and support needs. • Ensure ongoing monitoring of frontier issues in ethics in evidence generation, particularly as pertains to technologies. • Establish and monitor an implementation plan for the duration of the UNICEF Strategic Plan 2022 – 2025, focusing on priority activities for the period and reflecting and reviewing implementation in relation to contemporary developments and needs over the period.

2. Establish UNICEF Ethics Review Processes across the organization that are flexible and responsive to organizational need (20%) • Maintain and continue to promote the UNICEF U-Report Ethics Focal Point programme allowing for local reviews of polls submitted via the U-Report and other digital platforms. • Provide remote training for U-Report Ethics Focal Points and timely technical assistance for complex or sensitive polls on request. • Provide regular technical assistance to staff on whether ethical review is required, its potential nature and appropriate review processes to utilise. • Establish, monitor and quality assure use of private IRBs/ERBs under Long-Term Agreements or other appropriate organizational contracting arrangements. • Support any local development of UNICEF ethics review panels through the provision of templates and delivery of training as required and orientation of panel members to the technical and ethical literature, appropriate policy, statutes and regulations. • Determine the nature, implementation, maintenance and quality assurance of any contracting arrangement with third party ethical review providers. • Document common EEG issues arising at UNICEF and disseminate de-identified findings to inform guidance materials, training, lesson-learning and other institutional capacity development activities as well as to inform external discourse and products on critical issues relating to EEG involving children. • Develop other tailored approaches for ethical review as required.

3. Provide ongoing technical advisory support in ethical evidence generation and use, acting as an institutional focal point in this area (25%) • Provide technical advisory support to staff on complex operational questions pertaining to ethical evidence generation, to mitigate against ethical violations and/or endorsement of partner activities that may present not only ethical, but legal and reputational issues as well as to ensure joined up and consistent ethical processes across the organization. • Participate and contribute to relevant organizational working groups in relation to issues such as data privacy, child safeguarding, data governance and technologies and ethics. Provide inputs into relevant internal and external documents on critical issues and organizational positions in relation to ethical considerations in these domains. • Provide ethical guidance to UNICEF staff across programming and for evidence generation activities undertaken by National Committees as well as service units and divisions that undertake various forms of data collection and analysis that involve human subjects or sensitive secondary data. • Monitor the UNICEF Procedure for Ethical Standards in Research, Evaluation and Data Collection and Analysis (2021) to ensure ongoing relevance, minimum standards, incorporation of technological advances that may affect its implementation and its practical application in the field for subsequent reviews of the Procedure. • Provide advisory support to ensure that ethical standards are maintained along the entire evidence chain from generation, through to sharing and safe storage/disposal of data as well as of data use/re-use, working in close collaboration with the Data Protection & Privacy Specialist situated within the Office of the Executive Director in order to ensure consistency of advice.

4. Capacity development in Ethical Evidence Generation for UNICEF staff and partners (25%) • Undertake training and institutional capacity building activities in ethical evidence generation tailored to UNICEF needs, such as online presentations, consultations, face-to face workshops in global or regional events and meetings and online e-course development. • Contribute to delivering Innocenti’s Research Management and Methods training (and associated products) upon request to regional and country offices, including updating and delivering the existing module on Ethical Evidence Generation within the training. • Maintain and update the Innocenti Ethics in Evidence Generation webpage providing tools, guides and relevant resources and links to support organizational practice • Maintain the Child Research Legislation Mapping project

5. Internal and External Engagement with Relevant Partners (15%) • Contribute to production of new think pieces including Innocenti discussion papers related to new and emerging areas of ethical research and child rights e.g. ethics in a digital age, ethics and technologies for data collection etc. This should seek to maintain UNICEF’s reputation amongst external audiences as a global thought leader on critical ethical issues relating to evidence generation involving children and help to facilitate and inform external discourse and advocacy. • Represent UNICEF in regular meetings of the United Nations Inter-Agency Committee on Bioethics. • Participate or input into other relevant external fora including conferences and meetings of relevance to ethical evidence generation involving children. • Liaise with the UNICEF Ethics Office for cross referral of relevant ethics issues and requests for advice and, where appropriate, to support the UNICEF Ethics Office with organization-wide Ethics initiatives. • Contribute to the UNICEF Evidence into Action blog and to the relevant evidence functions’ webinars, podcasts, Facebook chats and other communication channels as appropriate - to make a contribution to ensuring that UNICEF retains its thought leadership role in the Ethics and Child Rights area. • Manage and support the Ethical Research Involving Children Programme (ERIC) in collaboration with Southern Cross University ensuring further development of blogs, research tools, training resources, case studies and online events where relevant to generate awareness of ethical research involving children, support reflective practice and foster greater interest and engagement with the ERIC initiative. • Participate as a member of the United Nations Evaluation Group working group on ethics. • Participate in relevant organizational committees and working groups including the Responsible Data for Children Initiative managed by Data, Analytics, Planning and Monitoring Division and the data sharing working group led by the Legal Office. • Ensure that UNICEF staff across all evidence functions (data, research, evaluation) are kept informed and updated in all areas of ethical evidence generation to enable them to carry out their own roles and in support of an organizational evidence and learning culture.

For every child, you demonstrate:

Core Values • Care • Respect • Integrity • Trust • Accountability

Core Competencies • Builds and maintains partnerships (I) • Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (I) • Drive to achieve results for impact (I) • Innovates and embraces change (I) • Manages ambiguity and complexity (I) • Thinks and acts strategically (I) • Works collaboratively with others (I)

Functional Competencies • Analyzing (III) • Relating & Networking (III) • Deciding & Initiating Action (III) • Applying Technical Expertise (III) • Planning and Organizing (III)

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Qualifications:

Education: Advanced university degree in social or political science, international relations, ethics, human rights, child rights or other fields related to the work of UNICEF. A Ph.D. or equivalent qualification or experience is preferred but not essential.

Professional Experience: A minimum of fifteen years of professional experience at the national and international levels, preferably in the fields of international development research/evaluation and child rights.

Demonstrable knowledge of principles, regulations, guidelines, policies, and ethical standards governing conduct of research with human subjects, particularly with children .

Experience in human research ethics deliberation including membership of formal or informal ethics review committees. Provision of ethical decision making in respect of research involving children within a review process will be highly regarded.

At least three years of experience in designing and delivering organizational learning, tools, guidance, capacity building and training activities regarding ethical evidence generation with human subjects.

Demonstrable understanding of evolving ethical research processes and practices in the digital age.

Strong networks in the research ethics field, particularly amongst those working in the international development and child rights sectors.

Demonstrated ability to create and implement effective ethical policies and procedures across diverse and decentralized institutional contexts.

Understanding of the legal and regulatory frameworks for the transfer and use of human subjects data across diverse international contexts.

Proven experience in communicating complex scientific concepts in a straight-forward manner for non-specialists, through oral and written channels.

Proven ability to convey credibility and authority when delivering ethics-related technical advisory support and training. Other requirements: Previous experience in establishing and managing a Human Research Ethics Review Board or Committee would be well regarded but is not essential.

Independent decision making, critical appraisal and attention to detail skills and the ability to make good judgements are critical.

Ability to navigate complex ethical situations, giving contextualized and pragmatic advice.

Experience in applying ethical regulations and guidance to practical situations including in low and middle-income country contexts.

Demonstrated experience of translating strategic direction into tangible objectives and plans of action.

Demonstrated ability to work independently, organize work according to deadlines, set high standards for quality of work and consistently achieve project goals.

Solid writing, analytical, problem-solving and presentation skills particularly in the context of international work settings.

Good knowledge of UNICEF’s internal organization is an advantage but not essential.

Language Requirements: Fluency in spoken and written English is required; working knowledge of another UN language is an asset.

Remarks:

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 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.

Internal candidates may be given preference over external candidates. The term "Internal" refers to all staff members with fixed term, continuing or permanent appointments.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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

Added 2 years ago - Updated 2 years ago - Source: unicef.org