Technical Consultant for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Education Needs Assessment Study, Beijing, China (home-based)

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, Partnerships

Background of Consultancy Request:

According to the Country Program Action Plan between Chinese Government and UNICEF (2021-2025), the parties will strengthen cooperation in disaster risk reduction capacity building, and response under the framework of South-South cooperation. As concrete actions to implement the initiative, the National Disaster Reduction Center, Ministry of Emergency Management of China (NDRCC of MEM) and UNICEF China Office has been implementing cooperation in a Knowledge Hub for South-South cooperation on Disaster Risk Reduction Innovation and Technology to carry out policy dialogue, technology exchange, expert interaction, policy research, and capacity building activities under the framework of South-South cooperation.

Drones technology is applied in emergency management and response in African countries. Communities and children are benefited from the technology in ways of food and medicine delivery, prevention of infectious diseases, technical training for adolescence and so force. In 2020, the African Drone and Data Academy was established with the support of UNICEF. In 2020, 25 students from Malawi and other African countries, were trained to assembly, operate drones and analyse data collected. China has rich teaching and practical experience in the application of drone technology. The NDRCC has developed technology and business capabilities in drone remote sensing monitoring, data processing and analysis, and product services.

Under the framework of South-South cooperation, through a scoping study, UNICEF and NDRCC are planning to explore the possibilities to implement drones’ technology capacity building in Asia and Africa to facilitate humanitarian assistance and development cooperation to benefit African people including children, and accelerate the achievement of sustainable development goals.

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

NDRCC and UNICEF is seeking a technical consultant (working together with the other leading consultant) to conduct the needs assessment study to formulate implementation strategy to carry out UAV education for young people in Asian and African countries and capacity building for disaster management officials in other developing countries through South-South cooperation.

How can you make a difference?

1. Desk research and literature review of

2. Mappings, reports, and studies on current domestic policies, standards, guidance of using drones;

3. Existing resources and prospects in China for conducting UAV vocational education and training;

4. Current development progress in this field, including in China and overseas programmes/investments and cooperation in Asia and Africa, the gaps and needs for drones industry and capacity and talent needs.

5. Stakeholder engagement

6. In collaboration with leading consultant, engaging with Chinese stakeholders to discuss key challenges in drones application and capacity building, working towards consensus on overcome obstacles and identify potential South-South cooperation programme:

• Work with the leading consultant to organize and facilitate two consultation meetings.
• Review agenda, develop questionnaire and facilitate the discussion at the consultation meetings with related stakeholders to identify the basic situation of the drone academy, such as African Drones and Data Academy (ADDA) in Malawi, related Technical and Vocational Education and training (TVET) schools, civil society organizations, youth organizations in other countries.

2. Determine the stakeholders and experts to be engaged

3. Work with leading consultant to engage internal UNICEF stakeholders and NDRCC partner and external stakeholders for feedbacks on draft paper

4. Data collection and field visit

5. Conduct basic data collection according to programme needs

6. Prepared concept for field visit and conduct the visit to NDRCC UAV network partners to get knowledge of UAV partners’ research capacity and recent development, talent training and employment, as well as the existing cooperation between academia and enterprises.

7. Drafting and finalizing the report

8. In collaboration with the leading consultant to generate related content based on desk research, literature review, stakeholder engagements and field visits

9. Draft report

• Develop substantive content together with the leading consultant with summarizing of China’s experience that can inform UNICEF and NDRCC on carrying out UAV education for young people and capacity building for disaster management officials from Asian and African countries.

3. Revise draft report based on feedback collected
4. Submit final paper
5. Work with leading expert to prepare a draft proposal for how UNICEF, NDRCC and other partners can implement drone capacity building South-South cooperation programme
6. Participate in the coordination and convening of a consultation, and on the basis of preliminary study and discussion, provide different options for implementation roadmap for drone capacity building.

[To learn more details of this assignment, please visit TOR UAV consultant July 2023-Tech Consultant -for posting.pdf]

Methodology & Expected Output:

Desk review, questionnaires, facilitation and participation in consultations and field visits, coordination with UNICEF and NDRCC.

Start Date****: 1 SEPTEMBER 2023

End Date****: 31 DECEMBER 2023

Total Working Days****: 15 DAYS FOR TECHNICAL CONSULTANT

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in disaster risk reduction, emergency technology and management, humanitarian response, UAV Engineering, UAV Application Technology, Avionics Technology, Aerospace Engineering, Surveying, Mapping and Remote Sensing. *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 10 years of relevant professional experience in research on human rights, disaster risk reduction, humanitarian assistance, emergency management.
• A strong research background is required.
• Applicants must have a proven record of excellent writing and analytical skills in both English and Chinese.
• Developing country work experience is considered an asset.

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:

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.