Technical ICT Consultant in the DBE's ECD Directorate, Pretoria, South Africa, 11.5 months, full time (South African nationals)

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

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, EDUCATION.

What we do | UNICEF South Africa

We believe that ensuring a child is happy and healthy begins before birth: from ensuring their mother has access to good health care to reaching adulthood as a healthy, empowered and informed young person of the next generation. This journey relies on every child having access to quality health care, good nutrition, education, and growing up in a safe environment free from violence.

How can you make a difference?

• Ascertain the technical IT and capacity support that are required to migrate, maintain, manage and support the implementation of the P.L.A.Y. online in-service training; and technical IT and capacity support that are required to maintain, service manage and support the implementation of ECDmobi within the Department of Basic Education
• Provide technical IT support transfer (migration), full integration and management of the P.L.A.Y. online in-service training to the relevant IT platform(s) of the Department of Basic Education
• Provide technical IT support on the servicing, maintenance and implementation of ECDmobi App through the Department of Basic Education’s Cloud
• Develop and implement capacity support within the Department of Basic Education on the IT related technical aspects for the sustained implementation of P.L.A.Y. online in-service training and ECDmobi.

The consultant shall execute the assignment in line with goal and objectives contemplated above and the specific activities below that guide this assignment under the joint supervision of UNICEF’s Education Manager (ECD) and the Chief Directorate/ Directorate responsible for Early Childhood Development at the Department of Basic Education.

1. Ascertain in close collaboration with the DBE and the current service providers the technical IT and capacity support that are required to migrate, maintain, manage and support the implementation of the P.L.A.Y. online in-service training; and technical IT and capacity support that are required to maintain, service manage and support the implementation of ECDmobi within the Department of Basic Education
2. Direct technical and strategic support on the support and maintenance of Apps on the DBE Cloud with particular focus on:
   1. technical support in maintaining the ECDmobi on the DBE Cloud
   2. support on the livechat to assist with any queries
   3. function ability and accessibility of the app on the DBE cloud
   4. technical updates needed such as installing new versions or plugin update
   5. troubleshoot and fix technical errors
   6. marketing the App on Department of Basic Education’s platforms
   7. any other IT related technical support required with regards to the App
3. In consultation with relevant officials in the Department of Basic Education’s IT and ECD Directorates develop and implement a capacity development programme for officials on the ECDmobi App with the related manuals and support materials that will ensure embedded long terms capacity beyond the consultancy.
4. Direct technical and strategic support to assist in the coordination of migrating, full integration and management of the P.L.A.Y. online in-service training to the relevant IT platform(s) of the Department of Basic Education with particular focus on:
   1. prepare biweekly status report on the key indicators related to the migration
   2. ensure that all functional requirement documents are available
   3. build the Virtual Machine container (Ubuntu Server 16.04 LTS
   4. install Nginx, Postgres, Rabbitmq, Memcache and Python
   5. install Firewall and Port Access
   6. SSH and FTP configuration
   7. point DNS of https://playsa.org/ to server
   8. SSL certificate generation
   9. mailbox setup and MX records
   10. set up and configure ElasticSearch and Kibana
   11. run backup and recovery policy
   12. configure Python and Postgres Database
   13. install and configure Django Framework
   14. test run PLAY on test environment
   15. add pop-up message to warn users that registration and certificates are free when they register
   16. install on production environment
   17. quality Assure the entire system and server
   18. ensure that there are no interruptions on the functionality of the platform is experienced in the process of the migration
   19. manage the platform after completion of the migration, including all back-end related work
   20. monitor monthly subscription of the platform

5. In consultation with relevant officials in the Department of Basic Education’s IT and ECD Directorates, Cotlands and UNICEF in relation to the P.L.A.Y. online in-service training:

   1. develop and implement a capacity development programme for officials to ensure that all relevant training related completed for the Department of Basic Education
   2. develop and/or adapt related manuals and support materials that will ensure P.L.A.Y. online in-service training is embedded that will ensure long term capacity beyond the consultancy.

   1.

6. Any other responsibility not mentioned above in relation to the achievement of the goal and objectives related to this assignment

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

• Strong programming and app development background
• A Master's degree or equivalent in Computer Sciences (Programming, Analysis, IT Security, Web Development)
• Minimum of five years professional work experience in programming, computer systems analysis
• Fluent in JavaScript, Python, HTML, Java, SQL, C#
• Good skills in MsOffice and related programmes
• Writing skills
• Mobile apps development experience
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Willingness to travel and a valid driver’s license
• Proactive and energetic approach to work
• Ability and commitment to work under tight timeframes
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language or a local language is an asset

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, 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.