Consultancy: GBV Technology Products Consultant – Child Protection Section, PD, NYHQ/Home based – Req # 534697

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, hope.

 

Consultancy Title: GBV Technology Products Consultant

Section/Division/Duty Station: Child Protection Section/Programme Division/Home-Based

Duration: 11.5 months (230 days)

 

About UNICEF

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world’s leading children’s rights organization would like to hear from you. For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children’s survival, protection and development. The world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. UNICEF has over 12,000 staff in more than 145 countries.

BACKGROUND

UNICEF is directly involved in addressing gender-based violence (GBV) in some of the world’s most intense and complex conflicts and disasters. GBV in its various forms constitutes a global crisis which undermines social and economic progress; as one of the world’s greatest human rights violations, GBV must be addressed to ensure universal rights and principles with regard to equality, security, liberty, integrity and dignity of human beings.   Preventing and responding to gender-based violence in emergencies (GBViE) is recognized as a life-saving measure and an essential component of humanitarian action.As a lead agency in addressing GBViE, UNICEF has expanded its on-the-ground programming in recent years and made prevention of and response to GBViE one its targeted priorities in its Gender Action Plan (GAP) 2018-2021. The GAP is integrally linked to UNICEF’s Strategic Plan (SP) and provides a clear programmatic focus on the gender-equitable results that UNICEF aims to achieve across all areas of its SP.

UNICEF has a track record of leadership and innovation in the development of GBViE knowledge, evidence, programming and tools. In 2020-2021, UNICEF is embarking in developing new technologies for gender-based violence programming. 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.  Yet, access to physical safe spaces is often limited for adolescent girls because of security concerns, gender norms, and domestic responsibilities. UNICEF has been developing a platform to act as a virtual safe space for adolescent girls to access gender-based violence information.

In addition, in order to address challenges in updating referral pathways remotely and making information widely accessible to women and girls on the available services in the context of COVID-19, UNICEF will build on existing applications in order to develop an open-source digital app or platform to enable remote updating of referral pathways. This project will build on existing apps, such as Amaali app in Jordan and Respond Lebanon GBV/SOP mobile application in Lebanon.

The consultant will coordinate the initiative among participating stakeholders (field and global-level GBV practitioners and tech companies). They will support the work closely with tech companies (vendors) and field and global-level GBV practitioners to develop these new tech products.  

Terms of Reference / Deliverables

Under the supervision of the GBViE Specialist based at HQ, the GBV Technology Products Consultant will coordinate the initiative among participating stakeholders and manage the support to country offices during the pilot phase of the project to:

• Develop and deploy the Virtual Safe Space (VSS) platform. They will conduct a review of the pilot project in Iraq and Lebanon, revise specifications and map additional elements ; Support the technical development of new modules on GBV based on geography and language and work with a Consultant specialized in instructional design to adapt these modules on the new platform/app.

In collaboration with Country and Regional Office, lead on user engagement and translation into tech requirements (incl user personas, master story list, UX/UI, etc.).

• Develop and deploy the Referral Pathway platform/app. Conduct Market research and digital landscape overview, including an assessment of the existing apps and platforms available in countries in collaboration with key actors, including the GBV AoR and in-country GBV sub-sector/sub-cluster group.
• Support contracting tech company and serve as a counterpart to the vendors and provide interface with participating pilot countries during app development, testing, adjustments, etc.
• Support the development of a technical prototypes for these products.  Lead the testing & ironing out of bugs to finalize the technical prototype. Make adjustments as needed. 
• Ensure Quality and compliance assurance with UNICEF security and data privacy guidelines, and digital principles.
• Work with UNICEF ICTD to develop a business case and ensure the sustainability of the technology products.
• Develop roll-out plans for other countries interested in introducing these products and develop relevant documentation, including built-in brief tutorial of the product for end users.

The consultancy will be home-based with travels to emergency-affected contexts within Africa, Asia and the Middle East as feasible. Specific countries for support for pilot rollouts of the projects will be determined through country-driven demand, consultation with the GBV AoR, GBV Guidelines Team and UNICEF Country and Regional Offices.

Qualifications

1) Education

• Project Management Professional (PMP)®, PRINCE2 certification and/or MBA from a recognized university or college are a plus.
• Familiarity with Agile development methodology and Software development project management using GitHub e.g., Pivotal Tracker, Redmine, Trello, etc.
• Technical skills and track record on Apps development processes.
• Language: Fluency in written and English is a must.

2) Work experience

• At least five years of experience in supporting and coordinating tech project activities across a large organization and with other international partner organizations.
• Specific experience as a product manager for users in emerging markets
• Experience preferably including GBV programming in humanitarian contexts.
• Progressively responsible professional work experience in communication, technology fields, youth participation and gender, some of which should be in an international setting.
• Experience in managing projects with strong technology components.
• A strong understanding of UNICEF programmes, communication, technology, user-centered design, youth participation and partnership goals.

3) Competencies

• Creative, innovative thinker who can also translate ideas into practical applications.
• Deep understanding of GBV guiding principles and what it means to provide a survivor-centered response.
• Proven ability to manage relationships with UNICEF partners, including women and girls.
• Proven skills in communication, networking, strategic thinking, advocacy, negotiation, and ability to relate this to new media and young people.
• Proven ability to conceptualize, plan and execute ideas.
• Proven capacity to work with and lead collaborative teams across different locations and with different technical skills.

Requirements:

• Completed profile in UNICEF’s e-Recruitment system and provide Personal History Form (P11) Upload copy of academic credentials
• Financial proposal that will include:
  • your daily/monthly rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference (can be downloaded here: https://www.unicef.org/about/employ/index_consultancy_assignments.html 
  • travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR.
  • Any other estimated costs: visa, health insurance, and living costs as applicable.
  • Indicate your availability

• Any emergent / unforeseen duty travel and related expenses will be covered by UNICEF.
• At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.
• Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

U.S. Visa information:

With the exception of the US Citizens, G4 Visa and Green Card holders, should the selected candidate and his/her household members reside in the United States under a different visa, the consultant and his/her household members are required to change their visa status to G4, and the consultant’s household members (spouse) will require an Employment Authorization Card (EAD) to be able to work, even if he/she was authorized to work under the visa held prior to switching to G4. 

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

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results. View our competency framework at: 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 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, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.