Focal point and project coordinator for the mapping and data work for GIGA at UNICEF: Deadline: 24 Oct 2020)

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, Equity

How can you make a difference?

Background

Launched in 2019, Giga is a UNICEF-ITU initiative with the goal of providing connectivity to every school in the world. According to the ITU, some 3.6 billion people in the world do not have access to the Internet. The lack of access to the Internet means exclusion, marked by the lack of access to the wealth of information available online, fewer resources to learn and to grow, and limited opportunities for the most vulnerable children and youth to fulfill their potential.

Giga has 4 pillars: Map, Finance, Connect and Empower. Under the “Map” pillar, Giga partners with governments, to map connectivity demand, using schools as a base point, and identifying where there are connectivity gaps. This information, combined with existing ITU mapping data, allows countries to take stock of their existing infrastructure and assess appropriate solutions for connecting schools. Over 800,000 schools in 30 countries have been mapped and are viewable live at www.projectconnect.world.

Justification

The Government of Rwanda formally joined Giga in early 2020 and one of key pillars of GIGA initiate is to take stock of existing infrastructure and assessment of appropriate solutions for connecting schools. The consultant will be based in Rwanda and will act as the focal point and project coordinator for the mapping and data (including data for finance modeling) work for Giga within the Ministry of ICT and Innovation.

Objectives

The consultant will interact with the different programmatic sections and local stakeholders (government and private actors, partner NGOs) in the country, with the objective to ensure the required data is obtained from all local partners and government divisions, and coordinate and execute the required activities to help complete the mapping and data work under Giga in Rwanda.

Work Assignment

– Coordinate the GIGA initiative under the Ministry of ICT and Innovation
– Act as GIGA initiative focal person, and mediate between all key stakeholders to achieve the results
– Handle all project management activities including progress reporting, project communications, risk management and learnings
– Work with relevant government divisions to collect, clean, classify the required data for Giga mapping, school connectivity including identifying appropriate technologies solutions, and finance modeling work
– Present Giga to external stakeholders in Rwanda (government, partner NGOs, local network operator) and ensure their support to the project and facilitate timely communications.
– Support the establishment of data sharing agreements with MNOs and ISPs and manage these relationships to ensure smooth and continued data sharing.
– Work with the Giga team to adapt the developed tools to the needs of Rwanda,
– Support the deployment of software tools for real-time monitoring of internet connectivity in schools.
– Perform any other activity assigned by the Ministry under the GIGA initiative.

Deliverables

– Detailed project plan for mapping and data work with clear timeline and milestones, project risk mitigation plan and project communication plan with relevant stakeholders
– Technology solutions and financial modeling data identified
– Giga presented to external stakeholders in Rwanda (government, partner NGOs, local network operator) and their support to the project ensured
– Data sharing agreement with MNOs and ISPs established
– Software deployed in schools for real time management of internet connectivity in schools
– Final report of the consultancy with key achievements, critical success factors, challenges and lessons learned

Evaluation Criteria

The Technical proposal is weighted at 70% and 30% for the Financial proposal.

Please note that the final remuneration will be negotiated by HR.

Payment Schedule

Description of deliverable           Expected Timeline of Completion              Percentage/

Payment Amount

1            Detailed project plan for mapping and data work with clear timeline and milestones, project risk mitigation plan and project communication plan with relevant stakeholders          13 November 2020         0%

2            Technology solutions and financial modeling data identified         30 November 2020              0%

3            Giga presented to external stakeholders in Rwanda (government, partner NGOs, local network operator) and their support to the project ensured              30 November 2020         30%

4            Data sharing agreement with MNOs and ISPs established             31 December 2020                20%

5            Software deployed in schools for real time management of internet connectivity in schools   31 March 2021                20%

6            Final report of the consultancy with key achievements, critical success factors, challenges and lessons learned 30 April 2021       30%

General Conditions: Procedures & Logistics

In coordination with Ministry of ICT and Innovation (MINICT), UNICEF will be responsible for hiring and administrative supervision of the consultant. Under the authority of the Permanent secretary in the MINICT, the consultant will work with technical team from MINICT and other government institutions on daily basis, and he/she will work closely with ICT specialist in UNICEF for contractual and specific guidance on GIGA.

The products and deliverables of this consultancy are not the property of the consultant. No deliverables may be shared or published without written permission from Ministry of ICT and Innovation and UNICEF. Ministry of ICT and Innovation and UNICEF will be free to adapt and modify them.

The Country Office and Ministry of ICT and Innovation will avail working space as required.

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

• Education background:
  o University degree in in computer science, software engineering, information technology management, or other a related field
• Work-experience:
  o At least 3 years experience working with or managing relationships with MNOs and ISPs
  o At least 3 years experience working with software tools, ideally in the phases of adoption and user requirements (user testing, user interaction, etc.)
  o Familiality working with quantitative and qualitative statistics and government data is desired: census, EMIS, location data, etc.
  o Familiarity working with big data is desired: telcos, twitter, satellite…
  o Development or government experience; familiarity with the UN system and UNICEF
  o Desired experience with early stage technical products, with proven experience in project management
• Technical knowledge :
  o Knowledge of horizontal innovations relevant to school connectivity
• Specific knowledge:
  o Knowledge of mobile and fixed broadband
• Competencies skills:
  o Strong organizational skills, including multitasking, and time-management
  o Demonstrated ability to work with people of various professional, academic and cultural backgrounds
  o Ability to communicate data insights and to translate into programmatic impact
  o Good interpersonal skills
• Language skills:
  o Fluency in English, with writing ability in all stages of the project implementation
  o Knowledge of mobile and fixed broadband

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

How to Apply

UNICEF is committed to gender equality in its mandate and its staff. Well qualified candidates, particularly females are strongly encouraged to apply.

Interested candidates should send their complete Personal History (P11) form, which can be downloaded form (http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/P11.doc). or a CV/resume, as well as a cover letter explaining what makes them suitable for this consultancy. The application package should be submitted to UNICEF’s online recruitment system.

Qualified and experienced candidates are requested to submit a letter of interest including a Technical Proposal outlining a road map for review and implementation timeline. In their letter of interest, candidates should highlight their previous work experience relevant to the assignment, the attributes that make them suitable, their proposed approach to the assignment.

Only successful candidates from the technical evaluation exercise will be contacted and requested to submit their most competitive Financial Proposal.

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.

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.