Consultancy - Innovative Humanitarian Data Systems Specialist

The purpose of this consultancy is to managing and advancing three areas of work under the UNICEF Office of Emergency Programmes, with close coordination with other HQ Divisions and Regional and Country Offices.

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.

Background and Rationale

Evidence of UNICEF’s strong return on investment for humanitarian preparedness is now well established, with research results from studies led by Boston Consulting Group and Price water house Coopers verifying that funds invested early against emergency risk yield better results for children by speeding the delivery of life-saving goods of services. They also maximize the impact of donor funds while often reducing the carbon footprint of humanitarian operations. UNICEF offices routinely invest in preparedness with core resources, but these efforts may not be clearly visible within our budgeting and reporting systems.

In addition, with the roll-out of UNICEF’s humanitarian marker within internal budgeting systems, the organization has now collected valuable information related to country office allocation and expenditure related to emergency preparedness and response, yet this data has not yet been synthesized into meaningful analysis that might track internal financial trends and give insights into how humanitarian/development nexus programming is being undertaken, for example. Such insights would be valuable in informing efficiency and effectiveness within UNICEF internal cashflows, as well as fundraising efforts.

Lastly, UNICEF is increasingly developing the partnerships and capacities to make use of more sophisticated data analysis techniques (e.g. remote sensing, artificial intelligence, predictive algorithms, etc.) in service to humanitarian objectives. New partnerships and data sharing arrangements with private sector partners provide opportunities to combine big data and new analysis methodologies with UNICEF programme data to strengthen our programming strategies in risk-informed programming, emergency preparedness, humanitarian response operations, and subsequently evidence-based learning processes.

OBJECTIVES & RESPONSIBILITIES

The incumbent would be tasked with managing and advancing three areas of work under the UNICEF Office of Emergency Programmes, with close coordination with other HQ Divisions and Regional and Country Offices:

1. Preparedness data systems (70% time)

• Produce a short guidance document, helping UNICEF COs to delineate between preparedness activities and risk-informed programming approaches within budgets.
• Develop new preparedness budget tracking approaches into existing UNICEF data systems, working across a wide array of internal stakeholders to develop appropriate methodologies. Work across HQ divisions to integrate this methodology into existing financial and programme reporting systems.
• Work directly with 3-5 COs to analyze and code their Country Programme Document budgets according to the methodology developed Identify and recommend linkages between UNICEF Emergency Preparedness Platform planning activities and budgeting/spending data surfaced by the project.
• Assemble and report on global preparedness spending trends according to data collected, including development of fundraising materials.
• Coordinate internal planning, information outreach, knowledge management and learning processes on all of the above. 

2. Humanitarian financial data analysis (20%)

• Analysis of country level humanitarian marker allocation and spending trends according to revenues/fundraising profile.
• Examination of hum/dev nexus allocation and spending trends per UNICEF strategic goal area, outcome or output level activity.
• Development of 3-5 standardized metrics to track patterns in this data over time.

3. Innovative data frontiers (10%)

• Provide support and technical advice across UNICEF offices exploring strategies to integrate innovative data approaches into humanitarian action and learning.
• Assist with partnership negotiations and strategy-shaping on the above.
• Work across HQ divisions to synchronize efforts and improve internal coordination on the above.

Other tasks and projects as discussed and agreed upon.

DELIVERABLES: (Measurable Results) 

• After two weeks:
  • a work-plan outlining a step-by-step timeline toward deliverables.
• At six months:
  • A methodology for the integration of preparedness markers/tags into UNICEF CO preparedness budgets, including a short guidance note for CO’s.
• Throughout the consultancy:
  • Support and technical advice provided across UNICEF offices, exploring synergies and exploring the integration of innovative data approaches into humanitarian action and learning.
• At contract close:
  • Completion of preparedness tagging/marker integration into 3-5 CO’s high-risk CO’s.
  • Finalization of guidance note assisting COs in rolling out tags/markers.
  • Finalization of short guidance note distinguishing between preparedness and risk informed programming.

3-5 standardized metrics to track humanitarian financial patterns over time

Duty Station:

Consultant will work at EMOPS, UNICEF Headquarters, New York. Work is office based and cannot be performed remotely.

Travel:

• Consultant is expected to travel to NYHQ. Travel plans to be pre-approved and agreed to by UNICEF EMOPS. Travel paid for by UNICEF shall be based on economy class travel, regardless of the length of travel. Costs for accommodation, meals and incidentals shall not exceed applicable daily subsistence allowance (DSA) rates, as promulgated by the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC). Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for assuming costs for obtaining visas and travel insurance.

Time Frame:

Estimated Start Date: 01 December 2019 throught 05 November 2020

Duration: 11.5 Months

Key Competencies, Technical Background and Required Experience:

COMPETENCIES

Technical knowledge: experience in emergency preparedness and response; Knowledge of UNICEF preparedness system, Risk Informed Programming (GRIP) and resilience approaches is an asset. Knowledge of UNICEF VISION system is desirable. Experience in coordinating activities and the production of documents with several stakeholders.

Drive for results: conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; shows persistence when faced with difficulties.

Analysis: Excellent analytical skills. Demonstrate ability to integrate various information sources to develop quality analytical production with both attention to detail and the broader context.

Teamwork: Strong inter-personal skills demonstrated by the ability to lead and gain the assistance and cooperation of others in a team endeavour; ability to build trust and develop and maintain effective work relationships in a multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.

Communication: Excellent communication, negotiation and listening skills. Demonstrated ability to organize and facilitate multi-stakeholders' meetings / consultations.

Education

Advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in the social sciences, public policy, public administration, business, finance or related. First level university degree with relevant combination of academic qualifications and experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience

• Five years+ of professional experience mainly in planning, budgeting, reporting and data systems within humanitarian action and/or international development.
• Experience and comfort working in quantitative analysis, including return on investment and cost/benefit analysis
• Experience of work at national, regional and HQ level is an advantage
• Experience in coordinating multi-stakeholder processes
• Prior work experience with UNICEF is a plus

Languages

Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another UN language would be a strong asset.

Call for Proposals:

The proposal will need to include at least the following elements:

• Updated CV or United Nations P-11 form
• 3 references with updated contact information
• Budget: Daily rate

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.

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.

View our competency framework at

http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

Remarks:

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/individual contractor and his/her household members are required to change their visa status to G4, and the individual contractor/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.  

At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.

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