Interoperability Coordinator IICA 3 (UNOPS)

Terms of Reference 

Identity Management and Registration Section (IMRS), 

Data and Identity Management Service 

UNHCR Copenhagen 

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is seeking an Interoperability Coordinator (IICA-3) within the Identity Management and Registration Section (IMRS) of the Data and Identity Management Service (DIMS) in UNHCR Headquarters in Copenhagen, Denmark. 

UNHCR is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people. Every year, millions of men, women and children are forced to flee their homes to escape conflict and persecution. We are in over 125 countries, using our expertise to protect and care for millions. 

Vacancy Notice No: CPH/VN/2019/32
Title: Interoperability Coordinator
Contract Type: UNOPS International Individual Contractor, IICA 3
Duty Station: Copenhagen, Denmark
Duration: 1 January 2020 through 30 June 2020 (with a possible extension up to 31 December 2020)
Closing date: 25 November 2019 (Midnight Copenhagen Time) 

Background and Organizational Context 

UNHCR is a member of the ‘PROSPECTS’ partnership, an initiative run by the Dutch Ministry for Foreign Affairs in partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), International Labour Organization (ILO), The UN Children Fund (UNICEF), the World Bank Group and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). The partnership aims to foster a paradigm shift from a humanitarian to a development approach in efforts to improve prospects for the forcibly displaced and their host communities in selected countries of Africa and the Middle East. As the UN agency mandated to lead and coordinate international action for the worldwide protection of refugees, UNHCR has received funding through the partnership to increase protection and inclusion through improved registration and identity management processes and the enhancement of system interoperability. The partnership is being rolled out in eight focus countries: Egypt, Ethiopia, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Sudan, and Uganda over a 5-year period (2018- 2023). 

With protection as a major focus of the partnership, UNHCR has channeled part of the funding towards strengthening an enabling environment for quality registration, data management and digital identity leading to increased social and economic inclusion. The “Population Registration and Identity Management EcoSystem” (PRIMES) brings together UNHCR’s suite of software tools which collect, store, and utilize such data relating to persons of concern. A key objective the ecosystem is centered on ensuring interoperability between PRIMES digital applications and other partners or government systems. 

There is a need to establish an Interoperability Program which will create a governance structure around all interoperability requests between PRIMES applications and external partner systems. The program would take into account the needs and concerns of internal and external stakeholders, develop guidance and support from a data protection and legal/regulatory framework perspective and leverage safe, secure and comprehensive technical solutions for data transfer. This position, situated in the Identity Management and Registration Section (IMRS), will take the first steps to build the foundations of this program. 

Duties and Responsibilities 

The Interoperability Coordinator is responsible for the following aspects of the interoperability programme: 

• Initial scoping and establishing of the Program in the eight target country operations, extending learning to the global scale, ensuring timely delivery of all activities and deliverables at agreed quality standards, and delivery according to plans. 
• Mapping and coordination of relevant stakeholders on ongoing initiatives related to PRIMES interoperability with external databases and systems. 
• Assisting the Chief of Identity Management and Registration Section with overall liaison at global, regional and national levels, as well as between relevant internal and external stakeholders, to ensure shared understanding of the program objectives and implementation of all deliverables. 
• Supporting the Chief of Identity Management and Registration Section in liaison with internal and external stakeholders to develop a holistic strategy on safe, secure and strategic sharing and transfer of personal identity data, both biographical and biometrics, between UNHCR PRIMES core tools and external partners’ systems. 
• Collaboration with data protection, digital identity and biometrics programs of work and country operations, recommending solutions to respond to operation-specific challenges and issues. 
• Development and maintenance of mechanisms for internal information sharing, to ensure good coordination with all personnel involved in the implementation of the program, including but not limited to the Copenhagen Data Service, DIST, DIP, DRS external software developers, Regional Bureaux and country operations. 
• Recommendations for comprehensive technical solutions, including enhancement to the existing PRIMES Data Transfer Platform architecture and design. 
• Review of existing documentation and keep abreast of consultations related to large database systems, and interoperability standards (e.g. World Health Organization Global Consultations on Diagnostics Interoperability Standards). 
• Providing inputs to development and assisting with implementation of a communications and advocacy strategy for the program, including undertaking missions to target country operations to support senior management in engaging with Government and other senior partners on interoperability. 
• Preparation of background papers, briefing notes, talking points and presentations related to the implementation of the program, to support UNHCR’s advocacy with external partners, including Government and donors. 
• Regular reporting on progress and impact to the Chief of IMRS and the Head of eth Copenhagen Data Service as business owners of the Program. 

Essential Minimum Educational Level, Qualifications and Professional Experience 

Required: 

• Advanced university degree, preferably in law or human rights, international relations, political science, development studies, business administration, social science, technical sectors or related fields 
• Minimum 9 years of relevant job experience preferably working with large international organizations 
• Experience with humanitarian response and large ICT database systems 
• Experience with project or programme management, implementation of multi-stakeholder strategies, developing guidance tools and/or internal communications 
• Excellent leadership, coordination and presentation abilities 
• Proven ability to bring creative and innovative solutions to complex challenges 
• Strong negotiation and conflict-resolution skills 
• Excellent written and spoken English 

Desired: 

• Proficiency with individual data management software 
• Flexible, adaptable and able to work effectively in different social and cultural environments and in challenging and stressful conditions 

Location 

The successful candidate will be based with the UNHCR team in Copenhagen, Denmark. 

Conditions 

It is a full-time role with working hours from 8.30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday (40 hours per week, with a half-hour break for lunch). 

To Apply 

Interested applicants should submit their letter of motivation, Personal History Form (PHF) and CV via email, indicating “Interoperability Coordinator IICA-3” in the subject of the email. 

Personal History Forms are available at PHF Form / Supplementary Sheet. 

As part of the recruitment process candidates might be requested to complete a technical assessment. 

The UNHCR workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages and opinions. UNHCR seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. Applications are encouraged from all qualified candidates without distinction on grounds of race, colour, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity.