Local Individual Contractor: U-Report Manager, Rome, Italy (9.5 months)

UNICEF’s migrant and refugee response in Italy is looking for a consultant to continue managing the existing U-Report programme as well as ensure its continued upscale, in particular through its deployment and adaption on a number of digital platforms. The consultancy is home-based in Rome until 31 December 2020.

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Background/Rationale for the Assignment

Italy remains one of the main entry points into Europe for refugees and migrants fleeing conflicts, situations of violence and deprivation.  Between 2014 and 2018, more than 70,000 unaccompanied and separated children (UASC) arrived in Italy by sea, 90 per cent of whom were between 15 and 17 years old. The continued significant presence of UASC (in December 2019 of which the highest number remains in Sicily) and the growing number of UASC who have turned 18 (around 60,000 over the last five years) are a cause for concern.  In transit and at destination, UASC and young migrants and refugees continue to face many challenges and many gaps remain in the realization of their rights. One of the key issues of concern is that they do not feel heard and do not have anybody to talk to.  Although they should be adequately informed about the decisions that affect them and their opinion taken into account, this does not seem to happen in practice. Building opportunities for them to engage in issues of concern to them in their local community not only supports their present and future civic engagement, but also contributes to their communities and societies.

To respond to these challenges, UNICEF’s migrant and refugee response in Italy has modelled, piloted and rolled out U-Report on the Move, an adapted version of U-Report for UASC and young migrants and refugees. U-report is a mobile phone-based technology that provides a forum of opinion and information sharing for children, adolescents and adults. Using a crowd-sourcing approach to initiate a virtual dialogue with the members (‘U-reporters’), through U-report youth is able to respond to weekly polls and be agents of change in their communities. The ultimate aim of the programme is to stimulate citizen-led and adolescent/youth-led development. Once the information is collected the data is instantly analyzed. The information is subsequently utilized in communication and advocacy work across all media channels, many UNICEF programmes and through general partner engagement.

2019 marked an important shift in the scale up strategy of U-Report on the Move through online promotion and registration of young migrants and refugees aged between 18 and 24 years old. As a result, the number of U-Reporters has nearly doubled reaching more than 3,200 U-Reporters by end 2019. The U-Partner platform, as a tool for individual case management, has become a key aspect of the platform, with over 400 legal cases managed through it.  Likewise, Live Chat sessions reached over 9 000 young migrants and refugees living in Italy and generated a high level of engagement (over 2 000 likes, shares and comments). A recent satisfaction poll indicated that 60% of respondents found the Live Chat sessions very useful.  

Purpose

UNICEF’s migrant and refugee response in Italy is looking for a consultant to continue managing the existing programme as well as ensure its continued upscale, in particular through its deployment and adaption on a number of digital platforms. 

This work will contribute to building Italy's capacity to plan, develop, monitor and evaluate national and local capacity to ensure the protection, care and social inclusion of UASC and young migrants and refugees and foster their participation and empowerment. UNICEF and partners will use the information for advocacy and more focused programming for UAMs and young migrants and refugees and have a responsibility to share appropriate information with U-reporters, as well as with the larger community.

Deliverables and Timeline

Under the guidance of the YAD Specialist, the U-Report Manager will:

• support the adaptation and deployment of the U-Report platform on a number of digital platforms (Facebook, Twitter, etc)., including the development and management of relevant partnerships (technical and programmatic).
•  ensure connections with and online engagement of users, identifies and creates conversations around issues related to UASCs and young migrants and refugees through online mobilization, design and content management of materials. 

Minimum Qualifications and Competencies

Required:

• A Bachelor’s Degree in IT, communications, psychology, sociology, anthropology, education, or other social science field;
• A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in project management is required, including experience of working with government ministries, civil society organizations and NGOs;
• Proven track record of working with web-based platforms, managing websites, social media-based channels of influence, social media -based communication and development, participatory methodologies;
• Previous working experience setting up and running U-Report or alternative RapidPro products;
• Fluency in written and verbal English and Italian;
• Strong communication and collaboration skills with experience in consensus building and in motivating cross-functional teams to meet ambitious project goals and timelines;
• Able to work independently, sound judgment and strong organizational skills;
• Demonstrated ability to work in a multicultural environment and establish harmonious and effective working relationships.

Desired:

• Experience working with young people.
• An Advanced University Degree in any of the above fields
• Experience with tracking and monitoring of large, complex projects with multi partner engagement.
• Humanitarian field experience.
• Experience in creating or managing content for young people
• French is desirable.

Estimated Duration of the Contract

The contract will start on 15 March 2020 and end 31 December 2020.

Work arrangements

The Consultant will produce and submit a monthly report to the Supervisor which will include activities completed, results achieved, any bottlenecks encountered and planned activities for the following month.

Monthly payment upon timely and satisfactory deliverables.

Duty Station and Official Travel

Home-based in Rome- and travel to the field for 3 or 4 days to Palermo, Milano and other locations in Italy at least every two months.

Estimated Cost of the Consultancy

The maximum monthly fee should not exceed EURO 3,175.

UNICEF Supervisor

YAD Specialist, P4, Refugee & Migrant Response, Rome, Italy

Travel Clause

• All UNICEF rules and regulations related to travel of Consultants/ Individual Contractors apply.
• All travels shall be undertaken only upon the prior written approval by UNICEF.
• The eligible maximum amount for travel is specified in the contract.
• The consultant is responsible for his/her for travel arrangements. The most economic and direct route is authorized.
• Travel costs will be reimbursed after the completion of mission. UNICEF will pay the applicable DSA rate and other travel related expenses upon submission of the invoice together with the supporting documentation.
• The consultant must be fit to travel, be in a possession of the valid UN BSAFE certificate, obligatory inoculation(s) and have a valid own travel/medical insurance and an immunization/vaccination card.

Nature of Penalty Clause in Contract

If the final reports and documents are not submitted according to the deliverables stated in this TOR, the payments will be withheld.

UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if work/outputs is incomplete, not delivered or for failure to meet deadlines (fees reduced due to late submission: 20 days - 10%; 1 month -20%; 2 months -30%; more 2 months – payment withhold). All materials developed will remain the copyright of UNICEF and UNICEF will be free to adapt and modify them in the future.

Applicants are invited to:

1. complete their UNICEF profile 
2. attach latest P-11 History Form, CV and Motivation Letter (http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/index_53129.htm)
3. Indicate a monthly fee, bearing in mind that the maximum allowed for this consultancy is EUR 3,175/month

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