Internal vacancy: Knowledge Management Specialist , P3, Bamako, Mali, # 114537

Under the supervision of the Chief Planning, Monitoring & Evaluation and within the Managing for Results (M4R) Section, the incumbent will provide professional technical assistance and support for data, analytics, knowledge management and learning in support of the achievement of UNICEF’s organizational priorities and country programme goals and objectives

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

Under the supervision of the Chief Planning, Monitoring & Evaluation and within the Managing for Results (M4R) Section, the incumbent will provide professional technical assistance and support for data, analytics, knowledge management and learning in support of the achievement of UNICEF’s organizational priorities and country programme goals and objectives

How can you make a difference?

1. Data collection, analysis, and quality assurance

• Coordinate and advance high-quality and innovative data collection and analysis, studies and research projects and IM efforts to inform the design, implementation and course corrections of UNICEF programming
• Lead a coordinated and harmonized approach on data collection, analysis, and information management strengthening throughout the office, including through the internal Monitoring and Information Management Working Group.
• Regularly update, together with partners, the situation analysis of children and women, the MODA, and risk-informed analysis.
• Support the efforts of UNICEF programmes to strengthen data collection, reporting and analysis of child-related indicators by partners, including through national surveys (such as MICS, DHS, SMART), secondary analysis,  and administrative information systems;
• Develop, regularly update and support the implementation of multi-year and annual EISI (Evidence Information Systems Integration) and CEP plans for research, studies, and evaluations of the CO.
• Strengthen and scale-up quantitative and qualitative Field Monitoring and accountability to beneficiaries at all stages (design, collection, analysis, and visualization of data), including through quality assurance
• Provide strategic guidance on updating and maintening databases and visual tools;
• Promote children and youth engagement in data collection and analysis, ensuringe their opinions and recommendations are included.

2. Methodological development

• Develop new or improve existing tools and processes for data collection and field monitoring including real-time monitoring,  reporting and presentation; ensure their successful testing, develop guidelines for their use and provide support for their implementation.
• Lead and promote the adoption of innovation and technologies for development (T4D) in data collection, analysis and presentation (e.g. Kobo,  Rapid Pro, dashboards, etc).   
• Coordinate the use of tools and processes in planning, targeting, monitoring and presenting of multi-sectoral project interventions and results.
• Lead the use of U-report in the CO, to foster accountability to and feedback from beneficiaries and engage children and youth in information sharing and programming.
• Guide improvement and adaption of methodology of indicators and other measurement tools related to UNICEF programme areas
• Guide the development of geographic information system (GIS) in support to the Management Information System, including for integrated programming at decentralized levels.

3. Data dissemination and advocacy

• Develop and regularly update visualizations of data related to the situation of children and UNICEF programmes to ensure the visibility and understanding of the data and analysis internally and externally;
• Support colleagues and partners in disseminating up-to-date data, studies results, and lessons learned internally and to partners, using innovative ways (interactive dashboards,  relevant websites and data portals) and a variety of channels that target different audiences.
• Provide UNICEF and partners with ad-hoc up-to-date statistics for advocacy, communication, and reporting purposes
• Support and promote the use of data from field monitoring and national sources for planning, adaptative programming,  targeting, and evidence-based advocacy at national, sectoral, and local level
• Support the preparation of material to a wider audience (external stakeholders and other countries), using existing platforms such as EISI, U-report and other technologies to share key messages, including through messages developed with and for children and youth.

4. Knowledge Management 

• Coordinate the country office’s Knowledge Management agenda, in order to continuously adapt programmes and improve effectiveness based on evidence of successes and failures
• Coordinate and quality assure the country office’s efforts to support the identification and documenting of good practices and their dissemination. 
• Develop and regularly improve tools, modalities and processes to standardize the Office-wide approach to documentation, including identifying, collecting, documenting and disseminating lessons learned and good practices
• Develop, update and maintain knowledge management products associated with UNICEF’s annual workplan in line with the office’s programme of cooperation.
• Support sections and field offices to implement new or improved tools and processes so that files are stored and organized for strategic use.
• Provide technical inputs during each stage of major research, studies and surveys conducted by or with the support of UNICEF (ToRs, inception reports, etc)
• Provide technical guidance to UNICEF-supported evaluations and ensure that they are designed and implemented to established UN quality standards
• Support stakeholders in using the conclusions and recommendations from studies, evaluations and data analysis to improve programme performance and contribute to wider learning (inter-sectoral, inter-offices, nexus- and innovation related), including through the timely implementation of management responses.

5. Capacity Development

• Strengthen the capacities of partners and UNICEF at centralized and decentralized level for quality, completeness and promptitude of data collection on key child rights and programmatic indicators;
• Plan and implement targeted training to staff and partners on data collection, analysis, use, storage and dissemination, focusing on new areas, tools and processes (e.g. field monitoring, accountability to beneficiaries, increased children’s participation, knowledge management, etc). 
• Build the government capacities and provide them with technical guidance on Devinfo Mali and other national intersectoral databases of child-related SDG, UNSDCF and key UNICEF indicators and their use for decision-making
• Build children and youth capacity in data, research, analysis and presentation, to advocate for child rights using evidence and statistics. 

6. Evaluation

• Ensure that UNICEF-supported evaluations are designed and implemented to established UN quality standards, and the results are disseminated in a timely fashion to stakeholders in order to improve programme performance and contribute to wider learning.
• Technically support programme partners to formulate Terms of Reference and evaluation designs of high quality, when relevant drawing on the know-how of knowledge institutions, in compliance with the organization’s programme evaluation policies and guidelines.
• Monitor and ensure the quality of the field work and data management during the implementation phase, and the quality of the analysis and ease of understanding during the report writing phase.
•  Disseminate evaluation findings and recommendations to the intended audiences in user-friendly methods. In particular, to ensure that effective participatory feedback is provided to community and civil society stakeholders.
•  Monitor and ensure that a management response to the findings and recommendations of the evaluation is completed, recorded, and followed up for implementation. Most specifically, ensure that evaluation recommendations are submitted to the Country Management Team and follow-up actions recorded in CMT minutes. Submit electronic copies of all evaluations to NYHQ via the Evaluation Data Base web portal, with full accompanying documentation.

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.

The core competencies are:

• Builds and maintains partnerships
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
• Innovates and embraces change
• Drive to achieve results for impact
• Manages ambiguity and complexity
• Thinks and acts strategically
• Works collaboratively with others
• Nurtures, leads and manages people 

To qualify as a champion for every child you will have…

• An advanced university degree in social sciences, development planning, planning, evaluation, survey implementation, demography, statistics or related field
• *A first university degree with 2 additional years of relevant professional experience may be considered. 
• A minimum of five years of Professional work experience in the area of information management and/or monitoring and evaluation, preferably applied to child rights.
• Experience in developing tools, processes and capacities for data collection, analysis and monitoring, including for field or country level use.
• Experience in participatory process, and in engaging children in data collection and monitoring and evaluation preferred.
• Field experience in engaging national counterparts on the generation of evidence for decision-making, preferably in West Africa or similar contexts.
• Background and/or familiarity with emergency is considered as a strong asset.
• Fluency in French and English (written and Oral) is required. Knowledge of another official UN language or local language of the duty station is considered as an asset.

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:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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