Consultancy - Community Facilitator & Knowledge Management Consultant, Learning & Knowledge Exchange (LKE) Section, DAPM NYHQ - home based

The Division of Data, Analytics, Planning and Monitoring (DAPM) formally came into existence as of Aug 1, 2019, including the Sections of Strategic Planning, Monitoring, Implementation and Reporting (SPIMR), and Learning and Knowledge Exchange (LKE) as two of its components.  LKE guides and advises all parts of the organization on their knowledge management (KM) work. The Section develops and encourages the adoption of tools and guidelines on capturing, sharing, and using knowledge that is critical to UNICEF’s work including through UNICEF’s KM Hub. At the organizational level, LKE have been the main advocates for effective knowledge management and, after having led the development of UNICEF’s first ever Global Knowledge Management Strategy (the Strategy), are now leading its implementation.

Consultancy Title:  Community Facilitator & Knowledge Management Consultant

Section/Division/Duty Station:  Learning and Knowledge Exchange (LKE) Section/Division of Data, Analytics, Planning and Monitoring (DAPM)/New York (home based)

Duration:  July 1, 2021 – May 31, 2022 (This is a deliverable based consultancy with for an estimated total of 176 days)

About UNICEF

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you. For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. UNICEF has over 12,000 staff in more than 145 countries.

BACKGROUND

The Division of Data, Analytics, Planning and Monitoring (DAPM) formally came into existence as of Aug 1, 2019, including the Sections of Strategic Planning, Monitoring, Implementation and Reporting (SPIMR), and Learning and Knowledge Exchange (LKE) as two of its components.  

LKE guides and advises all parts of the organization on their knowledge management (KM) work. The Section develops and encourages the adoption of tools and guidelines on capturing, sharing, and using knowledge that is critical to UNICEF’s work including through UNICEF’s KM Hub. At the organizational level, LKE have been the main advocates for effective knowledge management and, after having led the development of UNICEF’s first ever Global Knowledge Management Strategy (the Strategy), are now leading its implementation.  

SPIMR guides and advises all parts of the organization on monitoring, a core function that is critical to effective rights-and-results-based management. The current UNICEF monitoring system has evolved organically as the organization has rapidly grown in scale.  

In 2020, UNICEF set up a Monitoring Action Cell to identify ways to transform the way monitoring is perceived and practiced across its offices, and to help reinforce its usefulness in improving the effectiveness, responsiveness, coherence, efficiency and sustainability of programming. The Monitoring Action Cell set out the vision of a universal monitoring system with clearly defined components that will be accessible and useful to everyone from new staff members to senior managers; connecting UNICEF colleagues and partners to good practice examples and the right people to support success. One of the core elements of this vision is the Community of Monitors (COMMONS).  

COMMONS will serve as a platform for thought leadership and global agenda-setting on monitoring and optimize knowledge management and exchange, including capturing lessons and innovations, and developing common language and core tools to help strengthen UNICEF monitoring culture and practice.  

The junior consultant will work with LKE and SPIMR teams to support the following work streams:  

1. With LKE: providing the support needed to ensure smooth coordination and focusing in particular on the activities related to the promotion of the KM Strategy and staff engagement around its nine priority areas and their outputs. 
2. With SPIMR: help establish and manage the Monitoring Community of Practice. 

Terms of Reference / Deliverables

The consultant will work on supporting LKE’s KM Specialist with the smooth coordination of the Strategy’s pilots, the management of the online community in Yammer dedicated to the Strategy, and the maintenance of a library within a KM Hub in SharePoint where all the relevant knowledge products and key guidance will be hosted.  

To support the coordination of the Strategy’s pilots, the consultant is expected to: 

• Create and manage the channels established to monitor the implementation of the pilots, 
• Identify opportunities and support knowledge sharing among piloting offices, 
• Maintain the list of products delivered by the priority teams and make them available to piloting offices, 
• Collect feedback and examples from piloting offices.  

As part of the community management, the consultant is expected to:  

• Identify and map the experience and skills of community members,   
• Collect good KM practices from UNICEF offices, 
• Identify members with relevant skill and expertise to connect them to piloting offices when needed, 
• Facilitate online conversations, peer support, and knowledge sharing.  

In maintaining the SharePoint library, the consultant is expected to:  

• Upload files received from offices and add the relevant metadata to all the files in the library while ensuring that they are visible to all staff. 

The consultant will also work with SPIMR’s Monitoring team, under the joint supervision of the Programme Specialist and LKE’s KM Specialist, to help develop and manage the COMMONS Community of Practice. The expected activities are as follows: 

Membership  

• Define and segment target audiences for the Community of Monitors 
• Develop a strategy and plan to reach out to and engage target audiences 
• Update the user personas (key needs, and challenges, potential contributions) 
• Support the development of a strong community identity, and members identifying with the role of The Monitor 
• Help members connect to other users to develop valuable relationships 
• Identify and cultivate community champions willing to take active roles within the community.  

Platform Launch and Management 

• Maintain and evolve the layout and design of the online community Sharepoint and post its anchor content 
• Maintain and moderate the community Yammer and post anchor content 
• Develop a launch plan for the online community 
• Administration of the COP: manage membership requests, monitor relevance of content, moderate discussions, and respond to members’ technical issues 

Activities and Content 

• Develop a calendar of activities for the CoP and a content calendar (based in the COP Strategy) 
• Identify, edit or create relevant content, if needed engaging the core team and members  
• Initiate relevant discussions, and engage relevant members 
• Organize online activities (webinars, e-discussions, chats, etc.) and offline events (meetings, panel discussions, workshops, conferences, etc.) 
• Draft and distribute a newsletter 

Monitoring and Reporting 

• Document community engagement and outputs; and capture stories of change 
• Identify key performance metrics, develop a tracking and measurement system 
• Report regularly to the community leader and the team, and produce the annual progress report 

Strategy 

• Working closely with the community leader and the team to set annual priorities and desired outcomes, and develop a strategy based on member feedback and program goals 

Qualifications

Education

• University degree in International development, International Relations, Business Administration, or another relevant field.

Work experience

• Work experience in knowledge management and related areas (information management, learning, community management, communication, monitoring & evaluation).
• It is preferable that the individual has basic knowledge of multilateral institutions.
• Basic knowledge of international development and humanitarian work is a plus.  
• Basic knowledge of programme monitoring in international development is a plus.

Competencies

• Basic experience with managing an online community or building and/or leading any type of community or network.
• Basic experience with organizing webinars, from design to post-event analysis.
• Experience working with Excel.
• Experience working with SharePoint or a similar web site platform is a plus.  
• Experience working with Power BI is a plus.
• Excellent written communication in English, especially for online publishing.
• Basic ability with visual design and video editing is a plus.
• Strong organizational, planning, and analytical skills.
• Good judgment, initiative, high sense of responsibility, tact, and discretion.
• Takes ownership and initiative and can work both independently and effectively in a team environment.
• Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills in interacting with colleagues at all levels.
• Demonstrated cultural sensitivity and ability to establish harmonious working relations in a multicultural environment.

Requirements

• Completed profile in UNICEF's e-Recruitment system and provide Personal History Form (P11) Upload copy of academic credentials
• Financial proposal that will include:
• your daily/monthly rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference (can be downloaded here: https://www.unicef.org/about/employ/index_consultancy_assignments.html 
  • travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR.
  • Any other estimated costs: visa, health insurance, and living costs as applicable.
  • Indicate your availability
• Any emergent / unforeseen duty travel and related expenses will be covered by UNICEF.
• At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.
• Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

U.S. Visa information:

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

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

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.

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

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.

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.