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Call for Expression of Interest (EoI) - Gender & Technology Consultant Roster

Bangkok

  • Organization: UNICEF - United Nations Children’s Fund
  • Location: Bangkok
  • Grade: Consultancy - Consultant - Contractors Agreement
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Women's Empowerment and Gender Mainstreaming
    • Information Technology and Computer Science
  • Closing Date: Closed

The Gender Section, UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office (EAPRO) is seeking services of individual gender & technology consultants to provide a range of support services and technical assistance to the Regional Office and Country Offices to work on deploying and scaling Oky, a digital menstruation education and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) solution developed for and by girls in LMICs. Applicants will be considered for current and upcoming gender & technology consultancy opportunities, and for placement on the EAPRO Gender & Technology Consultant Roster 2021-2023.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged girls and boys.
To save their lives. To defend their rights. To ensure their equality. To help them fulfil 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.

How can you make a difference?

The UNICEF EAPRO Gender Section is seeking services of individual gender & technology consultants to provide a range of support services and technical assistance to the Regional Office and Country Offices to work on deploying and scaling Oky, a digital menstruation education and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) solution developed for and by girls in LMICs.

Applicants will be considered for current and upcoming gender & technology consultancy opportunities, and for placement on the EAPRO Gender & Technology Consultant Roster 2021-2023.

 

Purpose of Assignment

An emerging approach in UNICEF and around the globe is using innovation, which includes technology, digital, and social approaches, to address gender inequalities as outlined in the UNICEF Gender Action Plan and to accelerate girls’ empowerment.

In 2020, UNICEF EAPRO launched Oky, a GirlTech flagship innovation and digital menstruation and SRH product, which has been designed with and for girls. Key features include a gamified design for girls (10-19 years); avatars and personalized interface; evidence-based information created by experts in girl-friendly language to learn in entertaining ways; localized in national languages and to local context. Girls’ digital realities require tailored technology, so Oky exists as a light-weight Android and iOS app for low end smartphones; offline functionality for low connectivity settings; multiple user login and password protection for girls sharing phones; read-out function, tutorials, help for low (digital) literacy or vision impairment; downloadable via link; highest data protection.

Find out more about Oky:


Oky is currently available as a global app in English on Android and iOS, as well as in Mongolia and Indonesia in local languages and managed by local franchise partners. The app (and content management system) software and content is open source. Open source also allows continuous co-creation and iteration of Oky functionality and the opportunity to build a global community around the app. Over the next 2 years Oky will scale to more markets, especially in Asia-Pacific.  Each new market will have their own implementing partners who will develop the local version from the open-source code, content and design assets using a franchise license agreement model, and provide support and maintenance for each new version of the app – or other Oky products - developed in new markets. The vision for Oky is that it becomes a multi-platform product - so it exists as a suite of different digital products and platforms under the Oky brand. The Oky products available will look different in different markets, according to each country’s digital landscape and girls’ needs.

UNICEF is now seeking gender & technology consultant services to support the development, management and expansion of Oky and the open-source eco-system.

 

Scope of work

Gender & technology consultants will provide a range of services to advance the implementation, deployment and scale of Oky, and respond to gender and innovation support and technical assistance requests.

Required areas of support and anticipated roles include, but are not limited to:

  • Product and Partnerships management: perform product management services; coordination and project planning, implementation and reporting, including guidance to country offices and partners on all strategic and operational aspects of Oky localization, deployment and roll-out; support vendor management; develop and maintain partnerships with implementing and contributing partners from all sectors of society and industries; support research, assessments and learning across multiple markets; and related product and partnership tasks; garner support and expansion of Oky eco-system; etc
    (Junior and Senior roles)

  • Technology advisory: provide Oky technology related advisory services to Unicef country offices and implementing partners; quality assure tech related Oky work;  liaise with tech vendor(s) for global Oky app; support implementing partners on technology related decisions; advise and lead on Oky features built-out; guide Oky multi-platform product(s) development (potentially including chatbot, AI, IVR and SMS, AR and VR) software development, user testing and roll-out; advise on development of global CMS for content management; provide technical advisory to Oky Global Steering Committee; advance data protection and privacy for children agenda; liaise with Unicef T4D global, regional and country teams, tech vendors and tech industry partners; etc (Junior and Senior roles)

  • Human-centred design: provide HCD advisory services to Unicef and partners; design and facilitate girl-centred design and user testing processes for Oky; advise on HCD approaches in different markets; map girl-centered HCD providers in different markets; support HCD vendor management; document HCD insights and translate into tech and UX/UI requirements; develop HCD guide for Oky and girl-centered digital innovation; etc (Senior roles)

  • Open-source advisory: technical assistance on open-source community building and open-source governance system; explore options and design for Oky open source steering committee governance structure; support open-source steering committee establishment; perform secretariat tasks for Oky open source steering committee; support implementation of strategies of open-source community development; etc (Senior roles)

  • Digital content writing and editing: create new and evidence-based content on menstrual health and hygiene, CSE and SRH information in girl-friendly, girl-centred and compelling language in English (or other languages where Oky is deployed); design chatbot conversations and scripts; develop gamified content incl. avatar messages, quizzes, tips of the day, etc; adaption of content for multiple platforms such as chatbot, IVR and SMS; advise on editorial processes for new content at global and/or country level; quality assure content developed by Oky partners in various contexts; participate in content quality review panels; support Oky content ecosystem partners and community; manage open-source content repository; etc (Senior roles)

  • Marketing and Communications support: provide Oky marketing, promotion and communications (incl social media) advisory; support global and in-country marketing and communications partners; develop quicklines and FAQs for media inquiries; develop and roll-out strategies for user acquisition (both digital and in-person); support monitoring and reporting on backend analytics; customer and user feedback management; etc (Senior and Junior roles)

  • Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) and Research: refine Oky ToC and indicators, including analytics and business intelligence systems; build out monitoring and reporting framework; lead the setting up of MEL data collection and reporting mechanisms, particularly using lean data approaches; data analysis, insights generation and sharing (writing snapshots, briefs, reports); provide technical support for in-country and multi-country research projects and impact assessments; etc (Senior and Junior roles)

  • Peer-to-peer methodology development: provide technical assistance on developing peer education strategies for connecting the un-connected and tapping into adolescent girls’ peer networks to create a cadre of Oky peer educators; develop a prototype for peer-to-peer methodology; develop training and other materials; pilot materials in low-connectivity areas and iterating; work with in-country coordinators to repurpose for multiple markets; etc (Senior roles)

  • Disability and accessibility: provide technical assistance on ensuring Oky products cater to girls with special needs (physical and/or intellectual disabilities); design and run consultations with girls with special needs in one or two target markets; work strategically with partner organizations specialized in accessibility of digital products (based in Oky’s target markets); advise on adaptations needed (eg design and UX amendments; available on new, multiple platforms such as IVR or radio); desig strategies and plans to reach more girls with special needs through adaptations, community and outreach approaches that can be replicated in multiple markets; etc (Senior roles)

Work Schedule and Estimated Duration of Contract: For each work assignment a TOR with work scope and tasks, schedules, deliverables, timelines and final outputs will be developed. Work assignments might require full-time or part-time commitments, at Senior or Junior level expertise. Applicants who submit their EoI to this call and who are included in the EAPRO Gender & Technology Consultant Roster 2021-2023 will receive relevant TOR(s) for consideration.

Official Travel: Home-based, with travel to Oky deployment countries and/or conferences as needed.

To qualify you will have…

  • University degree (Bachelors or higher) in Social Sciences, Gender Studies, International Development, ICT, or in an area relevant to UNICEF’s Gender & Technology / Oky / digital SRH and CSE work.
  • Specific work experience in working on digital projects, products and services, or innovation, in emerging markets; experience in Asia, and working with women and girls, preferred.
  • At least eight years (Senior level) or three years (Junior level) of progressively responsible professional experience and demonstrated track record in the area of gender and/or digital and/or innovation, or in the specific area of support that candidate is applying for.
  • Strong, substantive, experience and skills related to the specific roles and areas of support that candidate is applying for.
  • Creative, innovative thinker who can also translate ideas into practical applications; “Get things done” mindset.
  • Self-starter who is happy to hit the ground running; independently motivated who doesn’t require extensive set-up processes, training, orientation, or strategy development (Senior level)
  • Proven skills in communication, networking, strategic thinking, advocacy, negotiation, and ability to relate this to innovation and young people. (Senior level)
  • Proven ability to conceptualize, plan and execute ideas. (Senior level)
  • Fluency in English; knowledge of a language in the East Asia Pacific region or of an Oky deployment country is an asset.

 

Application process: Interested applicants are requested to submit Application Package and Expression of Interest (EoI) by 26 July 2021 detailing:

  • Qualification and technical capacity (Cover Letter/CV/P-11) Download File P11 Form.doc:
    • indicating specifically which role(s) or area(s) you are interested in and how you qualify (Junior or Senior level). Candidates are welcome to indicate interest in several roles or areas.
    • indicating your interest in full-time, part-time or a specific consultancy. Candidates are welcome to indicate interest in several types of engagement.
    • indicating your availability until July 2023
    • indicating where you are based
  • Samples of previous work on similar assignments (links preferred)
  • Full contact information of minimum 2 references
  • Financial proposal: Professional fee in USD (daily or monthly fee 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. View our competency framework at http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

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

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.

This vacancy is now closed.
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