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ICT for Development Expert, Geneva

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Terms of Reference
Post Title: ICT for Development (ICT4D) Expert
Duty station: HQ based with frequent travel to the field
Duration of assignment:
6 months
General Background
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. It strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another State. While UNHCR's primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees, our ultimate goal is to help find durable solutions that will allow them to rebuild their lives in dignity. There are three durable solutions pursued by UNHCR for 6.4 million refugees in protracted situations: voluntary repatriation; local integration; or resettlement to a third country. While pursuing durable solutions UNHCR additionally tries to increase the selfreliance and livelihood opportunities of refugees.
Context for the Post
UNHCR's Community Technology Access (CTA) programme provides access to computers, computer literacy, and connectivity, to UNHCR's persons of concern. These include refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), hosting communities, and returning refugees or IDPs. The CTA is being implemented as a global programme, managed by the UNHCR's Livelihoods team at HQ in Geneva, in coordination with the Education unit and Private Sector Fundraising unit. Since 2009, the CTA programme has been rolled out to 25 countries across the world with a total of 56 centres that are operational. The purpose of the CTA programme is to enhance educational and livelihood opportunities for UNHCR's persons of concern and their host communities through access to information and communication technologies. The programme objectives are expanded access to learning opportunities, increased capacity for creating local solutions and employment and successful management of an ongoing cycle of measurement and integration of lessons learned. The new UNHCR CTA strategy is expected to be approved in December 2013.The post is new and will support implementation of the new strategy. The post will be home-based with frequent travel to the field. The expert will, in coordination with UNHCR field staff and implementing partners, help to identify, develop, implement and evaluate project activities that utilize ICTs to increase the effectiveness of UNHCR programs.
Responsibilities
Under the supervision of the Chief of Livelihoods Section and the CTA Coordinator the ICT4D consultant shall undertake the following tasks:
  • Actively assist in the implementation of the UNHCR CTA strategy;
  • Provide UNHCR headquarters and field staff with technical advice related to the use of ICTs in support of refugee livelihoods and learning activities;
  • Assist the CTA coordinator in preparing all types of documentation related to identifying, developing, implementing and evaluating effective ICT projects;
  • Document proven methodologies / approaches, and where possible develop models / tools to measure impact of future programmes;
  • Provide guidance/recommendations on obstacles and possible improvements to our way of programming solutions, ensuring effective links and coordination with field operations and stakeholders at headquarters.
Qualifications (academic, experience) Required
  • A post graduate degree in business, international development, adult learning, education, social sciences, economics, ICTs for development, or other development / humanitarian related studies;
  • 7-10 years of experience in designing and implementing international relief and/or development programmes and projects, leading and conducting research, managing educational and training projects using communications technology, especially in early recovery, post-conflict, or forced displacement contexts;
  • 7-10 years of experience (preferably away from one's country of origin) in implementing development and/or relief projects in which technology played a key role;
  • Proven experience evaluating ICT-related projects; skills-development, training, education and livelihoods projects, including distance-learning;
  • Demonstrated experience in programme design, strategic planning, programme / project management;
  • Significant experience teaching technical skills to others;
  • Excellent communication and writing skills in English.
Desired
  • Familiarity with UNHCR / working with displaced populations;
  • Experience using mobile phones in support of education programs in relief scenarios;
  • Basic coding skills (HTML, CSS, Java);
  • Private sector experience in the telecommunications sector;
  • Experience using mobile data collection platforms;
  • Fluency in another UN language other than English will be an asset.
Duration Initially for 6 months (starting 1 January 2014) with the possibility of extension if required. Enquiries/How to apply Please send an email with your CV and cover letter before 1 December 2013 to livelihoods@unhcr.org.

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