Associate Innovation Officer
Cash-based Interventions Associate
Closing date: 02 Feb 2020
Organisation: UNHCR
Job Title: Associate Innovation Officer (Digital Inclusion and Participation,
East and Horn Africa and Great Lakes)
Duty Station: Nairobi (EHAGL Bureau)
Duration: 1st March to 31st December 2020 (10 months, w/ possible
extension)
Contract Type: UNOPS International Individual Contractor Agreement (IICA-1)
**
UNHCR’s Innovation Service has been building a team in
Nairobi since 2015 supporting across a number of initiatives including
education, Communication with Communities, Predictive Analytics, and
Information Management. In 2019, additional resources were mobilised at a
regional level to support AAP and Gender Equality across 4 countries (Ethiopia,
Kenya, Sudan and Uganda) under the Dutch MFA funded PROSPECTS partnerships.
This work aims to strengthen existing accountability mechanisms, including
UNHCR call centres in both Kenya and Uganda.
The Connectivity for Refugees initiative has a solid
footprint in East Africa. This includes substantial engagement with Mobile
Network Operators in a number of operations, research into key connectivity
challenges, and Community Connectivity Fund projects.
At a regional level, UNHCR’s Accountability to Affected
People is driven by the Protection Service. The Associate Innovation Office
(Digital Inclusion & Participation) will work closely with the Community
Based Protection unit, (in the Protection Service) to strengthen UNHCR’s
digital inclusion and online participation, with guidance from Regional Public
Information colleagues to ensure alignment of supported initiatives.
This position will play a key regional role in the
Connectivity for Refugees initiative, based in Nairobi with the Innovation
Service, and in close collaboration with the Community Based Protection in the
Regional Bureau for East and Horn of Africa and Great Lakes. While the Regional
Bureau covers 11 country operations, this role will/can support to the Regional
Bureaux in Southern and West Africa as requested.
Duties and Responsibilities:
The duties and responsibilities for this role fall under 4
key pillars:
Coordination
- Ensure
that Connectivity for Refugees planning/processes align with regional and
CfR Initiative priorities
- Act
as a regional focal point for knowledge and information sharing on
communicating with communities approaches, with a specific focus on the
safe and appropriate use of digital platforms;
- Work
with operations to identify and broker innovative partnerships to
strengthen communication with communities;
Operational Support in-line with
regional community based protection strategies
- Support
the development and testing of creative solutions for digital engagement
with communities challenges;
- Support
regional operations to develop targeted solutions to communication and
two-way information-sharing challenges;
- Ensure
that the operations can leverage regional and global Innovation, CfR and
Protection technical support from within UNHCR to develop robust solutions
that safely and securely connect with refugees online;
- Identify
and position innovative practices for scale by developing pathways for
scaling emerging digital AAP practices across the region;
Capacity Building
- Identify
digital AAP (incl. Data Protection, Data Privacy and Safeguarding) and
Innovation capacity development needs across the region;
- Actively
mobilise resources for Digital AAP and Innovation capacity strengthening
at operational, regional and global levels;
- Leverage
internal and external resources to develop a curriculum to strengthen
innovative approaches across the region;
- Develop
and test appropriate guidance – based on lessons learned and field case
studies – to strengthen innovative approaches to digital AAP;
Research and Advocacy
- Support
research into emerging and creative practices related to the application
of digital tools in collaboration with a number of consultants;
- Ensure
that research into emerging and creative practices is applicable for
internal advocacy purposes and can be leveraged by external partners at a
regional level;
Education
- Undergraduate
degree (essential) or Advanced degree (desired) in Social/ behavioural
sciences-Anthropology, International Protection, Sociology, Gender or a
related field.
Work Experience
- Minimum
3 years Experience working in Forced Displacement contexts and engaging
with communities through digital platforms;
- Knowledge
of existing guidance pertaining to the application of social media and
digital tools in humanitarian contexts – including Data Protection, Data
Privacy and Online Safeguarding concerns;
- Understanding
of key frameworks/tools outlining key AAP commitments;
- Experience
working through partnerships/interagency contexts and demonstrating leadership;
particularly on topics pertaining to International Protection,
Accountability to Affected Populations and PSEA;
- Demonstrated
experience developing operational level/policy level guidance,
particularly for organizations operating in refugee or other humanitarian
contexts and ideally pertaining to the use of social media;
- Experience
remotely working with operations to document practices;
Key Competencies
- Demonstrable
experience of collating good practices and lessons learned across a range
of contexts;
- Excellent
English skills, French highly desirable;
- A
versatile and skilled writer with demonstrated experience in quickly
articulating complex and / or technical concepts in simple terms
- Strong
skills in drafting documents and reports of high quality and clarity;
- Highly
organized and autonomous, able to multitask and prioritize workload when
necessary
- Strong
time management skills, including the ability to work quickly and to meet
deadlines.
- Ability
to work as a team, including remotely.
- Strong
interpersonal skills, including across cultural contexts.
- Excellent
skills in Microsoft Word and advanced knowledge of Excel are required;
Adobe CC desirable,
HOW TO APPLY:
Diversity and inclusion are important values at the core of
the UNHCR Innovation Service. We therefore encourage candidates from all
backgrounds and contexts to apply for this role. Understanding that people come
from different types of backgrounds, we’re open-minded to different types of
professional experience that differ from what may be traditionally considered.
As such, we’d ask you to focus on your skills, enthusiasm and creativity in
your cover letter.
The UNHCR workforce consists of many diverse nationalities,
cultures, languages and opinions. UNHCR seeks to sustain and strengthen this
diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working
environment for its entire workforce. Applications are encouraged from all
qualified candidates without distinction on grounds of race, colour, sex,
national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender
identity.
Interested applicants should submit their letter of
motivation and Personal History Form to hqconref@unhcr.org indicating Associate Innovation
Officer (Africa) in the subject of the email.
Personal History Forms are available at PHF Form / Supplementary Sheet.
Cash-based Interventions Associate
The position is supervised by a professional staff member
who provides the incumbent with general guidance and work plans. The incumbent
works quite independently with an oversight from the supervisor.
The position may directly supervise some support staff.Contacts are mainly with the colleagues in the same duty station to exchange information and to discuss the work plans. External contacts are with the national and local authorities for gathering and exchange of data.
The position may directly supervise some support staff.Contacts are mainly with the colleagues in the same duty station to exchange information and to discuss the work plans. External contacts are with the national and local authorities for gathering and exchange of data.
Accountability
- The
Office has reliable and up-to-date data on persons of concern.
- Standard
and ad-hoc reports are produced. Trends and patterns of data are analysed
and interpreted.
ResponsibilityUnder the supervision of the Associate Programme Officer, the CBI Associate will perform the following tasks; - Manage
the use, maintenance and technical support of databases used in the
cash-based interventions.
- Generate
statistical reports based on the standard reporting formats and ad-hoc
reports,charts and tables as required by the management.
- Prepare
and administer accurate lists of beneficiaries for the regular assistance
through bank ATM/IRIS system in line with the procedures established by
the office.
- Assist
in developing and administering UNHCR Regular Cash based Intervention
database.
- Assist
in the monthly reconciliation and refund process for the cash assistance
project.
- Assist
in preparing detailed reports and breakdown of the cash assistance
provided to the refugees.
- Cross-check
databases to ensure that all beneficiaries are active cases.
- Keep
cash lists updated and free of duplications and ensure delivery of cash
assistance to beneficiaries in a timely manner.
- Maintain
relationships with partners to facilitate the flow of information between
databases,
- Assist
with the training of internal staff and partners on how to use the
database,
- Execute
best practice in data protection standards and help to positively
influence others,
- Troubleshoot
issues with the database and work with internal teams to provide technical
fixes,
- Inform
and act on the reports and messages that are received from various units
on different vulnerable cases in respect to financial assistance.
- Support
in the co-ordination with different IPs, Ops and focal points on lists of
beneficiaries reflecting situation of cash assistance.
- Undertake
missions and field visits to bank service provider to monitor the cash
project.
- Undertake
other relevant duties as required.
Authority
- Represent
UNHCR at the cash-assistance related meetings.
- Liaise
with internal stakeholders and partners.
- Develop
improvements to the database and related workflows.
- Direct
incidents and problems to the supervisor when they cannot be resolved at
their level.
Essential Minimum Qualifications and
Experience
- Completion
of secondary education with certificate/training in Information
Technology& Database Management.
- Minimum
6 years of previous data management experience, preferable in CBI context.
- Excellent
knowledge of computer software and database applications.
- Experience
in Microsoft SQL Server (2005 or later).
- Fluency
in English and working knowledge of another relevant UN language or local
language.
Desirable Qualifications & Competencies - Knowledge
of UNHCR programmes and activities.
- Experience
in cash-based interventions,particularly in a refugee response context.
- Working
experience in C# and ASP.net.
- University
level course in Computer Science or related fields with components related
directly to data management.
- Working
experience with statistical software such as R, Python, Stata etc.
Competencies
Values
- Integrity
- Professionalism
- Respect
for Diversity
Core Competencies
- Accountability
- Team
Work & Collaboration
- Communication
- Commitment
to Continuous Learning
- Client
& Results Orientation
- Organizational
Awareness
- Candidates
may also be tested on relevant managerial and cross-functional
competencies.
- Examples
are listed below:-
Cross Functional Competencies
- Analytical
Thinking
- Negotiation
and Conflict Resolution
- Planning
& Organizing
- Stakeholder
Management
How to Apply