Deadline for Applications
November 28, 2024
Terms of Reference
1. General Background
More than ever before, forcibly displaced communities are articulating, with urgency, the importance of connectivity as a basic and fundamental need and a right. In a fast-evolving digital world, increasingly diverse communities are using connectivity as a gateway for everything from accessing life-saving information to learning online, benefiting from digital services, and finding sources of livelihoods. However, in the absence of a holistic response to connectivity challenges facing forcibly displaced populations, many are still left behind.
As UNHCR and other humanitarian agencies rapidly move towards digital transformation and the provision of digital services, the question of connectivity has become foundational. Can humanitarian responders, supported by mobile network operators, internet providers, and regulators, take action to increase the connectedness of communities and meet basic connectivity needs? Efforts to this date have yet to achieve considerable progress and many communities remain disconnected.
To enduringly address this connectivity challenge, UNHCR, the ITU, and the GSMA’s Mobile for Humanitarian Innovation Programme have come together and developed a new initiative named Connectivity for Refugees (CfR) to address these challenges. This new initiative will establish structures and systems to accelerate partnerships and coordination, mobilize resources, and ensure predictable and consistent response actions in several countries including, but not limited to, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iraq, Mauritania, South Sudan, and Uganda. Through these efforts, the initiative can build pathways for sustainable connectivity solutions in refugee hosting areas, accelerating the digital transformation and improving the lives of forcibly displaced communities.
To drive forward progress in 2024, the DRC is a priority country for CfR. One of the main connectivity foci in DRC is the Instant Network Schools (INS) programme developed by UNHCR and Vodafone Foundation. DRC is one of the six countries that benefit from the INS programme, providing a holistic solution to transform an existing classroom into a multimedia hub for learning – complete with a local network; internet connectivity; sustainable solar power; a classroom kit that includes tablets, a laptop, a projector and speaker; localised digital content; and a robust teacher training programme with a library of digital educational resources. This programme is currently the largest connectivity initiative for refugees and their host communities in DRC. The INS classrooms are also used by refugee community outside of school hours so sustaining the continued use of these post-2026 is critical. A total of 95,126 beneficiaries, including 21,256 students, 777 teachers, 44 coaches, 9,281 community mem¬bers and 63,768 family members benefited from the INS programme with digital learning facilities and content in 2023, in 29 centres located in the North & South Ubangi, Ituri and South Kivu provinces.
Despite efforts from both Vodafone Foundation and UNHCR technical teams, unreliable internet connection remains the main challenge for the programme. This inconsistency in connectivity frequently inter¬rupts the operational capabilities of the centres, posing a challenge to the seamless delivery of digital education. UNHCR and Vodafone Foundation continue to work on a solution which will ulti¬mately also improve the connectivity across all centres in DRC. The current partnership MoU ends on 31 December 2026 and as part of sustainability, more cost efficient and reliable connectivity needs to be sourced.
2. Purpose and Scope of Assignment
To drive forward activity and coordinate both internally with relevant UNHCR colleagues and external stakeholders spanning public sector, private sector, international organisations, NGO and community organisations, UNHCR is recruiting a national coordinator of the CfR initiative, bearing overall responsibility for delivering on the ambitions of the initiative in DRC. The postholder will play a critical role in establishing the initiative, driving forward country level activities on CfR in DRC. Duties will include but are not limited to:
• Supporting the establishment of the CfR initiative in DRC through a national platform, engaging on all relevant elements of delivery as required
• Establishing relationships with key stakeholders including Government and Regulators, Connectivity Service Providers (Mobile Network Operators, Internet Service Providers, others), civil society et al and facilitate strong coordination through establishment of regular meetings
• Developing country level strategy and approach in liaison with local, regional and global counterparts
• Leading country level assessments and connectivity mapping, in liaison with global and local partners
• Supporting in the design of connectivity solutions plans in country and overseeing delivery
• Coordination with relevant UNHCR colleagues spanning ICT, Protection, Education, Livelihoods, Development Officer et al. at national and subnational levels on relevant aspects of the initiative and how it supports their portfolios or where they are well positioned to contribute
• Monitoring and evaluation of connectivity solutions and interventions to support with donor reporting
• Supporting fundraising efforts around CfR, positioned for support from different stakeholder audiences including private sector, development actors, governments
• Managing knowledge around the CfR initiative in country, compiling data, creating reports, etc.
• Liaising with support structures on CfR both within UNHCR through the Innovation Service, and through the wider initiative coordination (UNHCR, ITU, GSMA, Government of Luxembourg, Government of Spain, Cisco).
• Supporting on other activities / interventions as required
3. Monitoring and Progress Controls
The incumbent will report directly to the IT Systems Service Delivery Management Officer in DRC and have dotted line reporting to the Senior Innovation Officer overseeing the CfR initiative in UNHCR HQ Innovation Service. The incumbent will participate in regular bilaterals with the supervisor, and joint meetings with the dotted line management to the Innovation Service on a monthly basis to prioritize and review agreed-upon deliverables for the period. Additionally, in order to help support the CfR, the incumbent will join multistakeholder meetings with key partners held on a regular basis in order to align and coordinate efforts on projects within the initiative.
4. Qualifications and Experience
a. Education
• Undergraduate degree (essential) or Graduate degree (desired) in a related discipline (e.g., Computer Science, Telecommunications, Innovation, Technology)
b. Work Experience
• Minimum of 3 years (with Undergraduate degree) or 2 years (with Graduate degree) of previous job experience in delivering information technology, telecommunications and digital services in a humanitarian aid or development context with a focus on community facing solutions
• Demonstrated project management skills
• Prior experience working with a variety of stakeholders in the telecommunications ecosystem i.e. Mobile Network Operators, Satellite Companies, Telecommunications Regulators etc.
• Strong experience in coordination and advocacy, with experience in the UN system a distinct advantage
• Prior experience working in forced displacement contexts is highly desirable
c. Key Competencies
(Technical knowledge, skills, managerial competencies or other personal competencies relevant to the performance of the assignment. Clearly distinguish between required and desired competencies)
Required competencies
• Proficiency in French;
• Good knowledge of English (both written and spoken), proficiency should be equivalent to B2 level per CEFR standards
• Demonstrated expertise on connectivity, telecommunications and digital technology is required
• Robust understanding of project management cycle and programme management in complex emergencies
• Highly organized and autonomous, able to multitask and prioritize workload when necessary
• Excellent writing and documentation skills, demonstrating high levels of attention to detail
• Works well in a multicultural team and has a strong work ethic strives to deliver high-quality, error-free deliverables potentially targeting different types of users (e.g., senior management, fundraising specialists and advocacy officers)
Desired competencies
• Knowledge of humanitarian protection principles is a distinct advantage
Standard Job Description
Assistant IT Officer
Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
Under the technical supervision of IT Officer, Administrative Officer, or a Bureau IT Lead, the Assistant IT Officer implements the IT operational plan in a well-defined geographical area. The incumbent provides technical supervision and guidance to locally recruited staff and ensures that IT equipment is always fully operational. S/he receives technical support and guidance from their supervisor.
Internally, the incumbent liaises directly with own IT Service Delivery Team daily as well as with end users to clarify, analyse and resolve reported issues. S/he may also liaise with external service providers, as required, to resolve escalated infrastructure issues.
All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional, and managerial competencies and UNHCR’s core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.
Duties
- Oversee daily Business-As-Usual operational IT matters, including incident, problem, change, service request, and asset management – following ITIL principles and DIST Standard Operating Procedures and guidelines.
- Participate in the assessment of operational and security infrastructure needs in each UNHCR office in the area of responsibility (AOR).
- Support the implementation of the IT operations plan and thereafter ensures that all equipment is always in good working conditions as to meet the IT needs of the office(s).
- Discuss infrastructure needs with the IT Officer and Head of office in the AOR and provide input for the budget submission.
- Monitor and coordinate the work of local IT staff as directed by the IT Officer or Head of Offices in accordance with the standards set by DIST/HQ.
- Maintain accurate inventory of all IT equipment for the AOR and ensure relevant Asset Management policies and guidelines are followed and the ITSM databases are up to date.
- Provide coaching and training to local IT staff and users. Draft procedures and instructions to promote a better understanding of the use of the IT equipment – using shared resources on the Intranet, when available.
- Participate in the assessment of security related projects in coordination with the Field Security Officer and assist in the formulation of recommendations on security communications.
- Promote relation with UNHCR implementing partners to enhance communication and avoid duplication of efforts.
- Provide accurate and timely information on operational status and reports to management,
- Liaise with Registration and Information Management colleagues to ensure their IT needs are met.
- Liaise with the National Regulatory Authority to ensure that licenses and permissions required to operate UNHCR telecommunications networks are granted.
- Actively participate in IT related meetings to ensure that all decisions taken meet UNHCR’s operational and security requirements.
- Liaise directly with end users to clarify, analyse, and resolve reported issues, delivering high standards of customer service.
- Support the identification and management of risks and seek to seize opportunities impacting objectives in the area of responsibility. Ensure decision making in risk based in the functional area of work. Raise risks, issues and concerns to a supervisor or to relevant functional colleague(s).
- Perform other related duties as required.
Minimum Qualifications
Years of Experience / Degree Level
For P1/NOA – 1 year relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or no experience with Graduate degree; or no experience with Doctorate degree
Field(s) of Education
Information Technology; or other relevant field.
Certificates and/or Licenses
*ITIL Certification
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)
Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Hands on experience working with current versions of IT products and services used in UNHCR offices – including a good understanding of network and telephony infrastructure; MS Office productivity software (Windows, Office 365); and Cloud collaboration services (MS Teams, SharePoint, etc.). Experience working with external managed service providers for IT infrastructure maintenance and support.
Desirable
For offices with satellite connectivity: experience in VSAT technologies. For offices with Security Comms (Radio room); experience in HF/VHF radio technologies. Practical experience working in the deep field.
Functional Skills
IT-IT Systems and Standards
IT-IT Network Monitoring & Alerting Tools
IT-IT Collaboration & Communications Tools
IT-Microsoft Office Productivity Software
(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)
Language Requirements
For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.
For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.
For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.
Competency Requirements
All jobs at UNHCR require six core competencies and may also require managerial competencies and/or cross-functional competencies. The six core competencies are listed below.
Core Competencies
Accountability
Communication
Organizational Awareness
Teamwork & Collaboration
Commitment to Continuous Learning
Client & Result Orientation
Managerial Competencies
Empowering and Building Trust
Cross-Functional Competencies
Analytical Thinking
Innovation and Creativity
Technological Awareness
All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination, and abuse of power.
As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.
This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates.
Required Languages
,
,
Desired Languages
French
,
,
Additional Qualifications
Skills
IT-IT Collaboration & Communications Tools, IT-IT Network Monitoring & Alerting Tools, IT-IT Systems and Standards, IT-Microsoft Office Productivity Software
Education
Bachelor of Arts (BA): Information Technology
Certifications
ITIL Certification – Foundation Level – AXELOS Ltd
Work Experience
Other information
This position doesn’t require a functional clearance
