Youth Programme U-Report Consultant

UNICEF Serbia is seeking an individual contractor to utilize the U-Report platform in the most effective way. The U-Report platform is a social monitoring tool designed for youth and other community members to strengthen the community-led development, citizen engagement and access to and use of real-time monitoring and participation platforms.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, gender identity and sexual orientation, as well as persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. UNICEF’s office is accessible to a certain extent, and employees are entitled to reasonable accommodations that are needed for ensuring equitable working conditions.

UNICEF Serbia CO is focusing on a holistic community-based approach that looks at the child and the adolescent through a multi-deprivation lens by bringing more synergy and efficiency to the outreach and engaging with the community. This approach will allow the affected population to participate in the decisions affecting their lives, to have access to all information and to be provided with safe and responsive mechanisms to handle complaints and feedback. UNICEF’s Youth and Adolescent Development programme is aiming to provide to young people participation platforms, increase their capacities to amplify their voices and be connected, actively engaged, and empowered to productively participate in their communities and the society.

The U-Report platform is a social monitoring tool designed for youth and other community members to strengthen the community-led development, citizen engagement and access to and use of real-time monitoring and participation platforms. It allows youth and community to speak out via Viber and other channels – through polls and unsolicited messages – on what is happening in their communities. It provides a forum to amplify their voices through local and national media and acts as a citizen-sourced, real-time data point for key stakeholders, service providers and decision-makers about the issues being faced in communities. The platform also feeds back useful information to the U-Report participants, so they are empowered to work for change and improvements in their localities themselves.

Work Assignment Overview:

UNICEF Serbia is seeking an individual contractor to utilize the U-Report platform in the most effective way. The work will be delivered in accordance with more detailed monthly work plans agreed between the contractor and the Supervisor at the beginning of every month.

Duration of the assignment: May 2021 – Apr 2022 (full-time, office-based, with a possibility for extension)

General tasks and responsibilities:

1. Planning and programming of U-Report initiatives on annual basis
2. Administrating digital resources: RapidPro, U-Report website and uPartners
3. Providing analytics and content deriving from the U-Report polls
4. Monitoring the implementation of the U-Report initiatives
5. Managing related online accounts and website
6. Engaging in innovation and partnership building

More detailed task description will be provided to the selected candidate.

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

• An advanced university degree (Masters or higher) in Business, Economics, Social Sciences, Social Work, Youth Engagement, International Relations, or another relevant field. A first level university degree (Bachelor's) in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.
• At least 3 years of work experience in the relevant field (preferably different policy issues - design, evaluation, monitoring and evaluation, youth engagement, innovation, social innovation or entrepreneurship, communication, multi-stakeholder engagement including private sector, and managing relations with those stakeholders who support ecosystem engagement).
• Experience in deploying digital platforms, tools and approaches.
• Extensive experience with proven records in the preparation of polls and data analysis.
• Sound understanding of policy, institutional and legal frameworks in the Republic of Serbia.
• Experience in working with national and international stakeholders (civil society, public administration, social partners, local organizations, etc.).
• Knowledge of children's rights, gender issues, children's and youth participation will be considered as an advantage.
• Good analytical skills, as well as writing and reporting skills.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Excellent knowledge of both Serbian and English.

How to apply:

The application must include a financial proposal in RSD as a separate document, providing the following information:

1. Daily rate in RSD (all-inclusive, e.g. health insurance, pension, usage of mobile phone).

Important notes:

Incomplete applications will not be taken into consideration.

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

For every child, you must demonstrate UNICEF's core values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability.

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.