Information Management Consultant (OCHA), Quito Ecuador, 18 months, requisition #573887

The Information Management Consultant will operate under supervision of the OCHA Senior Humanitarian Affairs in Ecuador. Additionally, the Consultant will receive close technical supervision from the OCHA Regional Senior Humanitarian Advisor, and technical guidance from the Regional Information Management Officer, both at the OCHA office in Panama. This arrangement is part of a broader framework to strengthen OCHA’s regional mandate in Ecuador.

OCHA’s Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (ROLAC) supports UN Resident Coordinators, Governments, UN Disaster Management Teams, Humanitarian Country Teams (where they exist) and Humanitarian Forums to improve overall preparedness and response mechanisms for sudden onset disasters from natural hazards or protracted crises.

On a practical level, the office works with partners to:

• Support existing coordination mechanisms to ensure effective crisis preparedness and response.
• Strengthen disaster management capacity through the implementation of IASC and OCHA guidance on preparedness and response.
• Optimise data collection, analysis, and the production of documents.
• Liaise with donors and advise on possible financing mechanisms.
• Work on early warning actions and create advocacy campaigns to benefit affected populations and vulnerable groups.

Job scope:

The Information Management Consultant will operate under supervision of the OCHA Senior Humanitarian Affairs in Ecuador. Additionally, the Consultant will receive close technical supervision from the OCHA Regional Senior Humanitarian Advisor, and technical guidance from the Regional Information Management Officer, both at the OCHA office in Panama.

This arrangement is part of a broader framework to strengthen OCHA’s regional mandate in Ecuador.

The Consultant will collaborate and work in close partnership with the Senior Humanitarian Affairs Consultant to support the United Nations Resident Coordinator Office, the National Humanitarian Forum, and the Inter-sectoral Working Group.

This collaboration aims to enhance the efficacy of humanitarian information management in the country.

How can you make a difference? 

Within the limits of delegated authority, the consultant is expected to undertake the following roles and responsibilities:

• Establish and maintain a network of collaborators to facilitate the exchange of humanitarian information and promote data and information standards, in accordance with IASC guidelines.
• Design, develop and manage databases, spreadsheets, and other data tools to collect, compile and consolidate operational information regularly to support analysis and decision making.
• Support the evaluation and analysis of location-specific datasets using meaningful statistical techniques.
• Support needs assessment activities, including secondary data reviews, preliminary scenario definitions and multi-cluster initial rapid assessments.
• Manage online platforms and tools that support data collection and analysis such as Kobo Toolbox and Humanitarian Data Exchange (HDX).
• Oversee content management on relevant web platforms, ensuring quality control and that all content is comprehensive, up-to-date, and adheres to relevant metadata standards.
• Collaborate with external counterparts on related web platforms such as agency and sector websites and ReliefWeb Response to facilitate cross-site search and interoperability.
• Produce and update information products such as reports, maps, charts and infographics transforming data to convey messages and narratives effectively.
• Train humanitarian partners in the use and development of information management tools and platforms.
• Perform any other related tasks as required or assigned by the supervisor.

To qualify you will have… 

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in information management, information systems, social sciences or related field.
• Fluency in spoken and written Spanish is mandatory; working knowledge of English is required.
• Information management experience in the field (actual setting where a mission and/or project is being implemented) in emergency situations (complex emergency or natural disaster) is desirable.
• Experience visualizing data from different sources into an infographic, maps of dynamic dashboards.
• Excellent inter-personal, diplomatic and communication skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners
• Ability to work with minimum supervision, with efficiency, competence, and integrity with people of diverse cultural backgrounds.
• Familiarity with the UN system is an advantage.

Competencies and values

• Professionalism: demonstrated understanding of operations relevant to OCHA; technical capabilities or knowledge relevant or transferrable to OCHA procedures and rules; discretion, political sensitivity, diplomacy and tact to deal with clients; ability to apply good judgement; ability to liaise and coordinate with a range of different actors, especially in senior positions; where appropriate, high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; resourcefulness and willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures; ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented;
• Integrity: demonstrate the values and ethical standards of the UN and OCHA in daily activities and behaviours while acting without consideration of personal gains; resist undue political pressure in decision-making; stand by decisions that are in the organization’s interest even if they are unpopular; take prompt action in cases of unprofessional or unethical behaviour; does not abuse power or authority;
• Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; excellent interpersonal skills; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, mixed-gender environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity; sensitivity and adaptability to culture, gender, religion, nationality and age; commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of UN operations; ability to achieve common goals and provide guidance or training to colleagues;
• Commitment to continuous learning: initiative and willingness to learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments in area of expertise; ability to adapt to changes in work environment.
• Planning and organizing: effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities;
• Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, articulate options and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; ability to communicate and empathize with staff (including national staff), military personnel, volunteers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diverse backgrounds; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups;
• Flexibility: adaptability and ability to live and work in potentially hazardous and remote conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort; to operate independently in austere environments for protracted periods; willingness to travel within the area of operations and to transfer to other duty stations within the area of operations as necessary;
• Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment towards OCHA’s mission and vision, as well as to the UN Core Values.

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 be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check. 

Remarks:  

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

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts. 

Administrative details

Please note that although the consultancy payments and recruitment will be processed through UNICEF systems, the consultant will be based in the Resident Coordinator’s Office and will receive constant technical guidance from OCHA ROLAC. UNICEF will not intervene in the consultant’s performance management or day-to-day activities, which will be supervised by the Resident Coordinator’s Office in coordination with OCHA ROLAC.