National Consultant – Schools’ connectivity Coordinator- support to the Ministry of Civil Affairs, Remote & Office-based in the Ministry of Civil Affairs of BIH- 1 position

The consultant will be associated with the Ministry of Civil Affairs and will play an integral role in contextualizing and integrating Giga in BIH and will interact with the different programmatic sections and local stakeholders (government actors, UNICEF, partner private sector, CRA, education ministries, schools, etc) in the country, with the objective of ensuring coordination and execution of Giga activities as per the workplan that will be developed.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. 

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

And we never give up. 

For every child, education.

In the 21st century, access to the Internet represents a gateway to information, communication opportunities, and quality education. However, the ICT mapping conducted by UNICEF and the education authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BIH) reveals a stark digital divide. More than 500 schools and 14,000 students in BIH lack access to the Internet. These educational institutions are predominantly satellite schools situated in the rural and remote regions of BIH. The consequences of these disconnected schools extend far beyond their walls; they frequently translate into disconnected communities. This discrepancy highlights the pressing need for investment and improvements in our education infrastructure to ensure that our students have the tools and resources necessary to thrive in the digital age.

Despite the formidable challenges, significant progress has been achieved, thanks to the strong partnerships with Bosnian and Herzegovinian (BIH) authorities, including the Communication Regulatory Agency of BIH, the Ministry of Communications and Transport of BIH and the Ministry of Civil Affairs of BIH. One notable achievement is that BIH has become the first European non-EU country to be integrated into the global Giga initiative, a collaborative effort between the ITU and UNICEF. This initiative is dedicated to the ambitious goal of connecting every school to the Internet by 2030.

The efforts have been further enhanced by the integration of BIH school geolocation on Giga’s global school map, enabling the identification of the most vulnerable clusters within regions characterized by inadequate infrastructure. This data-driven approach allows directing resources to where they are needed the most.

Moreover, tangible progress in connecting disconnected schools was already made, thanks to the collaboration between Internet service providers and the education authorities. As a recent example, 76 satellite schools in Republika Srpska now have access to 4G Internet, achieved through a joint investment by a service provider and the local education authority. This demonstrates the potential of public-private partnerships in bridging the digital divide and ensuring that even the most remote communities have access to the resources they need for quality education.

Following the Call for Action agreed between government authorities and Internet service provider during the Western Balkans Digital Summit 2023, UNICEF in BIH and Giga are providing technical assistance to the BIH government in fulfilling the agreed actions and ultimately providing safe, affordable and high-quality internet to all primary and secondary, central and satellite schools in BIH.

How can you make a difference? 

The consultant will be associated with the Ministry of Civil Affairs and will play an integral role in contextualizing and integrating Giga in BIH and will interact with the different programmatic sections and local stakeholders (government actors, UNICEF, partner private sector, CRA, education ministries, schools, etc) in the country, with the objective of ensuring coordination and execution of Giga activities as per the workplan that will be developed.

The main responsibilities of the consultant include:

Regular communication and information sharing with the Ministry of Civil Affairs of BIH (MOCA) Ministry of Communications and Transport (MCT) of BIH, UNICEF BIH Country Office:

• coordinate inputs from MOCA and attending regular weekly team meetings with UNICEF and MCT
• consult with MOCA, MCT and UNICEF Education Officer on implementation plans and modalities
• regular update to the team on all relevant developments in the education sector, especially in digital transformation in education, school internet connectivity and overall technological advancement
• collecting and sharing information about partnership and funding opportunities relevant to the schools’ connectivity activities
• prepare communication inputs for regular media updates

Real-time monitoring for all connected primary and secondary schools of BIH

• With the support of UNICEF CO and the Giga team, prepare and implement a pilot for Giga’s real-time monitoring system, targeting at least 40 schools across two administrative units
• Monitor incoming real-time data on school connectivity, and timely raise any potential data quality issues and troubleshooting needs
• Prepare and execute a full-scale real-time monitoring launch and installation plan, communicate with education authorities and schools, provide technical support to those who seek it
• Explore opportunities for enhancing the system to best serve schools’ connectivity objectives and integrating real-time data with the BIH EMIS
• Extract monthly and quarterly real-time monitoring reports, share with MOCA BIH, MCT BIH, UNICEF BIH and relevant partners and stakeholders

Advisory body (AB) for Digital Transformation in Education

• Together with the MCT’s Focal point, co-lead on development, consultations and finalization of comprehensive Terms of reference for the body members
• Actively communicate relevant updates and AB activity progress with education authorities, schools, internet service providers, Regulatory Agency for Communication of BIH, other public and private stakeholders
• Convene Advisory body meetings, prepare agendas, supporting materials, take notes and prepare reports
• Coordinate and technically support the revision process of the recommended ICT standards for education institutions, liaise with education authorities, MCT and members of the Advisory body
• Track progress of agreed actions, support joint efforts of the Advisory board

Advocacy and promotion

• Support MOCA and MCT in preparing and executing their advocacy efforts for improved schools’ connectivity
• Support MOCA and MCT and education authorities in brokering “better deals” for schools’ connectivity
• Act as a Focal point for public-private partnerships for schools’ connectivity, provide support to MOCA and actively liaise with MCT on exploring modalities for raising funds for schools’ connectivity
• Prepare communication inputs for regular media updates

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

• Minimum BA degree in IT, IT management or other relevant disciplines.
• 3-5 years experience in project management and coordination
• Good understanding of the BIH constitution, education sector and internet connectivity landscape
• Fluency in English and BCS (Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian) mandatory.
• Strong ICT skills, including the use of Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, experience with remote technical support and plugin installation
• Strong analytical and digital skills for data analysis and visualisation
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, intercultural sensitivity;
• Strong facilitation skills and ability to work independently and proactively
• Excellent attention to detail, organisational skills and discretion with confidential information

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

To view our competency framework, please visit  here. 

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

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.