Research Specialist Digital

UNICEF Innocenti has a dedicated unit focused on Digital Engagement and Protection, generating new evidence and insights about children’s lives in a digital age by applying a combination of research and foresight methods. The research focus is on primary data collection with children and families around the world to understand the risks and opportunities children face online. The current portfolio of work involves past and future research in more than 40 countries, primarily in the global South, through our Global Kids Online and Disrupting Harm research projects.

The foresight work analyses the potential impacts of emerging technologies through trends analysis and other foresight methods, uncovering the opportunities and challenges they bring for children, and developing policy guidance for governments and industry. Past flagship projects have covered AI policy guidance and digital inclusion for children.

The Research Specialist (Digital) position will work across research, policy and foresight activities within the team, acting as a bridge between research and foresight methods by applying traditional qualitative and participatory techniques for data collection and new techniques for foresight analysis.

The post holder will primarily be responsible for designing and implementing participatory research with children and managing expert consultations and youth foresight work, as part of the Best Interest of the Child project, which aims to help governments, the tech industry and other stakeholders better understand and implement the best interests of the child principle in the digital environment. The post holder would also work with colleagues in the Digital Engagement and Protection team to consolidate primary data and evidence generated by the team and turn it into impactful policy-oriented outputs.

Additionally, the role will provide project management support to the development of policy recommendations on neurotechnology and children, and the development of a research agenda for use of AI in education.

The position will report to Policy Specialist, Digital Engagement and Protection #103007

Across the various projects, as needed, the Research Specialist (Digital) will be responsible for research design, implementation and analysis, planning and co-ordination, resource planning and forecasting, donor reporting, monitoring and evaluation, liaising with project stakeholders to ensure smooth delivery of key milestones and deliverables, and contributing to the implementation of research, analysis and foresight projects across the team leading to thorough, well-reasoned written outputs that directly support policy-making, advocacy and programming.

Duties and Tasks:

Within the delegated authority and the given organizational set-up, the incumbent will be accountable for all or assigned areas of the following major duties and end results.

Research design, implementation and analysis:

• Support the team with design and implementation of research studies and adjust implementation to each context, working in collaboration with Country Offices and field work agencies.
• Prepare research materials as needed, including documentation for submissions to ethical review boards and toolkits for training.
• Support recruitment of local qualitative researchers to conduct the data collection in each country, together with the project manager and UNICEF country offices.
• Develop coding frames and analysis protocols for national and global analysis and conduct analysis and interpretation of data in-house, or train local qualitative researchers on how to apply it. Write up reports from child consultations, data analysis and other project activities, in collaboration with the team.
• Keep abreast of related digital trends to actively provide input into the thought leadership of the unit. Conduct new analysis on related digital trends and usage, produce original outputs by drawing on or synthesizing existing research, and use existing evidence to develop policy recommendations in support of the overall aims of the unit. These outputs could include papers/briefs/reports, or a range of other useful communications materials or public/policy messaging.

Project planning, co-ordination, monitoring and reporting:

• Together with the Programme Specialist (Digital Research), establish and monitor workplans for all the projects within the Digital Engagement and Protection unit and enable team collaboration.
• Continually monitor progress and prepare regular project progress reports for assigned projects, including donor/annual reporting, project documentation (e.g. Gantt charts), flag issues and risks, propose mitigation measures and compile key lessons learned.
• Prepare, oversee, and regularly update project budgets and risk mitigation strategies. Support in managing the allocation and disbursement of project funds, ensuring that funds are properly planned, coordinated, monitored, and liquidated.
• Coordinate with team members and the Operations unit and support with contracting throughout the project, including recruitment of consultants and contracting of other vendors to implement consultations/research. Supporting the briefing and project management of consultants and vendors.
• Liaise with consultants and implementing organizations to monitor progress and keep activities on time.

Stakeholder engagement, visibility, advocacy and dissemination:

• Organize and lead/support online and in-person meetings, workshops, or key informant interviews for projects within the designated workstreams. This includes preparing event materials, conducting background research, participant selection, managing invitations, agenda planning, presenting or moderating, and other logistical support tasks, and write up meeting and workshop notes.
• Support the establishment and ongoing co-ordination of expert advisory groups for projects, as needed.
• Produce and effectively communicate research findings to internal and external audiences including preparation of high-quality reports; working papers; policy reports and briefs; web stories, blogs and other media. Communicate research findings to a wide range of audiences, within UNICEF and externally including academics, policy makers, practitioners, media and others.
• Coordinate with communications focal points at UNICEF Innocenti and project partners to support the development and implementation of a communications and advocacy strategy, to ensure that messaging around the projects are effective, streamlined, and adapted to the relevant audiences at country, regional, and global levels.
• Through online searches and working closely with the Digital Foresight and Policy Specialist, project stakeholders and UNICEF country offices where consultations will take place, identify key stakeholders and moments (events, conferences, etc.) to target for maximum project visibility and buy in.
• Act as focal point for report production and report launches and coordinate with vendors as needed.

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

Education:

• Advanced university degree in international studies and development, information and communication technology (ICT), public administration/policy, social sciences or other relevant field

Essential Experience: 

• A minimum of five years of progressively responsible professional work experience at national or international levels as a project or research manager and qualitative researcher is required, with developing country experience desirable.
• • Experience with design of qualitative research and use of qualitative methods and analysis essential; experience with quantitative research is considered an asset.
• • Experience coordinating complex, multi-partner, multi-country projects is required.
• • Experience managing sector-wide consultations or participatory consultations with children is a strong asset.
• • Experience working on projects at the intersection of children and digital technologies is an asset.
• • Extensive experience working with a range of project management tools.
• • Experience working in low- and middle-income countries is a strong asset.
• • Demonstrated ability to undertake analysis and produce reports and public-facing media (e.g. blog posts) around research and trends.
• • Demonstrated ability to work in a multicultural environment; experience working in the United Nations or other international organization an asset.

Technical Knowledge:

Specific Technical Knowledge Required:

• Rights-based and Results-based approach and programming in UNICEF
• UNICEF programme policy, procedures and guidelines in the Manual.

Common Technical Knowledge Required:

• Methodology of programme/project management
• UNICEF programmatic goals, visions, positions, policies and strategies.
• Knowledge of global human rights issues, specifically relating to children and women, and the current UNCEF position and approaches.
• UNICEF policies and strategy to address on national and international issues, particularly relating to conflicts, natural disasters, and recovery.
• UNICEF emergency programme policies, goals, strategies and approaches.
• Gender equality and diversity awareness

Technical Knowledge to be Acquired/Enhanced:

• UN policies and strategy to address international humanitarian issues and the responses.
• UN common approaches to programmatic issues and UNICEF positions
• UN security operations and guidelines.
• UNSECORD training for members of Security Management Team.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) and/or Italian is an asset.

Source: https://jobs.unicef.org/cw/en-us/job/570804