UNICEF
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Job Description
Job no: 595060
Contract type: Consultant
Duty Station: Addis Ababa
Level: Consultancy
Location: Ethiopia
Categories: Education
Contract Duration: 4 months
Working arrangement: Office Based
UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.
At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.
UNICEF is a place where careers are built. We offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.
Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.
Scope of Work
Under the supervision of the Cluster Coordinator, the consultant will be responsible for the following but not limited to:
1 – System Design and Data Governance
- The consultant will support the overall design of a RapidPro-based emergency education data collection system that is appropriate for the Ethiopian context and aligned with government structures. This includes shaping the conceptual system design, defining data flows from schools through wereda, zonal, regional, and federal levels, and ensuring alignment with existing EMIS and approval workflows. The consultant will also support the development of data governance arrangements, including data validation approaches, privacy and protection protocols, access control levels, and accountability mechanisms for handling sensitive emergency data.
2 – Infrastructure Setup and Platform Deployment
- The consultant will provide technical support for establishing RapidPro within the Ministry of Education’s infrastructure. This will involve working closely with MoE ICT teams to prepare the server environment, install and deploy the RapidPro platform, and configure system settings, security parameters, databases, and user access levels. The deployment will ensure that the system is operational across administrative levels and technically prepared for integration, maintenance, and future upgrades.
3- System Development and Integration
- The consultant will lead the configuration and customization of RapidPro platform to support emergency education data collection and communication needs. This includes setting up the backend environment, connecting the platform with EMIS, configuring questionnaires, automated messaging, response logic, and validation rules within the platform. The consultant will also support technical integration with data analysis and visualization tools such as Microsoft Power BI and Microsoft Excel, as well as alignment and interoperability with the national EMIS system. In collaboration with Ethio Telecom, the consultant will support SMS gateway configuration, routing, and testing to ensure reliable message delivery.
4- Pilot Testing and System Refinement
- The consultant will support the pilot implementation of the RapidPro system in selected schools and/or woredas to test functionality, reporting workflows, and user experience. Feedback from the pilot phase will be analyzed and used to refine questionnaires, system flows, and technical configurations. The consultant will support iterative system improvements to ensure usability, reliability, and readiness for broader rollout.
5- Capacity Building and Rollout Support
- The consultant will contribute to building national and subnational capacity to sustainably operate the RapidPro system. This includes supporting training of trainers at federal and regional levels, contributing to regional and wereda-level trainings for focal persons and selected school representatives, and supporting the onboarding of schools and wereda focal points into the system. The consultant will also support the development of user guides, manuals, and training materials to facilitate consistent system use.
6- Operations, Monitoring, and Technical Support
- During rollout and early operational phases, the consultant will provide technical backstopping through system testing, troubleshooting, and maintenance support. This includes supporting different levels of system testing, assisting with analysis of SMS operational costs where applicable, and ensuring system stability. The consultant will also support monitoring and reporting processes, including the generation and communication of dashboards and periodic data updates in coordination with UNICEF and the Education Cluster.
7- Validation, Review, and Transition to Government Ownership
- The consultant will support system validation and learning through engagement with key stakeholders, including participation in validation workshops with Education Cluster partners and education authorities at federal and regional levels. The consultant will document system configurations and operational processes and support the gradual transfer of the RapidPro system to the Ministry of Education, with continued technical backstopping from UNICEF and the Education Cluster to ensure sustainability.
QUALIFICATIONS / SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE / EXPERIENCE/ COMPETENCIES (CORE/TECHNICAL/FUNCTIONAL) / LANGUAGE SKILLS REQUIRED FOR THE ASSIGNMENT
Education:
- •Advanced university degree (master’s or higher) in ICT, Information Systems, Computer Science, Data Science, Information Management, or a related field (Bachelor’s degree with additional relevant experience may be accepted).
Work Experience:
- •Minimum 5 years of professional experience in digital data collection systems, information management, or ICT4D, preferably in humanitarian or emergency contexts.
Language Requirements:
- •Fluency in English is required; knowledge of Amharic and other local languages is an asset.
Knowledge/Expertise/Skills:
- •Proven hands-on experience with RapidPro or similar SMS/USSD platforms, SMS gateways, including flow design, automated messaging, and validation logic.
- •Certified linux system administration or strong proof of linux experience.
- •Experience in building or deploying using Django, Python, PostgreSQL, Docker/AWS, REST API, Webhooks
•Excellent communication abilities, in both written and oral forms.
- •Strong technical knowledge of system and data architecture, including data flows, system integration, and interoperability with platforms such as EMIS.
- •Experience working with telecom operators or SMS gateways, including routing, short codes, and cost considerations.
Desirables:
•Experience in Management, or ICT4D, preferably in humanitarian or emergency contexts.
•Demonstrated experience working with government institutions and/or UN agencies, NGOs, or international organizations, preferably in the education sector.
•Practical experience with data visualization and reporting tools, particularly Microsoft Power BI and Microsoft Excel.
•Knowledge of data protection, privacy, and accountability standards for sensitive emergency data.
•Proven ability to deliver capacity building, including training of trainers and development of user and technical documentation.
•Strong analytical, communication, and coordination skills, with the ability to translate technical concepts for non-technical stakeholders.
For every Child, you demonstrate…
UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values
UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.
UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.
UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.
Qualified candidates are invited to submit the following documents via the online recruitment portal, TMS (Talent Management System):
- An up-to-date TMS profile and curriculum vitae (CV)
- Cover letter
- A separate financial proposal (only acceptable in the format of the linked template)
financial proposal template -TMC0004757l.xlsx
How To Apply
UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.
All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.
Advertised: E. Africa Standard Time
Deadline: E. Africa Standard Time