UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN’S FUND

TOR

DUTY STATION: Bamako, Mali
Section/Division: Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation
Level: P3
Duration: 270 days
Title: Information Management / GIS Specialist / Entitlements :
The post will receive all of the salary and entitlements of a TA post at the P3 level.
PURPOSE OF POST:
Mali is currently one of UNICEF’s largest emergency response programmes globally. The Country Office (CO) is currently finalizing the 2013 humanitarian response plan, from which the key annual monitoring indicators will be drawn. Government and NGO partners then report against these indicators allowing UNICEF and the humanitarian community to take management decisions regarding the humanitarian response and to report to donors and through the regular Situation Report.
The country office has distinct emergency monitoring and evaluation requirements including providing support to programme section development, implementation and monitoring of emergency programmes, and support the cluster information management. As the emergency evolves and a wider range of UNICEF, cluster and IASC partners operational on the ground there is an increasing need for strong information management. In 2012 UNICEF established strategic partnerships to address challenges faced by children and to scale up the emergency response, with 20 Project Cooperation Agreements (PCA) finalised across all UNICEF sectors, for a value of USD 13 million. These partnerships will be extended in 2013 and will reinforce capacities of both institutional and civil society actors in the north as well as south of Mali.
In 2012 UNICEF has scaled up humanitarian monitoring procedures, and services provided to the humanitarian partner NGOs. This has included making Third Party Monitoring operational in the four northern regions of Gao, Kidal, Timbouctou and Mopti, and putting ActivityInfo in place as an online/ offline database used by UNICEF, UNICEF-led clusters and cluster partners. In 2013 OCHA is intending to put a complementary database for the other clusters, which will work in harmony with ActivityInfo.
In order to collect, compile, analyze and package this body of information to make it useful for the CO UNICEF is looking to recruit an Information Management / GIS Specialist. / REPORTS TO: Humanitarian Performance Management Specialist
NUMBER/LEVEL OF POSTS SUPERVISED: N/A
Main Duties/Responsibilities:
Under the supervision of the Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Manager in Bamako the Information Management Officer will be responsible for delivering the following information management activities in the Mali CO:
I. Capacity for monitoring and evaluating partners’ activities is strengthened through technical support and database maintenance
a) ActivityInfo - Support ActivityInfo management including:
- Providing support to the UNICEF programme sections, the UNICEF-led clusters, and the UNICEF/ cluster partners for their effective use of ActivityInfo.
- Provide training session/ on-the job training on ActivityInfo for UNICEF staff and partners as requested, including supporting the decentralization of ActivityInfo use to partners based outside Bamako.
- Support UNICEF programme sections day-to-day use of ActivityInfo.
- Identify bugs in ActivityInfo and report these to the development team for rectification.
- Promote coordination with complementary data collection systems including Malikunafoni (DevInfo) and the OCHA online database.
- Develop technical specification of the Activity Info database to meet emerging needs of UNICEF emergency programmes (and for the transition from emergency to development).
- Ensure complementarity and where necessary data interoperability with other relevant systems.
b) Geographic Information Systems – The IMO will be the focal point in the UNICEF office for mapping and GIS needs. The IMO will respond to all requests for maps using ArcGIS and/ or ActivityInfo to collect, compile and present information to facilitate tactical and strategic decision making.
c) Partner Reports Analysis – UNICEF partners report against a standard set of indicators, provide reports through ActivityInfo, through monthly reports and should provide copies of post distribution monitoring assessments. Support will be provided to
- The programme sections to follow up with partner reporting, analysis and compilation of results.
- Help with UNICEF’s reporting requirements in Situation Reports, Humanitarian Action for Children (HAC) and the Consolidated Appeal Process (CAP).
d) Partner Monitoring – Support:
- The monitoring and evaluation section to ensure that all humanitarian partners have conducted reviews of their programmes.
- Compile the reports of those reviews into a common good practice/ lessons learnt report.
- Support the section for field monitoring of partner NGOs/ Government as and where necessary.
- Provide technical support and advice to UNICEF staff and partners on information management issues, including through support to regular reviews with partner NGOs.
e) Third Party Monitoring – Support:
- The regular analysis of third party monitoring reports to ensure that the information from the monitoring organization is ‘digestible’ by the UNICEF programme sections.
- Support the development of workplans for Third Party Monitoring organisations.
- Integration of Third Party Monitoring data into ActivityInfo and regularly produce reports on field results, against partners’ areas of intervention.
f) Support to Field Offices – Provide regular feedback to field offices on their field reports, and inputs into the regional offices weekly/ monthly planning documents (for monitoring and reporting).
II. The visibility of UNICEF emergency data is increased
a)  Products:
- Maps (GIS and ActivityInfo): Produce analytical reports on program achievements including maps and statistics, overlaying vulnerability information; Quality assurance of other staff producing maps; Develop templates, catalogues and style guide for maps produced
- Produce information management products for the Emergency Section, including assessments reports, analytical reports, and maps.
- Up-date websites related to the UNICEF humanitarian programme, particularly on ReliefWeb and Mali Humanitarian Response.
b)  Humanitarian Coordination:
- Ensure coordination with other information management stakeholders (e.g. other UN agencies, particularly OCHA, IOM, WHO), including participation in Information Management coordination fora;
- Represent UNICEF in coordination forum related to information management. / QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCIES:
POSITION GRADE FACTORS – P3
- As a technical expert, provide timely and effective expert advice, guidance and input on situation analysis, programme strategy, planning, implementation and evaluation and human resources.
- Make viable recommendations on project implementation, alternative approaches, and optimal utilization of resources that contribute effectively to the fulfillment of the rights of children and women.
QUALIFICATION and COMPETENCIES
Education
- Masters level university degree in information management, GIS or related field.
Work Experience
- A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in the field of information or data management, GIS and/or monitoring and evaluation.
- Previous work experience with the UN preferable, particularly with UNICEF.
Language Proficiency
·  Fluency in English and a good working knowledge of French.
COMPETENCIES
I) Core Values (Required)
·  Commitment
·  Diversity and Inclusion
·  Integrity
II) Core Values (Preferred)
·  Communication
·  Working with People
·  Drive for Result
III) Functional Competencies (Required)
·  Formulating Strategies and Concept
·  Analyzing
·  Relating and Networking
·  Persuading and Influencing
·  Creating and Innovating
IV) Technical Knowledge
·  Extensive experience implementing information management systems for end users, and the technical knowledge in the development of such systems.
·  Knowledge and expertise in GIS is essential
·  Experience with the following technologies would be an advantage: Google Web Toolkit, Enterprise Java
·  Development, ExtJs / GXT, and ASP.Net is preferable.
V) Other
·  Strong analytical skills and ability to handle complex issues.
·  Well organized and ability to plan work accordingly.
·  Demonstrated ability to work in a multicultural environment and establish harmonious and effective working relationships, both within and outside the organization.
·  Prior experience in Mali/ West Africa or with UNICEF would be an asset.

Approved by: ______Date: ______

Chief of Section Head of Office