Technology for Development (T4D) Software Developer Consultant, Dar es Salaam

• Organization: UNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund
• Country: Tanzania
• City: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
• Office: UNICEF Tanzania

Closing date: Friday, 15 June 2018

Job no: 513560

Position type: Consultancy

Location: Tanzania,Uni.Re

Division/Equivalent: Nairobi Regn'l(ESARO)

School/Unit: United Republic of Tanzania

Department/Office: Dar Es Salaam, United Rep. of Tanzania

Categories: Consultancy, Innovation

Background and Justification

UNICEF TCO has made progress in implementing its innovation strategy. Several initiatives have been developed and deployed in response to programmatic needs, knowledge management and internal efficiencies. These initiatives include the social accountability platform mama-na-mwana, the intervention mapping platform partner mapper and mobile app for birth registration. Innovation unit has also planned to develop dashboards to support real-time monitoring of several interventions including the programme cashplus, Stawisha Maisha project and a child indicator dashboard. These initiatives are at different levels of maturity with some at the scaling level requiring specific components to be refined and capacity building of new stakeholders and government in management and utilization of these platforms for example in the case of mama-na-mwana and partner-mapping tool. As part of planning for the scale of some of these platforms in 2018 - planning and collaboration with other stakeholders including Ministries, MDAs and PO-RALG to provide the planned for software development support from this consultancy building on from efforts in 2017. Furthermore, the country office is in the process of conducting the midterm review (MTR) of the country programme, a process presenting opportunity to work with sections and position innovation and T4D to better inform delivery of results for children with new initiatives and projects.

Given these plans and requirements for the current and potential upcoming T4D projects the innovation unit needs expertise in software development to continue supporting these initiatives.

Objectives of the consultancy

The consultancy will:

• Provide technical support in software development to ongoing initiatives (Mama-na-mwana, Partner mapping tool, Birth Registration);
• Develop real-time programme monitoring dashboards (Child Dashboard, CashPlus & Stawisha Maisha, Child Protection);
• Contribute to new ideas/initiatives projects (including IVR platform integration to RapidPro, Machine learning and data analytics).

Specific Tasks:

1 . Technical support to ongoing initiatives (mama-na-mwana, Partner mapping, Birth Registration, Internal tools) - (30%)

• Support orientation of social accountability CSO (for community dialogues) including training and management of mama-na-mwana platform.
• Continued technical support to mama-na-mwana including supporting data generation for community dialogues and engagement of national, regional and local authorities for decision making.
• Support the customization of the partner mapping tool for sub-national engagement in MINS for use by partners including PO-RALG.
• Support delivery of training and orientation on management of customized sub-national partner mapper with PO-RALG.
• Ongoing technical support and maintenance.

2. Realtime programme monitoring Dashboards (Child dashboard, Cashplus, Child Protection) - 40%

• Develop TCO child dashboard integrating indicators for children on health, nutrition, education, WASH, child protection and social policy from multiple data sources.
• Develop automation dashboard for Cashplus monitoring system and integrate to TASAF monitoring information system.

Continued support to sections on new ways of leveraging real-time data platforms for programme monitoring.

3. New Ideas /Initiatives projects (30%)

• Participate in brainstorm and generation of new ideas and initiatives.
• Support the integration of voice function (IVR) to TCO RapidPro instance and other real-time monitoring initiatives.
• Support the assessment of machine learning and big data analytics (from social media, satellite data and other data sources) to inform programme monitoring.

Methodology

Under the leadership of the Knowledge Management and Innovation Specialist the consultant will work closely with the different stakeholders, sections and technology service providers (network, IVR and SMS platforms) to:

• Review the software technology architecture of the different initiatives as well as proposed architecture for new initiatives.
• Develop and write documentation and software code implementing the different T4D systems and sufficiently test for bugs and other errors in systems as well as test and get input from all stakeholders and sections through consultations.
• Support training on new modules for software systems and support relevant stakeholders and sections to ensure utilization and management capacity of developed dashboards and platforms are enhanced.

Expected Deliverables

1. Technical support to ongoing initiatives provided (40%)

• Training manuals developed and social accountability CSOs oriented on management and usage of data from mama-na-mwana platform to inform dialogues and stakeholder engagement.
• Monthly and advanced real-time data generation module implemented for mama-na-mwana platform.
• Data from mama-na-mwana data generated monthly and on demand to inform national, regional and local authorities.
• Partner mapping tool customized for sub-national engagement in MINS.
• PO-RALG trained and oriented on management and utilization of partner mapping tool.
• Robust software development support and maintence provided to ongoing T4D initiatives.

2. Realtime programme monitoring dashboards developed (40%)

• Functional requirements for child-dashboard finalized in agreement with stakeholders.
• TCO child dashboard implemented integrating indicators as per defined requirements from sections.
• Cashplus monitoring dashboard operational and integrated to TASAF monitoring system.

3. New ideas/initiatives supported (20%)

• Voice function integrated to TCO RapidPro instance.
• Prototype (MVP) analytics engine for big data analytics for programmes.
• Input to new initiatives and innovation 2019 plan provided.

Reporting

The consultant will work in the innovation unit under the overall supervision of the Knowledge Management Specialist, but interact with different sections.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

Academic qualifications - University degree in Computer Science, Information Science, Business Administration, Engineering, or related area.

Employment experience - 5 years progressively responsible professional work experience at national level in software development especially with mobile and SMS based information systems.

• Full stack developer
• Experience with desktop and web/application development using various technologies, implementing business logic, maintaining software applications, documentation and generating APIs.
• Good working knowledge of major relational database management systems, advanced design skills and development of scalable, modular, extensible applications with open APIs.
• Technical coding skills with Python, objective C or C++, SQL, Javascript, HTML/CSS
• Knowledge of RapidSMS & Rapidpro is an asset
• Experience working with MNOs and aggregators
• Experience in setting up and managing SMS gateway and integration with MNOs.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

Remarks:

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

Advertised: Jun 01 2018 E. Africa Standard Time

Application close: Jun 15 2018 E. Africa Standard Time