Summary
Date Posted: Wednesday, March 13 2024, Base Salary: Not Disclosed

JOB DETAILS:
General Background
(Brief description of national sector-specifics or other relevant context in which the individual contractor will operate)
Uganda continues to be Africa's largest refugee hosting country with over 1,5 million refugees from South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Somalia, Rwanda and Burundi. Children make up 59% of the population while women and children account for 81% of the population. The vast majority 94% lives in settlements alongside the local communities, located across thirteen districts, including 57% in northern Uganda or West Nile (Adjumani, Yumbe, Arua, Obongi, Lamwo and Koboko),24% in southwestern Uganda or South West (Kyegegwa, Kamwenge and lsingiro) and 13% in central Uganda or Mid-West (Kiryandongo and Kikuube). The remaining 6% of the refugee population lives in Kampala. Uganda's progressive refugee policy grants refugee's freedom of movement, the right to seek employment and establish businesses, and to access public services such as education, health care and justice.

Despite the positive policy environment, poverty remains high in both refugee and host communities. There are 8.3 million people in Uganda who are living in poverty with 84% of them living in rural areas. Amongst the refugee population, 91% of refugees are considered highly economically vulnerable, with refugees in West Nile having the highest level of economic vulnerability at 96% compared to those in the Southwest at 84%. The situation has been exacerbated by COVID-19 which has increased economic hardship, loss of livelihoods, competition over resources, idleness of youth, stress, and limited opportunities for interaction between and among communities.

In Uganda, 90 percent of households do not have internet access due to an underdeveloped Internet infrastructure and there is a gap in basic and advanced digital skills. Moreover, the Internet is unequally distributed with a 19.5 percent Internet penetration rate in urban areas compared to 7.1 percent in rural areas. Among refugees, digital access and even access to mobile phones is a challenge. To date, 68 percent of the refugee population have SIM cards, but often rely on cheap feature phones. For example, in the large Bidibidi settlement in northern Uganda 15 percent of men and only four percent of women own a smartphone.

Furthermore, only 24 percent of refugees in settlements have used the Internet and 17 percent are active Internet users. For 73 percent of refugees, the cost of an Internet-enabled device is the key barrier.
The digital economy can unlock new pathways for inclusive growth, innovation, decent job creation and poverty reduction in Africa and Uganda. The digital economy offers opportunities for young refugee and host community members to improve livelihoods, including access to digital training and education, Information Communications Technology (ICT) jobs, digital remote work (online outsourcing jobs), and better market connectivity for micro- small- and medium-enterprises. Despite the growth and spread of the digital economy in many parts of Africa, persistent inequalities, exacerbated further by COVID-19 impacts, pose significant challenges for economic inclusion and decent job creation.

Purpose and Scope of Assignment
(Concise and detailed description of activities, tasks and responsibilities to be undertaken, including expected travel, if applicable)
The Sub Office Mbarara is in dire need for an Assistant Project Officer, dedicated to the on-going PROSPECTS project activities in addition to the European Union - INTPA Programme a multi-sectoral multi-Partner project that commenced and only covers Southwest Operation.

• Manage and coordinate the Connected learning, digital skills and access to digital microwork project in Nakivale Refugee Settlement, Oruchinga settlement and Rugaga Refugee Hosting Sub County in Isingiro District for both in and out of school adolescents and Youths.
• Manage project implementation at the district/settlement level, including facilitating consultations with the Government Representative and relevant partners.
• Ensure that the two Multipurpose Community Centers Digital access spaces are equipped and operationalized to support refugee and host communities with access to formal curriculum-aligned complementary learning; this will include solar panel installations, tablets, computers, library and conferencing facilities.
• Conduct frequent field visits with relevant team members to monitor and follow up on activities implementation and assess community’s interest and satisfaction (with special focus on girls).
• Assist management in ensuring that activities are implemented effectively (aligned with project objectives) and efficiently (economically and timely).
• Coordinate community engagement efforts, and work with local communities to identify proper outreach tools to ensure dissemination of information about the project activities to the local community, encourage community participation and engagement, particularly for girls.
• Pro-actively offer suggestions and advice to management regarding improvements in implementation and procedures.
• Collect success stories and lessons learnt to support UNHCR sections related to donor liaison, project development, and public information/press outreach for wide dissemination.
• Given the Multi-Agency, Multi-sectoral nature of the two projects, coordinate with all project parties and partners involved in project implementation at settlement and Regional level and act as liaison between the Sub Office and Branch Office Kampala.
• Participate in forums held by local government entities, UN Agencies, NGOs, and other parties in the District and/or settlement to facilitate project implementation, create partnerships and ensure proper coordination and information sharing.

1 The PROSPECTS Partnership will support coordination of the Government of Uganda's Digital Agenda through the leadership of the multi-sectoral Digital Agenda Technical Committee (DATC), and will support MoES to develop a governance, coordination and implementation structure for the Digital Agenda including a detailed work plan, roadmap and monitoring and evaluation framework for implementation of the Digital Agenda Strategy.

Monitoring and Progress Controls
(Clear description of measurable outputs, milestones, key performance indicators and/or reporting requirements which will enable performance monitoring}
The contractor will manage and coordinate the Connected learning, digital skills and access to digital microwork project at District/settlement level for Madi Okollo (Rhino},Terego (lmvepi}, Obongi (Palorinya},
Under the technical supervision of the Senior Education Officer and the direct supervision of the sub office, the contractor will perform the below:
Manage the implementation of the CDSM project at District/settlement level and provide monitoring and knowledge management support
• Manage project implementation at the District/settlement level, including facilitating consultations with the Government representative and relevant partners; The contractor will:
• Ensure that 15 digital access and learning centres 2 are equipped and operationalized to support refugee and host communities with access to formal curriculum-aligned complementary learning; this will include of solar panel, tablets, computers, library, conferencing facilities etc.
• Conduct frequent field visits with relevant team members to monitor and follow up on activities implementation and assess community's interest and satisfaction (with special focus on girls}.
• Assist management in ensuring that activities are implemented effectively (aligned with project objectives} and efficiently (economically and timely}.
• Report on progress of activities and resources utilization.
• Contribute to the preparation of quarterly and annual progress report.
• Coordinate community engagement efforts, and work with local communities to identify proper outreach tools to ensure dissemination of information about the project activities to the local community, also to encourage community participation and engagement, particularly for girls.
• Pro-actively offer suggestions and advice to management regarding improvements in implementation and procedures.
• Collect success stories and lesson learnt to support UNHCR sections related to donor liaison, project development, and public information/press outreach for wide dissemination.
• Support joint advocacy and visibility activities of project achievements.
• Coordination and partnership
• Coordinate with all project parties and partners involved in project implementation at settlement level;
• Participate in forums held by local government entities, UN Agencies, NGOs, and other parties in the District and/or settlement to facilitate project implementation, create partnerships and ensure proper coordination and information sharing;
• 2Each position will cover only half of the locations. Kampala project will be under the Mbarara focal point. The two filed officers should coordinate together to ensure all 15 are equipped and operational in a timely manner.
• Maintain close relationship with key stakeholder at District and settlement level (state and nonstate) and ensure adequate information flow on related activities in coordination with the project manager.

Qualifications and Experience
• (List the required education, work experience, expertise and competencies of the individual contractor. The listed education and experience should correspond with the level at which the contract is offered.)

Education (Level and area of required and/or preferred education)
Education
• For P1/NOA- 1 year relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or no experience with Graduate degree; or no experience with Doctorate degree

Experience
Work Experience
(List number of years and area of required work experience. Clearly distinguish between required experience and experience which could be an asset.)
• Professional experience with management in delivering community-facing technology solutions in a humanitarian context;
• Experience working with refugees in displacement settings and coordinating, implementing programmes;
• Strong experience in humanitarian coordination and interacting with and building partnerships and synergies with Government, UN agencies, NGOs and civil society organizations.
• Prior Experience working on issues of digital skills development and livelihoods desired
• Fluency in English with excellent drafting reports, budgeting and analytical skills is required. Working knowledge of another official UN language is an asset.

Key Competencies
(Technical knowledge, skills, managerial competencies or other personal competencies relevant to the performance of the assignment. Clearly distinguish between required and desired competencies)
• Work prioritization and ability to multitask.
• Shares knowledge and experience.
• Positive, constructive attitude.
• Responds positively to critical feedback and differing points of view.
• Ready to work independently, under tight deadlines.
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
• Ability to work in a multi-cultural team environment with a positive attitude.
• Highest standards of integrity, discretion and loyalty.


Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: 12

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Job application procedure

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