Information Management Officer, Temporary Appointment, NO-B, Whole of Syria, Amman, MENARO (6 months)

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, protection

Syria remains a complex humanitarian and protection emergency characterized by over 12 years of ongoing hostilities and their long-term consequences on children and their families. The country still has the largest number of internally displaced people in the world: 6.8 million people, and the highest number of people in need since the beginning of the crisis. Humanitarian and economic indicators continue to deteriorate, basic services are collapsing, and an ongoing cholera outbreak and recent earthquake climatic shocks compound an already dire situation. As a result of these challenges, in 2023, 15.3 million people will require humanitarian assistance, including 2.1 million IDPs living in last-resort IDP sites, with needs that keep increasing across all sectors.

How can you make a difference?

The Information Management Officer (IMO) is a core Cluster Coordination team member of the WASH and Education Cluster and Child Protection Area of Responsibility.  The purpose of this post is to manage the collection, analysis, and sharing of information that is important for the WASH, CP, and Education members in the Whole of Syria to make informed, evidence-based, strategic decisions. 

The IMO reports to the IM Specialist and works closely with Whole of Syria WASH, Education, and CP AoR Coordinators. 

As an advocate for children, the key tasks and responsibilities for the IMO are as follows:

General

• Provide IM services to cluster for key decision-making.  These services will include data collection, analysis, presentation, and dissemination processes relevant to the needs of the WASH, CP AoR, and Education Clusters, including maintaining 4Ws and maps and infographics production. 
• Innovation, knowledge management, and capacity building of cluster members on information management.

Data Gathering, Tools, and Process

• Proactively gathering information from cluster partners, government authorities, and local civil society organizations which may be of use to the Cluster for informing decisions, including violations against children data and needs assessments. 
• Identify secondary data and information sources as part of the HNO development. Maintain an updated cluster of secondary data review sheets.
• Adapt appropriate existing IM tools including those available in-country (including from other clusters) and global level and utilize them in disseminating information among cluster partners.
• Identify barriers to information collection, analysis, and sharing and work with the cluster coordinator to develop appropriate supportive strategies to mitigate them.  This can  include convincing agencies of the purpose and importance of collecting and sharing data/information by providing a timely, added-value service to all stakeholders

Needs Assessment

• Needs Assessment: as appropriate, design data collection tools, ensuring that the purpose and use of all data collected are clear, questions are simple, clear, collectible, and easily collatable, highlighting where potential problems might arise; organize and manage the data input and initial analysis and presentation of data for the sector/cluster; Lead on complaining assessment results from all partners and analyze the information coming out of this assessment in reader-friendly tools.
• Lead on Inter-Cluster assessments and Multi Sectorial Needs Assessments with ISG.

Monitoring

• Manage the (4Ws) database and derivative products, such as maps and dashboards
• Identify Needs and gaps for the sector;
• Inventory of relevant common Cluster data sets, including population data disaggregated by age and sex;
• Manage data on the humanitarian requirements and contributions ( financial, material, human as appropriate)

Dissemination and Access to Information for Stakeholders

• Manage inventory of relevant documents on the humanitarian situation, i.e. mission reports, assessments, evaluations, etc;
• Develop simple and effective methods to share information appropriately (ie not all stakeholders have access to the same type of information systems) using the Internet, e-mail groups, hard copies, verbal feedback at cluster coordination meetings, and dissemination to affected communities as part of accountability to affected populations; consider translation into local languages as appropriate. 

Information Management Intra and Inter-Cluster Liaison

• Liaise with OCHA and IM Focal Points in other sectors/clusters – share information as appropriate and identify and gather information from other sectors/clusters which can inform sector response and preparedness decisions
• Work with OCHA to establish the systems and processes needed for effective information sharing with cluster partners related to inter-cluster coordination
• Liaise with local and national authorities on data – particularly to assess and access existing information
• Liaise with UNICEF Monitoring and Evaluation experts to gather and share information – especially for background data and sources of information

Training and capacity building of cluster partners

• Promote and support IM training and capacity building of the three HUBs coordination teams, cluster partners, humanitarian personnel, and capacity building of humanitarian partners, as required.

 For more information on the specific technical expertise needed, kindly visit the below JD.

To qualify as a Champion for every child you will have: 

• University degree, preferably at an advanced level in data management, Geography, Sociology, or other relevant Social Science field relevant to information management.
• A minimum of one year of progressively responsible professional experience in data analysis information management, management of databases, and geographic sciences is required.
• Fluency in English and Arabic (verbal and written) is required.

Technical Competencies:

• Strong understanding of logical framework approach and different types of indicators (baseline and output especially), a basic understanding of the project cycle management (especially monitoring and evaluation steps).
• Good understanding of the IASC, humanitarian approach, humanitarian reform, transformative agenda, and roles of each humanitarian actor, UNOCHA, Clusters, and organizations.
• Proactively establish and maintain working relations share ideas through information management networks and promote synergies with other organizations.
• Diplomatic skills and ability to establish excellent working relations with partners to collect information.
• Ability to perform several tasks in a timely manner with a focus on quality.
• Excellent knowledge of MS Excel or MS Access; proven technical expertise for managing data capture and storage, analyzing diverse datasets, and presenting information in understandable maps, tables, charts, graphs, and reports; knowledge of establishing and managing basic websites; proven skills in using map-making packages, data visualizing (e.g. Tableau, Power BI, GIS software), web design and software development are an asset.

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

Core Competencies

• Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (2)
• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (1)
• Works Collaboratively with others (1)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (1)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (1)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (1)
• Drive to achieve impactful results (1)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

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. UNICEF is committed to promoting 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.

Remarks:

This position is not considered an elevated-risk role. However, UNICEF reserves the right to conduct further vetting/assessment within the scope of child safeguarding as appropriate.

UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable females are encouraged to apply.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments are also subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

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