Giga Programme Officer
Location: Geneva, Switzerland
Contract type: Fixed-term appointment
Duration: 12 months with possibility of renewal subject to project funding
Level/grade: P3
Application deadline: 8 January 2024, Midnight Geneva Time
Duties and responsibilities
The post is under the supervision of the Senior Advisor, Strategic Engagement and Initiatives and Giga ITU Lead (hereafter called “Senior Advisor”), in the Office of the Secretary-General and Deputy Secretary-General (SGO). The incumbent will perform the following duties:
- Contribute, in support of the Senior Advisor, in all key interactions and activities with UNICEF.
- Contribute, in support of the Senior Advisor, in all key interactions and activities with the UN System and Member States on Giga.
- Build and maintain relationships with new and existing Giga partners, across the public and private sector.
- Research Spanish and Swiss donors, investors and international organizations to identify potential Giga partners, with a particular focus on innovation, technology, blockchain, development and innovative finance; build and maintain a database of Spanish and Swiss contacts.
- Organize and support Giga related meetings and events with a focus on those that take place at the global level and in Spain/Switzerland by coordinating with ITU and UNICEF regional offices and host countries, drafting invitation letters and communicating with speakers and participants, preparing speeches, preparing presentations and other meeting materials, coordinating with meeting service providers, and reviewing meeting contributions and writing minutes.
- Oversee project execution by coordinating, tracking, providing technical support, drafting reports and provide high quality substantive input. Coordination and consult with relevant ITU Bureaus, (e.g. Telecommunication Development Bureau) to ensure cohesion and consistency in the efforts.
- Prepare project reports, monitor project schedules and deadlines, and identify potential issues or risks that could affect the progression of projects and provide recommendations.
- Draft and edit documents.
- Oversee and ensure that the day-to-day operations of the ITU Giga General Secretariat team run smoothly and efficiently, which include developing, implementing, and coordinating management and administrative processes as needed.
- Attends internal and external meetings with stakeholders at all levels.
- Perform other related duties as assigned.
Qualifications Required
Education:
- Advanced university degree in business administration, business computing, management information systems, project management, information technology, telecommunications or a related field OR education from a reputed college of advanced education, with a diploma of equivalent standard to that of an advanced university degree in one of the fields above. For internal candidates, a first university degree in one of the fields above in combination with seven years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree for promotion or rotation purposes.
Experience:
- At least five years of progressively responsible experience in project management, business analysis or a related field, including at least two at the international level. A Doctorate in a related field can be considered as a substitute for two years of working experience.
- Knowledge of one of the six official languages of the Union (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish) at advanced level and knowledge of a second official language at intermediate level. Knowledge of a third official language would be an advantage.
Benefits and entitlements
Total annual salary consists of a net annual salary (net of taxes and before medical insurance and pension fund deductions) in US dollars and a post adjustment (PA) (cost of living allowance). The PA is variable and subject to change without notice in accordance with the rates as set within the UN Common System for salaries and allowances.
Annual salary from $ 64,121 + post adjustment $ 53,028
Other allowances and benefits subject to specific terms of appointment, please refer to:
https://www.itu.int/en/careers/Pages/Conditions-of-Employment.aspx
Information on recruitment process
Please note that all candidates must complete an on-line application and provide complete and accurate information. To apply, please visit the ITU Careers website. The evaluation of candidates is based on the criteria in the vacancy notice, and may include tests and/or assessments, as well as a competency-based interview. ITU uses communication technologies such as video or teleconference, e-mail correspondence, etc. for the assessment and evaluation of candidates. Please note that only selected candidates will be further contacted and candidates in the final selection step will be subject to reference checks based on the information provided. Messages originating from a non ITU e-mail account – @itu.int – should be disregarded. ITU does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.
About our team
We are a fast-paced, multi-disciplinary team of software engineers, finance specialists, data scientists, policy experts, and much more. Our team is a distributed workforce and plans to remain distributed into the foreseeable future. We are growing fast. Our team has grown by over 400% in the last 6 months as we rapidly scale to meet our stated mission.
About Giga
Giga is a joint initiative of UNICEF and ITU to connect every school in the world to the Internet by 2030. Working with corporate and non-profit partners, Giga maps schools’ Internet access in real time, creates models for innovative financing, and supports governments contracting for connectivity. It is part of ITU’s Partner2 Connect Coalition, UNICEF’s Reimagine Education initiative, and the UN Secretary General’s Common Agenda and Roadmap for Digital Cooperation.
Follow Giga on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
About UNICEF
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.
UNICEF has a 70-year history of innovating for children. We believe that new approaches, partnerships and technologies that support realizing children’s rights are critical to improving their lives.
About ITU
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies (ICTs), driving innovation in ICTs together with 193 Member States and a membership of over 900 companies, universities, and international and regional organizations.