Undersea cables are a critical component of global internet infrastructure, connecting continents and facilitating international data transmission. These cables are particularly vital in ensuring that remote regions, such as many parts of Africa, can access global networks at affordable rates. However, the high costs of undersea cable deployment and maintenance, combined with regulatory barriers, can pose significant challenges for expanding connectivity to underserved areas.

As Giga aims to connect every school in the world to the internet, understanding the economics and regulatory environment surrounding undersea cable infrastructure is essential. This role will focus on providing strategic insights into the financial models, investment strategies, and market dynamics related to undersea cables. By advising Giga on the economic aspects of undersea cable deployment and supporting partnerships with cable operators, this consultancy will help ensure that Giga’s connectivity goals are achieved efficiently and sustainably. 

Your responsibilities will be…

This Long-Term Agreement (LTA) aims to provide Giga with ongoing strategic advisory services focused on the economics and regulation of undersea cable infrastructure. The consultant will support Giga’s mission to connect schools globally, especially in regions where undersea cables are critical to expanding connectivity. 

The consultant will be called upon for specific tasks as needed under the LTA. These tasks will include: 

• Economic and Market Analysis:
  – Conduct targeted analyses of costs and market conditions for undersea cables in specific regions. 
  – Provide financial estimates to assist Giga in evaluating the feasibility of undersea cables for school connectivity. 
  
  
• Regulatory and Policy Support:
  – Offer advice on the regulations and policies affecting undersea cable projects. 
  – Recommend ways for Giga to work with governments and regulators to support the rollout of undersea cables. 
  
  
• Partnership and Stakeholder Engagement: 
  – Assist Giga in identifying and establishing partnerships with undersea cable operators and other stakeholders.
  – Provide recommendations on structuring partnerships to meet Giga’s objectives.  
  
  
• Reports and Presentations: 
  – Develop concise reports and presentations summarizing insights and recommendations for internal and external stakeholders. 
  
  
• Task-Based Strategic Support: 
  – Provide focused strategic input on specific undersea cable projects or issues as they arise during the LTA period.
  – Share best practices and insights with Giga’s team to enhance their understanding of the undersea cable market and regulatory landscape. 
  
  

You must access the full Term of Reference (ToRs) and read a more detailed description of the assignment in this file to prepare your financial proposal and learn more about the role: ToRs Undersea Cable Economics.pdf

To qualify for this position, you will have…

• An advanced university degree in Economics, Telecommunications, Engineering, Public Policy, or a related field. A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree. 
• Minimum 10 years of professional experience in the telecommunications sector, focusing on undersea cable infrastructure and economics.  
• Deep understanding of regulatory frameworks, economic models, and technical aspects of undersea cables. 
• Proven experience in advisory roles, board-level experience, and the ability to guide high-level strategic discussions. 
• Exceptional writing and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate complex ideas to diverse audiences. 
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset. 

Travel:

• Remote-based, with some mission travels to Geneva, Barcelona and countries working with Giga which will be determined at the contracting stage. 

Payment details and further considerations:

• Payment will be made after completion of deliverables and submission of invoices for the actual work completed, subject to satisfactory performance. 
• The consultant must submit a financial proposal as part of the application, establishing the fee for the services defined in each task. The quoted fee will remain fixed during the entire period of the Long-Term Agreement. 
• UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment if the deliverables do not meet the required standards or if there are delays in submission. Payments will be processed only after the deliverables are approved by the relevant Giga team. 

How to apply:

• Cover/motivation letter in the section “Please upload your cover letter”. 
• Resume in the section “Please upload your C.V. / Resume”. 
• Degrees and relevant certificates in the section “Please upload a copy of your highest level of education certificate”. 
• Financial proposal in the section “Please upload financial proposals here”. This document must be submitted in United Stated Dollars (USD). Please state your consultancy daily fee separately for the roles you would like to be considered. 
• You must use this template:  LTA Financial Proposal Undersea Cable Economics.docx

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.