U-Report/RapidPro Coordinator

Vacancy Notice: URC_01_GR/23_08

Job title: U-Report/RapidPro Coordinator

Location: Home-based

Organizational Unit Programmes: UNICEF Greece Country Office

Type of Contract: Temporary Appointment (Greek labor law)

Starting date: 22 September 2023

Closing date for applications: 03 September 2023

About ICMC

The International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC) is an international non-governmental organization, whose mission is to protect and serve children as well as uprooted people, including refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced people, victims of human trafficking, and migrants - regardless of faith, race, ethnicity, or nationality.

ICMC started a partnership with UNICEF in Greece in order to deploy a highly qualified affiliated workforce to assist UNICEF Greece Country Office.

Scope of Work

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programmes, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

UNICEF became operational in Greece in early 2016 as an outposted team from the Regional Office of Europe and Central Asia (ECARO) to respond to the significant influx of refugee and migrant children and their families at that time. Following several years of engagement with national stakeholders, UNICEF and the Government of Greece made a decision in January 2020 to formalize the agency’s presence in the country under the form of a Greece Country Office. This office falls under the UNICEF Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia located in Geneva, which supports the work of 21 Country Offices within its geographical scope, reporting in turn to global headquarters in New York. Within the framework of an expanded mandate for all children in Greece, UNICEF and Greece are moving towards an even greater collaboration and partnership in order to address the needs of all vulnerable, marginalized and left-behind children in the country.

About U-Report

U-Report is a global UNICEF platform aiming to enhance youth participation in democratic life and empower youth to share their opinions on matters that affect them and their communities. The objective of U-Report is to foster a sense of active citizenship amongst adolescents and youth 12-24 years old and incorporate their voices into the policy-making process. U-Report is present in 93 countries around the world, with more than 30 million active users and operates through the RapidPro backend platform.

In Greece, U-Report was launched in April 2022 and has currently approximately 2400 active users, with 20% being refugees. The platform is available in English, French, Greek, Urdu, Farsi and Arabic, to allow as many young people as possible to access, participate and express their views. U-Report is anonymous and free of charge and it is used to conduct consultations with children and young people in the form of polls. The results are then analyzed in real time, mapped and projected on the public website: https://greece-en.ureport.in.

The results are also shared with the U-Reporters and disseminated to social and political stakeholders at the national and local level. The topics of the consultations can vary from issues such as the mental health of young people; the impact of climate change on young people; the choice of career paths; and the actions local governments can take to make their cities and communities more friendly for children and youth. Online consultations are combined with face-to-face workshops where young people are trained on the right to participate and are encouraged to debate and formulate action points to address the challenges related to each theme.

U-Report is also used to communicate reliable and fact-checked information to adolescents and youth through chatbots, to support their wellbeing and skills development and tackle misinformation. As of July 2023, the following chatbots are available through the U-Report platform:

• Mental Health Chatbot
• Climate Change Chatbot
• FunDoo

FunDoo is a new digital skills-development tool for adolescents and youth living in Greece. The tool was designed with the global expertise of UNICEF Office of Innovation, while Greece is the 1st country in Europe and the 4th country worldwide launching the tool in March 2023, under the auspices of the General Secretariat for Vocational Education, Training, Lifelong Learning, and Youth.

FunDoo is available in Greek and English and aims to equip adolescents and youth 15-24 years old with 21st Century Skills, to improve their chances of accessing the job marker. It also provides useful career guidance information, as well as tips for the development of entrepreneurial skills. Users interact with a chatbot through a series of nine interactive tasks designed to focus on the process of learning through play. The content is put forward in a simple and understandable language, helping users to carry out easy and short activities that allow them to gradually develop 21st Century Skills that meet the demands of the modern labor market. Upon completion of all nine FunDoo tasks, users can obtain a Certificate of Completion.

Objectives/Target

Under the supervision of the Youth and Adolescent Development Officer, the U-Report/RapidPro Coordinator is expected to support the UNICEF Greece Country Office with the day-to-day administration and monitoring of the RapidPro platform, including the quality control and testing of the flows before they are published, as well as the extraction and analysis of data. S/he will design, adapt and input U-Report polls and chatbots to RapidPro, maintain all flows up and running, and reply to user’s requests. In addition, s/he will manage and maintain up to date the U-Report Greece Website and social media channels with quality content in Greek and English, and support the implementation of the U-Report and FunDoo media and dissemination plan.

Responsibilities

The incumbent will be required to complete the following expected key tasks:

• Manage the U-Report Greece platform on a day-to-day basis through the RapidPro backend.
• Monitor the activity in RapidPro, including the quality control and testing of the flows before they are published.
• Translate flows from English into Greek and coordinate the translation in other languages, as needed.
• Design, adapt and input U-Report polls and chatbots to RapidPro, maintain all flows up and running, and reply to user’s requests.
• Liaise with the RapidPro maintenance Vendor to report any technical glitches and follow-up to ensure they are resolved immediately.
• Extract and analyse RapidPro data and feed it into internal and external reports.
• Manage and maintain up to date the U-Report Greece Website and social media channels with quality content in Greek and English (press releases, articles, posts, visuals, videos, etc.).
• Liaise with Vendors to coordinate the production of online and print promotional materials.
• Participate in the Global U-Report meetings, the Global FunDoo meetings, meetings with Implementing Partners, and any other relevant meeting with the Regional, Global and Country teams.
• Support the implementation of the U-Report and FunDoo media and dissemination plans.
• Conduct online and/or in-person presentations of U-Report and its chatbots for the engagement of new users.
• Provide support for building and nurturing strong long-term partnerships with youth groups and coalitions, Non-Governmental Organizations, universities, schools, community organizations, private sector and other, to constructively and sustainably engage them in U-Report.

Requirements

Education: University degree in international relations, political science, communications, journalism, IT, or a similar field is required.

Specialization in digital engagement platforms is an advantage.

Experience:

• At least 3 years of proven progressive experience in youth engagement and outreach.
• Experience with communication and outreach campaigns across multiple media, including Facebook and Instagram, is required.
• Previous working experience with digital engagement platforms is required.
• Previous experience working with young people from disadvantaged groups in the developing sector and with development actors – donors, UN agencies, civil society, government ministries – would be considered an asset.
• Experience giving user-based feedback to the development of software applications is an asset.
• Experience in administering RapidPro or other backend platforms is an asset.

Language Requirements: Fluency in English and Greek is required.

How to apply

Interested candidates should submit a detailed CV of maximum four pages in English, a motivation letter and two professional references with full and up to date contact details via email, to: 

Mr. Akis Papakonstantinou, ICMC HR Officer at [To send your CV please click here.]

The closing date for receipt of applications is 03/09/2023.

The Vacancy Notice number URC_01_GR/23_08 and the applicant’s full name must be quoted in the email subject line.

Applications will be evaluated upon reception and interviews with shortlisted candidates may be conducted before the closing date. Referees may be contacted prior to the interviewing stage.

Data Protecion

By submitting an application, you agree that ICMC collects and manages the information that you provide. You also agree that your data may be shared with UNICEF. Your personal information will be used for recruitment purposes only. Your application will be treated with strict confidentiality.

Owing to the volume of applications, ICMC regrets that only applicants short-listed for an interview will be notified.

ICMC is committed to equal employment opportunities for all applicants. ICMC does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, color, national origin, religion, physical or mental ability, marital status and age. Applications will be treated with strict confidentiality.

ICMC is committed to a Zero-Tolerance Policy toward sexual exploitation, abuses and all forms of unlawful harassment, including but not limited to sexual harassment. Screening of applications includes the vetting for records of prior misconduct and reference checking. By submitting your application, you declare your consent for your former employer to disclose any details concerning criminal convictions or misconduct. ICMC can take other necessary measures to ensure that people involved in substantiated cases of sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment are not recruited.