Consultant for Indonesia Research on Village ICT Initiatives

INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION UNION  

ITU is the leading United Nations agency for information and communication technologies, with the mission to connect the world. To achieve this, ITU manages the radio-frequency spectrum and satellite orbits at the international level, works to improve communication infrastructure in the developing world, and establishes global standards that foster seamless interconnection of a vast range of communication systems. ITU also organizes global Telecom events bringing together the most influential representatives of government and the private sector to exchange ideas and knowledge for the benefit of all.

Consultant for Indonesia Research on Village ICT Initiatives 

 Vacancy notice no: 1821 
Sector: BDT
Department: DNE
Country of contract: Remote
Duty station: Home Based

 Position number: [[positionNumber]] 
Grade: [[PositionGrade]] 
Type of contract: Consultant
Duration of contract: 60 working days
Recruitment open to: External
Application deadline (Midnight Geneva Time): 30 October 2024

ORGANIZATIONAL UNIT

The Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT) is responsible for the organization and coordination of the work of the Telecommunication Development Sector of the Union. BDT deals mainly with development policies, strategies, programming, projects, as well as technical cooperation activities to enable and foster universal access to affordable, high-quality and secure telecommunications/ICTs and Foster equitable and inclusive use of telecommunications/ICTs to empower people and societies for sustainable development. To effectively and efficiently serve the needs of Member States, BDT is organized into four functional areas:

• Operations Coordination Department (Office of the Deputy to the Director) (DDR)
• Projects, Partnerships & Digital Skills Department (PPS) 
• Digital Networks & Environment Department (DNE) 
• Digital Knowledge Society Department (DKS)

The Digital Networks & Environment Department (DNE) is responsible to assist the Member States, especially the G77 countries, in a wide range of ICT development challenges, as basic connectivity, spectrum management, evolution of current to future broadband networks and technologies, enabling universal and affordable access, and strengthening the security through the cybersecurity support. In addition, the DNE Department provides expertise and needed support for emergency telecommunications and the increasingly important and urgent aspects related to the environment and climate change.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

ITU, the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies ICTs, is working with the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) Digital Access Programme (DAP) to implement connectivity and digital skills programmes in underserved communities and for broader digital inclusion in five DAP countries (Brazil, Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa). The range of activities allows ITU to work with new partners and implement innovative connectivity and capacity development projects.
In Indonesia, the Ministry of Communication and Informatics (MCI) continues to accelerate the development of ICT infrastructure to enhance national telecommunications connectivity and bridge the digital divide. As part of this effort to expand Internet access, MCI aims to connect 12,000 villages and sub-districts that currently lack 4G network coverage, out of a total of more than 83,000 across Indonesia.

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Under the direction of the ITU FCDO Senior Project Manager and the FCDO Indonesia National Focal Point, the consultant will provide support on the research, analysis and documentation of current practice of implementing ICT initiatives in underserved areas using Village Funds and provide recommendation and guidelines for village governments and development organizations to design and implement ICT initiatives.

The activities involved will include:

• Conducting a study on the use of village funds for ICT initiatives in Indonesia. This will include organizing and conducting remote interviews with local government officials, community networks, or other relevant stakeholders in at least ten selected villages.
• Providing substantial input on the user research plan in the first week of the contract, detailing methodology, selected villages, and potential stakeholder engagement, and conduct additional research if required.
• Analyzing and documenting the design and implementation practices of these initiatives, identifying key stakeholders from both the government and community sides, as well as their respective roles.
• Mapping the development journey of these initiatives (e.g., starting, sustaining, growing, maturing), including success factors, challenges, and outcomes.
• Providing recommendations and practical guidelines for designing and implementing sustainable ICT initiatives based on insights gained from the study.
• Support on organizing and facilitating a workshop to share insights, ideation and development of recommendations from the research.

CONCRETE DELIVERABLES

• Input into the user research plan and conducting interviews with relevant stakeholders in at least ten selected villages to map the development journey on the use of village funds for ICT initiatives.
• Substantial inputs into the Preliminary Report in both Bahasa Indonesia and English to the ITU FCDO project management team, outlining initial findings and insights from the user research and analysis by 30 January 2025.
• Design the aspects of report layout such as user journey, service blueprint, or other graphics to enhance clarity and presentation of findings.
• Based on feedback from the preliminary report, contribute to finalizing the report in Bahasa Indonesia and English (30-40 pages) to include a 1.5-page executive summary highlighting key findings and recommendations by 28 February 2025.

COMPETENCIES

• Proven writing and reporting skills.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED

Education:
University degree in telecommunications, ICTs, engineering, social sciences, or a related field OR education from a reputed college of advance education with a diploma of equivalent standard to that of a university degree in one of the fields above.   
An advanced degree would be an advantage.

Experience:
A minimum of three (3) years of progressively responsible experience in a field relevant to the Special Service Agreement (SSA).
Proven experience in conducting high-quality, in-depth design user research to address technological and social challenges, particularly within the development or the public sector in Indonesia.
Demonstrated ability to translate research insights into actionable design and innovation opportunities and solutions.

Languages:
Knowledge of English at advanced level and Bahasa Indonesia at intermediate level

REMUNERATION INFORMATION

185 USD per working day. 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Copyright will be exclusively vested with ITU.
• Selected applicants may be required to provide additional information.

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 career 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.

ITU applies a zero-tolerance policy against all forms of harassment. ITU is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. Achieving gender balance is a high priority for ITU.