UNDP Careers – IT Specialist at United Nations Development Programme

  Information Technology (IT) and Data Jobs in Uganda, NGO - Non-Government Organisations Jobs in Uganda, Uncategorized
Job Title: IT Specialist
Organisation: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda
About UNDP:
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the United Nations’ global development network.  UNDP advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. The UNDP provides expert advice, training, grant support to developing countries including Uganda with increasing emphasis on assistance to the least developed countries.
Job Background:
The Government of Uganda has, through United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) received financial support from Global Environment Facility (GEF) for a project on “Strengthening climate information and early warning systems in Africa for climate resilient development and adaptation to climate change-Uganda”.
The project is implemented by Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE) as implementing entity. The responsible partners to the project are:
  • Uganda National Meteorological Authority (UNMA);
  • Department of Water Resource Management (DWRM);
  • Department of Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Management (DRDPM)/Office of the Prime Minister (OPM);
  • Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industries and Fisheries Resources (MAAIF) on behalf of government in collaboration with relevant partners at national and district level.
The UNMA equipment used for weather and climate observation, storage and forecasting facilities have been deteriorating over a period of time and most of it needs to be upgraded / modernised. This has challenged service delivery by UNMA. 
The main objectives of the project are:
Establish a functional network of meteorological and hydrological monitoring stations and associated infrastructure to better understand climatic changes;
Develop and disseminate tailored weather and climate information (including colour-coded alerts – advisories, watches and warnings – for flood, drought, severe weather and agricultural stresses, integrated cost-benefit analyses and sector-specific risk and vulnerability maps) to decision makers in government, private sector, civil society, development partners and local communities in the Teso and Mt Elgon sub-region; and
Integrate weather and climate information into national policies, annual work plans and local development including the National Policy for Disaster Preparedness and Management, and district and sub-county development plans in priority districts in the Bukedi, Busoga, Elgon, Teso, Acholi, Karamoja and Lango sub-regions. The project is expected to be completed by December 2017.
This project has two outcome areas:
  • Enhanced capacity of UNMA and Department of Water Resource Management (DWRM) to monitor and forecast extreme weather, hydrology and climate change;
  • Efficient and effective use of hydro-meteorological and environmental information for making early warnings and long term development plans.
Job Consultancy Rationale: The fundamental problem this project seeks to address is that the current climate information (including monitoring, processing and development of tailored advisories) and early warning systems are no longer functioning as optimally and they could for effectively supporting the adaptive capacity of local communities and key sectors. Obsolete and inadequate weather and climate monitoring infrastructure limits data collection, analysis and of meteorological and climate information and specific products for planning. Most operational stations are manually operated and therefore do not report data with sufficient frequency to provide adequate lead times to respond to impending climate hazards, and measurements are generally reported days to weeks after the hazard has passed.
Key Duties and Responsibilities: 
Although the project is being implemented in Lake Kyoga catchment basin (28 districts comprising: Bukedi, Busoga, Mt Elgon, Teso, Acholi, Karamoja and Lango sub-regions), it will also rehabilitate, and provide equipment to 12 synoptic stations  and link them to National Meteorological Centre (NMC) in Entebbe through networking. However, this consultancy is expected to be carried out within Entebbe and Kampala.
Job Consultancy Objectives: The Programme Management Unit is seeking to engage a Consultant to identify, procure and install hardware and software required for modern meteorological forecasting facilities (computers, software, storage and networking) to support 12 synoptic stations and NMC at Entebbe.
Detailed Consultancy Activities:
A desk review of relevant documents (Uganda National Meteorological Authority (UNMA) Act, UNMA Business and strategic Plans); Report on the “Feasibility study on modernisation of Uganda National Meteorological Service”; UNDP-GEF Climate Information and Early Warning Systems project document, annual work plan and procurement plans;
Upgrade and update the National database and information management system from CLICOM/ASCII to an appropriate alternative modern system and link to DWRM’s water management system;
Undertake data rescue and digitisation process for UNMA and DWRM archives.
Consultancy Final Deliverables:
A concept document on methodology for the analysis and need determination;
Field visits to the synoptic stations and DWRM archives;
Interviews and consultations with operators/users of equipment;
Presentation of the findings from field visits and interviews from operators/users of the equipment;
Design, procurement and installation of the equipment;
Develop data storage and management system;
Commissioning of the equipment.
Qualifications, Skills and Experience: 
  • The applicant must hold an advanced degree in IT/computer science.
  • Proven experience of over five years in design and networking of IT systems;
  • Proven experience in upgrade of climate and hydrological data base management system;
  • Past working experience with UNDP or UN agency preferred;
  • Familiarity of software used in processing weather, climate and hydrological forecasts.
  • Language: Excellent written and spoken English
  • Competency in installation and networking of IT systems;
  • Skills in Database management software design;
  • Expert on modern forecasting facilities;
  • Computational and Analytical skills.
  • Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments
Personal Competencies:
  • Demonstrates integrity and ethical standards;
  • Mature judgment and initiative;
  • Ability to present complex issues in a simple and clear manner;
  • Ability to work under pressure;
  • Initiative and independence.
How to Apply: 
All suitably qualified and interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications in one single PDF document:
  • Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP (Annex 11);
  • Personal CV or P11, download here, indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references;
  • Technical proposal: Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment;
  • A methodology, on how they will approach and complete the assignment;
  • Financial proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided (Annex II).
NB: For clarification or annexes, please send an email to justine.naiga-bagonza@undp.org and copy fredah.zawedde@undp.org accordingly.
Deadline:  11th July 2014
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