Pasar un día sin tecnología en Latinoamérica

Esta es una escena imaginaria pero que puede resultarle muy familiar. La alarma del celular suena y lo despierta a las 7 am. A las 8, junto con su desayuno, llega un mensaje de texto que le recuerda tomar su medicamento y, más tarde, recibe otro que le avisa que tiene que ahorrar cierta cantidad de dinero. Pide un taxi con una app, y en el trayecto revisa sus correos. En su hora de almuerzo, pide comida con otra app y así sucesivamente durante el resto del día. Imagine ahora una jornada sin tecnología. Ya sea para un análisis en tiempo real de los altibajos de la bolsa o las mediciones de diversos sensores colocados a lo largo de una hectárea de cultivos, la tecnología ha llegado para colaborar con nuestras vidas y se ha convertido en la nueva aliada de la lucha contra la pobreza y a favor del desarrollo. Internet, los teléfonos celulares y, en general, las tecnologías digitales se están expandiendo rápidamente en el mundo en desarrollo. De acuerdo con datos del Banco Mundial, más del 40% de la población mundial tiene acceso a Internet y, a la vez, en casi siete de cada 10 hogares ubicados en el 20% de los países más pobres hay un teléfono celular. Es más probable que los hogares más pobres tengan acceso a la telefonía celular que a un inodoro o a agua potable. Y América Latina no es ajena a esta tendencia. De acuerdo con el informe ‘Maximizing Mobile for Development’ (i), ya en 2012, el 98% de la población tenía recepción de señal de celulares, y el 84% de los hogares estaban subscritos a algún servicio de telefonía móvil. Esto no solo trae más comodidad y conectividad, sino que además influye en el desarrollo humano. «La telefonía, por ejemplo, puede ayudar a agendar citas médicas y mantener recordatorios, lo cual puede aumentar la asistencia a los centros de salud e influir en la calidad de vida de las personas. Para la educación financiera, los mensajes de celular también son muy útiles, por ejemplo, para promover el ahorro en hogares pobres», comenta Renos Vakis, economista del Banco Mundial. Revisemos tres ejemplos de cómo va avanzando la tecnología para el desarrollo de la región:1. Perú y Brasil: Innovación para la agricultura En todo el mundo, los productos de calidad son la base de una buena alimentación y cuidar los cultivos es el primer paso. A través de modernos sensores que miden la humedad y la temperatura y drones que supervisan las hectáreas cultivadas, la aplicación QuinuaApp, prototipo diseñado para móviles, tabletas y computadores personales, permitirá al productor determinar información clave, como la presencia de plagas, el grado de estrés hídrico del cultivo, estrés causado por salinidad, y otras variables que podrían disminuir o reducir el rendimiento de las plantas cultivadas. La aplicación está respaldada por una red de estaciones de monitoreo ambiental que brindan información relacionada a la temperatura, la velocidad del viento, la lluvia y la radiación solar. Y aunque los prototipos de medición se siguen investigando y desarrollando con un solo cultivo, la quinua, toda la información estará disponible al alcance de su mano, mediante la plataforma web o el aplicativo móvil. La aplicación QuinuaApp fue desarrollada con recursos otorgados a través del Programa Nacional de Innovación Agraria, cofinanciado por el Banco Mundial. El programa inició sus operaciones en enero de 2017. Se espera que, en un futuro, la herramienta permita la toma de decisiones de manera oportuna en cualquier tipo de cultivo y que genere una nueva fuente de oportunidades de negocio para la agricultura de los países de la región. «A mis 75 años, me emociono cuando veo todos estos avances tecnológicos, la vida de los productores cambiaría muchísimo, ya no sembraríamos al azar, sabríamos cuándo regar, cuándo abonar y en qué momento controlar las plagas antes que afecten nuestros cultivos», comenta Carmen Rosa Valle Arroyo, productora de quinua del distrito peruano de Orcotuna, en Junín, y representante de la Asociación de Productores Heroínas de Toledo. Tanto en Perú como en Brasil, y en varios otros países del mundo, la agricultura es uno de los pilares de la economía. En el gigante sudamericano, el 87% de las granjas son pequeñas y administradas por una familia, pero generan el 40% del todo el PIB agropecuario. Como parte de los sistemas que se ofrecen para modernizar la tecnología agrícola, la empresa Bauer Aerosystems, produce drones que permiten la aplicación precisa de fertilizantes y pesticidas en zonas donde no es posible el uso de un tractor. En Santa Catarina, por ejemplo, y gracias al programa de inclusión digital rural promovido por Santa Catarina Rural, los agricultores pueden disfrutar de una señal WiFi de buena calidad, pero, sobre todo, del acceso a información de calidad acerca del clima y de nuevas tecnologías, que les permite mejorar el desempeño de sus cultivos.2. Ecuador: Mensajes de texto para promover la buena nutrición En Ecuador, las tasas de desnutrición de los niños entre los 0 y 5 años en 2012 eran comparables a la de varios países de África subsahariana, como Botsuana y Sudáfrica, ambos con un 23%. Dentro de Ecuador, Chimborazo se mostraba como la provincia con el peor desempeño en desnutrición infantil: el 49% de los niños menores de cinco años presentaban retrasos en el crecimiento. El problema partía de las condiciones económicas, la falta de ingresos y el poco acceso a baños para lavarse las manos e incluso a agua potable. Sin embargo, un factor muy importante era la falta de información acerca de cuándo incorporar alimentos sólidos en la dieta de los más pequeños y qué nutrientes necesitaban para su crecimiento. Como parte de la solución, a través de una encuesta especializada se estableció una base de información de padres y madres de familia y se enviaron más de 100.000 mensajes de texto personalizados (SMS) que brindaban recordatorios e información clave sobre el crecimiento y la alimentación de sus pequeños, además de consejos acerca de una buena nutrición. El contenido de los mensajes de texto variaba en torno a cinco temas: (1) alentar a los padres o cuidadores a llevar a sus niños al centro de salud local para sus controles regulares, (2) brindar información sobre cuándo iniciar la alimentación complementaria y cómo incrementar la diversidad en la dieta de sus hijos, (3) motivar a alimentar a sus niños con micronutrientes, específicamente con un suplemento de hierro local llamado Chis Paz, (4) alentar a hervir el agua para tomar o asegurarse de que el agua consumida por sus niños sea potable y a lavarse las manos con regularidad, así como mejorar la higiene en la preparación de alimentos y (5) recordatorios y refuerzos sobre los temas anteriores y su importancia. Adicionalmente, los padres o cuidadores con niños menores de seis meses recibieron mensajes de texto sobre las bondades de la lactancia materna exclusiva. Los mensajes de texto, junto con la información del álbum “Mis primeros cinco años”, contribuyeron a que más de 10.000 familias siguieran de cerca el desarrollo de sus hijos, a través del monitoreo de metas sencillas y de fácil comprensión sobre el desarrollo en la primera infancia. Estos mensajes tuvieron impactos importantes y estadísticamente significativos para la salud y nutrición. Al analizar 9 enfermedades potenciales, se observó que los niños cuyos padres participaron del programa de mensajería de texto eran 9,3% menos propensos a experimentar dichas enfermedades. «El principal problema era la baja capacidad para transmitir un mensaje claro y sencillo sobre los factores que inciden en la desnutrición crónica. Una de las actividades más importantes fue la del registro familiar basado en la afectividad. De este modo se elevó el conocimiento de los padres sobre el crecimiento de sus hijos», explicó Nelson Gutiérrez, especialista sénior en Protección Social del Banco Mundial. De acuerdo con el Consenso de Copenhague de 2012, por cada dólar invertido en nutrición durante los primeros 1.000 días se obtienen 30 dólares en beneficios ligados a la educación y la salud.3. México: Satélites que miden la pobreza En asociación con el Banco Mundial, la compañía Orbital Insight trabaja para medir las tasas de pobreza y crecimiento económico. Con imágenes satelitales y encuestas se puede tener una mejor idea de cuantas personas viven por debajo de la línea de pobreza en México. Si bien las imágenes satelitales producen resultados menos precisos que las encuestas de hogares, la frecuencia de este tipo de información puede ser mayor, frente a las encuestas que se producen cada cinco años. Esta información es clave para la toma de decisiones en inversiones y la creación de políticas públicas para el desarrollo. En Perú, Bolivia, Centroamérica y Brasil, los datos, imágenes e información de satélites también han ayudado a prevenir desastres, medir la contaminación del agua o monitorear el nivel del mar.

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  • Colombia: Deputy Director for Programs

    Organization: International Rescue Committee
    Country: Colombia
    Closing date: 01 Apr 2019

    BACKGROUND:

    The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their future. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC works with people forced to flee from war, conflict and disaster and the host communities which support them, as well as those who remain within their homes and communities. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

    IRC COLOMBIA

    A combined two decades of economic mismanagement, a drop in oil prices, and the deterioration of democratic institutions has resulted in a humanitarian crisis inside Venezuela. Insecurity has manifested following protests in April 2017 against the president and his government, particularly for failing to address the growing inflation rate which lead to large-scale food insecurity. The demonstrations were initially peaceful but grew in severity of violence as time passed. Venezuela’s economic devastation worsened in the last half of 2017. This caused a massive migration of Venezuelans into neighboring Colombia in search of affordable food, medicine and work. The number of Venezuelans living in Colombia has increased to more than one million people.

    In response, the IRC has launched emergency programming in Colombia, focusing on an integrated response involving child protection, women’s protection and empowerment activities, primary and reproductive healthcare, and cash transfer programming. The IRC is in the process of delivering these and future activities directly in Colombia, and in partnership with local civil society organizations in Venezuela. In Colombia, IRC currently has operations in Cucuta, and Medellin, and is soon to expand to Bogota and Barranquilla.

    Length of Assignment: 2 years

    PLEASE SUBMIT AN ENGLISH CV.

    JOB OVERVIEW/SUMMARY:

    The position of Deputy Director of Programs (DDP) is a member of the Senior Management Team and is integral to the successful implementation of IRC’s programs in Colombia. Working under the direction of the Country Director (CD), the DDP is responsible for overall program direction and implementation within the program framework, government policies and strategies, and in compliance with donor regulations, specifically in the areas of a) grant management b) program development, quality and implementation c) day-to-day representation with donor agencies and local and international stakeholders, and d) Monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning.

    The DDP will spearhead the development and execution of the Country Strategic Plan and also be responsible for supervising the Health, Child Protection, Women’s Protection and Empowerment, Economic Recovery and Development and Grants Coordinator. This position will work closely and collaboratively with the different departments within the country program, the IRC technical advisors and the IRC Emergency Unit.

    The DDP will be based in Bogota, Colombia, with frequent travel to Cucuta, Medellin, Barranquilla, and any other national sites in Colombia where IRC designs and develops programming.

    MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

    Program Strategy, Design and Fundraising

    • Lead the operationalization of the current IRC Colombia response strategy and actively engage in strategic planning processes for the longer term.
    • Ensure, with Coordinators, and HQ-based Technical Unit staff, that project design reflects IRC program quality standards and industry best practices.
    • Lead efforts for sustainable program growth, proactively identifying opportunities for new programming initiatives and emphasizing multi-year funding to support them.
    • Provide leadership support to the program and grants teams to develop competitive, evidence-based and cost-effective funding applications.
    • Provide guidance, strategies and tools to ensure that program choices are based on needs assessment findings (primary & secondary data) and analysis, input from communities, a thorough understanding of context, technical best practices, and operational viability.
    • Formulate integrated program initiatives so that technical sectors complement each other and promote mainstreaming of protection principles and gender-responsive approaches.

    Program Management – Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation

    • Provide overall leadership and management of IRC Colombia program portfolio, ensuring strategically coherent program direction, well-managed growth, and compliance with IRC and donor regulations.
    • Continually seek out ways to build the capacities of the program team members, individually and collectively.
    • Ensure that detailed, realistic and feasible project implementation plans are developed, and modified as needed, in collaboration with the Program Coordinators and Operations team.
    • Coordinate with other members of the Senior Management Team on appropriate management, compliance and performance standards, as well as effective systems for budget management, knowledge management and risk management.
    • Support programming staff to collect, document and disseminate lessons learned and best practices, incorporating these into new project designs.
    • With program staff, develop effective and appropriate M&E plans, including methodologies and tools to strengthen the quality of data collection, analysis and reporting.
    • Review M&E and accountability data with program staff to identify and address areas for operational improvement.

    Grants Management

    • Provide strategic direction in terms of development of a funding strategy, widening and strengthening donor base, ensuring quality grants management, ensuring compliance with donor requirements, ensuring quality information management related to programs/ grants, and supporting directly in all aspects of the proposal development and reporting processes.
    • Supervise all internal, external and reporting with programs and finance, ensuring high-quality, well-written and timely reports meeting donor and IRC and partner requirements; conduct thorough reviews and/or revisions of all external reports compiled by the Grants Coordinator.
    • Ensure that Program Coordinators and Grants Senior Manager conduct routine monitoring visits to implementation sites to ensure donor compliance and quality program implementation.
    • Coordinate with the Program Coordinators and Grants and Finance teams to ensure sound budget management, expense control and timely contractual documentation.
    • Support the Grants Senior Manager to lead Grant Opening and Grant Closing Meetings with all relevant department and units and to ensure they take place on time. Also ensure that programming staff are well trained to properly manage project budgets.
    • Ensure that the program coordinators review BvAs on a regular basis; provide leadership and management support to ensure effective monthly grant review meetings.
    • Mitigate any potential risk by collaborating with the Finance Department to ensure that programming staff fully understand financial and administrative processes involved in project budget cycles.

    External Representation and Advocacy

    • Develop a sound understanding of the IRC’s programs to be able to professionally represent the IRC to implementing partners, the government and donors;
    • Assist the Country Director developing strong relationships with donors, assisting with visits and in the development of appropriate advocacy actions;
    • Forge and maintain solid cooperation with partner organizations through regular communication, cooperation and, where appropriate, joint decision-making.
    • Act as the focal point for program-related communication between IRC country programs in the region and worldwide offices.
    • Identify funding opportunities and track them in collaboration with the technical teams.
    • Oversee programmatic inputs to advocacy efforts both in-country and globally.

    Staff Management and Development

    • Provide guidance and supervision to the technical coordinators, M&E Manager, the grants senior manager, information officers; to discuss job expectations, set objectives and provide appropriate and timely feedback on performance of direct reports, including timely implementation of performance management system.
    • Create a supervisory environment focused on the achievement of team and individual results that emphasizes the importance of learning, productivity, accountability and openness
    • Adhere to IRC’s performance management system, providing regular, timely and thoughtful coaching, feedback, performance assessment, and professional development for all direct reports, while making sure that they do the same for their direct reports.
    • Build capacities of programming staff in key project management principles, tools and approaches and ensure that these new skills are utilized on the job.
    • Manage recruitment, hiring and development of high-performing national staff to assume greater levels of responsibility.
    • Provide leadership support for the successful implementation of and adherence to the IRC Global HR Operating Policies and Procedures.

    PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS

    The IRC and IRC staff must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

    As a leader you will be placed in a position of trust. To maintain that trust, you are expected to always:

    • Lead by example and be a positive role model to others.
    • Promote awareness of the IRC’s standards and make sure those you supervise are equipped with the knowledge and resources they need to comply with them.
    • Monitor conduct of those you supervise and take responsibility for activities that occur under your supervision.
    • Be responsive to anyone who raises an ethics or compliance concern and make sure matters are resolved in a fair and appropriate manner.

    KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

    • Country Director, Colombia and Venezuela
    • Other Colombia-based staff, including operations, finance, and grants
    • Technical Advisors (based globally) and any roster staff required to support program staff inside Venezuela
    • Awards Management Unit to support all compliance and reporting for partners, as well as proposals
    • Global Supply Chain to procure goods and support partners to procure
    • Communications and Advocacy units to support any key messages at external meetings
    • Global Security to support any risk analysis and mitigation
    • Emergency Unit

    REQUIREMENTS

    Master’s degree in Development Studies, International Relations, Social Sciences or a similar field;

    Minimum eight years of management experience working in a humanitarian or development setting with a minimum of five years of INGO program management experience.

    Experience in managing protection, ERD and/or health, and experience working in partnership with local organizations, is strongly desired.

    Proven ability to develop winning proposals to public and private-sector donors;

    Familiarity and experience with US and European, donors;

    Previous experience managing programs financed by US government agencies, DFID, EU, foundations and private donors a must, with previous experience in competitive environments a plus.

    Proven ability to manage projects to completion on time, within budget, and with the anticipated results.

    Ability to respond to multiple priorities in a timely manner, producing high-quality outcomes.

    Demonstrated successful leadership experience with a multi-disciplinary team in a cross-cultural setting, including active mentoring and coaching. Strong leadership, motivational and team-building skills;

    Proven fluency in English and Spanish a must

    How to apply:

    https://rescue.csod.com/ats/careersite/jobdetails.aspx?site=1&c=rescue&id=3988

  • Colombia: Oficial Grants

    Organization: Save the Children
    Country: Colombia
    Closing date: 10 Mar 2019
    TITULO DEL PUESTO: Oficial Grants

    EQUIPO/PROGRAMA: Desarrollo de programas y Calidad

    UBICACION: Bogotá

    GRADO: 4 – oficiales

    Tipo de Contrato: Término Definido a 31 de dic…

  • Brazil: Corporate Alliances Acquisition Associate, GS-6, Brasília, Brazil post# 109567

    Organization: UN Children’s Fund
    Country: Brazil
    Closing date: 07 Mar 2019

    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.

    For every child, make a difference

    The Corporate Partnerships team has ambitious fundraising targets and outcomes to be reached based on market potential and building on successful results of 2018. Our aim and vision are to develop, manage and enhance the fundraising potential of working with businesses in Brazil and a core part of achieving this vision is the Corporate Alliances (CA) acquisition team (new business).

    After review, additional resource is being created to support the Acquisition (new business team) to embrace the new fundraising challenges and to reach the extra income success. The Corporate Alliances Acquisition Associate will support the CA Acquisition (new business) team with a strategic focus on customer engagement and cause related marketing (CRM) alliance models. The role will have the objective to support the leverage of the flexible or non-fixed income fundraising potential to support both, the local and global UNICEF Programme.

    For further information, please visit www.unicef.org.br

    How can you make a difference?

    Under the supervision of the Corporate Fundraising Officer (Acquisition), the Acquisition Associate will undertake supporting tasks for new business such as:

  • Assist in specifying the pipeline and building corporate alliances focused on customer engagement and cause related marketing (CRM) models, but not exclusively in those formats.
  • Support in the initial preparation of proposals with the new business team.
  • Assist on the implementation of the alliances and on reaching planned results.
  • Join our team to be responsible for:

    1) Implementation of corporate alliances focused on customer engagement and cause related marketing (CRM) models and other acquisition campaigns:

  • Continuously map new corporate partnership opportunities, initiate contact with the companies’ focal points, and participate in the alliances’ prospecting processes;
  • Proceed with the Geneva clearance process on potential and current donor companies on a weekly basis;
  • Prepare and internally/externally approve the partnership contract; and keep corporate prospection planning documents update;
  • Follow up the delivering of annual reports to the partners and support in the negotiation of renewal focusing on the best results for UNICEF;
  • Support the planning and implementation processes of the corporate alliances campaigns by following up the milestones and results of it in collaboration with Market Services team;
  • Approach partners during emergency campaigns to explore additional fundraising opportunities;
  • Continuously research and test new and innovative ways of work to improve quality in results and to simplify procedures of processing the donations;
  • Monthly searching about competitors’ corporate alliances mechanisms and good practices, evaluating replicability;
  • Fortnightly, support plan and project pitches and campaigns with Marketing Services support and other related areas, including outsourced agencies.
  • 2) Suppliers relationship:

  • Assist and support in developing, drafting and maintaining contract information, monitoring reports and relationships with current and new providers involved in the corporate alliances through UNICEF;
  • Assist the development of new providers and follow up biding processes with Operations Sector / RM&P Associate as required;
  • Ensure that the providers’ payments are due and delivered on time.

  • 3) Monitoring and Evaluation:

  • Monitor and support the implementation of the corporate alliances campaigns to target audiences and participate in the evaluation of their impact. Monitor and evaluate the use and effectiveness of each campaign materials/channels;
  • Support and monitor the level of fulfilment and success in donations processing, by analyzing and studying the best way to improve it;
  • Conduct the target and results analysis and control. Continuously monitoring campaign goals and marketing metrics related to customer engagement;
  • Compile lessons learned and support the review of successful and unsuccessful campaigns.

  • 4) Assignments of additional administrative duties and responsibilities:

  • Map potential companies from different segments and support on organizing the list of priority companies to be reached and prospected on a monthly basis;
  • Research about the prospected companies and support the evaluation of fundraising opportunities;
  • Assist the preparation of periodical corporate alliances fundraising reports, monitor and maintain control of records and results;
  • Develop, organize and maintain up-to-date data, information, record documents and control plans for the monitoring of project implementation; maintains library of corporate alliances reference materials.

  • To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

  • Completion of secondary education preferably supplemented by technical or university courses related to the work of the organization. A University degree is desirable (Business Administration, International Relations, Economics or Marketing);
  • At least six years of professional experience related to corporate fundraising, clients’ engagement, partnership development, or marketing;
  • Experience in retail sales is an asset
  • Fluency in Portuguese and English. Knowledge of Spanish will be considered as an asset
  • For every Child, you demonstrate

    UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

    The technical competencies required for this post are Relating and networking (I), Persuading and influencing (II), Planning and organizing (I) and Following Instructions and Procedures (II)

    View our competency framework at

    http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

    UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

    UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

    Remarks:

    Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

    Candidates must be Brazilian citizens or have a valid work permit.

    All candidates who wish to apply to this Vacancy Announcement are requested to prepare and submit their application in English.

    How to apply:

    UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organization. To apply, click on the following link http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/?job=520028