Background

Tanzania has held four credible general elections since the reintroduction of multi-party politics in 1992. Citizens and the government are eager to maintain this track record and to further strengthen democratic practice in Tanzania. Looking to the 2015 general election, government has undertaken early and comprehensive preparations for the electoral processes. Since receipt of official requests for UN assistance to the election cycle leading to the 2015 general election from the National Election Commission and Zanzibar Electoral Commission, a UN Needs Assessment Mission recommended the development of a project in support of the national efforts.

In addition, in 2014 the United Republic of Tanzania will likely conduct a first national referendum on a new constitution. The national EMBs and other stakeholders in preparing for these critical events have requested the support of UNDP to provide technical support to the preparation and execution of the referendum.
 
To these ends, the Democratic Empowerment Project (DEP) is a four year (2013-2016) UNDP, UN One Fund and other donor-funded project with the overall aim of contributing to Tanzania’s UNDAP’s Outcome 7: i.e. “key institutions of democracy, (i.e. EMBs, etc.) effectively implement their election and political functions”.   UN Women and UNESCO are implementing partners in a One UN Country Team context.
 
Project Objectives

The DEP seeks to promote democracy and contribute to the realization of the following four objectives:
  • Capacity of the key democratic institutions (EMBs, CRC, RPP, etc.) enhanced to support and promote legal and institutional reform in the context of the on-going constitutional reform process and beyond;
  • Capacity of the EMBs to conduct credible elections enhanced through strategic, technical and operational support and improved EMB engagement with stakeholders (i.e. political parties, CSOs, and the media) to foster a democratic environment;
  • Inclusive participation in elections and politics enhanced through the empowerment of women, youth and PWDs; 
  • National peace infrastructure enhanced to mitigate and prevent election-related conflicts, including violence against women in elections.
Project Management

The DEP project will be executed directly by UNDP and implemented under the overall guiding principle of national ownership and leadership in the electoral process. The international assistance provided should be considered as an extension of, and a complement to, national resources and is intended to support national management and coordination structures.

Objectives of Assignment

To support DEP project implementation in the areas of ICT and MIS human and institutional capacity development of the National Electoral Commission (NEC) and the Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC). The Elections ICT Associate will assist the international Elections ICT Specialist in the design, implementation and coordination of activities to assist the NEC/ZEC on all matters relating to ICT infrastructure, system upgrades and equipment requirements. This includes critical areas such as strengthening NEC and ZEC ICT capacity to upgrade and maintain the voter register and other election management systems.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direction of the Elections ICT Specialist, and collaborating closely with other DEP technical staff, the Elections ICT Analyst will perform the following duties:

Timely and efficient development and implementation of assigned activities under the DEP project, in particular in the following areas
  • Support for project activities related to the development of human and institutional capacity of the two EMBs in the areas of information and communications technology, management information systems and election management systems;
  • The organization and coordination of specific ICT capacity building activities (workshops, conferences, consultations, assessments, etc.) as directed;
  • Support for delivery of ICT-related training activities targeting NEC and ZEC elections personnel;
  • Support for the design and management of websites for the NEC and ZEC.
 Coordination of the above activities with the DEP Project Management Unit and UNDP Tanzania Country Office, including:
  • Preparation of required documentation related to activities being coordinated to ensure proper administration and financial management of DEP activities under UNDP guidelines;
  • Assisting the procurement of new ICT equipment for NEC and ZEC, and associated assets management measures.
Support the efforts of the NEC and ZEC in the implementation of the full range of electoral activities including voter registration, voter education and outreach, stakeholder engagement, polling operations and results management.
 
Collaboration with other DEP Technical and Project Management Team members to support the achievement of overall project goals and objectives.

Competencies

  • Knowledge and understanding of democratic processes generally and in Tanzania specifically.
  • Results-oriented, self motivated and flexible with proven ability to deliver under pressure.
  • Enjoy working in a demand-driven environment, with ability to respond rapidly and effectively to the needs of the clients.
  • A team player with strong inter-personal skills, maturity and the ability to comfortably communicate at all levels.
  • Ability to identify client needs and deliver them promptly and accurately.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:
  • A university degree with a specialization in computer science, information technology, ICT and/or management information systems.
Experience:
  • At least five years relevant work experience in the areas of ICT and/or MIS in a government or business setting;
  • At least five years practical experience with the development and implementation of: Website design, deployment and administration; HTML, Dupral, and other web development tools; MIS systems administration; Microsoft Office programs and Windows operating system and Document processing and storage;
  • Background in training and/or adult learning systems;
  • Familiarity with Government of Tanzania administrative procedures preferred.
 Language Requirements:
  • Fluency in English and Kiswahili is essential.