ICTworks by Inveneo

Community Support Manager: FrontlineSMS is seeking a Community Support Manager to be based in Nairobi. The incumbent will help to develop and maintain the vibrant Frontline SMS user community, develop user resources, analyze user data, and channel information and user case studies to other parts of the organization and their sister Community Interest Company. S/he will also play an important role in maintaining the website and social media communications, and support the CEO with administrative work in the Nairobi office as required. For more information see here.

Deputy Director – Evaluation & Research: The Rainforest Alliance is an international nonprofit organization that works to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices, and consumer behavior. The Deputy Director position requires a seasoned, proactive manager who will partner with the E&R Director in essential leadership and program management activities. S/he should have a demonstrated high level of technical ability covering design and use of complex data management systems, GIS, and mobile based ICT tools. The position is based in Washington, D.C. with about 30% travel. See here for more information about this exciting position.

ICT Manager: The Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) exists to make global cotton production better for the people who produce it, better for the environment it grows in, and better for the sector's future. BCI seeks an ICT Manager to develop a strategic vision for the use of ICTs and BCI, and enhance their various member and farmer facing ICT tools. The role of the ICT Manager is primarily to ensure that BCI has an integrated approach to its various ICT tools, is delivering ICT value for its members in a user-friendly way, and is reporting accurately on the results and effectiveness of the collective global effort of many people and organizations. The position is based in London or Geneva. See here for more information. Apply by May 30.

ICT for Education Specialist: RTI International seeks an ICT for Education Specialist to support their work in applying innovative technologies to enhance classroom teaching and learning, teacher training, education management, and capacity building, as well as facilitating communication and collaboration among education stakeholders. The Specialist will be responsible for design, implementation, and evaluation of a range of ICT initiatives in support of education improvement and will work closely with RTI colleagues, local counterparts, and donor and ministry representatives. The position is based in Washington, D.C. with about 30% travel. See here for more information. Application deadline is June 9.

ICT Manager: CHF International is seeking an ICT Manager for its USAID/Higa Ubeho program in Rwanda. This position is responsible for oversight and continuous improvement of CHF Rwanda IT systems and subsequently manages the overall organization technologies and provides IT support and staff capacity building on IT. S/he will be responsible for maintaining the email domain and managing all other IT and communication equipment and be required to identify ICT based solutions for partners or program staff. S/he will also supervise the ICT Officer. See here for the full position description. Application deadline is May 24.

Nokia in Brazil: You might not know that Nokia's biggest single social project in the world is in the city of Manaus in the Brazilian Amazon, where Nokia also has a factory. The Nokia Teaching Foundation celebrated its 25th birthday last year as the eighth best school in Brazil for secondary and professional education and is a five-time winner of the best professional school in the northern region of the country. So the question begs to be asked: What is Nokia doing in the Amazon in the first place? Click here to learn more.

Caribbean Snapshot: ICT Pulse, a website that examines ICT issues from the Caribbean perspective, recently posted this update of its Snapshot series. Here they look at the extent to which countries in the region are leveraging ICTs to improve their competitiveness.

Africa Ahead of the Rest: The Economist reports on a new survey that states that, when it comes to use of mobile money, Africa leaves the rest of the world behind. Logically, in countries were traditional financial institutions are easily accessible, the need for mobile money decreases. But according to the survey, even in Kenya, where 68% of adults use mobile money, 40% also have traditional bank accounts. Perhaps mobile money will one day replace ATMs?

Zimbabwe Elections: Will Mugabe's lack of Internet presence lose him the upcoming presidential election? Using Barack Obama's social media success in the 2008 U.S. elections as an example, Zimbabwe's splinter opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has created a visible Internet presence and accuses Mugabe and his party of being "technophobic." According to Harare's Financial Gazette, the country's population is young and connected to the Internet, and political analysts have stated that the next elections could hinge on the youth vote. Elections are scheduled later this year.

Vodacom Tanzania: The Tanzanian telecommunications giant has restructured its tariffs rates so as to attract a greater number of customers. Prepaid customers will see massive discounts at certain times of the day, SMS rates have been slashed, and interestingly to me anyway, will offer free browsing for Facebook and Twitter. Read all about it here.

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Director of Marketing and Communications: Computer Aid International is seeking an experienced communications and marketing director only to cover a 10-month maternity leave, July 2012 – April 2013. This individual will oversee the marketing, communications, PR, and advocacy for the whole organization, as well as managing the receipt of 40,000 donated computers and laptops throughout the year. The post is located in London and application deadline is May 8. See here for more information.

ICT Specialist: IREX is seeking an ICT Specialist to manage a team of staff and consultants to strengthen civil society organizations' abilities to effectively integrate ICTs in the workplace, into their internal and external communications, and within program activities in Iraq. Application deadline is May 9. See here for more information.

Chiefs of Party: Ethiopia and Ghana As part of its longstanding work in basic education projects around the world, RTI International is seeking Chiefs of Party in both Ethiopia and Ghana. In Ethiopia, RTI is developing its Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) program, and needs a Chief of Party to lead its work to improve education quality, relevance, access, and efficiency. This project is focused on curriculum revision and textbook development, and EGRA ICT tools and systems are crucial for its success.

In Ghana, similarly, the Chief of Party will support the development of the project, guiding a range of dimensions that may include early reading, complementary education, instructional approaches, and programs to improve teaching and learning, and learning assessment. S/he should have several years' experience in ICT applications in education.

For additional information on both positions click here and search by country. Both positions' application deadline is May 30.

Coordinator for Infrastructure Sharing in Afghanistan: The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in Afghanistan has received financing from the World Bank to fund the ICT Sector Development Project, which will expand broadband connectivity, mainstream use of mobile applications across the government, and develop the capacity of the IT sector to facilitate improved service delivery across the country while accelerating job creation and economic growth. The Coordinator's role will be as a direct consultany to the Director of Planning and Policies of the Ministry. See more information on Devex. Application deadline is May 12.

Happy International Girls in ICT Day! Two years ago the ITU passed a resolution to implement Girls in ICT Day on the fourth Tuesday of every April. Girls and young women often do not even consider careers in ICT because it's long been perceived as a male-dominated field, and Girls in ICT Day is meant to provide opportunities for them to meet ICT professionals and learn more about what ICT careers have to offer. Combining our interests in ICT4D and the proven positive impact that girls and women have on development, Girls in ICT Day is definitely something we in the ICT4D community should get behind and support. With the current hyper growth of ICTs in the developing world, career opportunities are growing exponentially and we should do all we can to encourage girls and young women to get involved. Visit the Girls in ICT portal to learn more.

Mobile Tech Improves Healthcare in Bangladesh: Recent mobile phone initiatives in Bangladesh are allowing patients to reach a health worker for advice at no cost 24 hours a day, receive prenatal care reminders, and even send complaints about patient care. In the rural areas of this country of 140 million people, health care workers are scarce and hospitals are far away and difficult to reach. Yet because about 60% of the population has access to mobile phones, health care advice – sometimes life-saving – is just a phone call away. Read more here.

Digital Governance in Latin America: The Latin American Studies Association is holding its XXX International Congress in San Francisco, CA on May 23 – 26, 2012. The German Development Institute (GDI) and the Swiss Center for Research on Direct Democracy (C2D) are seeking paper submissions for a joint panel to address the topic of ICTs and democratic governance in Latin America. The growth of ICTs in the region has increased opportunities for improved governance efficiency and enhanced political participation. Over the past decade Latin America has seen a number of remarkable initiatives in the field of ICT use for democratic governance. If you happen to be a Latin Americanist with ICT expertise in ICTs, you don't want to miss this panel. Read more about it here.

Beyond ICT4D: New Media Research in Uganda: This is a collection of ethnographic reports written by five Master's students in New Media from the University of Amsterdam. What makes this publication unique is the presentation of the Ugandan perspective on ICT4D – rather than being a passive recipient of Western development aid, users and producers of ICTs entail innovations from the ground up. It is this "other" point of view that is too often missing in the ICT4D debate – valuable voices that put technologies, projects, and organizations into their proper context. The book argues that now is the time to look beyond the technology layer and instead focus on the social implications and local consequences of digital media's widespread use.

Women Sharing News in Sri Lanka: Frontline SMS is proving to be an excellent tool for news sharing, as shown by this example in Sri Lanka. Minmini News is a local SMS news service for women in the Batticaloa District of Sri Lanka, the poorest in the country. In 2010 a small informal collective associated with women's groups in Batticaloa decided to trial a model for sourcing, producing, and sharing news relevant to women in the area. The model tested continues to be used, and is directly based around sourcing news from the strong network of women community workers in different parts of the district. News information is collected, fact-checked, and written up in text messages by a central "news team." Between one and three messages are sent out to readers, who subscribe to the service via text message through FrontlineSMS each day. Read more about this service here.

Chief of Party, GBI Alliance: In 2010, NetHope and USAID formed the Global Broadband and Innovations (GBI) Alliance with the goal of providing leadership on a range of ICT related activities across the NetHope and USAID development portfolios. The GBI Alliance supports broadband and mobile network-enabled applications for programs such as economic growth, health, education, and agriculture. NetHope is now seeking a passionate and experience development professional to serve as Chief of Party for the GBI Alliance. The ideal candidate will provide strategic leadership and oversight to all aspects of the program and will leverage public-private partnerships to achieve program goals. S/he will act as liaison with senior-level representatives of USAID, NGOs, private sector partners, and the broader development community. More information is available here.

Senior Information and Communications Technologies Specialist: The American Institutes for Research (AIR) is one of the leading behavioral and social science research organizations in the world. AIR's International Development Program (IDP) seeks to enhance the capacity of developing countries to improve their quality of life through education and social development. IDP is seeking a Senior ICT Specialist who will provide technical leadership and support in the building of IDP's work in applied information and communication technologies, specifically in the fields of education, youth, and workforce development. The position is not listed on AIR's website, but you can see more details at Devex. Application deadline is May 27.

Chief of Party: Counterpart International is seeking a Chief of Party to manage an ICT program to support civil society organizations, human rights activists, and freelance journalists worldwide. Based at Counterpart's headquarters in Arlington, VA, the COP will be responsible for working with various stakeholders to accomplish the delivery of ICT-based services from information security firms to developing global civil society organizations. The ideal candidate will have proven experience managing large groups, a background working with civil society groups, and a thorough knowledge of ICT and media. See here for more information.