We are Hiring: Lead National Expert for the preparation of AI readiness country report

In November 2021, 193 Member States of UNESCO adopted the Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (the Recommendation). Countries around the world are now in the process of implementing the Recommendation, with UNESCO supporting them through various capacity-building efforts. UNESCO is partnering with the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation on the Promoting Ethical Governance of AI for Greater Impact project, to advance an ethical framework for AI governance, to translate the Recommendation into national institutional and regulatory frameworks and to build a national consensus on the shared vision for AI. In 2024, the project focuses on five countries: Argentina, India, Indonesia, Tanzania, and Türkiye.

UNESCO is seeking senior experts to oversee the implementation of the project in Tanzania, including all research and analytical components, and to lead the preparation of a policy-oriented country report. This report will build on the results derived from UNESCO’s AI Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM) and reflect the outcomes of the multi-stakeholder national consultations to be organized in the framework of this report. The aim of the report will be to inform the country’s comprehensive national AI strategy and to provide an evidence-based framework on the ethical governance of AI, with short-and long-term priorities identified, and using the Recommendation on the Ethics of AI as a blueprint.  

The expert will work under the overall authority of the Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences Sector (ADG/SHS), and direct supervision of the Head of the Ethics of AI Unit and the Programme Specialist/Project Officer in the responsible field office or HQ of UNESCO.  

Candidates may team up to submit their joint applications for this consultancy. 

The aim of this consultancy is to lead the development of research and analytical outputs towards the production of a policy-oriented country report, to be aligned with and to feed into the national AI policy timelines/priorities. The Report will be based on the evidence gained through the deployment of UNESCO’s AI Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM) and the key outcomes of the broad national consultations. More specifically, the lead expert will be responsible for:

1. Facilitating the work of a multidisciplinary national steering committee that will oversee the project implementation from the government’s side. 

2. Facilitating the deployment of RAM, to gain in-depth understanding of the potential for AI development, the state of the art in the country in terms of institutional and regulatory readiness, as well as the regulatory and institutional gaps to be filled to transform the potential into action, taking also into account the perspectives from both Mainland and Zanzibar. The expert will proactively engage with national stakeholders and ensure the alignment of the country activities and outputs with the global RAM implementation by UNESCO.

3. Preparing diagnostic report based on the outcomes of the RAM exercise. 

4. Participating as an expert in the broad-based national consultations, to present the results of the readiness assessment and to facilitate discussions leading to the identification of needs, concerns, and policy priorities for the civil society. This also involves active consultation with individual experts and collaboration with all relevant stakeholders.

5. Drafting the final policy-oriented country report to inform the national AI strategy. Depending on the country context, this report may be complementary to the existing national AI strategy or serve as the blueprint for establishing such a strategy where one does not exist, and will feature recommendations concerning the regulatory and other policy reforms needed for an effective governance of AI in the country, based on the short- and long-term priorities identified, and using the Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence as an overall framework. 

6. Participating in the high-level National Forum on AI to showcase the outcome of the project.

1. By the end of 1^st Month: Engage with various stakeholders to coproduce a timeline for the delivery of the RAM deployment and its outputs. 

2. By the end of 2^nd Month: Diagnostic Report of the Country’s readiness following UNESCO’s AI Readiness Assessment Methodology

3. By the end of 3^rd Month: Synthesis report on the key outputs from the multistakeholder national consultations in the diagnostic report.

4. By the end of 5^th Month: Policy-oriented Country Report paying the way for policy reform in the country on the ethical governance of AI. Facilitate and align the project activities with the broader adoption of UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI to ensure coherence and integration with Country-level AI strategy and policy activities.

The lead national expert is expected to be based in the implementation country (Tanzania). 

Education

• Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in governance of artificial intelligence, ethical and social implications of artificial intelligence or digital technologies, law and technology, or other related fields. 

Work experience

• A minimum of five years of professional experience on the ethical, legal, social and governance issues of artificial intelligence and related digital technologies, at national and/or international level. Experiences with the relevant government agency in the implementing country is a plus. 

• Proven experience in conducting research and analysis and/or implementing programmes/projects on the ethical, legal, social and governance issues of artificial intelligence and related digital technologies, as well as standards related to these issues. Experiences in producing policy-oriented report or recommendations are strongly desirable. 

Skills/Competencies

• Very good understanding of the ethical, legal, social and governance issues of artificial intelligence and related digital technologies.

• Excellent knowledge about the dynamics of governance of AI in the implementing country, including policies, legislative and regulatory frameworks, institutional mechanisms, organizational structures and processes, and initiatives by different stakeholders in this field. 

• Experiences in undertaking policy review and assessments both qualitatively and quantitatively on topics related to governance of AI or related digital technologies.

• Proven ability to draft clearly and concisely and to produce high quality policy-oriented analysis and synthesis documents.

Languages

• Excellent knowledge of English and Kiswahili.

Interested candidates should send their applications at nairobi.recruitment@unesco.org, together with followings documents: 

• A UNESCO CV (Word file), duly filed
• UNESCO Employment History Form (Word file), duly filed
• A statement indicating how their qualifications and experience make them suitable for the assignment;
• A written proposal comprising:
  • An approach and methodology for the assignment in line with the terms of reference;
  • The amount to be charged for the assignment, which should be quoted in US dollars on a monthly basis for a 6-month period (full-time working).

Application Deadline: 31 August 2024