Call for applications: Consultant to study state of Zimbabwe’s music digital environment

The contract has a duration of one month and is designed for individuals who can speak English. The successful individual will operate from Harare, Zimbabwe.

Overall objective of the consultancy

To conduct a baseline study on the state of the digital environment in the music sector in Zimbabwe.

Duties and responsibilities

• Review existing literature (such as data from the National Music Strategy of Zimbabwe 2022 - 2027), documentation, reports, providing an overview of the digital environment in the music sector in Zimbabwe.
• Provide an inventory of what is in place and what are the gaps within the legal and policy frameworks.
• Analyse and document the state of the digital environment in the music sector in Zimbabwe, including current music consumption patterns and returns accrued by practitioners, the number of music practitioners currently utilising digital platforms to market and distribute their music, and the value of music distributed on online digital platforms, both from Zimbabwe and foreign ones operating in Zimbabwe.
• Assess the extent, characteristics and nature of the digital environment in the sector, with a view to also identify gender-specific patterns and issues.
• Conduct three consultation meetings with key industry stakeholders to inform the baseline study in the country (in-person and virtually).
• Pronounce the required policy approaches and interventions for enhancing the participation of Zimbabwean practitioners in the digital environment for sustainability and livelihood support.
• Produce a baseline report on the findings of the state of the digital environment in the music sector in Zimbabwe and a brief presentation to facilitate the discussion in a future validation workshop.

Expected outputs and deliverables

• Deliverable 1: Project proposal due: 26 May 2023
  • Produce a project proposal including project scope and methods to be deployed to undertake the baseline survey. This includes the data collection and analysis techniques to be employed and reasons for the choice of research method(s). Include CV.
• Deliverable 2: Data collection: From 8 to 21 June 2023
  • Deploy the selected data collection methods to conduct the actual research.
• Deliverable 3: Draft report due: 3 July 2023
  • Present the draft baseline survey to NACZ and UNESCO.
• Deliverable 4: Final report due: 10 July 2023
  • Produce the final findings of the baseline survey to be shared with stakeholders at a national workshop.
• Deliverable 5: Workshop presentation tentative dates: 13 to 14 July 2023
  • Present to stakeholders the scope of the work and methods of gathering their input at three workshops.

Competencies

• Analytical skills, communication abilities, teamwork.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the music sector in Zimbabwe and the online digital music space.
• Strong analytical skills, such as statistical analyses, particularly applied to the global music industry.
• Experience in editing and publishing, preferably in the field of music and digital platforms.
• Building strategic partnerships with relevant stakeholders.
• Ability to identify needs and interventions for capacity building of counterparts, clients and potential partners.
• Ability to take responsibility for achieving agreed outputs within set deadlines and strive until successful outputs are achieved.
• Excellent time management skills.
• Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Knowledge of inter-disciplinary development issues.

Required skills and experience

Academic qualifications

• A master’s degree in social sciences, statistics or a related field.
• This assignment requires the services of a consultant that can demonstrate skills relating to analytical capacity, relevant gender analysis, adequate reporting and English editing.

Experience

• Minimum of five years of experience in monitoring and evaluation of national and global music, research and project management.
• Prior experience in conducting baseline and impact studies in the development sector.
• Experience in data collection.
• Proven writing, analysis and presentation skills.
• Fluency in written and spoken English and good drafting skills.

Language requirements

• Fluency in written and oral English required.
• Superior English drafting skills.

Duration of the work

The duration of the assignment is 30 days (8 June to 10 July 2023), with presentation at national workshop (tentative dates: 13 – 14 July 2023).

Payment

• The payment will be revealed to successful candidates.

Applications must be sent via email to natartsziminfo@gmail.com and cc s.mlambo@unesco.org before 26 May or physically to:

The National Arts Council of Zimbabwe director

Second floor

Education Services Building

Mtshane Khumalo Complex

Upper East Road, Mt Pleasant

Harare

Project background

Based on a principle of technological neutrality, the objectives of the UNESCO 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions remain valid regardless of the emergence of new technologies and devices. To address the challenges and opportunities of digital technology, in 2017, the Conference of Parties approved the Guidelines on the Implementation of the Convention in the Digital Environment. Subsequently, UNESCO developed an “open roadmap for the implementation of the 2005 Convention in the digital environment” which was then approved by the Conference of Parties in 2019. The Open Roadmap is a flexible framework that offers concrete reference activities to protect the means of creation, production, dissemination, access, and exchange of cultural goods and services in the face of rapid technological changes. UNESCO launched a pilot technical assistance programme to further the implementation of the 2005 Convention in the digital environment. The pilot phase assists three countries – Georgia, Uganda and Zimbabwe – in elaborating and/or implementing context-based measures related to the cultural and creative industries in the digital environment. Within the above-mentioned context, the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe intends to recruit a consultant to conduct a baseline study for the project.

View the original call here.