Country: Tunisia
Closing date: 09 Mar 2017
Consultancy Title:MICS Regional Sampling Consultant
If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you.
For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.
LOCATION/DURATION:
Duration: 11 months
Location: home-based with missions to MENA countries
On-site working days: 25
Off-site working days: 25
Initially 50 days spread over an 11 month period (based on approximately 20 working days per country and 10 days for RO support and workshops). The contract will be amended to include additional country(ies)/days as needed.
Field Missions/Travel: 3-6 (depending on the need of the country)
Estimated Start Date: March 20th 2017
Estimated end Date:February 19th2018
Reporting to: Regional MICS coordinator
Estimated value:25,000 USD (500/day)
BACKGROUND:
Statistically sound and internationally comparable data are essential for developing evidence-based policies and programmes, as well as for monitoring countries' progress toward national goals and global commitments. Since 1995, UNICEF has supported the implementation of the Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), assisting countries in generating high quality data on the situation of children and women. Since then, MICS has evolved to respond to changing data needs, expanding from 28 indicators in the first round to 200 indicators in the current sixth round (MICS6). It was a major source of data for UN secretary general's final Millennium Development Goals progress rerpot. Since its inception in the 1990s, over 270 MICS surveys have been conducted in more than 100 countries.
MICS enables countries to produce statistically sound and internationally comparable estimates of a range of indicators in the areas of health, education, child protection, water and sanitation and HIV and AIDS. For many countries, MICS surveys are among the most important sources of data used for situation analysis, policy decisions and programme interventions, and for influencing the public opinion on the situation of children and women. With the sixth round of MICS, and after undergoing rigorous methodological work to broaden the scope of the tools, MICS6 questionnaires now cover about 45 percent of household-based SDG indicators.
MICS surveys are usually carried out by government organizations, with the support and technical assistance of UNICEF. When countries adhere to the MICS protocols and recommendations and make use of the tools provided, the survey process goes very smoothly. However, in many countries, as the MICS3 evaluation also confirms, the provision of survey tools alone has not been sufficient without the additional support of experienced personnel providing technical assistance to MICS implementing partners.
In order to ensure that the implementation of the MICS survey runs smoothly, specific deadlines are met to ensure that the implementing partner receives the technical assistance at critical stages of the survey which is necessary to produce statistically sound reliable data. MENARO will recruit a sampling expert to oversee the MICS sampling processes and compliance to recommendations in all MICS countries that will implement the survey between 2017-18, as part of the sixth round of MICS programme.
As sampling is a highly technical field on which countries require a significant amount of assistance, it is essential that sampling guidance to countries is given in a standard manner and of highest quality and that countries receive the training and assistance that they need in order to develop and implement appropriate sampling strategies for the forthcoming MICS surveys.
OBJECTIVE:
Under the overall supervision of the UNICEF Regional MICS Coordinator, the Regional Sampling Consultant will be responsible for providing sampling-related technical assistance to surveys across MENA region. Due to the highly technical nature of the work involved, it is essential that experienced experts who will follow specific recommendations of the MICS programme are mobilized.
DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENT:
In the sampling-related areas of work, specific support is needed in the following areas:
MAIN TASKS:
KEY DELIVERABLE:
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:
1. Education: At least a Master's Degree or equivalent in Demography, Statistics, Epidemiology or any related technical field with special expertise in survey sampling is required.
- Work experience: At least 6 years of experience in designing samples for household surveys in the region (experience in countries without recent census information is highly desirable)3. Technical knowledge and expertise:
- Knowledge and familiarity with the sampling methodology of MICS and/or Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) is preferred, or sampling approaches of other international, regional or local household survey programmes;
- Demonstrated training experience
- Experience of working in developing countries and more specifically in Middle East and North Africa
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Demonstrated ability to work in a multicultural environment.
- Ability and willingness to travel to countries across MENA Region who are in need of support 4. Language: Fluency in English/French; knowledge of Arabic is highly desirable.
Consultant will work from home using own equipment and stationary. The consultant will be expected to travel to MENA countries and participate at regional MICS workshops as needed. During country visits, UNICEF country office or the partner will provide working space for the consultant.
TRAVEL CONSIDERATIONS:
Mission travel
All travel arrangements to commence the assignment, including insurance and visas, will be managed and paid by the individual. Therefore, expected travel costs must be included as a budget item in the financial proposal.
During mission travels to MENA countries, UNICEF will manage and pay for travel via Travel Authorization. However, this will be subject to the following prerequisites: Medical Clearance, Security Clearance through the Travel Request Information Process (TRIP) system, the Basic and Advanced Security in the Field Trainings, Travel Visa, and liability waiver. Trip prerequisites will be met at the expense of the consultant.
These travel costs will be covered by UNICEF MENA regional office as per UN rules and regulations (against travel authorizations).
ESTIMATED DURATION OF CONTRACT:
Fifty days spread over an 11 month period (calculated on approximately 20 working days per country + 10 days' workshop). The number of days of work might vary, given countries might drop out of the MICS programme or new countries might join.
PAYMENT SCHEDULE:
Proposed methodology Monthly
Monthly payments on the basis of days worked and upon submission of an activity log and invoice. If the number of days worked is less than 5 days, the payment will be made every two months.
UNICEF will only be liable to pay against the working days accounted for and reported in the log sheet, and not against the total number of days indicated here for estimating purposes.
TYPE OF SUPERVISION REQUIRED AND COOPERATION WITH OTHER CONSULTANTS
The Monitoring and evaluation section will provide quality assurance and oversight for the consultant's work with substantial feedback on the quality of the work.
For each assigned MICS survey country, the consultant will work in close collaboration with the UNICEF MICS Focal point, the UNICEF MICS Consultant, other UNICEF Regional Consultants, and sampling expert of the implementing partner in that country. During country visits, the consultant will be expected to implement capacity development activities with the implementing partner as required and organized by the UNICEF Country Office.
CONFIDENTIALITY OF DATA AND MICS DOCUMENTS
The Regional Sampling Consultant must respect the confidentiality of the MICS data as well as any country specific MICS documents that will be produced throughout the MICS process. The Regional Sampling Consultant can use the documents and the datasets only for the tasks related to these terms of reference.
WORK PLACE
Regional Sampling Consultant will work from home using own equipment and stationary. During country visits, UNICEF CO or the implementing partner will provide working space for the consultant.
CONDITIONS
EVALUATION PROCESS:
Qualified candidates are requested to submit:
Note: Submitted offers should have validity period of at least 90 days from day of receipt. Shortlisted candidates may also be contacted for their interest in being part of the Regional Data, Monitoring and Evaluation Roster.
Please indicate your ability, availability and daily/monthly rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference above (including travel and daily subsistence allowance, if applicable). Applications submitted without a daily/monthly rate will not be considered.
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 organisation.
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=503141