Information Management Individual Contractor (National), Damascus, Syria

BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE

Ten years of conflict have had a devastating impact on Syria’s economy and social fabric. The conflict has increased regional inequalities and led to a war economy. Moreover, with the depreciation of Syrian Pound, new sanctions, the Lebanese financial crisis, and COVID-19 outbreak, people are pushed into immeasurable suffering and massive economic loss. Prices have been jumping, and the monthly food cost, as per WFP’s Bulletin, has increased on average by 247% between Apr 2020 and Apr 2021. These factors have driven the poverty rates up. It is estimated that 86% of the population lived below the poverty line, and 71% below the extreme poverty line by the beginning of 2020. Before the pandemic, 41.90% of households (HH) could cover their expenses, while currently, only 9.7% can do so. This is exacerbated by a severe lack of opportunities to attain employable skills and working capital. About two-thirds HHs lost one or more income sources, and about half lost between 75% to 100% of their previous income.

Thus, humanitarian needs of people across Syria continue to be extensive. The UN and partners estimate 11.7 million people in Syria require multi-sectorial humanitarian assistance, including 5 million people in acute need. Children, including those unaccompanied, separated or living with older/disabled caregivers, remain particularly vulnerable. Out of the estimated 8.44 million children living in the Syrian Arab Republic, 5 million require humanitarian assistance and over 3.1 million children under-5 require nutritional support, as well as 1.6 million pregnant and lactating women.

Social Policy programme will invest in the government’s capacity to deliver equitable and quality social protection benefits and services to the population. It seeks to strengthen institutions and mechanisms to effectively address multiple vulnerabilities of the most disadvantaged children in Syria. Interventions are designed at three levels of policy, programme and administrative. While generation of evidence on child poverty cuts across all the outputs under this programme area, it also constitutes a critical component of the Social Policy programme. Enhancing the shock-responsiveness of the national social protection system and its capacity to deliver humanitarian and emergency social protection response, is another essential element of this programme.

Find out how UNICEF programmes drive change for children and young people every day, in Syria by visiting this: www.unicef.org/syria

 

How can you make a difference?

 

OBJECTIVES OF THE CONSULTANCY: Under the supervision of the Social Policy Specialist, and in close coordination with the Planning Monitoring & Evaluation (PM&E) section, the programme sections and the Information Management Officers of the other sectors, the Information Management Individual Contractor will play a vital role in collecting, analyzing, and sharing real time information for the Social Policy Section to make informed strategic and programmatic decisions on the needs of the affected populations.

 

SECTION IN CHARGE: Social Policy

 

DURATION: The selected consultant will work for the period of 11.5 months on full time basis. It is envisaged: 0 workdays out of county and 11.5 months in the country. The exact schedule of the activities will be agreed with the consultant based on the consultancy implementation progress. The deadline for submission of final deliverables to UNICEF is at the end of the contract.

 

SUPERVISOR: The consultant will be supervised and report to the UNICEF Social Policy Specialist. The consultant will work on a daily basis with UNICEF Social Policy Section.

 

PAYMENT SCHEDULE: Monthly fees

 

DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENT (TASKS, SMART DELIVERABLES, DEADLINES):

Tasks	End Products/ Deliverables	Duration/ Deadline
Information system management: Develop an information management system for social policy interventions. Maintain and strengthen Section databases (e.g. track partner activity, coordinate monthly reporting from partners, monitor emergency response etc.). Provide support for programme-relevant data collection, collation, storage, filtering, analysis and dissemination to inform needs assessment and decision-making. Undertake data analysis based on the updated dataset and generate tables, maps, graphs and other statistical data products for quality reporting, resource mobilization and communication. Contribute to the decentralization of information management by developing adequate strategies and build Information Management capacity of colleagues and partners at national and sub-national levels.	Information management system for social policy interventions is built. Databases are built and updated on a timely and quality manner. Programme-relevant data are collected, collated stored, filtered, analyzed and disseminated on a timely and quality manner. Tables, maps, graphs, and other statistical data products are generated on a timely and quality manner. An adequate strategy to the decentralization of the information management is developed and relevant capacity of the section and field SP officers is built.	Throughout the course of the consultancy
Produce relevant information resources: Collate, maintain, and check reports and data from the field officers, including the registry forms. Provide PME Section with the needed data to develop relevant maps of Section needs and response activities. Provide summaries of Section progress against key results and indicators as required including program activities and supplies. Closely coordinate with IM focal points in other hubs (Amman and Gaziantep) and the WoS on matters related to ERL and NFI sector infographics (Maps, 4Ws, SitReps, etc.). Identify barriers for information collection, collation, analysis and sharing and develop appropriate supportive strategies to overcome these barriers.	Registry forms are collated, checked, consolidated in a quality and timely manner. Required data are provided to PME on a timely and quality manner. Summaries of section progress are delivered on a timely and quality manner. Coordination with other relevant stakeholders are done in a timely and quality manner. Barriers for information collection are identified, and strategies to overcome these barriers are set.	Throughout the course of the consultancy
Capacity Development: Provide training, support and information to partners/government staff on the information system, tools and reports including provision for gender and age disaggregation of data and reporting on particularly vulnerable groups. Support the PDM surveys through building the questionnaires using Kobo and provide training for the interviewers.	Training, support and information to partners on the information system, tools and reports are provided on a timely and quality manner. PDM questionnaires are built using Kobo.	Throughout the course of the consultancy
Maintain and continuously update the existing IM products of the Section. Produce the Who does What Where and When (4Ws) database and related products, such as charts and maps. Develop inventory of relevant documents on the humanitarian situation, e.g. vulnerability matrix, mission reports, assessments, evaluations, bulletin, lessons learned, surveys, dashboard, etc.	4Ws reports are updated on a regular basis. Relevant documents are developed and updated on a timely and quality manner.	Throughout the course of the consultancy
Support the Section in all aspects related to information management: Coordinate with CwG and provide UNICEF inputs on a regular basis. Support the sections (ERL, NFI) and the CWG in developing data share protocol with partners.	UNICEF inputs to CWG are delivered on a regular basis. Data sharing protocol is developed.	Throughout the course of the consultancy

 

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

1.            Education: Completion of bachelor university degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Demography, Geography, Statistics, Economics or a related technical field. Higher academic degree is an advantage.

2.            Work experience: Minimum one year of relevant professional experience in a similar role. Additional training and certification on information management and information technology will be considered as an additional advantage.

3.            Technical knowledge/ competencies: Proven statistical, analytic and technical skills including database management and data analysis, high level of proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, etc.), ability to maintain basic websites, ability to produce data summaries and visualizations, GIS knowledge and practical experience on qualitative surveys an advantage;

4.            Language: Fluency in English and Arabic (verbal and written) is essential.

 

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) 

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

 

Core Competencies

• Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (1)
• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (2)
• Works Collaboratively with others (2)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (2)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (2)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (2)
• Drives to achieve impactful results (2)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (2)

 

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

 

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

 

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

UNICEF only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/