Consultancy – Support to Disaggregated Data Collection, Use and Reporting, Data and Analytics (D&A) Section, DAPM NYHQ (home based)

Consultancy Title: Support to Disaggregated Data Collection, Use and Reporting

Section/Division/Duty Station: Data and Analytics Section (D&A, DUU), DAPM NYHQ (home based)

Duration: 6 Months (June 2021- December 2021)

About UNICEF

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. UNICEF has over 12,000 staff in more than 145 countries.

BACKGROUND

Disaggregated data is essential to the inclusive and equity-focused strategies called for under the 2030 Agenda and its transformative pledge to leave no one behind.  UNICEF’s Strategic Plan 2018-2021 and the recently revised Core Commitments for Children further engage the organization to track output and outcome level data with a range of disaggregations.  This information is needed at all levels, global to subnational, to drive initial planning and action and inform programmatic course corrections.  UNICEF is seeking to improve its collection, use and report of disaggregated data systematically across contexts and at the frequency and granularity needed to reveal disparities in deprivations and programme results.  The challenges and gaps in relation to disaggregated data span both development and humanitarian and have multiple dimensions.

To achieve this, UNICEF seeks to better understand the constraints and opportunities at country level, including distinguishing across country contexts as well as CO and partner profiles.   Sector specific guidance should be harmonised to provide a summary on general principles and approaches.  This should be combined with coordinated HQ and RO resources to support a selection of interested COs to address the constraints that they face.   Together, these should feed into a more consolidated strategy going forward that outlines the range of support that needs to be provide from HQ, as well as at RO and CO level, to overcome critical barriers in different contexts and for different programmes.

Terms of Reference / Deliverables

The scope of work will address the following elements:

1. Review current guidance and undertake consultation at HQ, RO and COs levels to realise a pragmatic approach to disaggregated data support that is applicable across sectors and data types.
2. Present the key elements of the support approach to an internal UNICEF audience and provide feedback to respondents and relevant new stakeholders through a limited number of virtual sessions and by way of written replies during the assignment.
3. Develop an options paper on interventions to improve Gender, Age, Disability and other key disaggregation in data collection and analysis for stronger equity-focused programming (humanitarian and development), including proposing prioritized options for:
   1. Short-term actions for 2021 which complement or should be integrated with actions under the “Monitoring-based Acceleration: Concept Note and Action Plan”(DAPM)
   2. Longer-term programme and data strategy options for the next SP that contribute to improve localized output and outcome/impact monitoring and data capacities, i.e. requiring engagement and capacity development with UNICEF implementing partners (government and national/local CSO). 
4. To inform the options paper:
   1. undertake a synthesis of conclusions from CO consultations on availability, access, reporting and use of disaggregated data and analysis at country level.
   2. Consider the relationship with new data collection and analysis techniques including big data and social listening.
   3. Consider the implications for UNICEF’s internal systems, particularly the RAM 3.0 systems which has introduced disaggregations.
5. Provide direct advice and support to up to 10 COs on disaggregated data collection, use and reporting as needed.

Please see the details of tasks/deliverables/milestones below:                      

• Produce inception report – 1 July (timeline)
• Finalize disaggregated data collection support package – 1 October (timeline)
• Present a global webinar on disaggregated data collection approaches – 15 October (timeline)
• First Draft of Options Paper – 15 November (timeline)
• Final Draft of Options Paper – 15 December (timeline)

Qualifications

• Masters or equivalent level of expertise in statistics, applied social sciences or related disciplines; PHD an asset;
• 8 or more years of progressively responsible relevant experience;
• Experience in improving disaggregated data collection, use and reporting in development and humanitarian contexts;
• Experience in strengthening administration data systems and/or survey design and implementation;
• Strong quantitative and qualitative data analysis skills;
• Strong writing skills, in presenting complex information in a succinct and engaging manner;
• Exposure to/knowledge of UNICEF work (directly or as a partner); 
• Strong communication skills, especially in writing and presentation.
• Strong planning, organizing, networking and related skills, and a drive for results.
• Fluency in the English language a requirement; fluency in one or more other UN official languages an asset.

Requirements:

• Completed profile in UNICEF’s e-Recruitment system and provide Personal History Form (P11) Upload copy of academic credentials
• Financial proposal that will include:
• your daily/monthly rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference (can be downloaded here: https://www.unicef.org/about/employ/index_consultancy_assignments.html 
  • travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR.
  • Any other estimated costs: visa, health insurance, and living costs as applicable.
  • Indicate your availability
• Any emergent / unforeseen duty travel and related expenses will be covered by UNICEF.
• At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.
• Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

U.S. Visa information:

With the exception of the US Citizens, G4 Visa and Green Card holders, should the selected candidate and his/her household members reside in the United States under a different visa, the consultant and his/her household members are required to change their visa status to G4, and the consultant’s household members (spouse) will require an Employment Authorization Card (EAD) to be able to work, even if he/she was authorized to work under the visa held prior to switching to G4.  

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

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

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:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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.