Consultant to support the Participatory Evaluation Network Development in Kazakhstan and upgrade technical skills aimed to build and strengthen national evaluation capacity

Consultant to support the Participatory Evaluation Network Development in Kazakhstan and upgrade technical skills aimed to build and strengthen national evaluation capacity

Type of contract: Consultant
Duration: 7 months from July 2021 to January 2022
Workplace: home-based

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.
Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.
And we never give up.
For every child, a fair chance

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=E1xkXZs0cAQ

Background

For more than two decades, UNICEF has been working closely with the national government, local representatives and civil society to improve the situation of children in Kazakhstan, ensuring equal access to quality social services, and primarily, healthcare and education. The Government of Kazakhstan and UNICEF are currently implementing another five-year program of cooperation. Along with those national priorities and strategies, however, the country has also taken its international obligations, including attainment of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, into account.

How can you make a difference?

This assignment requires specific skills and activities with grass roots organizations in the area of participatory evaluation

Purpose of the Assignment:
• To support the development of the participatory evaluation network in Kazakhstan, including mapping of stakeholders and partnership with a selected organization;
• To contribute to upgrading the capacity of NGOs and civil society groups to become credible evaluation agents at the local and possibly national levels;
• To enhance network members’ ability to perform qualitative community-based participatory evaluation

Scope of Work:
1. Provide support in developing a participatory evaluation network, consisting of initiative groups, NGOs, researchers, and/or research organizations (at least 4-5 organizations). To the extent necessary, enhance or prepare MoU, rules of work, schemes and regulations for cooperation, mentorship, volunteering, internships within the network.
2. Provide support for mapping the organizations and existing networks working in this field in Kazakhstan and reaching out to solicit their interest. Review the priority needs that would need to be addressed by a participatory evaluation network.
3. Conduct a participatory review of completed or ongoing evaluations, working with the network and its members. In this, pay particular attention to the utilization of evaluation findings. Make and inventory of tools, instruments, modules and provide feedback on how they can be best enhanced from a participatory evaluation perspective (using best accumulated experience in working with communities).
4. Assist in mapping the local data providers, analyzing data flows and databases/ IT systems, whenever possible, to improve participatory evaluation capacity at local levels.
5. Help in identification of positive examples for knowledge management in evaluations, contributing to an inventoryof best monitoring & evaluation practices, tools and projects implemented at local level (with focus on children and families).
6. Provide assistance in developing monitoring & evaluation materials, visuals in printed or electronic formats, or concepts for these materials.
7. Provide assistance in advancing localization of SDG indicators and involvement of local communities and community-based organizations in evaluation of targets and achievements.
8. Support exchange of data and knowledge at each key stage with participants at the national and regional levels through electronic tools, videoconferences, other face-to-face and remote conferences and meetings.
9. Participate in discussions and preparations of joint actions, developing joint work plans, etc.

Work Assignment Overview

Detailed workplan and schedule will be agreed with the individual consultant.
Due to COVID19 consideration should be given to implementing the outlined tasks in online format including the planned trainings. Training sessions and their duration should be structured to take into consideration participants readiness to take part in on-line trainings.

1. Tasks/Milestones:
a) The mapping of existing organisations/networks carried out.
b) An Informal Network of the regional KZ CBOs/ NGOs working with impoverished groups with focus on children and families is in existence, based on MoU signed, protocols and network cooperation procedures established.
c) The existing tools for participatory evaluation are revised, refined, tested and validated for use in collaboration with CBOs/ NGOs and other network members.
Deliverables/Outputs:
• Organizations identified. Agreements on cooperation achieved. List of participating organizations provided.
• MoU signed, rules, regulations developed and accepted. Agreements for cooperation in the local area achieved.
• Schemes and OD (Organizational Development) assessment conducted (records and statements provided on organizations’ needs and capacity).
• The existing tools for assessing community/ household needs tested, validated.
• The schemes and full cycles of liaising with communities and addressing the needs proposed.
Date: July 2021

2. Tasks/Milestones:
a) Technical assistance provided to selected CBOs/ NGOs; As a result, number of the regional KZ NGOs registered on UN partnership portal and is in compliance to collaborate with UN Agencies according to the UN regulations and rules for partnership.
b) Assistance in localization of SDG indicators and involvement of local communities and community-based organizations in evaluation of targets and achievements.
c) Assistance in mapping the local data providers, analyzing data flows and databases/ IT systems, whenever possible, to improve participatory evaluation capacity at local levels.
Deliverables/Outputs:
• Organizations’ files prepared and mapping carried out for organizations having a potential to work in community-based evaluation field. Brief report on status provided; and short presentation made.
• SDG indicators localization proposals made.
• Proposals for interactive service mapping made.
Date: July – September 2021

3. Tasks/Milestones:
• The plans / proposals for future cooperation prepared containing:
• Number of collaborative actions for advancing national evaluation agenda.
• Number of participatory evaluation tools, instruments for testing, validation and application.
• Outline and design of visual materials, brochures, leaflets and booklets for dissemination to the broader public proposed.
Deliverables/Outputs:
• Verification means provided: documentation, plans and proposals developed; community-based evaluation tools, instruments, modules.
• Bank of evaluation materials created.
• Examples of publication materials or concepts for visuals.
• The inventory of best practices in community-level evaluation created.
Date: July – December 2021 (or until the end of January’22)

4. Tasks/Milestones: Final Report and materials proposed
Deliverables/Outputs: Final report with annexes (rules and regulations on operations through electronic tools).
Date: December 2021 (or until the end of January 2022)

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• Previous experience of working with UNICEF or other UN agencies is an asset;
• Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Political/Social Science, Public Policy, Economics, Statistics, Medicine, Demography, Public Finance, Mathematics, or other related subject field with focus on evaluation or analysis component is required;
• At least 2 years of progressive work experience in the social subject field with use of quantitative and qualitative methods, focus on data analysis, concepts’ development, research, or participatory monitoring and evaluation;
• Knowledge of participatory M&E tools and application at local levels is an asset;
• Knowledge of organizational development issues in non-commercial sector, data collection and monitoring systems in the government in any of the fields: health, preschool/school education, child/ social protection, etc. within the region is an asset;
• Skills and abilities to work in various IT settings and databases as UN PP portal, or government/ NGO databases and train NGOs;
• Analytical, methodical and precise style of writing, experience in preparing reports, presentations and analyses;
• Strong analytical, communication skills, including interactions with stakeholders from various sectors;
• Fluency in English (oral/written); Knowledge of Russian at native/ fluent level; Knowledge of Kazakh is a strong asset;
• Work experience in similar assignments is desirable;
• Competencies:
– Application of quantitative and qualitative methods
– data analysis
– concepts’ development
– research or participatory monitoring and evaluation
– working in various IT settings and databases as UN PP portal, or government/ NGO databases
– training the NGOs
– analytical, methodical and precise style of writing, experience in preparing reports, presentations and analyses
– communication, including interactions with stakeholders from various sectors.

For every Child, you demonstrate…
UNICEF’s core values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability (https://www.unicef.org/about/unicef-culture)
View our functional competencies framework

Remarks:
• Completion of the UN/UNICEF mandatory trainings is obligatory upon commencement of the contract.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
• 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, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.
• 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.
• All materials developed will remain the copyright of UNICEF and UNICEF will be free to adapt and modify them in the future.
• The Individual contractor or Consultant will perform his/her duties in line with UNICEF standards and procedures.
• The successful candidate will be required to have medical insurance (at his/her own cost), covering the whole period of contract, including travel.
• 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.
• Payment upon completion of each deliverable according to schedule. 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.