Consultancy: Impact Evaluation Consultant, Child Marriage and Social Norms, 12 months, Evaluation Office, NYHQ (Remote-based)

Contract

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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, evaluate

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, in advocacy and in operations. The UNICEF Evaluation, as one of the core evidence functions, aims to help UNICEF to improve its performance and results, by supporting organizational learning and accountability. The evaluation activities are carried out at all levels of the organization and in all contexts from humanitarian to development.

Working through the network of regional evaluation teams, the UNICEF Evaluation Office (EO) supports the organization’s 135+ country offices in finding evidence-based solutions for the world’s most vulnerable children. The Office conducts strategic global, institutional effectiveness, humanitarian, and impact evaluations. It assures the quality and use of UNICEF evaluations by establishing norms, standards, guidelines as well as knowledge sharing and networking. The UNICEF Evaluation of Impact Strategy and Action Framework 2022–2025 sets the institutional priorities and vision for a harmonized and strategic approach to the generation and use of rigorous impact evaluations to inform UNICEF programmes. The Impact Catalyst Fund (ICF) is a flagship initiative to support these efforts. The first ICF Call launched in close partnership with the Global Programme to End Child Marriage (GPECM) focused on the thematic area of child marriage and social norms. Six impact evaluations proposals submitted by UNICEF country offices (Burkina Faso, Ghana, India, Lebanon, Niger and Turkey) were selected to receive for ICF support over the next few years. To take this portfolio forward, the EO seeks a highly motivated impact evaluation analyst who strives to excel and stays abreast of the latest evaluative knowledge and methodological innovations.

How can you make a difference?

The impact evaluation consultant will support the design and implementation of rigorous impact evaluations in the thematic area of child marriage and social norms. The consultant will also provide ad-hoc analytical support to a wider range of impact evaluation projects (proposed as well as ongoing) under the auspices of the EO and in close collaboration with regional and CO evaluation teams.

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Senior Evaluation Specialist (Methods and Impact) and working closely with regional evaluation teams, UNICEF Country Office evaluation and programme focal points, other experts and partners, the consultant will support the implementation of the ICF Child Marriage and Social Norms thematic window. Specific objectives of the consultancy include:

• Provide technical support in the design and implementation at least two maximum three impact evaluations and contribute to the development of other impact evaluations projects as requested.
• Support the development and application of the standardized methodological approaches, outcome indicators, tools, and analytical packages in the ICF thematic area of child marriage and social norms to ensure cost-effectiveness, replication and harmonization of outcome and impact measurements across participating countries.

The scope of this consultancy will be guided by the stages of the impact evaluation implementation process and consultant’s expertise. In addition, it will broadly cover the following functional areas:

Impact Evaluation design and implementation

1. Support planning and implementation of at least 2 and maximum 3 impact evaluations in the thematic area of child marriage and social norms. This includes contribution to IE design, sampling strategy, instrument development, and baseline survey implementation e.g. training, pre-testing, and field work (with the support of data collection partners, UNICEF evaluation staff and national research partners). The consultant will contribute to the analysis plan, data management and analysis, write up of the baseline reports according to UNICEF evaluation quality assurance standards (GEROS), dissemination, and communication products.
2. Contribute to the management and coordination of impact evaluations and ensure that independent and credible process meets high professional standards in line with UN norms and standards.
3. Support capacity of UNICEF staff and partners in impact evaluation methodology and processes at the global, regional or national levels through the development and delivery of training/learning modules, interactive workshops and events with a particular focus on innovation and adaptations of impact evaluation methodologies for fragile and humanitarian contexts.
4. Communicate effectively on UNICEF impact evaluation activities, support dissemination of Evaluation of Impact Strategy in relation to child protection and social-behavioural change programming.

Cross-cutting methodological standardization and innovation

2. Support standardization of indicators and survey modules across all six countries selected for ICF (drawing on international practice, and available instruments from major surveys such as DHS or MICs).
3. Contribute to the development, testing and integration of new modules and indicators in a culturally and ethically appropriate way.
4. Propose new, creative, innovative approaches to measure outcome- and impact-level change in humanitarian and fragile context and appropriate for hard to reach, vulnerable populations. Contribute to the EO Methods and Innovation Lab exchange and initiatives.
5. Identify opportunities for capacity building of national partners (government counterparts as well as research institutions and experts) to build stronger in-country ownership.

Payments will be processed on a monthly basis upon acceptance of the corresponding deliverable from the manager of the contract, and against an invoice that will refer to the contract reference and deliverable number. Payments will be formally approved by the supervisor in UNICEF, as the organization holding the contract. The location of the assignment and working modality (face to face, remote or hybrid) will be discussed with successful candidates.

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

• Education

  • Post-graduate degree (doctoral degree is an asset) in academic disciplines relevant to rigorous impact evaluation field (e.g., economics, public policy, political science, evaluation, development studies etc.)

  Experience

  • Over 5 years of professional experience leading or contributing to rigorous impact evaluations including design, preparation, and project implementation in low-income settings.
  • Solid expertise in quantitative and qualitative research/evaluation methods used for identifying and measuring impacts and their complementarity in answering evaluation questions.
  • Proficiency in using statistical analysis software packages, including STATA and/or SPSS. Familiarity with data visualization software (e.g., Power BI), machine learning (e.g., Python) is an asset.
  • Demonstrated knowledge of the current evidence and developments in thematic area relevant for the assignment including those in fragile and humanitarian context. Track record of authorship/co-authorship in peer-reviewed journals is an asset.
  • Familiarity with UNICEF programmatic mandate and understanding evidence generation process for child-focused programmes, including ethics requirements.

  Additional competences

  • Delivering data analysis and evaluations under tight deadlines and through multi-stakeholder consultative process.
  • Excellent abilities in presenting technical information to a non-technical audience, including excellent drafting and presentation skills in English.

  Language requirements

  • Proficiency in English is required.
  • Working knowledge of French is highly desirable.

  .

How to apply:

Interested candidates must submit the following documents: Annex 1 checklist of expertise and skills.pdf

• CV and cover letter.
• Completed Annex 1 with a checklist of thematic and technical skills
• The daily rate and availability within duration of this assignment.
• A test may be administered to shortlisted candidates.
• The shortlisted candidates may be asked to submit short examples (of completed analyses or published papers, in line with the required qualifications described above.

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

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

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).

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract.