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

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

UNICEF is transforming monitoring into function that better enables programme adaptation, organizational learning, and accountability across the humanitarian and development nexus. The Humanitarian Review identified key gaps in the ability of existing monitoring systems and skills regarding gender-transformative programming, integration of Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP), monitoring of programme quality, and analysis and use of monitoring data. Furthermore, the Strategic Plan 2022-2025 commits UNICEF to a focus on collective outcomes, and better monitoring and adaptation based on timely analytics and a learning culture. Through the development and communication of class-leading knowledge materials and facilitation of knowledge exchange, this consultancy will provide critical support to the professionalization of monitoring to meet these objectives across all levels of UNICEF as well as our programme implementation partners.

Scope of Work:

The knowledge exchange, products and events that will be facilitated, developed and convened by this consultancy are expected to address four key objectives of recommendations emanating from UNICEF’s global strategic commitments for outcomes-focused and integrated programming:

1. Enhancing organization-wide awareness and understanding for better monitoring of outcomes-focused/transformational programming

The consultant will act as a co-facilitator for the Community of Monitors (COMMONS), a 400+ member professional community of UNICEF staff interested in monitoring, and the Humanitarian Performance Monitoring (HPM) network. This will include curating and sharing relevant knowledge products, in addition to organising and convening periodic consultations and discussions among community members. The consultant will work with the other co-facilitators to prepare and maintain a calendar of planned events for the communities in 2024/25.

The consultant will be pen-holder for preparing an accessible and easy-to-use “Monitoring Companion Guide” to support the implementation of the Monitoring Procedure by country offices of all sizes across the humanitarian-development-peace nexus. This will include a main document (draft, final, revision) as well as accompanying knowledge products that help to ‘operationalize’ the commitment to ‘outcomes-focused’ monitoring with practical examples and case studies. The Guide will unpack key concepts, such as ‘systemic change’, use of qualitative methods, and the application of outcome-mapping techniques. Alongside the Monitoring Procedure and existing guidance on the Annual Review and Field Monitoring, the consultant will design and deliver a communications plan to drive awareness and uptake of the Monitoring Companion Guide.

The consultant will lead the planning and organization of the SIGNAL 2024 and SIGNAL 2025 one-week annual conferences of the Monitoring Technical Team, including participation in the running of the event in May/June 2024 and 2025. The consultant will help to refine the theme, location and agenda of the conferences, along with developing input materials and preparing the conference reports.

2. Strengthening sector-wide skills in analysis and use of monitoring data for programme quality and adaptation

Knowledge products to support the Monitoring Companion Guide on key monitoring approaches and techniques will be developed to a high enough quality to be shared publicly with the UN Strategic Planning Network (UNSPN) and BetterEvaluation.org via the knowledge@UNICEF. The consultant will explore options for joint development of specific knowledge products with UN system entities and/or CSO partners. The choice and prioritisation of knowledge products will be determined by a skill gap analysis and a knowledge gap map prepared by the consultant, but is expected to include: i) scale up the use of equity analysis tools, ii) use of the Field Monitoring Module for managing programmatic risk, iii) incorporation of AAP in monitoring, iv) structured and coordinated planning for monitoring in small COs, v) PSEA/safeguarding during field monitoring, vi) monitoring upstream and advocacy work, vii) disaggregation for equity, and viii) special 8 March events on monitoring for gender-transformative programming.

The consultant will prepare a concept paper for restarting the Global Partnership for Better Monitoring as a public-good platform for monitoring knowledge and guidance. This will include identifying potential partners.

The consultant will research and synthesise key guidance on standards for monitoring programme quality prepared by programme teams (including health, nutrition, education, child protection, WASH, gender, adolescents, and social protection). Through this process, the consultant will identify opportunities for consolidation, harmonization or alignment of guidance material, with a view to reducing the workload on frontline teams that are seeking to identify good practices and minimum requirements.

Building on the concept note prepared for SIGNAL 2023, the consultant will develop and annotate a core curricula for the talent development training programme, including proposed modules for planning and monitoring officers (OutcomesPro/OutcomesPioneer), results managers (OutcomesLeader), and frontline teams (field monitoring school).

3. Enhancing the consistency and quality of monitoring for gender-transformative programming, with a focus on priority contexts

Building on work by the disaggregated data working group, the consultant will develop applied guidance and a communications package for conducting intersectional analysis using disaggregated monitoring data that is available in UNICEF systems, with a focus on data from Humanitarian Performance Monitoring, Core Standard Indicators (CSI), Field Monitoring Module (FMM), and Equity Map/Analysis (deprivations, risks, and vulnerabilities). The guidance will identify and elaborate key moments in the programme cycle for the application of this analysis, such as during partnership reviews, Annual Reviews, and work planning.

In liaison with the relevant regional office teams, the consultant will outline an Africa-focus knowledge strategy for strengthening country office monitoring systems to enable transformative programming, including optimising the use of DAPM-supported digital solutions.

In liaison with Programme Group and related divisions, scope priority knowledge gaps and curate existing knowledge materials for monitoring of transformative programming in Upper Middle Income Countries.

4. Integrating data and systems for Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) into monitoring frameworks, with a focus on fragile contexts

Mainstream into existing knowledge materials a package of support, co-developed with ROs, focused on applying AAP in UNICEF and partner programme monitoring with feed-forwards loops into evaluation, work planning and knowledge management processes (including inputs into revisions of PPPX guidance and the RRBM training package).

Support the uptake and use of the eTools Field Monitoring Module and dashboards to practically apply AAP principles in UNICEF and third party field monitoring data collection, analysis and use.

Terms of Reference / Deliverables

Inception Report

Deliverables/Outputs:

Report to cover: i) programme monitoring knowledge-gap analysis, ii) synthesis of key guidance on monitoring standards produced by programme teams, iii) proposed calendar of campaigns and events for 2024/2025

Delivery deadline: 30 November 2023

Community of Monitors (COMMONS)

Deliverables/Outputs:

- Facilitation of 10 regular knowledge exchange events on the COMMONS/HPM digital platforms (Teams/Yammer/SharePoint)

Delivery deadline: 31 March 2025

- Draft Monitoring Companion Guide and accompanying materials

Delivery deadline: 28 February 2024

- Finalised Monitoring Companion Guide and accompanying materials

Delivery deadline: 29 March 2024

- Communications and webinar campaign for Monitoring Companion Guide

Delivery deadline: 30 April 2024

- Agreed agenda and operational arrangements, including background materials, and conference outcome report for SIGNAL 2024

Delivery deadline: 28 June 2024

- Agreed agenda and operational arrangements, including background materials, and conference outcome report for SIGNAL 2025

Delivery deadline: 30 June 2025

Knowledge management for better monitoring

Deliverables/Outputs:

- High priority knowledge products published on knowledge@UNICEF to strengthen use of qualitative monitoring approaches, equity analytics, and digital tools by UNICEF and partners

Delivery deadline: 31 May 2024

- Second priority knowledge products published on knowledge@UNICEF to strengthen use of qualitative monitoring approaches, equity analytics, and digital tools by UNICEF and partners

Delivery deadline: 30 September 2024

- Investment Case and communications package for a revived Global Partnership for Better Monitoring including identification of potential partners

Delivery deadline: 31 January 2024

- Annotated curricula for:
1. OutcomePro training package for planning and monitoring personnel
2. Outcome Leader training package for results managers
3. Field Monitoring School for field office and frontline programme personnel

Delivery deadline: 31 May 2024

Intersectional analysis of monitoring data

Deliverables/Outputs:

- Slide decks and SharePoint pages on: i) conducting intersectional analysis of monitoring data using UNICEF’s digital tools and ii) monitoring transformative programming in UMICs

Delivery deadline: 29 March 2024

- Report on Africa focus knowledge strategy for strengthening contribution of CO monitoring systems to transformative programming

Delivery deadline: 31 October 2024

Applied guidance on AAP

Deliverables/Outputs:

- Updates to Monitoring Unit knowledge estate (digital sites and guidance, including SharePoint) including slide deck and SharePoint page on implementing AAP commitments using eTools FMM and equity analysis

Delivery deadline: 20 December 2023

TRAVEL:

It is foreseen that as part of this assignment the consultant will travel on two occasions, on each occasion for a 7-day mission:

June 2024: Bangkok, Thailand (to be confirmed)
June 2025: Nairobi, Kenya (to be confirmed)

Qualifications

(1) Education

Masters-level or higher degree in international development, humanitarian, human rights, management, monitoring and evaluation, or related subject

2) Work experience

A minimum of five years of relevant experience in knowledge management and communication for development and humanitarian programming
Experience in the development of analytical case studies and other knowledge products
Experience with development of public knowledge portals and content
Experience of working with, or providing support to, CSOs is considered an advantage

3) Competencies

Understanding of knowledge management tools to share lessons and strengthen organizational capacities
Understanding of child rights programming across humanitarian-development nexus
Ability to produce high quality content in English
Technical knowledge in monitoring and evaluation is considered and advantage
Strong organizational, planning, and analytical skills
Excellent written and verbal communication in English.

Requirements****:

Completed profile in UNICEF's e-Recruitment system
Upload copy of academic credentials
Financial proposal that will include:
the costs per each deliverable and the total all-inclusive (lump-sum) fees for the whole assignment (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference.
- travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR.
- Any other estimated costs: visa, health insurance, 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.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

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). 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.

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. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.

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Added 10 months ago - Updated 9 months ago - Source: unicef.org