Consultant - Qualitative researcher on social protection/cash transfers - Global Office of Research and Foresight, Florence, Italy - 9 months, Remote

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, answers

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Ethiopia is supporting the Government of Ethiopia to implement a pilot Integrated Safety Net Programme (ISNP) in the Amhara Region and in Addis Ababa for beneficiaries of the Productive Safety Net Programme (PSNP). Among the goals of the programme is to facilitate enrolment in the Community-Based Health Insurance (CBHI) scheme, health, and education fee waivers, and strengthen the links to social services among the clients of the PSNP in both Amhara Region and Addis Ababa.

To assess and systematically document the added value of the complimentary features – the plus components – a quasi-experimental mixed methods impact evaluations [henceforth, Amhara ISNP Study and Addis Ababa UPSNP Study] has been designed to accompany the intervention. The plus components to be implemented through the pilot ISNP include enrolment in the CBHI, case management support and household responsibilities designed to enhance the access to and uptake of basic services among the clients of the PSNP.

How can you make a difference?

The main objective of this consultancy is to support the qualitative component of the above-mentioned impact evaluations in Ethiopia, with one in-country mission expected to support qualitative data collection activities.

Major areas of work and responsibility:

Baseline data for Amhara ISNP Study were collected between November 2018 and January 2019 with a 12-month follow-up qualitative study was conducted in January – February 2020 to ascertain the progress on implementation of planned interventions, as well as preliminary experiences and perceptions of clients on the implementation. The endline qualitative data were collected between December 2022 and January 2023. For Addis Ababa UPSNP Study, baseline data were collected in June 2021 whilst endline data collection is scheduled for August/September 2023.

The areas of activities for the consultant are specified as follows:

• Develop qualitative interview guides based on established priority research questions for Addis Ababa UPSNP endline data collection;
• Support Addis Ababa UPSNP endline qualitative data collection, including a travel mission to Addis Ababa for enumerators training;
• Support Addis Ababa UPSNP qualitative data transcription process;
• Conduct endline qualitative data analysis for both Addis Ababa UPSNP and Amhara ISNP;
• Draft qualitative sections of the endline report and policy briefs for both Addis Ababa UPSNP and Amhara ISNP.

The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the Social Policy Specialist.

Deliverables schedule

Deliverable/Output:

Tentative due

Addis Ababa UPSNP Study endline qualitative design and data collection tools

1st month

· Develop interview guides and protocol for Focus Group Discussion (FGD’s), Individual In-dept Interview (IDI’s), and Key Informant Interviews (KII’s) based on pre-established priority research questions.

· Determine distribution of sample criteria for FGD’s, IDI’s, and KII’s.

Addis Ababa UPSNP Study endline data collection:

2nd month

· Supervision of training of data collection team (enumerators, supervisors, guides etc.)

· Support endline qualitative data collection supervision

· Support transcription and translation process of FGD’s IDD’s and KII’s

Including a mission to Addis Ababa for the enumerators training

Amhara ISNP Study

2nd month

Endline qualitative data coded and analysed (FGD’s: 2; IDI’s: 30; & KII’s: 16 interviews),

Qualitative results drafted and integrated as part of the Amhara ISNP endline overall report (about 30-40 pages for qualitative sections).

Addis Ababa UPSNP Study

3rd month

Endline qualitative data coded and analysed (FGD’s: 6; IDI’s: 30; & KII’s: 20 interviews),

Qualitative results drafted and integrated as part of the Amhara ISNP endline overall report (about 30-40 pages for qualitative).

Feedback on qualitative findings incorporated into

4th month

· Amhara ISNP Study report

· Addis Ababa UPSNP report

Qualitative findings drafted and integrated in

5th month

· Amhara ISNP Study policy brief (about 5 pages)

· Addis Ababa UPSNP policy brief (about 5 pages)

A draft working paper either based on Amhara ISNP Study analysis or Addis Ababa UPSNP analysis or both further developing key emerging results from the two reports for publication in peer-review journal (25 pages)

8th month

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in social sciences, education, public/social policy, public health or related field *A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.
• A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in conducting qualitative research;
• Experience with fieldwork and qualitative data collection
• Experience with impact evaluations methodologies;
• Experience with qualitative analysis software;
• Ability to organize own work and to carry out a research project with limited supervision according to deadlines;
• Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment and establish harmonious and effective working relationships both within and outside the organization.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

Desirable qualifications:

• Demonstrated experience in qualitative data analysis in relation to quantitative analysis (mixed-methods experience); • Substantive knowledge and publication record in social protection programmes;

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.

1. UNICEF Innocenti does not issue computer equipment to consultants. The consultant will be responsible for providing the necessary computer equipment for the consultancy themselves and should include the cost implications of this responsibility in their bid for the consultancy. The cost of software and subscriptions that may be necessary to complete the consultancy (e.g., Microsoft Word) also needs to be factored into the bid for the consultancy.

2. This consultancy requires the consultant to travel in order to complete the required deliverables effectively and efficiently. The full cost of travel should be included into the bid for the contract. While UNICEF Innocenti does not make travel arrangements for consultants, there are value for money rules that apply to consultant travel. The consultant will arrange their own travel, clear the anticipated cost with UNICEF and invoice UNICEF for the travel cost as soon as the travel has been completed.

3. UNICEF Innocenti will assist consultants with arrangements for visas, work permits, vaccinations, etc.

4. UNICEF does not regard Individuals engaged under a consultancy contract as “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures. Consultants are therefore not entitled to benefits such as leave pension 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.

5. Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed 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. Prospective consultants are encouraged to ensure that they fully understand (a) the requirements of each deliverable and (b) the workload associated with reaching a deliverable.

6. UNICEF Innocenti recognizes that, due to the locations of some of its research, events may occur that either delay deliverables or prevent them from being completed. These events need to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis to determine the impact on the payment schedule of the contract. It is UNICEF Innocenti’s objective to be fair to consultants in situations where deliverables are delayed or no longer attainable through no wrongdoing of the consultant.

7. Consultants 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.