Home-based consultancies (2 positions) to conduct a systematic literature review of the integration of services for children (35 days)

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

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, results

The European Commission has partnered with UNICEF Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia (ECARO) for the Phase III of the Preparatory Action aiming to demonstrate the feasibility of the Child Guarantee. The Child Guarantee is an initiative of the European Commission which aims to ensure that the most vulnerable children in the European Union have access to healthcare, education, childcare, adequate housing and healthy nutrition[1].

As part of Phase III of this preparatory action, UNICEF generates evidence and analyses existing policies in Europe. The aim of this research activity is to contribute to this evidence generation and analysis of existing national policies by helping to understand the enabling and hindering factors cooperation and integration of actions across the five thematic areas of the Child Guarantee listed above. It will consider aspects of integration across various dimensions of the national context, including governance, policy, legal, budgeting and services. Some of the factors influencing service integration and cooperation identified in previous literature are the resources allocated to it, the leadership of management, the level of clarify of job responsibilities, communication and cooperation workflows, and creating trust and common understanding.

How can you make a difference?

We are seeking two consultants to undertake this work. The work requires the delivery of a review of the research literature using systematic and explicit accountable methods. The analysis will involve a search and review of academic peer-reviewed literature and other high-quality outputs in grey literature published in English and in as many other EU languages as possible. The analysis will aim to bring together in an accessible form the best evaluative evidence on integrated approaches to meeting the needs of children across the full age range of childhood from 0 to 18 years old.

Under the guidance of the supervisor, the consultants will be responsible for contributing to all the activities that lead to the delivery of the final report:

1. Literature searching

2. Scanning, selection and reviewing of literature

3. Synthesising themes from the review process

4. Contributing to the final report on the analysis

5. Other activities consistent with the stated objectives of the consultancy

There are several different types of systematic literature reviews that can be used for this assignment. The approach and methods to be used in the implementation of this review will be agreed with UNICEF. This includes drafting and testing jointly with UNICEF a protocol with research questions, a search plan with clear inclusion/exclusion criteria, the coding and analysis of the studies selected and the databases that will be used.

Contractual modalities:

• Duration: Each consultant will work for 35 days between June and end of July 2021.
• Location: The consultants will be home-based. No travel is expected to take place.
• Payment: the consultants will be paid fully upon satisfactory completion of all 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

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

• A first level degree in Social Sciences (Social Policy, Economics, Sociology), Political Science, Public Administration, Statistics, or Knowledge Management.
• Minimum five years of relevant work experience.
• Demonstrated experience of conducting literature reviews.
• Demonstrated experience of producing high-quality reports and other documents to specified deadlines.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment and establish harmonious and effective working relationships both within and outside the organization.
• Ability to organize and conduct work to deadlines with limited supervision.
• Ability to communicate fluently in English in writing and verbally.
• Ability to read materials in one or more additional EU languages.

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.

To apply:

Interested candidates are invited to submit:

1. Letter of interest, including your approach to the assignment and proposed fees (daily) to undertake the above TOR. Please note that applications without a proposed fee will not be accepted.
2. A CV and/or Personal history form (downloadable from http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/P11.doc). Alternatively, if a candidate profile in the UNICEF e-Recruitment System is available, you may download it and submit it as part of application.

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.

[1] https://ec.europa.eu/social/BlobServlet?docId=23788&langId=en