International Consultancy (MICS7 Survey Consultant), Freetown, Sierra Leone, 175 working days (12 months), Onsite - Open only to non-Sierra Leoneans

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, a champion

Please access UNICEF Sierra Leone information here and here

How can you make a difference?

Purpose of Assignment:

Under the overall supervision of the Chief of Evidence, Policy and Social Protection, the MICS Consultant will support and provide guidance to UNICEF Sierra Leone and Statistics SL for the preparation, implementation and completion of the MICS survey in Sierra Leone. The MICS Consultant will advise and support Statistics SL, especially the Survey Coordinator and sampling and data processing experts, during survey planning, questionnaire design, sampling, training, fieldwork, data processing, data analysis, reporting, dissemination and archiving, ensuring that MICS protocols and recommendations are being always followed. The MICS Consultant will communicate effectively between the UNICEF CO and Statistics SL, responding promptly to MICS-related needs and issues as they arise.

The MICS Consultant will be responsible for coordinating and supporting the work of other resource persons hired by UNICEF to provide technical assistance to the MICS process, as applicable. The consultant will work in close collaboration with the survey team, the stakeholders, and Steering and Technical Committees and will represent UNICEF in meetings and workshops in relation to the survey as needed. The MICS Consultant will also work in close collaboration with the Regional MICS Coordinator at the UNICEF Western and Central Africa Regional Office (WCARO) and the MICS Team at UNICEF Headquarters (HQ), as well as experts and consultants assigned to support the Sierra Leone MICS (collectively labeled “The UNICEF MICS Team”).

Scope of Work

The consultancy covers the following areas of responsibility:

1. Provide technical and managerial support to the MICS,
2. Present the MICS methodology, tools, and guidelines to partners/stakeholders (e.g., ministries, UN Agencies, etc.),
3. Finalise, in collaboration with national partners and UNICEF Sierra Leone, the Survey Plan and Budget, including the timetable, and share with the Regional MICS Coordinator,
4. Ensure that the Ethical Protocol and other ethical recommendations are addressed in the survey implementation process and that all MICS-related documents are shared with the national Ethical Committee on time for approval,
5. Oversee each stage of the survey process and ensure that the MICS protocols and standards are followed by Statistics SL, more specifically during training and field supervision visits,
6. Communicate regularly with UNICEF Sierra Leone and the UNICEF MICS Team, responding to all MICS-related issues in a timely manner,
7. Provide monthly updates on MICS activities to UNICEF Sierra Leone and Regional MICS Coordinator,
8. Coordinate the work of Statistics SL specialists and the UNICEF MICS Team, and other resource persons assigned by the UNICEF CO and/or the UNICEF MICS Team to support different survey stages,
9. Ensure that external technical reviews by experts (i.e., Sampling, Data Processing, and Household Survey experts and consultants) are carried out at key survey stages and coordinate the feedback and response between the CO, the UNICEF MICS Team and Statistics SL,
10. Ensure that all survey-related documents and deliverables are properly archived throughout the survey process (for example: Memorandum of Understanding, Survey Plan and Budget, questionnaires, manuals, sample design, training/pre-test reports, expert reports, CAPI application, field check tables, output and tabulation plan tables, syntaxes, datasets, cluster geocodes, boundary shapefiles, Survey Findings Report, Statistical Snapshots, dissemination materials, etc.),
11. Participate in all MICS Steering and Technical Committee meetings,
12. Participate in, and contribute to MICS Regional Workshops,
13. Organise, as required, and facilitate the national Data Interpretation and Report Compilation Workshop,
14. Ensure that lessons learned, problems, and good practices are documented throughout the MICS process and rapidly shared with the MICS community (other MICS implementing countries and the UNICEF MICS Team) through all means available,
15. Support planning and customisation of other MICS initiatives (MICS Plus, MICS GIS, MICS Link) in collaboration with the relevant experts of these initiatives from the Global MICS Team.

Please access full JD here VA ToR - International Consultant - MICS Survey.pdf

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

• An advanced university degree in Demography, Statistics, Social Sciences, Public Health, Epidemiology, or any other related technical field is required.

Experience:

• Proven minimum of five years’ experience in the coordination and/or management of quantitative household surveys (prior MICS or Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) preferred),
• Strong computer skills and strong expertise in statistical analyses (familiarity with data processing and data analysis software, particularly SPSS),
• Experience with CAPI data collection,
• Training experience and ability to organise and facilitate training and presentations,
• Experience in data analysis and survey report writing.

Other Competencies:

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills,
• Excellent oral and written communication in English required,
• Familiarity and previous experience of working in Sierra Leone and/or in the region are highly desirable,
• Demonstrated ability to work in a multicultural environment and to establish harmonious and effective relationships both within and outside the organisation, more specifically with National Statistical Offices,
• Demonstrated leadership, managerial and supervisory ability,
• Ability and willingness to travel extensively in-country and to attend regional workshops.
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
• Fluency in English combined with strong oral, presentation and written communication skills is required.

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.