International Consultant: Digital Research and Innovation (Remote) 18 working days, Abuja, Nigeria

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.

In Nigeria, UNICEF works in a complex humanitarian and development setting to fulfill and protect children's rights in partnership with the government, civil society, children, and families. UNICEF Nigeria is one of the largest UNICEF Country Offices globally - click the link to learn more about UNICEF in Nigeria: https://www.unicef.org/nigeria/

How can you make a difference?

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

UNICEF is a key partner of the federal and state governments in Nigeria in addressing issues of child health and safety including the strengthening of routine immunization. As part of broader urban immunization strengthening and zero-dose reduction efforts, UNICEF is planning to pilot the use of a mobile survey, the results of which will be used to inform the design of zero-dose interventions and set a baseline for evaluation in Alimosho and Ikorodu LGAs. If successful, this modality will be used to conduct the Nigeria Country Office’s (NCO) MICS+ survey.

Component 1: Cross-Sectional Study (Digital Health Survey) The aim of the health survey is to understand health access for caregivers and general health, including vaccination and nutrition status of under-two children. The standard questions for both nutrition and immunization surveys, globally will be adapted to a digital platform and will be tested through this research. (MICS, WHO 2020) The questions will be selected in consultation with UNICEF and NCO technical experts.

Component 2: Validation of Mobile Phone Survey through Face-to-Face Surveys The same questionnaire described above will be deployed in a traditional method (at 10% of planned MPS) to understand any differences in response, demographics and bias and will contribute to the statistical analysis and adjustment. Learnings will also be applied to the NCO’s MICS+ survey.

Scope of Work:

Under the direct supervision of the NCO Immunization Team’s Health Specialists in close consultation with the Health and Nutrition Sections, the consultant will lead project development, implementation preparation, execution, data analysis and collection of lessons learned, with input from UNICEF and NCO colleagues: Expected results: 1. Development and execution of a well thought out survey, which is aligned with relevant NCO and Government guidelines and will help inform future programmatic interventions 2. Well informed analysis of collected data that will help inform future programmatic interventions 3. Identification of lessons learned related to the execution of the survey via mobile phone Responsibilities: More specifically, the Digital Research and Innovation Consultant will be responsible for the following: 1. Project development including drafting the survey questions and framework, research protocol, ethics submission, request for proposal document etc. 2. Project implementation preparation including reviewing request for proposal submissions and working with NCO colleagues to liaise with the Government on necessary approvals (e.g. ethics) etc. 3. Project execution including regular coordination with the mobile provider and NCO colleagues, finding solutions to issues as they arise 4. Project data analysis including management of raw data, identifying data trends and reporting 5. Collection and dissemination of lessons learned related to the execution of the survey via mobile phone

Please access the full job description at this link... ToR - Digital Research and Innovation Consultancy (1).pdf

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

• A minimum of five years’ progressively responsible professional work experience in the management of projects and survey development/execution within the national/international health sector
• Preference will be given to candidates who have demonstrated knowledge of and professional experience in at least two of the following areas: Management of immunization- and/or nutrition-related projects
• Experience working with UNICEF working groups
• Experience working with private sector companies to implement mobile phone surveys
• Introduction of innovations in complex contexts
• Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization, or in a global health initiative
• Experience evaluating technical information such as stability studies, comparative dissolution, analytical methods, certificates of analysis, manufacturing processes, manufacturing quality control measures, product usability
• Fluency in written and spoken English 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.

Please submit your all-inclusive financial and technical proposal along with the application. Application without these will not be entertained.