National Consultant for Social Policy, Damascus Field Office, Syria

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

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For every child, Hope

BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE

Ten years of conflict have had a devastating impact on Syria’s economy and social fabric. The conflict has increased regional inequalities and led to a war economy. Moreover, with the depreciation of Syrian Pound, new sanctions, the Lebanese financial crisis, and COVID-19 outbreak, people are pushed into immeasurable suffering and massive economic loss. Prices have been jumping, and the monthly food cost, as per WFP’s Bulletin, has increased on average by 251% between Nov 2019 and Nov 2020. These factors have driven the poverty rates up. It is estimated that 86% of the population lived below the poverty line, and 71% below the extreme poverty line by the beginning of 2020. Before the pandemic, 41.90% of households (HH) could cover their expenses, while currently, only 9.7% can do so. This is exacerbated by a severe lack of opportunities to attain employable skills and working capital. About two-thirds HHs lost one or more income sources, and about half lost between 75% to 100% of their previous income.

Thus, humanitarian needs of people across Syria continue to be extensive. The UN and partners estimate 11.7 million people in Syria require multi-sectorial humanitarian assistance, including 5 million people in acute need. Children, including those unaccompanied, separated or living with older/disabled caregivers, remain particularly vulnerable. Out of the estimated 8.44 million children living in the Syrian Arab Republic, 5 million require humanitarian assistance and over 3.1 million children under-5 require nutritional support, as well as 1.6 million pregnant and lactating women.

UNICEF Syria in coordination with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour (MoSAL) implements different interventions that aim to protect children and their families. These interventions are implemented under two programmes: (i) Integrated social protection for children with disabilities and (ii) Basic Needs Support programme.

UNICEF started running the unconditional cash transfer scheme for children with complex disabilities, complemented by case management and capacity development initiatives aimed at introducing an integrated model of social protection and social services in the late 2016. In a context where poverty is widespread, families with children with severe disabilities have less opportunities to provide for their livelihoods – mainly as a result of full-time care requirements and disruption of social care services. Therefore, the cash transfer programme serves as an income support for this particularly vulnerable group of families.

The main objective of the other programme, UNICEF’s Basic Need Support programme, is to protect the most vulnerable children especially those affected by the crisis and displacement from harsh weather conditions. The right to adequate clothing is a universal human right and is, as such, recognized in various human rights instruments. This programme has two components: clothing kits and cash assistance. After three years of following e-voucher modality, UNICEF replaced its Basic Needs Support e-voucher programme with an unconditional cash transfer to support vulnerable families cope with the economic hardship and increased cost of living or loss of income during wintertime. This component complements the other component of distributing clothing kits; while the distribution of in-kind assistance targets children in the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps and remote rural areas, the cash transfer programme targets vulnerable families in impoverished urban areas where competitive markets are reasonably accessible.

Find out how UNICEF programmes drive change for children and young people every day, in Syria by visiting this: www.unicef.org/syria

How can you make a difference?

OBJECTIVES OF THE CONSULTANCY

Under the technical supervision of the Chief of Social Policy and overall supervision of the Chief of Field Office Damascus, the consultant is responsible to provide technical support and assistance in all stages of Social Policy programming and related advocacy from strategic planning and formulation to delivery of concrete and sustainable results. This includes programmes aimed at improving public policies to reduce child poverty, improve social protection coverage and impact on children, and governance, decentralization and accountability measures to increase public participation and the quality, equity and coverage of social services. This encompasses both direct programme work with government and civil society partners as well as linkages and support to teams working on education, health, child protection, water and sanitation.

SCOPE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

1. Integrated Social Protection Programme for Children with Disabilities

The Programme combines cash transfer with case management services to address both economic and social vulnerabilities of the vulnerable children and their families. While the cash transfer responds to the “demand side” barriers, in terms of financial barriers to access services, the key role of the case managers is to ensure that certain “supply side” barriers, such as, unfavourable attitudes or reluctance of schools to enroll children with severe disabilities, are being addressed.

UNICEF works with a wide range of partners including the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour, Departments of Social Affairs and Labour (DOSAL), local NGOs, private money transfer companies, and other service providers for the implementation of this programme. The Consultant will be accountable for the coordination, implementation and monitoring of the programme in the Field Office’s Area of Responsibility in close coordination with the Social Policy Section:

1. Conducts need assessments and contribute to the planning exercises
2. Conducts vetting of the potential implementing partners at the field level
3. Coordinates the development of the cooperation agreements with the identified implementing partners
4. Coordinates the implementation with the Implementing Partners, vendors and relevant local authorities.
5. Conducts pre-distribution verification to ensure that the targeted households meet the defined selection criteria
6. Coordinates, verifies, finalises and submits the beneficiary lists for every round of cash transfer
7. Assists in coordination of the case management training for the implementing partners in close collaboration with Child Protection team
8. Conducts regular on-site monitoring, including, regular monitoring visits to the distribution posts of the financial institution; regular visits and contacts
9. with the implementing partners to ensure that the programme is implemented according to the defined standards and procedures;
10. Monitors the implementation of the case management component and effectiveness of the referral pathways
11. Coordinates with the implementing partners to ensure that corrective actions are undertaken based on the findings of monitoring exercises
12. Coordinates the Post Distribution Monitoring Surveys and other relevant quantitative and qualitative data collection exercises at the Filed Office level
13. Contribute to effective coordination with the sector at the field level
14. Provides inputs to regular and ad hoc reporting exercises

2. Basic Need Support Programme: Non Food Items (NFIs) and cash

The main objective of UNICEF’s basic need support programme is to protect the most vulnerable children especially those affected by the crisis and displacement from harsh weather conditions, through distribution of children clothes kits as well as e-voucher/cash for children clothes. While distribution of in-kind winter kits to people in the hard-to-reach areas and where the local markets are not accessible is a life-saving intervention, the winter cash programme targets vulnerable families in impoverished urban areas where markets are reasonably accessible. Enhancing people’s agency, upholding their dignity, and increasing the programme effectiveness are at the heart of the e-voucher winter programme.

The Consultant is accountable for the coordination, implementation and monitoring of the Basic Need Support Programme in the Field Office’s Area of Responsibility:

1. Conducts need assessments and contributes to the planning exercises
2. Conducts vetting of the potential implementing partners at the field level
3. Coordinates the development of the cooperation agreements with the identified implementing partners for both in-kind and voucher/cash components
4. Coordinates the implementation with the Implementing Partners, vendors and relevant local authorities.
5. Coordinates the training of vendors and implementing partners on the e-voucher/cash programme and its implementation modalities
6. Coordinates and supervise the voucher reconciliation process
7. Conducts regular on-site monitoring, including, regular monitoring visits to the distribution points; regular visits and contacts with the implementing partners to ensure that the programme is implemented according to the defined standards and procedures
8. Coordinates the Post Distribution Monitoring Surveys and other relevant quantitative and qualitative data collection exercises at the Filed Office level
9. Contributes to effective coordination with the sector at the field level
10. Provides inputs to regular and ad hoc reporting exercises

DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENT (TASKS, SMART DELIVERABLES, DEADLINES):

LOCATION: GEOGRAPHIC AREA/ DUTY STATION

Damascus, with frequent travel to Rural Damascus, Dar'a, As-Sweida, Quneitra and any other required Governorates

On-site working days: all working days during the consultancy

Off-site working days: none

Field Missions/Travel: about 20% of time

DURATION

Estimated 11.5 months from 01 June 2021

SUPERVISOR: The consultant will be supervised by the Chief of Field Office Damascus under the technical supervision of the Chief of Social Policy

TRAVEL CONSIDERATIONS:

For individual contractors and consultants, all travel arrangements to commence the assignment, including insurance and visas, will be managed and paid by the individual. Therefore, expected travel costs must be included as a budget item in the financial proposal. Should “mission travel” be required, UNICEF will manage and pay for travel via Travel Authorization. However, this will be subject to the following prerequisites: Medical Clearance, Security Clearance through the Travel Request Information Process (TRIP) system, the Basic and Advanced Security in the Field Trainings, Travel Visa, and liability waiver. Trip prerequisites will be met at the expense of the consultant.

Travel cost shall be calculated based on economy class travel, regardless of the length of travel. Costs for accommodation, meals and incidentals shall not exceed applicable daily subsistence allowance (DSA) rates, as promulgated by the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC at http://icsc.un.org). The consultant must travel on UNICEF approved airlines.

PAYMENT SCHEDULE

Lump-sum payment will be made monthly

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

• A university degree in Social Policy, Economics, Public Policy, Social Sciences, Political Sciences, Development Studies or other relevant technical fields with 5 years of relevant experience
• Seven years of relevant work experience combined with a university degree in other disciplines may be accepted in lieu of the university degree in the above-specified fields.
• A minimum of five years of relevant professional experience is required.
• Experience working in a developing country is considered as a strong asset.
• Background and/or familiarity with emergency is considered as a strong asset.
• Fluency in English and Arabic is required.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA)

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are...

Core Competencies

• Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (1)
• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (2)
• Works Collaboratively with others (2)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (2)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (2)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (2)
• Drives to achieve impactful results (2)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (2)

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.

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.

UNICEF only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/