National Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) Consultant with UNICEF Uzbekistan

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.

Background:

The Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) is an international household survey programme developed and supported by UNICEF. MICS is designed to collect estimates of key indicators that are used to assess the situation of children and women. Over the past 20 years, MICS has evolved to respond to changing data needs, expanding from 28 indicators in the first round to more than 200 indicators in the current sixth round, and becoming a key source of data on child protection, early childhood education, and a major source of data on child health and nutrition.

Based on the 2019 Resolutions of the President and the Government of Uzbekistan on conducting the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey in the country, the implementation phase of the project had started in 2020. The Uzbekistan MICS Country Survey Plan was developed jointly with all the relevant partners, presented to the Technical and Steering Committees and reviewed by UNICEF HQ and ECARO. The budget includes funding from the GAVI, UNICEF core resources and government financial and in-kind contribution. The implementation of the Uzbekistan MICS was initiated as per the Country Survey Plan with 726 mahallas selected where 14,520 households to be interviewed as the sample size for the Uzbekistan MICS.

At the same time, COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions imposed inside and outside of the country led to reprioritization and rescheduling the implementation of some MICS activities.

Despite restrictions and complexities due to the Covid-19 pandemic situation, all required activities were completed such as creation of 14 regional teams, PAPI and CAPI pre-tests of questionnaires, listing and mapping training and fieldwork, the main training for 14 regional teams in use of methodology and practical skills for conducting the survey.

Upon completion of the training, the MICS fieldwork for data collection started on 4 April 2021. During the monitoring of the fieldwork, some warning/unexpected trends began to emerge. These concerns were discussed with the SCS and regional teams with further decisions: (1) to stop the data collection completed for 76 percent of the total households from the original sample (as the first stage of the fieldwork) and (2) to conduct an additional survey in 4,448 households from the same PSUs as the second stage of MICS fieldwork.

In August-September 2021 a new Country Survey Plan was developed and agreed with the SCS. Public announcements for vacancies of fieldwork enumerators were made and competitive selection was conducted by the SCS with support of UNICEF. 39 females with diverse backgrounds were selected.

The training on data collection for the MICS was conducted from 19 October to 6 November 2021 for the new teams. As per the training results, 11 teams of enumerators (each includes one supervisor and two interviewers) were formed. On 12 November 2021 the second stage of MICS fieldwork started with final date for completion of the fieldwork on 31 January 2022 followed by an analysis and a presentation of results in June-July 2022.

Purpose of the Job

Under the overall supervision of the M&E Specialist and in close coordination and collaboration with CRM Specialist and the national M&E Specialist, the national MICS Consultant will support and provide guidance to UNICEF Uzbekistan and the SCS for the implementation and completion of the MICS survey in Uzbekistan. The national MICS consultant will advise the SCS, especially the Survey Coordinator and sampling and data processing experts, during survey planning, questionnaire design, sampling, training, fieldwork, data processing, data analysis, dissemination and archiving, ensuring that MICS protocols and recommendations are being followed at all times. The national MICS consultant will communicate effectively between the UNICEF CO and SCS, responding promptly to MICS related needs and issues as they arise.

The national 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. The national MICS 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 national MICS consultant will also work in close collaboration with the regional MICS Coordinator and the Global MICS Team in UNICEF HQ.

Main Tasks Related to the Job

1. Provide technical and managerial support to the MICS survey;
2. Oversee and coordinate implementation of activities corresponding to implementation and completion stages of the MICS survey in Uzbekistan (as listed in the Annex I) and ensure that the MICS protocols and standards are followed at each stage of the survey process;
3. Present the MICS methodology, tools, and guidelines to partners/stakeholders (e.g. ministries, UN Agencies, etc.);
4. Ensure that the Ethical Protocol and other ethical recommendations are addressed in the survey implementation process;
5. Communicate regularly with the UNICEF CO, RO and/or Headquarters (HQ) responding to all MICS related issues in a timely manner;
6. Provide monthly updates on MICS activities to the UNICEF CO/RO/HQ;
7. Coordinate the work of SCS specialists and UNICEF Regional Consultants and other resource persons assigned by the UNICEF Uzbekistan and/or RO to support different survey stages;
8. Ensure that external technical reviews by experts (i.e. Regional Sampling Consultant, Regional Data Processing Consultant, and Regional Household Survey Consultant) are carried out at key survey stages and coordinate the feedback and response between the CO/RO/HQ and SCS;
9. 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, output and tabulation plan tables, syntaxes, datasets, Survey Findings Report (and Final Report), dissemination materials etc.);
10. Facilitate coordination and participate in all MICS Steering and Technical Committee meetings;
11. Participate in, and contribute to, MICS Regional Workshops;
12. 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, RO, and HQ) through all means available.

Deliverables

1. Monthly Progress Reports of activities implementation, including those specifically listed in Annex I, highlighting issues faced and solutions put in place are submitted and cleared by the supervisor;
2. Field trip reports submitted and cleared by the supervisor;
3. Final report capturing the whole MICS process for documentation purposes is submitted and cleared by supervisor (end of consultancy);
4. All survey related documents and deliverables are properly documented and archived throughout the survey process.

Reporting Line

The national MICS consultant will report directly to the M&E Specialist in the UNICEF Uzbekistan Country Office, and will perform the functions in close coordination and collaboration with the CRM Specialist and a national M&E Specialist.

Confidentiality of Data and MICS Documents

The national MICS consultant must respect the complete confidentiality of the MICS data as well as any specific MICS documents that will be produced throughout the MICS process. The national MICS consultant can use the documents and the datasets only for the tasks related to these Terms of Reference.

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

Education:

University degree in Economics, Demography, Statistics, Social Sciences, Epidemiology or any other related technical field is required.

Skills and Experience:

• Proven minimum of 5-year experience in the coordination and/or management of quantitative household surveys (prior MICS or Demographic and Health Survey (DHS)) requested;
• 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 communications in Russian, Uzbek and English languages required;
• Familiarity and previous experience of working with UN and/or UNICEF 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.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

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.

Office Arrangements and Travel Requirements

During the contract period, the consultant is expected to travel extensively within the country. The travel costs will be covered by the UNICEF Uzbekistan as per the UNICEF rules and regulations. The consultant will be based in the UNICEF Uzbekistan and will be provided with the office space.

Estimated Duration of Contract and Fees:

The duration of full-time consultancy should cover 7 months with possibility of extension, depending on the time it will take to finalise the whole MICS process. Only candidates that can commit for this whole duration will be considered.

The final monthly fee payable to a consultant will be based on the “best value for money” principle, i.e., achieving the desired outcome at the lowest possible fee. This contract does not allow payment of off-hours, medical insurances, taxes, sick leave.

Reservations

UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if deliverable(s) incomplete, not finalized or for failure to meet deadlines. UNICEF will reserve copy right of all developed materials and own primary data collected through this assignment. The materials cannot be published or disseminated without prior written permission of UNICEF. UNICEF will be free to adapt and modify them in the future. The contractor must respect the confidentiality of the information handled during the assignment. Documents and information provided must be used only for the tasks related to these terms of reference.

Remarks:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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.