Re-advertisement: International consultancy for the formative evaluation of the project “Modelling Integrated Social Services”

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, development

Azerbaijan has a relatively well-developed social protection system. Social assistance includes categorical benefits such as an old-age pension, disability social allowance, survivor social allowance, birth and adoption grants, guardianship allowances and allowances for large families as well as Targeted Social Assistance (TSA)[1] that is means-tested. In 2019, for instance, 72,979 children with disabilities/limited health were receiving allowances of 82 manats per month. Despite a relatively advanced legal foundation for social work, its mechanisms are underdeveloped and inconsistently applied across the country. The Law on Social Services[2] adopted in 2011 does not clarify the minimum requirements of staffing, professional standards, academic qualification, roles and responsibilities of social workers. Qualified social workers with relevant academic degrees are not entering the state social work workforce. Furthermore, a lack of regularly collected and analysed data on children being separated and cared for outside of their original families, receiving state or non-state services or in need of additional support, as well as children with disabilities and other vulnerable groups make it difficult for the Government to plan precisely social services and other system reforms and monitor their implementation.

[1] The Law on Targeted State Social Assistance (2005). http://www.e-qanun.az/alpidata/framework/data/10/c_f_10854.htm

[2] The Law on Social Services, 2011. http://www.e-qanun.az/framework/23195

How can you make a difference?

****PURPOSE OF THE EVALUATION****

The evaluation is forward-looking and will capture effectively lessons learnt and provide information on nature, extent, relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, and where possible, potential impact and sustainability of the project. The overall purpose of the formative evaluation is to measure the project’s success and the extent to which the project has achieved the planned results.

EVALUATION FRAMEWORK

The project evaluation questions are formulated as per OECD-DAC evaluation criteria: relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability. Additional criteria such as cross-cutting issues such as relevant human rights, including child rights, equity and gender equality, as well as coverage, and coordination should also be used in the evaluation.

METHODOLOGY

The bidders will be requested to propose a detailed methodology as part of the inception report, which should be guided by the UNICEF’s revised Evaluation Policy[1], the Evaluation Norms and Standards of the United Nations Evaluation Group (UNEG)[2], UNICEF Procedure for Ethical Standards in Research, Evaluations and Data Collection and Analysis[3] and UNICEF’s reporting standards..

The process is expected to take place within 4 months’ timeframe starting in early-August 2020.

[1]UNICEF revised evaluation policy https://undocs.org/E/ICEF/2018/14

[2]UNEG Norms:http://www.uneval.org/document/detail/21,UNEG Standards:http://www.uneval.org/document/detail/22

[3]https://www.unicef.org/supply/files/ATTACHMENT_IV-UNICEF_Procedure_for_Ethical_Standards.PDF

****WORKPLAN/EVALUATION MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE/PRESENTATION OF THE TOR****

List of products that will be delivered by the evaluation team

1. Inception Report that includes evaluation methodology and tools
2. Evaluation Report
3. A PowerPoint presentation of the evaluation findings

Quality assurance of inception report and final draft report is mandatory. UNICEF has external quality assurance mechanism provided through Long-Term Agreements.

[1] UNICEF-Adapted UNEG Evaluation Reports Standards, July 2010

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

• Advanced University degree in social science or any other relevant area;
• 8-10 years of professional experience in evaluation and assessment of development projects;
• Previous experience in evaluating projects for child protection and child welfare;
• Demonstrated capacity to analyse the data and write reports, particularly, evaluation reports;
• Facilitation skills, particularly the design of stakeholder consultation exercises as well as participatory methods;
• General knowledge of UN evaluation policy, norms and standards, including a human rights-based approach to programming and results-based management, including gender equality and child;
• Experience in working with UN / UNICEF and EU donors;
• Gender balanced and culturally diverse team with a good understanding of national/regional evaluation expertise will be preferred;
• Excellent mastery of English including in report writing and presentation.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

For more detailed ToR please click here: detailed ToR

Application

Interested individual should submit the following documents:

a) Resume

b) Technical evaluation proposal with a detailed budget;

c) Cover letter including the following items:

1. Evidence of matching with the required qualification

2. References to the previous relevant work

   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.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.