Social Protection Consultant, Brasilia (remote), Brazil

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

Climate change has been causing increasingly frequent and extreme natural disasters in Brazil and worldwide. Vulnerable children and adolescents, along with their families, have fewer resources to relocate or adapt to climate change. Often, they live in geographically exposed areas to disasters and experience the first and most intense impacts of socio-environmental shocks and their secondary economic consequences. In Brazil, the Semiarid and the Amazon Region are among the most affected areas by disasters in the last decade and with a high percentage of municipalities under surveillance for disasters[1]. At the same time, the prevalence of multidimensional child poverty[2] in both regions is alarming, a major challenge to address.

Brazil has a robust intergovernmental social protection system that aims to support vulnerable families in guaranteeing their rights and overcoming inequalities and poverty, including during social and environmental shocks. Despite its robustness, the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed challenges in adapting social protection services and benefits to ensure an effective and timely response to large-scale shocks, particularly at the state and municipal levels. In addition, climate change and the high risk of new socio and environmental shocks in various regions make it essential for the Unified Social Assistance System (SUAS) to advance in the preparation and response to emergencies, which, in turn, strengthen the system as a whole.

Considering its expertise in emergencies, including the development of guidelines and implementation of initiatives at the municipal level to strengthen the Unified Social Assistance System (SUAS), UNICEF is working to scale up tools to support SUAS at the municipal level in the preparation and response to emergencies.

PURPOSE

UNICEF Brazil is looking for a consultant who will technically support the refinement and dissemination of an assessment tool and the development of recommendations to support SUAS at the municipal level to prepare and respond to emergencies in synergy with current UNICEF initiatives at municipal level such as the UNICEF Seal. The consultant will work under the supervision of the Chief of Social Policy, Monitoring & Evaluation.

Expected results:

The expected results are:

1. Refinement of the Shock Responsive Social Protection assessment tool already developed by UNICEF to allow scaling-up.
2. Development of customized recommendations according to the level of shock responsiveness.
3. Technical support to the IT team developing the digital version of the assessment tool.
4. Technical support to develop instructional and communicational material to disseminate the assessment tool and recommendations.
5. Liaison with key stakeholders and partners at municipal, state and federal level, including the Ministry of Social Development and Social Assistance, Family and Fight Against Hunger.

Deliverables

Deliverable 1: Workplan with a detailed timeline for all three expected results.

The work plan should be developed according to the expected results mentioned in this Terms of Reference and in alignment with the UNICEF Social Policy team.

Deadline: 10 days from the beginning of the contract

Payment: 0% of the contract fee

Deliverable 2: Initial version of the Shock Responsive Social Protection (SRSP) self-assessment form.

This deliverable includes the questions, choices/items, and the weighting system under three categories: preparedness, response and recovery and should be based on the tool already developed by UNICEF.

Deadline: 2 months from the beginning of the contract

Payment: 25% of the contract fee

Deliverable 3: Evaluation matrix with recommendations

This deliverable should include recommendations for each social protection shock-responsiveness (SPSR) level, with a step-by-step orientation and links to documents that will support municipalities to improve their SPSR level.

Deadline: 4 months from the beginning of the contract

Payment: 25% of the contract fee

Deliverable 4: Dissemination plan and monitoring & evaluation framework for the initiative

This deliverable should include strategies, activities, resources, and a timeline to engage at least 800 municipalities, focusing on those in surveillance for disasters risk.

Deadline: 6 months from the beginning of the contract

Payment: 10% of the contract fee

Deliverable 5: Report on the initial 2 months of the initiative

This deliverable should include the dissemination plan status per strategy, updated indicators of usage and performance of the assessment tool and recommendations to increase municipalities’ participation.

Deadline: 8 months from the beginning of the contract

Payment: 20% of the contract fee

Deliverable 6: Final report

This deliverable should include the dissemination plan status per strategy, updated indicators of usage and performance of the assessment tool, lessons learned and recommendations for the initiative, including a technical proposal to link the initiative with the next UNICEF Seal edition.

Deadline: 10 months from the beginning of the contract

Payment: 20% of the contract fee

PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

• Drive for results
• Quality of analysis and reports
• Timely delivery of results
• Ability to communicate
• Accuracy of deliverables

KEY COMPETENCIES, TECHNICAL BACKGROUND, AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

• Bachelor's or master’s degree in Social Work, Social Sciences, Political Science, or another related field.
• Minimum of three years of professional experience with social protection public policies.
• Advanced knowledge of the Unified Social Assistance System (SUAS).
• Knowledge of SUAS in emergencies will be considered an asset.
• Experience in the development and analysis of surveys will be considered an asset;
• Professional experience in Climate Change or Disaster Risk Reduction will be considered an asset.
• Experience in social work in a government body (federal, state, or municipal level) is an asset.
• Fluency in Portuguese is mandatoy.

FINANCIAL PROPOSAL

All interested applicants should send a financial proposal specifying the total amount charged for the entire consultancy. Currency should be Brazilian Reais. It is highly recommended to send the financial proposal as an annex to the application.

Also be informed that the financial proposal should include all travel costs related to this service. Travel plan should include 2 travels to Recife (PE) and 2 travels to Belém (PA) for at least a 3-day period.

General Conditions: Procedures and Logistics

• The consultant will work from home using own equipment and stationery. UNICEF will provide office space for consultative meetings when needed;
• Expenses related to travels (if any) will be covered by UNICEF and paid to the contractor as per UNICEF travel rules and regulations;
• No contract may commence unless the contract is signed by both UNICEF and the consultant;
• Consultants will not have supervisory responsibilities or authority on UNICEF budget.

Financial Proposal

• Costs indicated are estimated. Final rate shall follow “best value for money” principle, i.e., achieving the desired outcome at the lowest possible fee.
• A financial proposal including the fee for the assignment based on the deliverables and number of days must be submitted. Consultants are asked to stipulate all-inclusive fees, including lump sum travel (following the instructions on the financial proposal) and subsistence costs, as applicable.
• The payment will be based on the submission of agreed deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

Insurance and health coverage

• The contractor is fully responsible for arranging, at his or her own expenses, such life, health and other forms of insurance covering the term of the contract as he or she considers appropriate.

• The contractor is not eligible to participate in the life or health insurance schemes available to UNICEF and United Nations staff members.

  Restrictions

• Consultants may not receive training at the expense of UNICEF. Notwithstanding, consultants and individual contracts must complete the applicable mandatory trainings.

• In case of government officials, the contract cannot be issued without prior written clearance by the Government​, or unless on leave without pay.

Remarks:

Individuals engaged under a consultancy 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. Consultants 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.

[1] CEMADEM: https://www.gov.br/cemaden/pt-br

[2] UNICEF: https://www.unicef.org/brazil/media/26726/file/unicef_pobreza-multidimensional-na-infancia-e-adolescencia_2022.pdf