Social Protection Consultant for study on Bolsa Familia beneficiaries, Brasilia (remote), Brazil

Consultant Programme & Policy Monitoring & Evaluation

Overview

Develop a study on social deprotection for Bolsa Familia beneficiaries.

You have:

• Advanced degree in social sciences, statistics, economics, social work or related fields.
• 5 years of relevant experience in poverty studies, multidimensional poverty and/or deprivation analysis.
• Proven experience conducting quantitative research related to child rights.
• Proven experience with statistical software and/or programming languages for research (R, SPSS, Stata or Python).
• Fluency in Portuguese.
• PhD in social sciences, statistics, economics, social work or related fields (desirable).
• Previous work writing studies, assessments, or evaluation reports for UN agencies (desirable).
• Previous work with governmental research institutes or research-oriented departments (desirable).
• Fluency in English (desirable).

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, respect

Brazil has made important progress in tackling child poverty over the last decades, nevertheless, there are still important challenges to cope with. More than 20.3 million children and adolescents (0-14 years old) lived in monetary poverty (46.2%) and 5.8 lived in extreme monetary poverty (13.4%) in 2021[1]. In addition, approximately 32 million children live in multidimensional poverty[2], deprived of at least one basic right. A better understanding of basic rights’ deprivation includes the investigation of the public policies' demand and supply in different sectors and across all the government levels.

An opportunity to better understand the deprivations of families living in poverty is through the Bolsa Familia program (PBF). The conditionalities of PBF are monitored by the system Sicon. Also, to receive the benefit, the family must be registered in the Single Registry (Cadastro Único). Nowadays, Cadastro Unico includes information about more than 94 million people regarding income, education and access to services, among others. The detailed information of PBF’s beneficiaries available on Cadastro Único, Sicon, along with other complementary system databases are rich sources of information to investigate possible social deprotections and gaps in the public services supply for the most vulnerable families.

This investigation allow (i) mapping of the main needs of the PBF beneficiaries and review of the public priorities at the municipal level (ii) design strategies for specific public policies at the municipal level; and enable (iii) the Ministry of Development and Social Assistance, Family and Fight against Hunger (MDAS) and the Federal Government internal dialogue about priorities and implementation gaps in public policies and federal initiatives at local level (iv) the dialogue between the federal government and states about the priorities and gaps of implementation gaps in public policies and state and federal initiatives considering the federative pact and the intersectoral dimension.

Considering its expertise in evidence generation and social protection public policies, UNICEF has partnered up with the National Department of Citizenship Income (SENARC) of MDAS to advance in better understanding the deprotections and gaps in public policies’ supply for the most vulnerable families through the development and dissemination of a study using data from Cadastro Unico, PBF Conditionalities system (Sicon), also exploring other registries as the Programa Bolsa Família management system (SIGPBF), Social Assistance (Censo SUAs, RMA, among others) and the Education Census.

[1] IBGE (2022). Síntese de Indicadores Sociais. Disponível em: https://biblioteca.ibge.gov.br/index.php/biblioteca-catalogo?view=detalhes&id=2101979

[2] UNICEF (2022). Disponível em: https://www.unicef.org/brazil/media/22676/file/multiplas-dimensoes-da-pobreza-na-infancia-e-na-adolescencia-no-brasil.pdf

How can you make a difference?

UNICEF Brazil, in partnership with the Ministry of Development and Social Assistance, Family, and Fight Against Hunger, is looking for a social protection consultant who will develop a study regarding social deprotection and gaps in public policies concerning the Bolsa Familia beneficiaries at municipal level, with a focus on families with children and adolescents. Under the supervision of the Chief of Social Policy, Monitoring and Evaluation and South-South Cooperation, the consultant will work directly with the technical team of the National Department of Citizenship Income (SENARC).

The expected results are:

1. Mapping and systematization of relevant databases do carry out the study;

2. Research plan, including a detailed plan for the data analysis;

3. Report including a brief literature review, detailed methodology, detailed data analysis, conclusions and recommendations for policymakers at federal, state and municipal levels;

4. Organization and sharing of databases created by the consultant, analytic files (tables and graphs) and codes/scripts used for the analyses.

Observations

All code developed for the analysis, including tables and graphs, should be in R, Stata or Python, properly commented and will be open sourced with the publication of the final report.

Deliverables

Deliverable 1: Work plan with a detailed timeline

The work plan should be developed according to the expected results mentioned in this Terms of Reference and alignment with the National Department of Citizenship Income (SENARC) and UNICEF.

Deadline: 10 days from the beginning of the contract

Payment: 0% of the contract fee

Deliverable 2: Report with the mapping and systematization of relevant databases

This deliverable should include a summary of the databases and their use in connection to the research questions.

Deadline: 1 month from the beginning of the contract

Payment: 15% of the contract fee

Deliverable 3: Research plan

This deliverable should include research question(s) and detailed plan for the data analysis

Deadline: 1.5 month from the beginning of the contract

Payment: 15% of the contract fee

Deliverable 4: Intermediate report

This report should include an exploratory data analysis with initial findings and possible adjustments to the research plan.

Deadline: 4 months from the beginning of the contract

Payment: 20% of the contract fee

Deliverable 5: Final research report including a brief literature review, detailed methodology, detailed data analysis, conclusions, and recommendations for policymakers at the federal, state and municipal levels.

This deliverable should also include the databases created by the consultant, analytic files (tables and graphs) and codes/scripts used for the analyses.

Deadline: 6.5 months from the beginning of the contract

Payment: 30% of the contract fee

Deliverable 6: Adapted two-pager reports to municipalities with main evidence and recommendations.

The two-pager reports should include summarized data analysis and recommendations for policymakers at municipal levels.

Deadline: 8 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

Required:

• Advanced degree in social sciences, statistics, economics, social work or related fields.
• 5 years of relevant experience in poverty studies, multidimensional poverty and/or deprivation analysis.
• Proven experience conducting quantitative research related to child rights.
• Proven experience with statistical software and/or programming languages for research (R, SPSS, Stata or Python).
• Fluency in Portuguese.

Desirable:

• PhD in social sciences, statistics, economics, social work or related fields.
• Previous work writing studies, assessments, or evaluation reports for UN agencies.
• Previous work with governmental research institutes or research-oriented departments.
• Fluency in English.

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.

General Conditions: Procedures and Logistics

• The consultant will work from home using own equipment and stationery. UNICEF and the National Department of Citizenship Income (SENARC) based in Brasilia 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 or individual Contractor
• 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 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:

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

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.

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Potential interview questions

Added 3 years ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: unicef.org