Consultancy - National qualitative researcher on the ASPECT study in Pakistan - Innocenti-Global Off Research & Foresight - approx. 143 working days - Pakistan, remote/work from home

UNICEF Innocenti is seeking an experienced qualitative researcher based in Pakistan, to co-lead the qualitative component of the impact evaluation, including inception Key Informant Interviews (KIIs), three rounds of qualitative data collection and related research briefs, as well as contribution to baseline and endline reports. The researcher will work in close collaboration with an international qualitative researcher. Five internal missions are planned, including in the interior of the country in areas covered by MRVs, with focus on Balochistan and Sindh. All travel is dependent on securing the appropriate permits and security clearance before departure, in close collaboration with UNICEF Pakistan.

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For every child, the right to answers 

The Social and Economic Policy (SEP) unit at UNICEF Innocenti is collaborating with the UNICEF Evaluation Office, UNICEF Country Offices and other stakeholders on the project Adaptive Social Protection – Evidence for Child Outcomes (ASPECT). The ASPECT project is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), with the goal of learning what works, and how, to make social protection systems more adaptive to shocks (such as droughts or floods), thus allowing better protection of households in fragile settings.

Within ASPECT, SEP is leading a mixed methods evaluation of adaptive social protection in Pakistan.

The study focuses on the One Window Mobile Registration Vans (MRVs), which are deployed in remote areas of the country to support household registration in the National Socio-Economic Registry (NSER). The NSER is then used to determine household eligibility to the national social protection programme (Benazir Income Support Programme, BISP). The MRVs were introduced to facilitate registration of more vulnerable households, such as poorer households living in remote areas. MRVs cover a subset of districts across the provinces of Balochistan, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Islamabad.
The study will assess the extent to which MRVs make the NSER more complete, more inclusive of vulnerable population groups, and more responsive to shocks. The study includes a process evaluation (qualitative) and an impact evaluation (quantitative). The process evaluation will focus on operational aspects of the MRVs, studying three different ‘operational modalities’ (varying based on the types of services offered by MRVs). Three rounds of qualitative data collection are planned, corresponding to the three operational modalities.
The main study outputs will be a baseline report and an endline report. The baseline report will focus on quantitative analysis, while the endline report will be mixed methods and include the results of the process evaluation.

How can you make a difference? 

The purpose of this consultancy is to co-lead the qualitative component of a mixed-method impact evaluation of an adaptive social protection initiative in Pakistan (under the ASPECT research programme), in collaboration with an international qualitative researcher.

1. Desk review and design of the qualitative component (protocol, instruments, ethics), with the international consultant.
2. Conduct 6 KIIs during study inception, to gather more information on the MRV initiative and its implementation, thus supporting the precise definition of the three ‘operational modalities’ mentioned above; co-write a memo on the outcome of KIIs, in collaboration with the international researcher (who will conduct additional 4 KIIs, in parallel.
3. Conduct training of the data collection team, in collaboration with the international researcher.
4. Conduct coding of the transcripts (using Nvivo), analysis and writing of the qualitative findings, in collaboration with the national researcher.
5. Co-write three research briefs on the three operational modalities.
6. Triangulation of the quantitative findings and co-drafting of the mixed-method report (draft version).
7. Presentation of triangulated findings during validation workshop.
8. Co-drafting of the final version of the mixed-method report, based on all feedback received (validation workshop, internal and external reviews).
9. Dissemination activities (including policy brief and a ppt), in collaboration with the international researcher.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Terms of Reference here:  GORaF_TOR_SEP_ASPECT_Pakistan_Qualitative_National EXT.pdf

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

Minimum requirements:

• Education: Advanced university degree (Master's of higher) in sociology, anthropology, public/social policy, public health, education, or related field. 
• Work Experience: At least 5 years of of professional experience in qualitative research and evaluation in Pakistan. Demonstrated knowledge of the Pakistan context, including at least part of the areas of interest for the study (Balochistan, Sindh, KP, Islamabad); Demonstrated experience with qualitative research design; Demonstrated experience with fieldwork and qualitative data collection (key informant interviews, focus groups, in-depth interviews); Demonstrated experience in qualitative analysis, including using qualitative data analysis software such as NVivo, Atlas.ti, etc.; Experience with mixed-method research
• Skills: Excellent writing skills; Ability to organize own work and to carry out a research project with limited supervision according to deadlines; Ability to establish harmonious and effective working relationships both within and outside the organisation; Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment
• Language Requirements: Ability to speak and write fluently in English and Urdu;

Desirables:

• PhD in anthropology, sociology, public/social policy, international development, public health, education or related field;
  Expertise in social protection (including shock-responsive social protection) and related topics demonstrated by publications in social protection research;
• Research experience in fragile countries, vulnerable to extreme weather events and/or conflict;
• Relevant research experience working with UNICEF, other international organizations, and/or national partners in any of the UNICEF regions.
• Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts. 

For every Child, you demonstrate:

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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. 

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. 

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.