National Consultancy: Ministry of Social Development (MoSD) monitoring and evaluation (M&E) consultancy (7 months - 3days/week)

MoSD and UNICEF propose to engage a consultant who would support MoSD in strengthening its capacity for M&E. The objective of the consultancy is to promote the efficiency and sustainability of social protection services to poor and vulnerable populations in the State of Palestine. The specific objective of this assignment is to develop and enhance skills of MoSD staff in relation to preparing statistical analysis using available data on children and to make informed decisions based on the evidence.

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Background

The Ministry of Social Development (MoSD) is responsible for national social protection policy development and coordination, formulation and supervision of social protection service delivery. For the past decade, MoSD, in cooperation with various national and international partners, has provided social protection services to hundreds of thousands of vulnerable groups, with a particular focus on cash and food transfers targeting families living in extreme poverty.

In the latest Social Development Sector Strategy, MoSD has undertaken to strengthen a systems-based approach to social protection. Specifically this is implemented through the introduction of an on-line case management system, where case workers link their clients to relevant programmes and services depending on their specific needs and vulnerabilities. The new system is expected to promote integration of social transfers and social services and help forge stronger relationships between different departments within MOSD, as well as MOSD and other line ministries.

One of the key challenges hindering the development of systems-based social protection is its weak monitoring and evaluation (M&E), which is the most basic elements of results based management. Consequently, increased support is needed to develop a comprehensive M&E system as an integral part of systems-based social protection system.

Purpose of the Assignment

MoSD and UNICEF propose to engage a consultant who would support MoSD in strengthening its capacity for M&E. The objective of the consultancy is to promote the efficiency and sustainability of social protection services to poor and vulnerable populations in the State of Palestine. The specific objective of this assignment is to develop and enhance skills of MoSD staff in relation to preparing statistical analysis using available data on children and to make informed decisions based on the evidence.

Assignment Tasks

The major tasks to be undertaken include the following:

1. Establish two core groups of trainees on the basis of defined parameters: one for staff of social service related General Directorates (GDs) of MoSD (‘Monitoring and Evaluation team’), the other for decision-makers from these DGs preferably at the level of directors (‘decision-makers’).
2. Extract and prepare those data from the MoSD database which are relevant for the work of the involved GDs, add additional relevant data from other sources, define variables per each participating GD and convert these variables into SPSS format
3. Provide general training to social service decision makers at Director level in relation to taking decisions based on statistical evidence
4. Provide general training to the members of the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) team focusing on staff from the Directorate of Family and Child Affairs regarding statistical concepts, methods, reporting and analysis.
5. Provide on-going on-the-job training to decision-makers in relation to taking decisions based on statistical evidence with their own field of interventions
6. Provide on-going on-the-job training to members of the M&E team based on statistical evidence with their own field of interventions
7. Provide training for the M&E team on the production of policy papers and reports.
8. Sum up and extract the experience made with the on-going on-the-job training programmes, prepare recommendations in relation to developing sustainable structures for the preparation and utilization of statistical analysis within MoSD and present them to MoSD.

Expected Deliverables **Please refer to the attached TOR for a detailed description **

The expected results from this consultancy are:

1. A core group of staff from the social service related GDs will be able to prepare statistical analysis on the basis of available data on children and develop policy papers and reports.
2. A core group of decision-makers (technical general directorates) will be able to take policy and planning decisions based on statistical evidence

3. MoSD will have concrete recommendations regarding the sustainable gathering and analysis of data and their strategic utilization for better decisions and planning.

   The consultant will be expected to coordinate his/her activities closely with other development partners including the EU, World Bank, WFP and Save the Children.

The outputs of this consultancy will include:

1. List of selected members of the two core groups representing staff working in social service-related GDs and decision makers in the respective GDs (preferably) Director Level
2. Develop and operationalize a training plan for the implementation of on-going training in statistical analysis to the two core groups of trainees
3. Regular monthly update meetings with MoSD headquarters HRD GD on the basis of which a monthly report will be prepared
4. Training manuals and short report on general training provided to both core groups
5. On-the-job training to both core groups to be performed over a period of 7 months.
6. Summary workshop to present experience gained as well as conclusions and recommendations made for sustaining training project.
7. Written report on experience, conclusions and recommendations.

Qualifications of Successful Candidate:

The consultant/s should have considerable relevant experience. The minimum requirements for the evaluation team are:

Required competencies:

• University degree in statistics, mathematics, econometrics or equivalent.
• At least 5 years of experience in the field of statistical analysis preferably applied in the field of social protection with actual experience in M&E systems.
• Track record of dealing with social protection managers and decision makers is an asset.

• Fluency in written and spoken Arabic and English language is required in relation to communication with and reporting to UNICEF.

Please indicate your ability, availability and daily/monthly rate (in ILS) to undertake the terms of reference above. Applications submitted without a daily/monthly rate will not be considered.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organisation.