Consultancy - Senior Advisor, Child Poverty Analysis, Advocacy and Training (home-based with occasional travel to China)

We are seeking a part-time international expert to provide on-going and responsive consultancy support to advise and/or provide quality assurance on technical aspects of child poverty analysis on an as-needed basis. He/she will also provide technical inputs to support child poverty advocacy strategies, communications products, networking events and provide quality assurance to research and the design of programs. He/she will work closely with the UNICEF China Social Policy team to ensure relevance to the China context.

Background

UNICEF China works with a range of government and non-governmental partners to grow awareness of child poverty and build capacity in child poverty analysis for use in policy and programs.  Our technical assistance links a portfolio of child poverty work to SDG Goal One, which commits national governments to measure multi-dimensional poverty and track income and non-income poverty for children as a specific group.  We work at national and subnational levels to advocate for child poverty analysis to be central to China’s National Programme of Action for Children, National Poverty Alleviation Programme and social protection systems.  We advocate for the adoption of national child poverty measurement under Goal One of the Sustainable Development Goals. 

This consultancy brings international expertise to UNICEF China’s advocacy and capacity building work on child poverty.  Our current work plan includes development of a number of communications products, training materials and networking events designed to convene partners, with the aim of creating new networks of champions and practitioners for child poverty in China. Development of high quality products and events requires extensive knowledge of what UNICEF has already developed internationally and what approaches have worked.

Objective

The objective of this consultancy is to ensure that UNICEF China’s support to partners in child poverty measurement and analysis, advocacy and programming available to partners draws on high quality international technical expertise.  The consultant will a) provide technical expertise and quality assurance to child poverty data, research and briefs on methods of child poverty measurement and child poverty analysis, b) advise, provide content and draft plans and proposals for training and capacity building products and events, and c) provide technical expertise to support products and events which advocate for the measurement of child poverty under SDG One. 

Deliverables

This consultancy will provide technical expertise on an as-needed basis. Specific deliverables will be detailed in a monthly work plan that is agreed between UNICEF and the consultant, and will include:

• Providing call-down technical expertise and quality assurance to child poverty data, research and briefs on child poverty measurement and child poverty analysis.
• Advise, provide content and draft plans and proposals for training and capacity building events.
• Provide technical expertise to develop advocacy and communications products on child poverty analysis, under SDG One.

Timeframe & methodology

The consultant shall make him/herself available for up to 72 working days during 15 January to 15 November 2018. The assignment requires regular communication with UNICEF China and occasional travel to China for fieldwork and meetings, but is otherwise desk-based.

Qualifications

• Post-graduate degree in economics, statistics, or sociology, or other relevant degree
• At least 15 years’ experience of comparable work, demonstrating progressively senior levels of responsibility, preferably including experience of UN agencies
• Demonstrable expertise in statistical research methods for measuring and analyzing child poverty, as well as knowledge of qualitative and mixed methodologies
• Knowledge and experience of developing advocacy products, designing and supporting networking to build commitment to child poverty, including knowledge of the SDGs
• Track record of drafting and editing for a range of purposes e.g. Terms of Reference, PPTs, reports, briefs, etc.
• Fluent in English with excellent communication and writing skills
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Willingness to work flexibly and a track record for timely delivery of high quality outputs.

Applications

If you recognise yourself from the above and wish to make a difference for every child, please review the full Terms of Reference through this link and send a Cover Letter and CV as well as a financial proposal indicating your daily consultancy rate to beijinghr@unicef.org, or apply online through www.unicef.org/employ (requisition 509314). Travel costs will be covered separately and do not need to be included in the financial quote. The deadline for receipt of applications is 24 Dec 2017.