International Consultancy - Regional MICS Sampling (RCA, Chad, Sao Tome and Principe, Guinea Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Guinee, and Togo, DRC)

The new round of MICS (MICS6) presents a unique opportunity to support the Governments to collect robust, more frequent, and timely data to monitor progress towards the SDGs and establish baselines for strategic planning.

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, a future

Background

UNICEF places a high priority on the availability of recent and reliable information with which to monitor the situation of children and women. Statistically sound and internationally comparable data are essential for developing evidence-based policies and programmes, as well as for monitoring countries’ progress toward national goals and global commitments, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

UNICEF assists countries in collecting and analysing data in order to fill data gaps for monitoring the situation of children and women through its international household survey initiative the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS). MICS enables countries to produce statistically sound and internationally comparable estimates of a range of indicators in the areas of health, education, child protection, water and sanitation and HIV and AIDS. MICS findings are typically among the most important sources of data within a country used as a basis for policy decisions and programme interventions, and for influencing public opinion on the situation of children and women.

The current and sixth round of MICS is taking place in 2016 - 2018. MICS6 questionnaires have a lot of new modules (victimization, functional capacities, water quality tests, foundational skills for children age 7-14, etc.) and were developed through consultations with experts from UN organizations, inter-agency monitoring groups and other global household survey programmes. The survey questionnaires and supporting documents have now been finalized. Regional workshops on survey design and data processing have also been organized to support countries in the planning and implementation of their surveys.

MICS surveys are usually carried out by government organizations, with the support and technical assistance of UNICEF. As part of the MICS6 program, UNICEF will assist countries to implement a quality survey that complies with international standards to guarantee the required level of data quality, by mobilising technical assistance to countries at the regional level.

Across West and Central Africa, DRC, Chad, the Gambia, Central African Republic, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Sao tome and Principe, Equatorial Guinea will be preparing for and conducting fieldwork for MICS6 surveys in 2016-2018 and 2019. All WCAR MICS6 will be implemented with CAPI applications, and data collected directly on tablets.

Countries will request specific support from regional office at different stages of their survey implementation. Due to the overall tasks to be achieved by the M&E Specialist/RMC for attribution or contribution, covering and not limited to: (i) Quality assurance and oversight to WCAR CO planning and monitoring documents submitted for Review; (ii) Progress Monitoring for Regional work plan keys priorities and key result for children; (iii) Ensure the quality assurance of each of the nine, as now, single MICS6 Country survey in line with the MICS technical Assistance Framework; (iv) the management and the coordination activities of the MICS in the Region. It has been agreed by the Global Coordination of the MICS Surveys to increase the workforce to maintain and improve the quality support of MICS survey by hiring at regional level some consultants at some critical step of survey to complement the RMC activities and help to finalized in the required time. Therefore, for the sixth round of MICS, UNICEF West and Central Africa Regional Office (WCARO) will hire a highly experienced Sampling Consultant to provide that necessary technical assistance to CO engaged in MICS.

Sampling support needs to be provided both from a distance and during visits to the countries at the critical stages of survey implementation. To this end, UNICEF needs to work with sampling experts who can provide such support at the regional level. Due to the highly technical nature of the work involved, it is essential that experienced expert who will follow specific recommendations of the MICS programme is mobilized to assist the MICS6 and CFC-RTM sampling process in RCA, Chad, Sao Tome and Principe, Guinea Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Guinee, and Togo, DRC.

How can you make a difference?

Objectives

The new round of MICS (MICS6) presents a unique opportunity to support the Governments to collect robust, more frequent, and timely data to monitor progress towards the SDGs and establish baselines for strategic planning. So, the Regional Sampling Consultant, will be contributing in that technical assistance process to:

• support and provide technical guidance’s to MICS Country team for the design and selection of sample as well as the sample weight and errors calculation for MICS survey in Country assigned
• advise the MICS Survey technical committee (composed of Survey Coordinator and data processing experts) during survey sampling ensuring that MICS protocols and recommendations are being followed at all times

communicate effectively between the MICS country team and MICS Regional Coordination, responding promptly to MICS related needs and issues related to sampling as they arise

Scope of work

Under the overall supervision of the Regional MICS Coordinator, the Regional MICS Sampling Consultant is responsible for supporting RCA, Chad, Sao Tome and Principe, Guinea Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Guinee, and Togo, DRC UNICEF offices, UNICEF MICS Consultant hired by UNICEF Country Offices and implementing partners in sampling and ensuring that MICS guidelines[1] and protocols are being followed at all times.

Working closely with the Regional Survey Coordinator and the Data Processing Consultant, the Regional MICS Sampling Consultant will carry out technical reviews and support COs and implementing agencies for overall sampling process. He will also, often together with the Regional Survey Coordinator and / or the Data Processing Consultant carry out a series of country visits, in order to support survey teams sampling process. In the sampling-related areas of work, specific support is needed in the following areas:

• Sample size and design
• Sample selection
• Assessment of suitable sample frames
• Updating of sample frames
• Calculation of sample weights
• Calculation of sampling errors.

Deliverables and Schedules

Under the overall supervision of the Regional MICS Coordinator and Working closely with the Regional Survey Coordinator, the Regional Sampling Consultant is responsible for supporting UNICEF Country Offices:

1. Design or review sampling plans developed by the statistical agencies designing MICS surveys, using MICS6 tools and template
2. Review, advise or, if necessary, calculate the sample weights for countries after the data collection is completed before they proceed with the data analyses,
3. Visit MICS implementing countries to discuss the sampling plans and sampling weights
4. Review the relevant chapters of the MICS country reports.
5. Exhaustive trip reports and constant communication with RO and HQ are requested.

With the exception of visits to MICS implementing countries, work can be done remotely to provide the following deliverables:

1. Templates, guidelines, programmes, presentations and manual as indicated above

Reports on reviews of sampling plans, sample weight calculations and sampling chapters in MICS country reports.

Timing

The total duration of the contract is 28 days over the period of 15 of November 2018 to 31 of October 2019.

The number of days will be distributed based on country needs and immediate availability for urgent work.

The consultant is expected to spend :

• The consultancy time dedicated to RCA, Chad, Sao Tome and Principe, Guinea Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Guinee, and Togo, remotely at specific moments of the sampling (sample frame and update, sample size, sample selection, calculation of sample weights, calculation of sampling errors).

One week field mission for the technical support work will be done in-country specifically for: supporting sample frame update, sample size calculation as well as sample selection.

Reporting Requirements

.During his period of assignment, the Regional Sampling Consultant will be providing the  following reports:

• Country visit reports (including Training and or Presentation material if appropriate) for each country mission
• Progress report, bi-monthly
• Technical Report, at the end of the consultancy

Administrative Issues

The Regional Sampling Consultant recruitment conditions :

• He will be recruited for a part-time assignment, home-based
• He will report directly to the Regional MICS Coordinator

• Consultant will be required to sign the Health statement for consultants/Individual contractor prior to taking up the assignment
• The contract may not commence unless signed by both UNICEF and the consultant
• Consultant is sent the forms and the links to the learning portal after he has been selected.

The Monitoring and Evaluation Unit of the Planning Monitoring and Evaluation section, UNICEF WCARO, will provide quality assurance and oversight for the consultant’s work with substantial feedback on the quality of the data processing reviews. The consultant will be in charge of paying his own travels and daily subsistence allowances (DSA). WCARO will advance money for this upon request.

The Regional Sampling Consultant working conditions:

• He will work almost of his consultancy time from home using own equipment and stationary and 6 days in-country
• During missions, UNICEF COs will provide working space for the consultant, preferably with implementing partner

• He should respect the confidentiality of the MICS data as well as any country specific MICS documents that will be produced throughout the MICS process
• He can use the documents and the datasets only for the tasks related to these terms of reference
• He will travel to the 1 MICS country as necessary and as determined in consultation with the Country Teams. Other travels within and outside region could happen if appropriate.

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

At least a Master’s Degree or equivalent in Survey Sampling or Statistics with special expertise in survey sampling

Desired competencies, technical background and experience

1. At least 10 year experience in designing samples for household surveys around the region (experience in countries without recent census information is an asset)
2. Must have expertise with the MICS sampling methodology
3. Demonstrated training experience
4. Experience of working in developing countries and more specifically in West and Central Africa
5. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
6. Fluency in French and English is requested;

Demonstrated ability to work in a multicultural environment

For every Child, you make a difference

UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

The technical competencies required for this post are….

View our competency framework at

http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

“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, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.”

Remarks:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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