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Programme Specialist (Social Science Research Capacity building -M&E) Temporary Appointment, P3, Beni- 3 Months- Ebola Response -DRC

Beni

  • Organization: UNICEF - United Nations Children’s Fund
  • Location: Beni
  • Grade: Mid level - P-3, International Professional - Internationally recruited position
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Social Affairs
    • Education, Learning and Training
    • Monitoring and Evaluation
    • Disaster Management (Preparedness, Resilience, Response and Recovery)
    • Ebola
    • Emergency Aid and Response
    • Scientist and Researcher
    • Social and Economic Policy
    • Project and Programme Management
  • Closing Date: Closed

Following the August 1 announcement by the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) of a new Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in North Kivu, UNICEF has mobilized its teams to help contain the spread of the disease and protect children. This is the tenth epidemic in DRC since 1976 and comes just a few days after the declaration of the end of the Ebola epidemic in the western Province of Equateur that began in mid-May. The Congolese Government has activated its response plan and called in its partners, including UNICEF, to participate in the response

For every child,

As part of the 4th Strategic Response Plan (SRP IV) the Cellule Analyse Science Sociale (CASS) has been included with the Epidemiological Cell as part of a greater Analysis Cell which supports all response pillars in the response through context based social sciences research. The research agenda is developed from context, epidemiological analysis and from pillar and technical commission requests before or after programme intervention. The CASS aims to improve the accountability and appropriateness of the Ebola response through this continued and flexible support.

The CASS teams work closely with Ebola coordination teams to conduct mixed methods research which will result in clearly identified opportunities for improving quality and accountability of the overall response.

UNICEF CASS team runs across all field locations, includes local, national and international social scientists who work not only to support the ongoing Ebola response but to influence strategic planning for public health in North Kivu together with the ministry of health and partners.

Purpose of the job:

The Programme Specialist (social sciences M&E) reports to the CASS manager for guidance and general supervision. The deputy leads in the development, preparation, management, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the CASS research recommendations.

The M&E Specialist works with teams at field and across various locations to develop recommendations, to identify actions and indicators together with commissions and to follow up, document and evaluated changes from research. She/he is able to understand and conduct research but also to ensure the existing integrated M&E system for the CASS runs smoothly.

The M&E Specialist will work closely with key pillars, actors and implementers in the response, to both contribute to the follow up, use of and monitoring of research results and identify opportunities for impact evaluations as well as meta syntheses studies on applied recommendations.  

KEY functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks  

Within the delegated authority and the given organizational set-up, the incumbent may be accountable for all or assigned areas of the following major duties and end results. 

  1.  As part of the Social Sciences team, oversee and support teams in the development of recommendations, managing the monitoring and evaluation of recommendations across locations and commissions.  
  2. Support the management and capacity building of the UNICEF Social Sciences and Formative Research team, ensuring technical guidance, coordination with other programme teams
  3. Facilitate the coordination with the technical commissions and sub-commissions, with UNICEF programme teams and implementing partners; set up two-way information sharing and bi-directionality for research areas
  4. Review data analysis and recommendations developed by teams
  5. Ensure follow-up of all recommendations within each commissions, coordination and research team;
  6. Support, review and develop training materials for field teams specifically related to recommendations for improved programming;
  7. Support management and supervision of the innovation, knowledge management and capacity building.

As Champion for children,

1. As part of the Social Sciences team, oversee and support teams in the development of recommendations, managing the monitoring and evaluation of recommendations across locations and commissions. 

  • Ensure the existing MONITO monitoring tool is consistency used and up to date
  • Support field teams, together with commissions in the development of research recommendations based on study results
  • Propose appropriate indicators and measurement tools to follow on the application fo research recommendations
  • Directly support partners, commissions and teams in the application of the recommendations.
  • Attend regular meetings across all locations to support in the follow up of recommendations.
  • Participate in coordination meetings on a regular basis and work with
  • Coordinate with key actors to ensure monitoring and evaluation of research recommendations and followed up and impact evaluations are designed and implemented

2. Support the management and capacity building of the UNICEF Social Sciences and Formative Research team, ensuring technical guidance, coordination with other programme teams

  • Support the management of national and international teams on the monitoring and evaluation of CASS recommendations
  • Ensure the national and local teams understand MONITO, the research results and recommendations (and how to follow them at sub-coordination level)
  • Develop capacity building strategies and opportunities for national and international teams related to research themes, analysis, coordination etc.
  • Provide regular supervision and guidance analysis of data and identify appropriate programme-specific recommendations and action points

3. Facilitate the coordination with the technical commissions and sub-commissions, with UNICEF programme teams and implementing partners; set up two-way information sharing and bi-directionality for research areas

  • At coordination level, ensure two-way sharing of formative research is both being led by and contributing to the direction of programmes
  • Participate in coordination meetings with commission leads, to follow on information sharing (and presentations/ research results follow up)
  • Create spaces for internal UNICEF reflection and adaptation for programme approaches at coordination level

4. Review data analysis and recommendations developed by teams

  • Review data analysis and support in the development of appropriate programme recommendations
  • Support teams in identifying gaps in results, and opportunities to compliment with additional data (external sources)

5. Ensure follow-up of all recommendations within each commissions, coordination and research team

  • Pro-actively seek and share information about recommendations (initiation of recommendation, process and status of implementation)
  • Fill in the CASS monitoring tool on a weekly basis to share all information with the CASS
  • Be a focal point to support global Monitoring and Evaluation of the recommendations for all actors (Social Sciences UNICEF Team, CASS team, commissions, coordination, partners)
  • Collaboratively with social sciences teams, commissions and the Social Sciences Research Officer, suggest remedial actions to ensure better implementation of recommendations
  • According to needs, individual follow-up with actors for collecting feedbacks on recommendation
  • Ensure implication and appropriation of all actors, including, but not only, local health actors, local and international NGO

6. Support management and supervision of the innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

  • Manage all documentation of presentations by locations
  • Oversee all recommendations planning and follow up
  • Ensure that M&E contributions are provided to Situation Reports, for regular presentations and trainings
  • Regularly compile recommendations presentations for areas or for sub-commissions based on request
  • Together with team, identify capacity building opportunities for national and international teams, implementing partners (including the ministry of health) on social sciences research
  • Contribute the management of database of tools and reports available for partners and UNICEF teams

Impact of Results

The Social Sciences Analysis Cell in Ebola will contribute to an improved informed UNICEF response based on context and community knowledge and understanding, as well as strong research and understanding in short and long term potential impacts of the Ebola response. The research team will contribute to UNICEF's  accountability to affected populations and appropriateness and quality of the overall response.

Competencies and level of proficiency required (based on UNICEF Professional Competency Profiles).

Core Values

  • Commitment
  • Diversity and inclusion
  • Integrity

Core competencies

  • Communication (II)
  • Working with people (II)
  • Drive for results (II)

Functional Competencies:

  • Formative research (I)
  • Leading and Supervising (I)
  • Monitoring and Evaluation (I)
  • Advanced qualitative research skills (I)
  • Social epidemiology (I)
  • Management and strategic leadership (I)
  • Formulating strategies and concepts (II)
  • Analyzing (II)
  • Applying technical expertise (II)
  • Relating and networking (II)
  • Deciding and Initiating action (II)

Recruitment Qualifications  

  • A Masters degree with SOCIAL SCIENCES RESEARCH experience is required: public health, epidemiology, anthropology or another relevant technical field.

Additional relevant post-graduate courses that complement/supplement a social sciences research in health is an asset.

University degree with additional  two years work experience may be considered in lieu of a Masters Degree.

  • Experience in Humanitarian: At least 5 years social sciences research experience, working in humanitarian and development context (with UN-Govt-INGO) is required.
  • Experience working in public health emergencies is required
  • Experience working in health research in humanitarian or development programmes is required.
  • Must have experience in monitoring and evaluation of research studies and experience in the follow up and application of research results in the field.
  • Language:  Fluency in French and English is required.  Knowledge of another official UN language or local language of the duty station is considered as an asset

Technical requirements

  1. Qualitative research skills (formative or action research)
  2. Experience in conducting public health research (development/humanitarian setting)
  3. Monitoring and Evaluation in research
  4. Humanitarian programming
  5. Public health emergency response
  6. Nutrition, WASH, Communication of Psychosocial, Gender programming in humanitarian context

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

The 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:

- Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for the next steps of the selection process;

- Selected candidate should be on ground within 31 days after acceptance of the offer.

 

This vacancy is now closed.
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