Consultancy: Administrative Data - LAC Regional Office (11 months-home based consultancy) Req. #545241

Under the direct supervision of the UNICEF Regional Monitoring Specialist, the Administrative Data Consultant will help shape and oversee the development and implementation of LAC RO’s administrative data strategy. A key component of the consultant’s work will be to build and nurture a cooperation framework for the delivery of technical assistance to countries in the region on administrative records aligned for reporting on results relating to international commitments.

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Background

Administrative data is collected through the routine provision of a service such as health, education, or social welfare – most often by a government provider, but potentially also through private sector services. The data collected by these systems are an essential means to improving service provision, identifying and acting on development goals and targets, and reporting against international commitments such as the Sustainable Development Goals.

However, despite the importance of administrative data, and indeed significant investments, many countries remain unable to report against key development indicators and quality issues limit the utility of much of the data that is available. Where data is available, these systems are frequently either siloed, under-utilized or are unable to “flex” to meet changing needs. The importance of administrative data has been highlighted by the global impact and demand for data during the Covid-19 pandemic, while the disruption to services and systems has created a key opportunity to look at “building back better”.

This issue has also been raised by governments in the region. The Statistical Conference of the Americas has, in previous years, built working groups around civil registries and economic administrative data. For the 2022-2023 cycle, the children statistics group will work on administrative records necessary to produce children related indicators.

In addition, governments are implementing varying projects to improve their administrative records. These run the gamut from evaluating the quality of isolated systems all the way to considering ways to link administrative records with census and household data in an integrated platform.

These efforts are essential for developing evidence-based policies and programmes, as well as for monitoring countries’ progress toward national goals and global commitments.

To respond to the increasing demands for technical support on the described initiatives, the Latin America and Caribbean Regional Office (LAC RO) requires a consultant to work with its Planning and Monitoring team.

This consultancy is part of the Regional Office strategy for providing technical support to ongoing efforts to modernize administrative data systems in LAC.

For more information about UNICEF and its work. (www.unicef.org/lac)

 

Purpose of the assignment

Under the direct supervision of the UNICEF Regional Monitoring Specialist, the Administrative Data Consultant will help shape and oversee the development and implementation of LAC RO’s administrative data strategy. A key component of the consultant’s work will be to build and nurture a cooperation framework for the delivery of technical assistance to countries in the region on administrative records aligned for reporting on results relating to international commitments. This will include identifying and building partnerships with key actors in the region, the development of a roadmap to develop mature administrative data systems aligned to support the tracking of progress and reporting on results, and supporting the implementation of all strands of work born from the project. These strands include the design of action plans for countries interested in modernizing their administrative data systems, organizing and directing capacity-building initiatives to promote a better alignment of evidence-based systems and the integration of standard practices and leading pilots in selected countries ready to build integrated systems with their current administrative records. This will be done with a view to promote operational, organizational and culture change to help improve tracking progress and reporting on results.

 

Specific Tasks

-Support the identification and formation of Steering Committee partners for the project. This involves identifying and developing formal or informal partnerships with relevant stakeholders, as well as providing guidance for the definition of the steering committee’s TORs.

-Prepare a diagnosis of the region’s readiness to set up integrated administrative data systems that are better aligned for reporting on results relating to international commitments. This will be done in close collaboration with the Children Statistics group of the Statistics Conference of the Americas.

-Lead the design and support the implementation of action plans to increase capacity on relevant administrative records in the region. Action plans will consider the wide range of administrative data systems maturity across the region. 

-Support the design of the technical assistance plan required to pilot the set up and development of integrated administrative data platforms in 2-3 countries in the region. 

-Design and lead capacity building initiatives jointly with members of the steering committee and other relevant partners.

-Advice and provide technical assistance to national statistical offices and relevant government agencies to on the use of administrative records for policy analysis.

Expected Results (measurable)

Consultant will be paid by deliverables and based on working days per task agreed with the Supervisor (Regional Monitoring Specialist). Expected deliverables for this consultancy are:

-Monthly reports on the project’s steering committee (including the committee’s TORs).  

-White paper on administrative data systems readiness to support reporting on results and a set of recommendations for their improvement. The report will be made in collaboration with the Children Statistics Group of the Statistics Conference of the Americas

-Action plans for typology of administrative data systems in the region.

-Monthly reports of work done with countries piloting the set – up of integrated administrative data platforms.

-Plan workshop (and deliver parts of it) on best practices and lessons learned towards developing more mature administrative data systems to better support the reporting on results.

-Other advisory tasks as required.

Deliverables

Description	Duration (in days)	Expected deadline
Monthly reports of work with steering committee, including TORs (when agreed by committee) development	20	N/A
Diagnosis paper on key administrative data system readiness to support reporting on results in the region	60	N/A
Generic action plans for key administrative data systems to help improve tracking progress and reporting on results in the region	10	N/A
Monthly reports of work done with pilot countries	60	N/A
Capacity building workshop	10	N/A
Total days	160

 

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

 

Minimum Requirements and Qualifications

Education

At least a Master’s Degree or equivalent in Social Sciences, Demography, Statistics, Epidemiology, or other related technical field with significant measurement or analysis component is required.

Work Experience

-At least 10 years of experience in senior positions leading analysis based on administrative data;

-At least 7 years of experience in senior positions related to the building and management of administrative data systems;

-Expertise in overseeing the design and building of integrated administrative data platforms;

-Proven experience in engaging and nurturing productive partnerships with government program officials as well as statistical/data providers on managing all aspects, including technical and political considerations, of integrating administrative records;

-Experience in overseeing the assessment of the quality of administrative data in support of reporting on results and evidence-based decision making;

-Proven experience in leading organizational change in support of a data and results driven culture.

Languages

Working knowledge of English. Knowledge of Spanish, French or Portuguese considered an asset.

Technical Knowledge

-Strong knowledge of administrative records quality criteria required;

-Working understanding of data structures and architectures needed to integrate administrative records to enable the tracking of progress and reporting on results;

-Proven knowledge and experience with exploiting administrative records for evidence-based decision making and reporting on results.

Other skills and attributes

-Demonstrated ability to work in a multicultural environment and establish harmonious and effective relationships with national partners;

-Demonstrated leadership, managerial and supervisory ability;

-Excellent communication and interpersonal skills;

-Ability and willingness to travel to all countries across LAC.

Administrative details

Supervision

The Regional Monitoring Specialist will provide quality assurance and oversight for the consultant’s work with substantial feedback on the quality of the work. The project’s steering committee will also provide quality assurance to the consultant’s work.

Workplace

This is a home-based consultancy.

Duration

This assignment has a duration of 11 months.

How to Apply

Application should be submitted online and should include: Resume, Cover Letter, Education Diploma and Financial proposal. Qualified candidates are requested to submit daily and monthly fees in their financial proposal.

Travel

This assignment does involve travel.

Travel will be covered by UNICEF as per policy.

-Travel costs will be estimated and added to the contract once they are determined based on UNICEF Financial Rules and Regulations.

-For agreed country visits, the contractor/consultant will be responsible in administering their own travel. UNICEF will reimburse travel related expenses based on actual costs or on the below criteria whichever is lower and upon presentation of receipts.

-Any travel involved should be budgeted according to UN Travel Standards as a ceiling.

-UN Secretariat Administrative Instruction on Official Travel, ST/AI/2013/3: Sect. 4, para. 4.2, numerals (d) and (e)

-For information on Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA), can be found on the International Civil Service Commission website (all countries and destinations can be found by navigating on the map).

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UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

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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 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.

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Remarks:

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.