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Individual Consultancy for the Development of a National Shock-Responsive Social Protection Measures & Procedures in the State of Palestine.

East Jerusalem

  • Organization: UNICEF - United Nations Children’s Fund
  • Location: East Jerusalem
  • Grade: Consultancy - Consultant - Contractors Agreement
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Social Affairs
    • Disaster Management (Preparedness, Resilience, Response and Recovery)
    • Civil Society and Local governance
  • Closing Date: Closed

If you are committed and passionate about making a lasting difference for children, UNICEF State of Palestine would like to hear from you. This consultancy is open to International and National Consultants.

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 fulfil 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 voice.

UNICEF in the State of Palestine works to uphold the rights of children to access services and protection, from early childhood through to adolescence. Our objective is to ensure that every child in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, irrespective of background or circumstance, has an equal chance to fulfil their potential. We are working for every child and young person in the State of Palestine. 

How can you make a difference?

UNICEF SOP Office is planning to contract two consultants (one International and one National) to develop shock-responsive measures and procedures for expanding and managing social protection programmes during crises as a central tool in responding to the challenges faced and to build the capacities of the national institutions to better design and implement their social interventions. This work will be premised upon the findings of the report ‘Assessing System Readiness for Shock Responsive Social Protection in Palestine’ and the report ‘COVID-19 Local level Response Assessment’ as well as other conceptual groundings and practices around SRSP whilst ensuring being specific to the Palestinian context.

Scope of Work:

To ensure the achievement of the above-mentioned objectives, the measures and procedures should build on the findings of the “Assessing System Readiness for Shock Responsive Social Protection in Palestine”, and the findings of the “COVID-19 Local level Response Assessment” to ensure improved coordination and linkages between local and national levels. They, therefore, should also consider building blocks of the adaptive social protection systems which are: (1) data and information, (2) finance, (3) programmes (4) institutional arrangements and partnerships to provide a concrete roadmap on how to make the social protection programme in SoP more resilient to shocks.

The measures and procedures should also seek to tackle the following processes and answer the following questions to transform the current schemes into a shock-responsive SP programme. It is worth noting that other issues and questions may arise during the consultative process given the prevailing situations in SoP and should be considered and included in the final document.

  1. Registration: How will shock-affected populations be reached, and informed of eligibility to support?  What and how data about shock-affected populations will be gathered? How needs of the registered population will be assessed?
  2. Enrollment: How will the most in-need population be identified? What are the eligibility criteria for enrollment? What is the type of benefit? How will the benefit address their needs and vulnerabilities? How will the beneficiary population be notified about the benefit?
  3. Provision: How will assistance be delivered during and after shocks? What are the best available options to provide assistance? 
  4. Management: What compliance, governance, and grievance mechanisms should be in place and how will they function? When will the files be closed, and how beneficiaries will be notified?

It is worth noting that further attention should be paid to the significance of the institutional arrangements and partnerships as a key pillar for SRSP and as a cross-cutting issue in the operational process (registration, enrollment, provision, and management). In other words, by the end of this assignment, it is expected that the roles and the responsibilities of key social protection actors and partners both at national and local levels, including humanitarian actors, should be identified and agreed upon in a way that clarifies what should be done and who does what before, during and after the occurrence of crises and shocks to be better prepared and adapted to respond to these shocks.

The operational process and steps that should be considered during developing the SRSP system are further illustrated in the following roadmap.

Methodology and Implementation Phases:

For this assignment, the consultant/s are expected to ensure that the proposed methodology includes the following phases. A detailed methodology should be developed by the consultant/s in the inception phase of this assignment to be approved by UNICEF before implementation.

1- Inception Phase:

It is expected that the consultant/s will conduct a review of available literature on shock-responsive social protection and leverage good practices in countries with risk situations and with a focus on more at risk-populations. These sources can include, but are not limited to, the UNICEF Global Social Protection Programme Framework, UNICEF Programme Guidance on Strengthening Shock Responsive Social Protection Systems, Assessing System Readiness for Shock Responsive Social Protection in Palestine, and the COVID-19 Local level Response Assessment

2- Formulation Phase:

Following preliminary meetings with UNICEF staff to further clarify the outcomes of the assignment and the deliverables, agree upon the next steps. The consultant/s will be required to undertakebilateral and group consultations and policy dialogue sessions with relevant ministries and actors including MoSD, Ministry of Finance (MoF), Ministry of Local Government (MoLG), Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), UNICEF, UNRWA, WFP, ILO, World Bank, EU as well as representatives from civil society organizations, and the private sector. Within this scope, it is also expected to engage in discussions with the social protection and humanitarian assistance groups and networks operating in the SoP such as the Cash Working Group (CWG) and the newly established Social Protection, Cash and Voucher Assistance Thematic Working Group (SPCVA-TWG) to share their expertise and suggestions in the development of the national SRSP measures and procedures to enhance the resilience and capacity of national social protection programmes to adapt to shocks. These discussions will also help define the response model and the roles and responsibilities of relevant key actors and promote linkages between local and national levels as essential pillars for future responses

3- Finalization Phase:

In this phase, the consultant/s should present the first draft of the report findings to the key stakeholders for review, receive useful comments and insights, and make the needed adjustments. They will be required to secure the buy-in of the MoSD and other key stakeholders on the final document including the operational plan and timeframe.

Recourse: UNICEF reserves the right to terminate the contract and/or withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if work/outputs is incomplete, not delivered or for failure to meet deadlines, if the rules and the regulations regarding confidentiality, ethics and procedures of UNICEF/PMU and the partners are not followed.

The consultant must respect the confidentiality of the information handled during the assignment. Documents and information provided must be used only for the tasks related to these terms of reference. The deliverables will remain the copyright of UNICEF.

Estimated duration of contract and Tentative Dates

50 working days (25 days for the international consultant and 25 days for the national consultant) from 1st February to 30th May 2023.

Cost and Terms of Payment

The costs indicated are estimated. Final rate shall follow the “best value for money” principle, i.e., achieving the desired outcome at the lowest possible fee. Consultants will be asked to stipulate all-inclusive fees, including lump sum travel and subsistence costs, as applicable.

Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

To qualify as an Advocate for every child you will have: 

  • Master’s degree in Economics, International Development, Social Policy, or other relevant disciplines. A Bachelor's degree with demonstrable professional experience in the areas of social protection and humanitarian cash transfer programming and governance can be considered.
  • Specific training, knowledge or expertise in Education in Emergencies, resource mobilization and advocacy/communications beneficial. 
  • 7 years of relevant work experience in designing and/or implementing cash transfers, especially as a part of the social protection system development and/or strengthening process.
  • Previous experience in developing SRSP measures and procedures is preferred.
  • Prior experience in supporting governments to run a cash-based response during crises will be advantageous.
  • Demonstrated experience in strengthening the linkages between humanitarian cash transfer and social protection in line with the approach to strengthen humanitarian, development & peace nexus.
  • Understanding inclusive and child-sensitive social protection concepts, and practices, including cash-plus approaches, is an added asset.
  • Demonstrated experience in conducting similar assessments, feasibility studies, research, and analysis.
  • Excellent writing, and communication skills both in English and Arabic languages. The final document will be presented in the Arabic language.
  • Familiarity with international standards and principles of humanitarian action.
  • Familiarity with the work and mandate of the United Nations is an asset.

For more information on the specific technical expertise needed and the delivery scheduke kindly visit the below ToR.

Download File ToR SRSP Measures Procedures .pdf

For every Child, you demonstrate.

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

Core Competencies:

  • Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness 
  • Works Collaboratively with others 
  • Builds and Maintains Partnerships 
  • Innovates and Embraces Change 
  • Thinks and Acts Strategically 
  • Drive to achieve impactful results 
  • Manages ambiguity and complexity. 

The functional competencies required for this post are:

  • Applying Technical Expertise
  • Analysing
  • Formulating Strategies and Concepts

To view our competency framework, please visit  here

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

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. 

 

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. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts. 

This vacancy is now closed.
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