Consultancy - Data Analysis and Statistical Support Consultant, PET, DAPM NYHQ (remote-based)

UNICEF is mandated to advocate for the protection of children’s rights, and the Strategic Plan recognizes the importance of advocacy to deliver against UNICEF’s mission and secure programmatic results for children.     UNICEF’s Division of Data, Analytics, Planning and Monitoring (DAPM) spearheads the organization’s efforts to strengthen management for results in all aspects of UNICEF’s work, particularly in programming in the field. DAPM regularly works with colleagues in Country Offices around the world, as well as Regional Offices to support programme planning, implementation, reporting and monitoring worldwide. There is increasing evidence that countries can achieve national and international development goals in the midst of worsening inequities – evidenced by having people and communities who are not realizing their rights, while goals are being achieved at the national level.

Consultancy Title: Data Analysis and Statistical Support Consultant

Section/Division/Duty Station: Programme Effectiveness Team (PET), DAPM NYHQ (remote-based)

Duration: 6 Months

About UNICEF

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you. For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. UNICEF has over 12,000 staff in more than 145 countries.

BACKGROUND

UNICEF is mandated to advocate for the protection of children’s rights, and the Strategic Plan recognizes the importance of advocacy to deliver against UNICEF’s mission and secure programmatic results for children.   

UNICEF’s Division of Data, Analytics, Planning and Monitoring (DAPM) spearheads the organization’s efforts to strengthen management for results in all aspects of UNICEF’s work, particularly in programming in the field. DAPM regularly works with colleagues in Country Offices around the world, as well as Regional Offices to support programme planning, implementation, reporting and monitoring worldwide.  

There is increasing evidence that countries can achieve national and international development goals in the midst of worsening inequities – evidenced by having people and communities who are not realizing their rights, while goals are being achieved at the national level.   

In recognition of this challenge, Unicef Offices have been conducting child rights- focused statistical analysis to identify the most vulnerable children, facing multiple deprivations, with greater risks of being exposed to hazardous conditions. This exercise is usually done at the planning phase of the country programme to prioritize the geographic locations with the most vulnerable children. Such areas require cross sectoral/integrated programmatic support. However, with no standardized methodology, minimum framework or organization-wide guidance, the exercise is done on an ad hoc basis and rarely referenced or replicated over the course of the programme cycle. Offices are usually not able to use it for monitoring, tracking and measuring programme effectiveness in geographical locations with the highest investment rates for children.     

Therefore, an analysis supported by an online mapping tool with integrated/overlayed data is key to the effective roll out and adoption of the new programme management procedures and guidance package. This effort supports the ‘outcome focus’ strategy of the Strategic Plan and Country Programmes.  

A Data Analyst/Statistician Consultant would be required to support country offices with such an analysis and build their capacity to replicate over time. The consultant will be embedded within the monitoring unit of the Programme Effectiveness Team of DAPM and will be working closely with the Data and Analytics Team in DAPM.   

Under the supervision of the Senior Advisor, Statistics and Monitoring in the Data and Analytics Team and Programme Manager in the Monitoring Unit of the Programme Effectiveness Team and with support from relevant colleagues in the Data and Analytics team of DAPM, the incumbent will work closely with colleagues in EMOPS and Programme Group at HQs, regional and country offices to support the development of  a basic methodology in computing the level and intensity of child deprivations and exposure to hazards at subnational levels- to unpack how vulnerable and disadvantaged groups experience deprivations and child rights violations, and how factors such as geographic location, gender, disability, context-specific inequities (e.g., caste, religion, race, ethnicity, migration status, nationality, conflict), and social and behavioral drivers, barriers and risks determine or exacerbate these deprivations and violations. The assignment also includes providing technical support and working closely with colleagues to turn the statistical analysis into geo-spatial maps; design tools and templates to support country offices in evidence-based decision making on programmatic and geographic convergence of Unicef supported programmes; and promote the use of data to support child rights advocacy, gender sensitive programming and accountability to affected populations.   

Terms of Reference / Deliverables

Scope of Work:

The consultant will work on supporting the Division of Data, Analysis, Planning and Monitoring in developing Basic methodology on calculating disparities in deprivations across sub-national levels in a Country. The methodology used would depend on the data available. This will include:  

1. Support COs in selecting relevant child rights/socio-economic indicators to their country context.  
2. Support the development of statistical calculations to determine levels of child vulnerabilities at sub-national level (multiple deprivations and hazards). 
3. Support the Statistician and country offices in the development of a basic methodology, using the statistical calculations and internal UNICEF data (performance and contextual layers) for the Equity Analysis.  
4. Coordinate with other HQ divisions (EMOPS and PG) working on related initiatives, Regional and Country Offices (that are part of the pilot) when developing the methodology  
5. Support the preparation of country reports for each of the pilot countries on how to replicate this exercise throughout their programme cycle- to measure ‘change’ overtime. Also support capacity building to replicate the analysis.  
6. Suggest adjustments to the methodology (if required) based on lessons learned from the pilot phase 
7. Support the design of analytical tools to visualize the evidence from the equity analysis- depending on the availability of data (including layered geo-spatial maps, scorecards, graphs etc). 

Qualifications

1. Advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Statistics, Econometrics, Demography, Economics, or Data Science 
2. Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

• Computer skills: Expert knowledge of Excel notation and statistical modeling 
• Experienced in using statistical packages and software $
• 7-10 years' experience in data analysis and reporting 
• Expertise in summary statistics and hypothesis testing 
• Proficiency in languages like R, SAS, Stata etc., 
• 5-8 years' experience in developing statistical models is an asset  
• Working at country office level is an asset.   
• Excellent command of UNICEF Core Competencies: Communication, Working with People, and Drive for Results  
• Excellent communication skills (verbal and writing); fluent in English (additional language is an asset) 

 Requirements: 

• Completed profile in UNICEF's e-Recruitment system and provide Personal History Form (P11) Upload a copy of academic credentials
• Financial proposal that will include:
• your daily/monthly rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference
  • travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR.
  • Any other estimated costs: visa, health insurance, as applicable.
  • Indicate your availability
• Any emergent / unforeseen duty travel and related expenses will be covered by UNICEF.
• At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.
• Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory 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.

U.S. Visa information:

With the exception of the US Citizens, G4 Visa and Green Card holders, should the selected candidate and his/her household members reside in the United States under a different visa, the consultant and his/her household members are required to change their visa status to G4, and the consultant’s household members (spouse) will require an Employment Authorization Card (EAD) to be able to work, even if he/she was authorized to work under the visa held prior to switching to G4.  

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

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

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

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:  

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.