Unicef recruits a Senior Social Welfare – Data Management, Social Cash Transfer Consultancy (11 months) Lusaka Zambia

The UNICEF Programme of Cooperation with the Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ) is designed to address and mitigate the threat of poverty the country’s children face, while responding to the needs with interventions addressing the multiple causative factors.

In response to the combination these threats involve the Programme supports national efforts to improve service delivery in the key areas of: child health and nutrition and HIV and AIDS, quality basic education, water, sanitation and hygiene education, child protection and social policy, advocacy and communication.

To find out more about UNICEF’s work in Zambia, please visit https://www.unicef.org/zambia/.

Purpose of the Consultancy :

To support all data management related work and systems development for the Social Cash Transfer programme – at national and sub-national levels.

 

Background :

Since 2003, the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services (MCDSS) has been implementing the Social Cash Transfer (SCT) programme. In 2010, based on the demonstrated programme impact, government took a policy decision to scale up the Social Cash Transfer programme to national level. In 2014, MCDSS scaled up the programme to 31 additional districts from the original 19 districts bringing the total number of districts to 50. In 2016, Government decided to further scale up the programme to an additional 28 districts giving a total caseload of 242,000 households in 78 districts. In 2017 government, further increased funding to the SCT programme, resulting in a national scale up of the programme to all 117 districts covering over 632,000 households. This year 2019, government will be scaling up further in all 117 districts to ensure full coverage and an estimated case load of 700,000 households.

The scale up of the programme was intensive and has required additional staff to support specific components of the programme both at district and national level. Additionally, the intensity and scale of the programme roll-out in 2017 caused the systems underpinning it to buckle. This led the decision by MCDSS to invest in a new Management Information System, the Zambia Integrated Management Information System (ZISPIS). The ZISPIS will be a backbone for social protection programmes’ information systems. ZISPIS is being developed in partnership with Smart Zambia Institute (SZI), the E-Government Division of Government. In this partnership, MCDSS is the business owner and SZI the business administrator. This new partnership comes with much opportunity and demonstrates the political will at highest levels to have a strong and reliable SCT programme. It also comes with the challenges associated with change and requires solid change management by the Ministry.

In view of the change management need and continued implementation of the current SCT MIS and enrolment of an additional 68,000 households to SCT programme, the ministry has requested UNICEF to engage temporal staff. In response to this UNICEF intends to continue its deployment of a Consultant attached to the Ministry to support key programming, using similar arrangements as those used in previous years to support Data Management and MIS development. The temporary staff/ Consultancy will be for a period of 11 months and be based at the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services in the Social Cash Transfer Unit under the Department of Social Welfare.

 

Justification :

The main reason for seeking this support as expressed by MCDSS due to the additional workload resulting from the continued scale up of the Social Cash Transfer programme including the migration of the current SCT MIS to the new clod-based system. This support cannot be made available from current staffing positions in UNICEF or in the Ministry.

 

Objectives :

The major role of the Senior Social Welfare Consultant – Data Management will be to support all Data Management issues related to the implementation of the Social Cash Transfer programme.

 

Scope of the work :

The main scope of work is to support all data management activities for the scale up and implementation of the Social cash transfer programme; including capacity building, technical backstopping, MIS user support and support to the national roll out of the new ZISPIS system.

 

Tasks deliverables and timeframe :

Tasks for this consultancy are the following :

• Develop data management plans for all SCT districts ;
• Coordinate and support the overall management and implementation of the SCT MIS ;
• Coordinate the deployment of the ZISPIS to all pilot districts ;
• Interpret and address specific information needs of the Department of Social Welfare as well as other Departments in the Ministry and external stakeholders with respect to the SCT programme and generate reports from the MIS to provide such information ;
• Tailor/customise the functionality of the MIS to meet evolving information needs of the Ministry and the SCT programme ;
• Use the MIS to carry out data analysis to support M&E of the SCT programme ;
• Develop capacity in the SCT districts to collect useful and usable data for the MIS by designing and delivering training programs ;
• Provide technical support to the Ministry on MIS-related matters, specifically on integration options of other systems and technologies with the MIS ;
• In collaboration with the Department of Planning, develop ICT infrastructure to support the expanded scope and functionality of the MIS ;
• Liaise between the Social Welfare and Planning Departments to ensure that the MIS has access to ICT resources and infrastructure ;
• Ensure selection of beneficiaries using welfare index in the MIS ;
• Ensure Organisational Units (CWACs and ACCs) are properly coded at district level, including in the SCT MIS ;
• Coordinate the piloting of ZISPIS in selected ;
• Provide backstopping to the districts officers on the usage, management and implementation of the SCT MIS ;
• Performing any other task as assigned .

Deliverables :

Task	Deliverables	Payment Schedule
Month 1.	Detailed Gantt chart developed for 11 months and Detailed Baseline Report on the data management needs of the MIS Current status	9%
Month 2.	Report on data management needs for migration of current MIS system to new server submitted	9%
Month 3.	Concept note on reconciliation module for payment tracking written	9%
Month 4.	Concept note on additional MIS reporting needs in districts, province and national written	9%
Month 5.	Report on the new variables to be updated MIS dashboard	9%
Month 6.	Report on operationalization of reconciliation module in all districts submitted in collaboration with MIS Technical Advisor	9%
Month 7.	Concept note on preparation of the district for piloting new payment module under ZISPIS in collaboration with MIS Technical Advisor	9%
Month 8.	Report on operationalization of the migration of current SCT MIS to new cloud-based system in collaboration with MIS Technical Advisor	9%
Month 9.	First portion (one third) of districts have received refresher trainings on usage of MIS – report submitted	9%
Month 10	Second portion (one third) of districts have received refresher trainings on usage of MIS – report submitted	9%
Month 11	Third portion (One third) of districts have received refresher trainings on usage of MIS – report submitted	10%

 

Reporting requirements :

The Senior Social Welfare Consultant will report to the Chief of Social Policy in UNICEF; and will be based at the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services where he or she will work closely with the Principal Social Welfare Officer in the Social Cash Transfer unit.

As for deliverables, the format of the report for each of the deliverables identified above will be as follows :

1. Executive Summary (1/2 page)  ;
2. Introduction (1/2-1 page) ;
3. Report on activities relevant to the deliverable (studies, workshops, consultations, implementation, others as have been undertaken/managed as part of the consultancy and contributed to the deliverable in question) (1 page) ;
4. Findings (length as required) ;
5. Analysis (length as required) ;
6. Recommendations (length as required) ;
7. New or Updated Draft or Final materials in Annex, when appropriate (annexed in full) ;
8. List of stakeholders consulted, missions undertaken, data collection tools used, when appropriate (annexed in full) .

Project manager :

• The consultancy will be managed by the Social Policy and Research section (Chief Social Policy) in collaboration with the Director Social Welfare and the SCT Manager ;
• The Consultant will be based at MCDSS on a full-time basis, following GRZ working hours. Communication and reporting is required on regular basis with the Chief of Social Policy in UNICEF.

Location and duration :

• The consultant is required for a period of 11 months and will be based in Lusaka at the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services in the Cash Transfer Unit.

Payment Schedule :

 

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

Qualifications:

A Minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree in computer science, information technology, telecommunications or related field with a minimum of Five years of relevant professional work experience in data and information management with either government, private sector or Non-Governmental Organizations

Experience and knowledge :

• Microsoft Visual Studio .NET /SQL Server 2008 systems development environment ;
• Systems integration ;
• Internet, mobile and web-based technologies ;
• Ability to conceptualize and interpret end user information needs ;
• Ability to effectively collaborate with counterparts with different technical and sectoral backgrounds ;
• Experience in providing training and capacity building, including technology tools for policy use ;
• Previous experience developing and maintaining management information systems and related tools ;
• Previous experience in project management, preferably in a public-sector environment ;
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills ;
• Familiarity with the background and rationale of Social Cash Transfer scheme is desirable ;
• Should be committed to duty .

 

Administrative issues :

• Government will provide equipment and office space and will make provisions for any expenses not covered by UNICEF including DSA, travel and other expenses that will assist the Consultant perform her/his role ;
• Payments will be made on a monthly basis ;
• This contract is for a fixed period of 11 months .

 

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.

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 and advance to the next stage of the selection process.