MICS Regional Household Survey Consultant

For 60 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 Regional Office for South Asia is currently seeking a competent consultant to work as MICS Regional Household Survey Consultant for a total period of 150 days starting from May 2013 to March 2014.

Goal/Objective of the consultancy

To strengthen capacity of national partners implementing MICS to assure timely and high quality MICS data and to monitor that survey methodology and reporting of results follow international protocols for MDG monitoring (all guidelines are provided in the MICS4 manual and at www.childinfo.org).

Specific activities will include:

i). Support the Regional MICS Coordinator in providing technical assistance and oversight for all MICS surveys in the region;

ii). Provide support, when relevant, to Regional MICS Workshops;

a. Survey Design Workshop: facilitate selected sessions as necessary and work bilaterally with different countries on questionnaires, survey plans and budgets; b. Data Processing Workshops: when necessary, work bilaterally with different countries on reviewing datasets, data quality, tabulation plans and final report contents. c. Data Dissemination and Further Analysis Workshops: facilitate selected sessions as necessary and work bilaterally with countries on the interpretation of their MICS data and on the development of dissemination plans

iii). From a distance and in coordination with the Regional MICS Coordinator, review and provide feedback to COs on the following documents, in order to ensure that they comply with MICS standards;

a. Survey plans (including budget and training plans for pre-test and main fieldworker training)
b. Questionnaires and Manuals (included translated versions)
c. Sample design (in collaboration with the Regional Sampling Consultant)
d. Pre-test reports
e. Fieldwork monitoring reports and field check tables
f. Data entry, editing and recoding programmes (in collaboration with the Regional Data Processing Consultant)
g. Tabulation plans
h. Datasets and tabulations (in collaboration with Regional Data Processing Consultant)
i. Final survey reports

iv). Support countries remotely or through in-county visits in carrying out the following survey activities:
a. Survey planning and questionnaire design
b. Pre-test
c. Fieldwork training and initiation of fieldwork
d. Fieldwork monitoring
e. Data analysis
f. Report writing

v). As needed, take part in missions carried out by the Regional MICS Coordinator to support COs in negotiating, promoting and presenting MICS to governments and other partners.

vi). As needed, support countries in data archiving.

vii). In collaboration with the MICS Regional Coordinator, provide country and regional status survey up-dates to RO and HQ.

Output - Results (Deliverables)

i). Documented review for each survey design reviewed outlining key recommendations and proposed changes and how the survey plans meet or do not meet MICS technical standards;

ii). Feedback on draft questionnaires (including back translation) using the questionnaire review form;

iii). Country trip reports (including presentations and training materials) after each country visited;

iv). Regional workshop trip report(s);

v). Evidence of distance ad-hoc technical support through e-mails

vi). Documented review with recommendations on the fieldwork training and data collection activity in each country;

vii). Systematic feedback on field-check tables via email

viii). Feedback on the key table and survey final reports using the report review form

ix). Documented reviews with recommendations on data dissemination plan, dissemination activities and the data archive.

x). Monthly reports outlining support to countries provided and number of days worked.

Estimated Timeline of Completion

The contract duration is for 11 months from 1st May 2013 – 30th March 2014. It is estimated that 150 days of household survey consultancy will be required during this time period.

Working Conditions

Regional Household Survey Consultant will work from a distance with the exception of country visits and any participation in the MICS regional workshops.

How to apply:

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.

Skills and Experience

• At least 8-10 years of experience in the coordination and/or management of quantitative household surveys. (Prior MICS/DHS coordination experience highly desirable);

• Expertise in statistical analyses (familiarity with data processing and data analysis software, SPSS highly desirable);

• Experience in survey report writing;

• Fluency in English. Understanding of one or more languages in South Asia highly desirable;

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills;

• Ability and willingness to travel to all countries across South Asia

Other competencies

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

• Demonstrated leadership, managerial and supervisory ability.

Applications:

Qualified and Interested candidates are requested to send their applications indicating proposed remuneration in USD along with UN personal history form (p-11) which can be retrieved athttp://www.unicef.org/about/employ/index_53129.html by no later than Friday, 10th May 2013 tosracharya@unicef.org