UNICEF recruits 01 SCT MIS Consultancy
Social Cash Transfer Management Information System Consultancy (11 Months), Lusaka Zambia
Job Number: 524019 | Vacancy Link
Locations: Africa: Zambia
Work Type : Consultancy
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/.
How can you make a difference?
Purpose of the Consultancy: To provide technical support and backstopping for the implementation, transition and migration of the SCT MIS to new cloud-based system.
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.
The ToR below details the roles and responsibilities of the Consultant to be responsible for MIS technical advisory support. This support will include implementation, management, transition and migration of current SCT MIS to new cloud-based system. The Consultant will further provide guidance on integration of SCT MIS to ZISPIS.
Justification
Supporting the implementation, management of the current SCT MIS including transition and migration of the system to new cloud-based system is a large part of the social cash transfer programming. For the 2019 scale-up more than 68,000 records will be entered into the MIS and processed. Additionally, transition and migration from current SCT MIS to new to a cloud-based system is also expected to be undertaken this year. To ensure the quality and accuracy of this exercise a full-time position is required. Currently this additional support cannot be made available from staffing positions within UNICEF or within the Ministry.
Objectives / Target
The purpose of recruiting a Social Cash Transfer MIS Technical Advisor is to provide technical support and backstopping for the implementation of the SCT MIS at all level district, province and national including the transition and migration of the current SCT MIS to a cloud-based system.
Description of the assignment (Scope of work) / SPECIFIC TASKS
The tasks for the assignment are the following:
Support the smooth implementation and backstopping of the SCT MIS at national and all sub levels.
Support capacity building of field officers to work with the SCT MIS and ZSIPIS.
Support the development of add-ons for the SCT MIS including the reengineering of the beneficiary enrolment mobile app and corresponding MIS module. for the SCT grievance mechanism.
Support payment tracking and reporting for the SCT MIS
Support development and operationalization of payment reconciliation module in all districts.
Support the integration of the SCT MIS to the new cloud-based system (ZISPIS).
Expected Deliverables
REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
The MIS Technical 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 have a second reporting line to the Director of Social Welfare.
In terms of deliverables the format of the report for each of the deliverables identified above will be as follows:
Executive Summary (1/2 page)
Introduction (1/2-1 page)
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)
Findings (length as required)
Analysis (length as required)
Recommendations (length as required)
New or Updated Draft or Final materials in Annex, when appropriate (annexed in full)
List of stakeholders consulted, missions undertaken, data collection tools used, when appropriate (annexed in full)
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
The consultancy will be managed by the Social Policy and Research section in collaboration with the Director Social Welfare in the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services (MCDSS).
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 UNICEF Chief Social Policy and Research.
LOCATION AND DURATION
The consultant is required 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
Monthly payment of receipt of monthly progress report and other listed deliverables.
Payment will be made upon satisfactory completion of deliverables (satisfactory progress against tasks).
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Experience with mobile and new learning technologies
Experience using CS-PRO, Microsoft Visual Studio, NET /SQL Server 2008 systems development environment, systems integration, Internet, mobile and web based technologies
Technical expertise in strengthening management information systems (MIS) and managing MIS-support activities
Expertise and experience in migrating offline to cloud-based MIS systems
Expertise in facilitating cooperation among Ministry departments, between Ministries, and sharing databases to meet common objectives
Training and workshop facilitation experience
Proven experience in data analysis.
Qualifications
A Minimum of a Master’s in one of the following or related fields required: Management Information Systems, Technology Policy and Telecommunication. Five years of relevant professional work experience actively managing projects which would include utilization of MIS either with government or Non-Governmental Organizations. Specifically:
Specific skills and knowledge required include:
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 for Social Cash Transfer scheme is desirable.
Excellent ability to effectively communicate highly complex issues in a language that non-technical audiences can understand. This includes project descriptions, presentations, proposals, journal articles, reports, etc.
Fluency in written and spoken English.
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, with a possible extension, following a one-month break, of an additional 11 months – subject to satisfactory performance, availability of funding and continued need for additional capacity.
UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.
View our competency framework at http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf
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.
Closing Date Wed Jul 24 2019 22:55:00 GMT+0100 (Afr. centrale Ouest)