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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 fulfill 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, answers.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Sudan is implementing Maternal and Child Cash Transfers Plus for the first 1,000 days of Life (MCCT+). The MCCT+ is an integrated social protection programme that provides vulnerable pregnant women and lactating mothers with regular cash assistance together with skills and access to basic health, nutrition, and protection services. The programme first started in Red Sea and Kassala States with potential expansion to the following States: Blue Nile, White Nile, Al Jazirah or River Nile. UNICEF Innocenti is collaborating with the UNICEF Sudan on mixed-methods evidence generation on the MCCT+. This includes the analysis of the impacts of the MCCT+ and technical assistance on programme and post-distribution monitoring.

How can you make a difference? 

The objective of this consultancy is to support the quantitative component of the above-mentioned research activities in Sudan, particularly activities related to the undertaking of the baseline data collection, report, and brief. The consultancy will support the finalization of study design, training of enumerators, supervision of initial data collection (if feasible), quality assurance of field data, data analysis of the quantitative data as well as contribute to drafting of reports and briefs.
The present Terms of Reference covers work that needs to be completed to produce the baseline report and brief and strengthen programme and post-distribution monitoring.
The preferred Econometric Software is STATA.

Major areas of work and responsibility

The areas of activities for the consultant are specified as follows:

• Support the finalization of study design including research protocols and ethics, data collection tools, testing of Computer-Assisted Personal Interviews (CAPI) design for consistency for baseline data collection.

• Support the training of enumerators, supervision of initial data collection (if feasible), data quality checks, and cleaning of raw data.

• Data analysis using difference-in-difference estimation techniques to assess the programme impacts on child-level, women, household, community indicators and Primary Health Centers Indicators as well as draft report and non-technical policy brief writing with findings.

• Support the dissemination of research findings through online and/or in-person validation workshops.

• Finalize the draft baseline report and policy brief by incorporating feedback from the validation workshop, feedback from research team at Innocenti, and two external peer-reviewers as part of quality assurance process.

• Technical assistance on the development of quantitative questionnaires for post-distribution monitoring and output assessment.

• Exploration of administrative and management information system data to determine possibilities of integration with MCCT+ data.

• The incumbent is expected to participate in planned and ad-hoc meetings related to this research activities.

For further information, please see the full Terms of Reference:  GORAF ToR SEP quantitative researcher Sudan MCCT+ EXT.pdf

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Economics, Statistics, public/social policy, public health, or related field.
• At least 3 years of professional experience in conducting quantitative research.
• Experience with impact evaluations methodologies including quasi-experimental research designs.
• Experience with panel data analysis using STATA.
• Experience with quantitative research fieldwork.
• Ability to organize own work and to carry out a research project with limited supervision according to deadlines.
• Ability to speak and write fluently in English.
• Availability to travel to Sudan for research purposes.

Desirable qualifications:

• PhD in Economics, Statistics, public/social policy, public health or related field.
• Experience and familiarity with social protection literature.
• Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment and establish harmonious and effective working relationships both within and outside the organization.
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset. 

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:  

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.