Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS Plus) Data Processing Consultancy, Data Collection Unit, Data and Analytics/DAPM, NYHQ, remote, Req# 584362

Job no: 584362
Position type: Consultant
Location: United States
Division/Equivalent: Programme
School/Unit: Division of Analysis, Planning & Monitor
Department/Office: DAPM - Data and Analytics
Categories: Programme Management, Research, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation

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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 fordeveloping 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.

Consultancy Title: Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS Plus) Data Processing Consultancy

Division/Duty Station: Data Collection Unit, Data and Analytics, DAPM, NYHQ

Duration: 26 December 2025 – 25 December 2028

Home/ Office Based: Remote

BACKGROUND

Purpose of Activity/ Assignment:

 
 

Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) enable countries to produce statistically sound and internationally comparable estimates of a range of indicators on the situation of children and women in areas such as health, education, early childhood development, child protection, water and sanitation, nutrition, and HIV/AIDS. For many countries, MICS surveys are among the most important data sources used for situation analyses, policy decisions, programme interventions, and informing the public about the situation of children and women. 

In recent years, including during the pandemic, the MICS programme has continued innovating new methods and data collection protocols. A recent initiative of the MICS programme is MICS Plus, which is based on the probability selection of a sub-sample of households interviewed during a MICS survey (or any other household sample frame furnished with telephone numbers) and initiating regular calls to these households for a maximum period of one year to continue data collection. The method progressively builds up longitudinal data on the situation of children and the well-being of households; results can be reported on a real-time basis. MICS Plus can be used for various purposes, such as (a) collecting longitudinal data on MICS topics, (b) for opinion polling, (c) generating data on children not available in MICS for both methodological and practical reasons, (d) for programme monitoring and evaluation, (e) for crisis monitoring.

MICS Plus was piloted in two districts of Belize from 2019 to 2020. As the pilot test progressed, the COVID pandemic created an unforeseen opportunity to take MICS Plus to the national level sooner than anticipated. In 2020-2021, two national MICS Plus surveys were completed in Mongolia and Georgia. At present, MICS Plus surveys are planned and/or implemented in several countries, including Yemen, Turkmenistan, Costa Rica, Mongolia, Pakistan, Nepal, etc. Meanwhile, more countries are now coming forward to join the MICS programme to conduct MICS Plus.

MICS Plus is dependent on a sophisticated data management system that needs to be closely monitored and updated for each wave of calls, as questionnaires change from one wave to the next, among other changes. To ensure that MICS Plus surveys are conducted with best practices and acceptable quality standards, the MICS programme has developed novel protocols for setting call centers, call parameters, data entry and management protocols, and systems/approaches for data quality checking editing, analysis and reporting. In short, for each MICS Plus survey, a data management system is created, and analysis and reporting programs are developed.

To this end, UNICEF needs a data processing expert to (a) support the maintenance and updating of the standard data management systems (b) support the development of editing and analysis programmes, and include the anonymization of microdata, (c) support the development of data management systems, editing and analysis programmes for new MICS Plus surveys.

 
Additionally, due to the increasing number of countries starting with MICS implementation in 2025/26 and working on innovations in the MICS programme, the Data Collection Unit needs additional support to cope with the workload
 

Scope of Work:

UNICEF HQ needs to hire a data processing consultant with experience with MICS Plus or similar surveys to fully support MICS Plus data management and data processing tasks.

 

Specifically, consultant support is needed in the following data management and processing-related areas of work:

  • The maintenance and updating of standard data management systems, including a review of survey tools
  • The development of editing and analysis programmes, including the anonymization of micro data
  • The development of data management systems, editing, and analysis programmes for new MICS Plus surveys
  • Capacity building in the National Statistical Offices
  • Contribute to the improvement and development of innovative approaches in survey implementation 
Support to data entry, editing, syntax, and tabulation work to MICS implementing agencies when needed
 

Terms of Reference / Key Deliverables:

Work Assignment Overview/Deliverables and Outputs/Delivery deadline

1. 

For each wave of calls in at least five countries implementing MICS Plus:

  • Support data management systems, application development and data analysis in ongoing MICS Plus surveys
  • Development of MICS Plus data management systems for new MICS Plus surveys
  • Support for methodological work on MICS Plus implementation (bias analysis and methodological note development)
  • Support training of MICS Plus implementing agencies
  • Support webpage updates
  • Support to MICS implementing agencies when needed
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
a) at least 5 CSPro applications reviewed - 30 January 2026
b) 3 Call centre protocols updated in at least 3 countries - 10 March 2026
c) At least 5 programs/dashboards for data quality checks developed - 25 April 2026
d) At least 5 systems for generating tabulations reviewed and finalized - 10 June 2026
e) At least 5 data sets edited and anonymized or publicly shared - 25 Jul 2026
f) At least 3 spreadsheets of results of methodological analysis produced - 30 Aug 2026
g) Production of at least 3 methodological notes supported - 10 Oct 2026
h) At least 5 trainings are supported online or in-person as per agreement with the implementing agencies - 15 Nov 2026
 
Web pages (MICS Plus landing and survey page) are updated to contain the latest information, including the MICS Plus metadata dashboard, at least once every 3 months.
Support provided to the MICS implementing agencies (at least five countries) with:
a) at least 3 data entry applications;
b) Data review (at least 3 datasets reviewed);
c) Syntax review (for at least 2 countries);
d) Preparation of field check monitoring dashboard (for at least 5 countries);
e) Final review and survey closing (at least 5)
20 December 2026
Funding to be confirmed for the activities and deliverables below:
• Support data management systems, application development and data analysis in ongoing MICS Plus surveys
• Development of MICS Plus data management systems for new MICS Plus surveys
• Support for methodological work on MICS Plus implementation (bias analysis and methodological note development)
• Support training of MICS Plus implementing agencies
• Support webpage updates
• Support to MICS implementing agencies when needed
Support data management systems, application development and data analysis in ongoing MICS Plus surveys
• Development of MICS Plus data management systems for new MICS Plus surveys
• Support for methodological work on MICS Plus implementation (bias analysis and methodological note development)
• Support training of MICS Plus implementing agencies
• Support webpage updates
• Support to MICS implementing agencies when needed
i) at least 5 CSPro applications reviewed - 30 January 2027
j) 3 Call centre protocols updated in at least 3 countries - 10 March 2027
k) At least 5 programs/dashboards for data quality checks developed - 10 March 2027
l) At least 5 systems for generating tabulations reviewed and finalized - 25 April 2027
m) At least 5 data sets edited and anonymized or publicly shared - 10 June 2027
n) At least 3 spreadsheets of results of methodological analysis produced - 25 July 2027
o) Production of at least 3 methodological notes supported - 30 August 2027
p) At least 5 trainings are supported online or in-person as per agreement with the implementing agencies - 30 August 2027 
Web pages (MICS Plus landing and survey page) are updated to contain the latest information, including the MICS Plus metadata dashboard at least once every 3 months - 15 November 2027
Support provided to the MICS implementing agencies (at least five countries) with:
f) at least 3 data entry applications 
g) Data review (at least 3 datasets reviewed) 
h) Syntax review (for at least 2 countries) 
i) Data editing (at least 3 datasets reviewed) 
j) Tabulation work for at least in 3 datasets 
k) At least 3 datasets anonymisation 
20 December 2027
q) at least 5 CSPro applications reviewed - 30 January 2028
r) 3 Call centre protocols updated in at least 3 countries - 30 January 2028
s) At least 5 programs/dashboards for data quality checks developed - 10 March 2028
t) At least 5 systems for generating tabulations reviewed and finalized - 25 April 2028
u) At least 5 data sets edited and anonymized or publicly shared - 25 April 2028
v) At least 3 spreadsheets of results of methodological analysis produced - 10 June 2028
w) Production of at least 3 methodological notes supported - 25 Jul 2028
x) At least 5 trainings are supported online or in-person as per agreement with the implementing agencies - 30 August 2028
 
Web pages (MICS Plus landing and survey page) are updated to contain the latest information, including the MICS Plus metadata dashboard at least once every 3 months - 15 November 2028
 
Support provided to the MICS implementing agencies (at least five countries) with:
l) at least 3 data entry applications;
m) Data review (at least 3 datasets reviewed);
n) Syntax review (for at least 2 countries);
o) Data editing (at least 3 datasets reviewed);
p) Tabulation work for at least in 3 datasets
q) At least 3 datasets anonymisation
20 December 2028
 

Qualifications

Education: Advanced University degree in Statistics, Programming, Mathematics, Social Sciences, Demography, or another related technical field with a significant data processing component is required

At least ten (10) years of experience in working with quantitative household surveys.
Prior MICS Plus/household phone surveys implementation experience is required

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required *:

• Expertise in statistical analyses (familiarity with data processing and data analysis software, CSPro and SPSS desirable. Also, R, Python, and GitHub experience is an asset.)
• Prior MICS or DHS experience in multiple countries for data processing work is a must
• Experience with MICS Plus data processing is an asset
• Experience working in developing countries.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another UN language (e.g., French, Spanish, Russian) is desirable.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
 

Requirements:

Completed profile in UNICEF's e-Recruitment system and

- Upload copy of academic credentials

- Financial proposal that will include/ reflect :

    • the costs per each deliverable and the total lump-sum for the whole assignment (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, and living costs 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 core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results. View our competency framework at: Here

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 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. Consultants 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. 

 
 
 
 
 

Advertised: Eastern Daylight Time
Application close: Eastern Daylight Time

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