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International MICS (Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys) Consultant

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, RESULTS!

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

Under the overall supervision of the Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, the international MICS Consultant
(MC) will lead, support and provide managerial and technical guidance to UNICEF Libya and the BSC for the
preparation, implementation and completion of the MICS and MICS+ survey in Libya. The MC will advise the BSC,
especially the Survey Coordinator and sampling and data processing experts, during survey planning, questionnaire
design, sampling, training, fieldwork, data processing, data analysis, dissemination and archiving, ensuring that MICS
protocols and recommendations are being followed at all times. The MC will communicate effectively between the
UNICEF CO and BSC, responding promptly to MICS related needs and issues as they arise.

The MC will be responsible for coordinating and supporting the work of other resource persons hired by UNICEF to
provide technical assistance to the MICS. The consultant will work in close collaboration with the survey team, the
stakeholders, and Steering and Technical Committees and will represent UNICEF in meetings and workshops in relation
to the survey as needed. The MC will also work in close collaboration with the Regional MICS Coordinator at the UNICEF
Regional Office (RO) and the MICS Team at UNICEF Headquarters (HQ), as well as expert consultants assigned to support
the Libya MICS, particularly with the national MICS Consultant (collectively labelled “The UNICEF MICS Team”).

Scope of Work:

1. Provide technical and managerial support to the MICS survey.
2. Present the MICS methodology, tools, and guidelines to partners/stakeholders (e.g. ministries, UN Agencies, etc.).
3. Finalise, in collaboration with national partners and UNICEF CO, the Survey Plan and Budget, including timetable and share with the Regional MICS Coordinator.
4. Ensure that the Ethical Protocol and other ethical recommendations are addressed in the survey implementation process and that all MICS and MICS+ related documents are shared with the national Ethical Committee on time for approval.
5. Oversee each stage of the survey process and ensure that the MICS protocols and standards are followed by the BSC, more specifically during training and field supervision visits.
6. Communicate regularly with the UNICEF CO and/or the UNICEF MICS Team responding to all MICS related issues in a timely manner.
7. Provide monthly updates on MICS activities to the UNICEF CO and Regional MICS Coordinator.
8. Coordinate the work of BSC specialists and the UNICEF MICS Team and other resource persons assigned by the UNICEF CO and/or the UNICEF MICS Team to support different survey stages.
9. Ensure that external technical reviews by experts (i.e., Sampling, Data Processing, and Household Survey expert consultants) are carried out at key survey stages and coordinate the feedback and response between the CO, the UNICEF MICS Team and the BSC.
10. Ensure that all survey related documents and deliverables are properly archived throughout the survey process (for example: Memorandum of Understanding, Survey Plan and Budget, questionnaires, manuals, sample design, training/pre-test reports, expert reports, CAPI application, output and tabulation plan tables, syntaxes, datasets, Survey Findings Report, Statistical Snapshots, dissemination materials etc.).
11. Participate in all MICS Steering and Technical Committee meetings.
12. Participate in, and contribute to, MICS Regional Workshops.
13. Organize, as required, and facilitate in the national Data Interpretation and Report Compilation Workshop.
14. Ensure that lessons learned, problems, and good practices are documented throughout the MICS and MICS+ process and rapidly shared with the MICS community (other MICS implementing countries and the UNICEF MICS Team) through all means available.

Specific Activities
In consultation and collaboration with the UNICEF CO and BSC, the MC will be responsible for ensuring the following activities have been undertaken following the MICS and MICS+ guidelines and will contribute to the coordination of these activities:

1. Survey Planning:

• A Steering Committee is established and composed of all relevant national and international stakeholders, including National Ethical Committee.
• At least one Technical Committee comprised of all relevant technical experts is established.
• The Survey Plan and Budget, including timetable is finalized and shared with all stakeholders.
• A Memorandum of Understanding between UNICEF Country and BSC is signed before funds are spent on survey activities.
• Survey supplies are procured and distributed in time for training and data collection.

#Sample design:

• The UNICEF Sampling expert consultant is provided with necessary information and visits are well managed and coordinated within survey plans.
• Sample design is finalized by the sampling expert of BSC with the guidance and review of the UNICEF Sampling expert consultant.
• Listing and Mapping materials and operations are reviewed by the UNICEF Sampling expert consultant and carried out on the field per MICS and MICS+ recommendations.
• Geocoding (cluster centre points, multi-points or boundaries), either existing or collected during the mapping and household listing operation, is assessed by the survey team and communicated to the UNICEF MICS Team, together with the shapefile representing the sampling frame, at minimum including the boundaries of sample stratification.
• Sample design is reviewed by the UNICEF MICS Team before finalisation.
• The final selection of households is reviewed; and the weights are reviewed.

MICS and MICS+ questionnaires:
o Appropriate UNICEF programme staff and the Technical Committee are involved in reviewing the customisation of relevant sections of the MICS and MICS+ questionnaire;
o Selected Modules address country data gaps and address SGD data needs;
o Questionnaires undergo translation and back translation process;
o Questionnaires and manuals undergo an ethical review;
o Questionnaires are pre-tested and a pre-test report is produced;
o Questionnaires are reviewed by the UNICEF MICS Team before finalisation.

#Manuals:
o MICS Household Listing and Mapping, Supervisor, Measurer, and Interviewer Manuals are customised for the country specific context and translated.
#CAPI application template:
o CAPI application template is customized by the data processing expert of the BSC with the guidance of the UNICEF Data Processing expert consultant;
o CAPI application template is reviewed by the UNICEF MICS Team before finalisation;
o Secondary editing guidelines and Field Check Table syntax are customised by the data processing expert of the BSC with the guidance of the UNICEF Data Processing expert consultant.

2. Listing and Mapping, Training and Fieldwork, and Data Processing:

• Listing and mapping is planned and performed per MICS guidelines.
• Training schedules are adequately adapted to the county context while following MICS and MICS+ guidelines.
• Appropriate resource persons are identified to facilitate training (i.e. nutritionists for anthropometry training, survey experts for methodology, etc.).
• Contribute to the fieldwork training.
• Fieldwork and fieldwork monitoring visits are planned and performed according to MICS and MICS+ guidelines;
• Field Check Tables are produced on a weekly basis, immediately analysed by survey managers, and main findings reported to field supervisors for action.
• Field Check Tables are immediately shared with the Regional MICS Coordinator.
• Participation of UNICEF CO staff is organised to assist in monitoring data collection.
• UNICEF Data Processing expert consultant is timely provided with necessary information and country visits are well managed and coordinated.
• Hardware is made available for the CAPI application (data collection and central office menu components), and software is properly installed and a working, data transfer system and data backup system is established.
• Monitor data processing and secondary data editing.

3. Data Analysis and Report Writing:

• Sampling Weights are included in the datasets and reviewed by the sampling expert of the BSC with the guidance and review of the UNICEF Sampling expert consultant.
• MICS tabulation plan and standard syntax are customized and used in generating SPSS dataset and tables.
• Dataset/Tables including the wealth index are substantively reviewed by technical experts (e.g., sampling and household survey experts) and subject matter experts at the BSC, as well as by the UNICEF MICS Team before the report writing commences.
• Facilitate communication on process of anonymization of geocodes between the UNICEF MICS Team and the BSC as per Memorandum of Understanding.
• Coordinate and contribute substantively to the elaboration of the Survey Findings Report and Statistical Snapshots, using the MICS and MICS+ template and according to MICS standards to ensure a timely release.
• Ensure that the Survey Findings Reports and Statistical Snapshots undergoes the technical review process by the UNICEF MICS Team.
• Coordinate the printing and distribution of the Survey Findings Report and Statistical Snapshots.
• Organize and facilitate the presentation of the Survey Findings Report and Statistical Snapshots through a national seminar.
• Provide technical expertise and advice for wide dissemination of the Survey Findings Report, Statistical Snapshots and main results.
• Ensure that the MICS and MICS+ survey archive with all final survey documents and materials (MoU, CSP, questionnaires, manuals, sample design, field reports, CAPI application, syntaxes, database, geocoding, tables, Survey Findings Report and Statistical
• Snapshots, dissemination materials, etc.) is being produced by the BSC.

4. Attend to all MICS Regional and/or National Workshops.

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

• Master’s degree in, Demography, Statistics, Social Sciences, Epidemiology or any other related technical field is required.
• Minimum of 8 year proven experience in the coordination and/or management of quantitative household surveys (prior MICS or Demographic and Health Survey (DHS)requested.
• Strong computer skills and strong expertise in statistical analyses (familiarity with data processing and data analysis software, particularly SPSS).
• Experience with CAPI data collection.
• Training experience and ability to organize and facilitate training and presentations.
• Experience in data analysis and survey report writing.

Other competencies:

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CARITAS).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

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 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.

Candidates meeting the minimum requirements should apply with a detailed CV, Cover Letter and an all inclusive financial proposal as well as a technical proposal. Applications WITHOUT these will NOT BE ACCEPTED.