International Consultant: Social Protection Consultant, Juba, South Sudan, 220 days (Hybrid Modality-Home Based/Field Based)

UNICEF South Sudan is looking for an experienced professional passionate about positively impacting every child to join the team as Social Protection consultant. The individual will support UNICEF South Sudan (SSCO) deliver its first Shock Responsive Cash Transfer (SRCT) programme, upscale the Young Child Support Grant (YCSG) and contribute to the drafting of a National Social Protection Policy for South Sudan’. It will also support the strengthening of initiatives pertained to cash related capacity development, systems’ strengthening and coordination initiatives.

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Background

South Sudan is a conflict prone fragile country that continues to suffer effects of past and ongoing conflicts. These conflicts exacerbate worsening humanitarian crisis in some parts of the country, negatively impacting South Sudan’s social indicators. It has high levels of inter-twined vulnerabilities largely due to conflicts, worsened by impacts of climate change. The resultant shocks are thus both idiosyncratic and covariate in nature, affecting vast parts of the country, with children and women the most affected segments of the population, and is currently facing unprecedented economic crisis. A combination of disrupted oil revenue due to the conflicts in Sudan and Gaza, a contraction in non-oil sector revenues, and a cease in the foreign currency buffer has led to a severely constrained environment for Government to operate and meet its international and domestics needs. To raise more domestic revenue and stabilize prices of basic commodities, the Government is introducing several economic measures and policies. Unfortunately, these efforts have been ineffective and thus unable to curb the rapid depreciation of the South Sudanese pound or spiralling hyperinflation. South Sudan’s economy is imminently set on a steep slide to near collapse.

South Sudan’s National Social Protection Policy Framework outlines the role of government in social protection. The Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare is responsible for strategic planning and coordination of social protection and designing and implementing social protection programmes. Both Ministries of Education and Agriculture also have roles. The State Ministries of Gender are tasked with coordination roles, including roles on service delivery, identification, monitoring, and reporting. Local authorities do awareness and sensitization of communities, identify beneficiaries and support delivery of services. The Ministry of Gender chairs the national Social Protection Technical Working Group, a coordination mechanism linked to the Partners’ Social Protection Working Group led by social protection actors at national level. The country also has a functional Inter-Agency Cash Working Group, and there are limited donor-funded social protection programmes comprising conditional cash transfers (public works programmes), fee waivers (education scholarships), in-kind (school feeding) and unconditional cash transfers. These programmes do not prioritize national systems building and/or strengthening.

This consultancy will support UNICEF South Sudan (SSCO) deliver its first Shock Responsive Cash Transfer (SRCT) programme, upscale the Young Child Support Grant (YCSG) and contribute to the drafting of a National Social Protection Policy for South Sudan’. It will also support the strengthening of initiatives pertained to cash related capacity development, systems’ strengthening and coordination initiatives.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Lead final design, implementation, and monitoring of the Urban Shock Responsive Cash Transfer programme:

1. Map and select appropriate implementation partners (IPs) for implementation of various components of the SRCT including targeting/identification, registration, communication, Grievance and Redress Mechanism (GRM) and monitoring. Lead in the development of detailed Programme Document (PD) with selected IPs, clearly laying out expectations and roles of IPs;
2. In coordination with UNICEF PMER team, develop the M&E-related tools/documents for the appropriate execution of the M&E-related activities (baseline registration, PDM surveys, etc.);
3. Support interpreting the data from CWG and JMMI data to monitor market functionality in implementation areas;
4. Support the SSCO to identify concrete programmatic linkages with ongoing/planned nutrition interventions to enable a cash+ approach, including the final selection of Outpatient Treatment Programme (OTP) sites for SRCT implementation;
5. Lead in the finalization of the relevant SRCT programmatic and operational documents, including:
   • Maintaining updated risk matrix and mitigation measures,
   • Programmatic SOP,
   • Monitoring plan,
   • Implementing Partner Programme Documents;
   • Support in the finalization of operational documents (with SSCO Operations team), including:
     • Payment process SOP
     • FSP approval and contract agreements;
6. Work with the SSCO Beneficiary Data Management Specialist to facilitate uploading and management of beneficiary information in the UNICEF Humanitarian cash Operations and Programme Ecosystem (HOPE);
7. Support relevant colleagues, remotely and in person, to manage the IP delivery of SRCT in the field;
8. Conduct regular operational analysis of the SRCT programme, identify areas of poor performance, bottlenecks, and identify solutions such as design improvements, additional trainings, and technical support;
9. Ensure relevant analysis of GRM complaints received through different sources, tracking through HOPE and ensure implementing partners relevant follow up;
10. Prepares relevant programme reports required for management, donors, budget reviews, programme analysis, annual reports, etc.;
11. Participate in and contribute to the National Social Protection Working Group, the Partners Social Protection Working Group, the South Sudan National Cash Working Group, including providing updates on implementation of the SRCT and ensuring collaborative coordination with other cash actors in country.

Lead scale-up of the Young Child Support Grant Programme (YCSG):

1. Finalize YCSG operational plan and lead overall implementation of the YCSG roll out including:
2. Selection, training, and management of Implementing Partners (IPs) including development of workplans for YCSG implementation, GRM and monitoring;
3. Development and implementation of beneficiary and community communications strategies in coordination with SBC team
4. Led by the Beneficiary Data Management Specialist and in collaboration with the IP and the Nutrition Section, facilitate beneficiary targeting and registration through CAPI, and ensure all beneficiary data are uploaded into HOPE;
5. Liaise with government and local officials at national and state-levels, provide supportive technical backstopping for their implementation roles
6. Support monitoring and backstopping of IPs, especially during targeting and registration, and with support from the Beneficiary Data Specialist ensure timely beneficiary payments and tracking/resolution of GRM complaints using HOPE;
7. Led by the Beneficiary Data Management Specialist, ensure appropriate beneficiary data management is adhered to in HOPE, establish a table of authority and enable adequate tracking of beneficiary case management, payments, and GRM tracking and resolution;
8. Monitor FSP performance (including beneficiary experience and satisfaction) and support UNICEF Operations colleagues with timely and reliable reconciliation processes;
9. Strengthen the Grievance and Redress Mechanism (GRM) design and implementation, ensuring beneficiaries have multiple appropriate channels to raise complaints, and that the system adequately tracks and addresses all complaints in a timely and appropriate manner, including through the HOPE system as designed by the Beneficiary Data Management Specialist;
10. Working with SSCO colleagues, IPs and government authorities, ensure robust complementary services are well integrated within the YCSG including (but not limited to) nutrition services (prevention, screening and treatment), referral to health and GBV services, and others;
11. Supported by PMER, development and implementation of a robust monitoring and evaluation framework including establishing and tracking a consistent programme reporting process for IPs and colleagues, undertake field monitoring at key implementation points to assess programme performance and take corrective action where required;
12. Produce relevant knowledge management products over the duration of the YCSG implementation including summary PDM briefs, implementation progress, and documentation of lessons learned;
13. Contribute to donor reporting and donor engagement as required;

 

1. In collaboration with the Social Policy Specialist, participate in all relevant social protection coordination and working groups, providing updates on YCSG progress as well as technical inputs into the broader social protection sector objectives and work;
2. Provide technical support to the ongoing National Social Protection Policy Framework revision discussions and activities, ensuring that social protection sector in country is rights based and inclusive, in line with Government objectives;
3. Support South Sudan CO with social protection resource mobilization activities.

SSCO cash coordination and capacity strengthening:

1. Support the finalization and implementation of the SSCO Cash Strategy (currently in draft form);
2. Facilitate coordination of the SSCO Cash Task Force and overall CO objectives of cohesive and collaborative cash transfer programming in country;
3. Identify capacity gaps in SSCO, and support with strengthening overall understanding and implementation of all cash transfer programmes in SSCO;
4. Collaborate with Operations Section to establish and maintain sound internal controls supportive of accountable and risk informed cash transfer programming in SSCO.

Expected Deliverables  

1. Final design and SRCT SOP

2. Verified SRCT beneficiary list uploaded into HOPE

3. At least 4 SRCT payments made

4. Final summary SRCT PDM report

5. YCSG Payments report capturing first 3 payments

6. YCSG GRM procedure developed including tracking within HOPE

7. YCSG Complementary Services manual developed (jointly with SSCO sections)

8. National SP Policy Framework (or Policy) revised with UNICEF inputs included

9. Minutes and APs from at least 4 SSCO Cash Task Force meetings recorded and actioned upon

10. Four YCSG KM products produced (to be determined)

11. Detailed handover, with linkages to existing deliverables and with identified responsible persons for the continuation of social protection and cash transfer programming in SSCO (at end of contract)

Minimum Requirements:

Education: 

Advanced university degree or equivalent in public policy, economics, development studies, social sciences, international relations, political science, operations management, or other relevant field (an additional 3 years of relevant experience will be accepted in lieu of a master’s degree);

Experience:

Minimum 8 years of relevant professional experience in emergency cash transfers and shock responsive social protection, including:
– Cash transfer related needs assessments supporting preparedness, humanitarian needs, market functionality and price monitoring, and feasibility assessments;
-Design of cash transfer interventions including risk assessment, mitigation and monitoring, programmatic design (targeting, benefit level, payment frequency and modality), operational models (including selection of payment mechanism, data management, data protection, etc., M&E including PDMs, payment verification, third party monitoring and programmatic monitoring;
– Oversight and quality assurance of cash transfer programme implementation including coordination, supportive monitoring, identification of bottlenecks and troubleshooting of solutions.
– Coordination of multiple actors and stakeholders an asset;
• Understanding of the humanitarian context in sub-Saharan Africa is a strong advantage, experience in protracted crises and/or South Sudan is an asset;
• Excellent inter-personal and communication (oral and written) skills;
• Fluency in English is required, knowledge of Arabic is a plus.

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

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

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 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 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. 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.