Cash for Education (CFE) Consultant

Job Description

Position Summary:

RI launched Cash for Education (CFE) Pilot targeting vulnerable children addressing retention through an assistance tied to conditionality in Bekaa, and is seeking a Cash Consultant for the following Pilot. The Cash Consultant’s duties will include, providing an overall strategic review on the pilot and the pilot’s outcomes; assisting RI’s program team in efficiently addressing retention through Cash Transfer Programming (CTP) during implementation phase; adjusting accordingly current approaches in reaching the pilot’s objectives; and advising on best practices in implementation/approaches within conditional cash assistance and education. The Cash Consultant must have extensive experience in working in the cash sector as well as experience in Conditional Cash Assistance (CA) in particular in different refugees settings including education.

Responsibilities and Duties:

Technical responsibilities:

• Conduct an overall review on the approaches implemented in the listed below and

Provide recommendations on tools and assist in the new design of the suggested recommendations:

• Identifying eligible children for the assistance: Vulnerability assessment, Vulnerability weighting for scoring and identifying tiers for eligibility, criteria for economic vulnerability, selection criteria and thresholds for children assisted per family

• Identifying the monetary assistance value per child: Assessment studying the

Economic expenditures associated with education costs identifying an average

Expenditure amount associated per child to access education

• Monitoring tools and mechanisms in relation to conditional CA (Quantitative and Qualitative)

• Innovative Monitoring tools and mechanisms in relation to retention/education taking into account the current political restrictions

• Build capacity of the program team through trainings and other mechanisms in Cash Transfer Programming (CTP) in particular in relation to Conditional Cash assistance and education

Advise on (Modality/Approach):

• Review gaps in the type of assistance (multi-sector cash): Feasibility of the conditionality of the CA within the context of the Pilot for the Syrians in Lebanon taking into account all variables: Political restrictions, displacement, and change in income status. Advise on resolving the gaps

• Review gaps in the overall process (Identifying beneficiaries, tracking and follow- up, monitoring)

• Linkages between protection concerns (in particular in relation to children) and CBIs

• Creating sustainable approaches through Multi-Sector cash though tied to conditionality

• Best Mechanisms to address retention through CA

• Best means to assist refugees within the suggested context

• Identification of beneficiaries/children and economic vulnerability criteria in the absence of an electronic assessment tool

• Efficient Quantitative Post Distribution Monitoring Questionnaire (PDMQ) providing direct accurate measures of RI’s assistance

• Efficient Qualitative PDMQs and PDMQ mechanisms for Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) to follow up on the assistance

• Effective Cash Monitoring Tools (conditionality, Cash expenditures, withdrawals, and remaining balances)

• Possible exit strategies

• Feasibility and efficiency of Homework Support Groups in relation to Pilot Objective

• Effective mechanisms in implementing Homework Support Groups taking into account all variables: Geographical disbursement and commitment

• Impact evaluations to evaluate Pilot impact from all facets

Advise on (Program)

• Team structure for efficient program implementation: Conducting Homework Support groups, card replacement distributions, field visits to beneficiaries, cash follow – up, monitoring, beneficiary follow up

• Cash tracking mechanism (Overall database (Beneficiaries’, expenditure…)

• Implementation methodologies (mapping, data collection, distribution, post distribution)

Provide recommendations on:

• Resolutions for identified gaps

• Best Practices in CA approaches related to the pilot implementation by sharing learning experiences

• Most feasible methodologies of cash transfer within the suggested context

• Monitoring assistances with respect to special cases (children).

• Efficient team structure for harmonized coordination

• Efficient data collection and archiving for CA and CFE in particular

• Methodologies and new approaches for improving CFE program implementation

Additional Responsibilities:

• Submit the required reports for the consultancy conducted in additional to any additional requested reports during implementation phase

QUALIFICATIONS &REQUIREMENTS:

This position demands a highly experienced individual in refugee settings with a demonstrated ability to achieve results in a demanding and fast paced environment.

• Masters degree with commensurate work experience in related field; and/or
• Minimum of eight years professional experience working in Cash Transfer Programming (CTP);
• Experience in implementing Cash For Education (CFE) Programs
• Experience in implementing Conditional Cash Assistance interventions

Experience in regional programming and working with NGOs and stakeholders in the implementation of programmes.

• Experience in conducting research studies on feasibility of modality implementation
• Experience in related assignment
• Experience supporting program development processes and delivering training.
• Proven experience in development of Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning frameworks.
• Experience in the Syrian crisis, in Lebanon is a plus
• Proven ability on strategic reviews and developing program reports
• Proven data collection and data management experience;
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, public speaking, and strategic planning skills required;
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, tasks efficiently;
• Experience working with refugee settings in cash emergency response context;
• Willingness and ability to travel to field locations in Bekaa;
• Sensitivity to the extremely vulnerable conditions of the target population, and ability to effectively communicate with beneficiaries and other stakeholders;
• Excellent time management skills and resourcefulness with strong attention to detail.
• English is required;
• English writing skills required Computer literate with competence in MS Word and Excel

About the Organization

Founded in 1990, Relief International provides emergency, rehabilitation and development services that empower beneficiaries in the process. RI's programs include health, shelter construction, education, community development, agriculture, food, income-generation, and conflict resolution. RI employs an innovative approach to program design and a high quality of implementation performance in demonstrating deep and lasting impact in reducing human suffering worldwide.