Consultant - MEAL Specialist

Job Description

CONSULTANT - MEAL SPECIALIST

Title of Project : Consultant for Multi-Sectoral Needs Assessment (MSNA) including gender analysis

Duration: From 16/10/22 To 30/11/22

Place of Assignment: In office: Amman regional office- Jordan (when possible)
Remote: If person not in Jordan

Services required from International Medical Corps to support assignment:

International Medical Corps to provide field staff (enumerators) for data collection. And all documentation needed for desk review.

1. BACKGROUND TO THE ASSIGNMENT:

International Medical Corps has been providing multi-sector humanitarian services as part of the global Syria response for more than 9 years. IMC has been implementing health, physical rehabilitation, nutrition, mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), gender-based violence (GBV) prevention and response, and child protection (CP) services through community-based activities - both at static facilities and service points and through outreach services. Through programme implementation IMC is aware the contextual situation and needs of the population are continuously changing. IMC plans to conduct a multi-sectoral needs assessment and gender analysis to better inform and design future programming and service provision, and to ensure the provided services meet the population needs.

2. PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

The purpose of the Multi-Sectoral Needs Assessment is to allow the International Medical Corps to understand key gaps in sectoral service provision, gender-specific trends, gaps and needs, and learn about the needs of the affected populations overall in different locations. The findings of the needs assessment will inform the current and future strategic planning and programming of International Medical Corps in its intervention areas in Syria.

3. SCOPE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

1. The needs assessment will focus on humanitarian needs that fall under International Medical Corps’ programming scope in the targeted areas. These include: Medical, Nutrition, Physical Rehabilitation, MHPSS, Livelihood, Child protection, and GBV sectors.
2. The assessment will be conducted in the current areas covered by IMC programs and other locations identified by the field team as potential areas for expansion.
3. The assessment will include a mainstreamed gender analysis component in which a gender lens should be applied to the analysis and presentation of findings for each geographic location and technical area covered by the needs assessment. (note: this component may be developed in closer collaboration with IMC advisors, depending on the consultant’s background and prior experience with gender analysis)
4. The assessment will include a service-mapping (4Ws) component to identify the gaps in service provision in the targeted areas.
5. The assessment will also compare changes in needs and priorities from previous assessments conducted by IMC, and any available assessments provided by the clusters or partners and will look into the dynamics of the situation in the targeted areas that affects these needs.

4. DELIVERABLES DESCRIPTION:

Itemise the deliverables based on the tasks outlined in 3 and the expected due date

1. Inception report: during the inception phase, review the program targeted locations and the overall approach. Discuss and provide the sample methodology, conceptual framework, data collection methodologies and review/adjust the provided data collection tools in coordination with IMC. At the end of the inception phase, provide an Inception Report, detailed methodology, sampling, finalized data collection tools (including gender-mainstreamed and gender-specific questions to support the gender analysis), team composition, and work plan with a timeline. The Inception Report will be informed by a desk review of documentation and consultation with key stakeholders. The methodology should consider the varied approaches for capturing specific parameters of the assessment objectives, highlighting the methods to be used and any foreseen challenges (and remedies) which might need discussion prior to field data collection. As the MSNA will include an integrated gender analysis, the inception report and methodology should include clear research questions and data collection/analysis approaches to facilitate the gender analysis. The assessment communications plan should also be submitted along with inception report.
2. Review the available secondary data including (latest HNO, latest HRP, service mappings of different programs, previous needs assessment by IMC, secondary gender assessments, and recent rapid assessments by Reach initiative) to inform report writing and enrich the analysis of peoples’ needs in addition to triangulate the information related to the gaps of services.
3. Provide trainings to the field data collection teams and finish piloting stage.
4. Data sets collected (raw and cleaned data).
5. Quantitative and qualitative data analysis done.
6. A presentation to show the initial findings to key IMC staff and discuss the results, priorities, and recommendations emerging in the draft report and from the gender analysis.
7. A Draft Report in the required template summarizing the results derived from the overall assessment and gender analysis, including recommendations.
8. A Final Report incorporating the feedback from IMC MEAL, Technical Unit (TU) and country program teams.

4.1. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ASSIGNMENT DELIVERABLES

Detail how, when and by whom the deliverables will be implemented

The deliverables will be implemented by the assigned consultant according to the timeline mentioned in section 4.

5. FUTURE PHASES (IF ANY)

Is this a stand-alone assignment or will its implementation commit International Medical Corps to further expenditure of goods or services in the future? Provide details of these future phases.

Stand-alone assignment

6. TRANSFER OF SKILLS (IF ANY)

Detail how any transfer of skills will be completed following the assignment

Consultant Specifications

To perform this consultancy successfully, an individual must be able to perform each task with or without reasonable accommodation.

Qualifications

Essential: Master’s-level or a higher degree in public health, evaluation, statistics, international development, anthropology, or a related field of social sciences.

Desirable: Degree or certification relevant to International Medical Corps’ technical sectors (e.g., medicine, nutrition, environmental engineering, women’s studies, mental health, etc.)

Experience

Essential:

a) The consultant should be experienced in the Syrian context or similar contexts.

b) At least 5 years of demonstrated experience related to humanitarian needs assessments, evaluations, operational research, or M&E field, preferably in 2 or more sectors relevant to IMC programming.

c) Prior proven experience in gender analysis.

Desirable

Experience in mobile data collection platforms such as Ona, KoBo Toolbox, or Commcare.

Competency

List technical expertise and soft skills required. Not exceeding 7 points

1. Excellent analytical skills using statistical methods especially test of statistical inference, Descriptive, Thematic or Narrative analysis
2. Excellent capacity building skills in remote management environment.
3. Ability to conduct evaluations using mixed methods / quantitative and qualitative approaches to data collection.
4. Ability to develop high quality quantitative and qualitative data collection tools (questionnaires, key informant interview guides, and focus group discussion guides)

1. Demonstrated ability to produce high quality analytical reports in English with little editorial oversight and with relevant, practical and concrete recommendations for program improvements.

Language(s)

Excellent spoken English skills, Fluency to produce the report in English

Arabic communication skills

PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING:

Code of Conduct

All Consultants are required to adhered to and promote International Medical Corps shared responsibility and obligation to report matters involving Sexual Exploitation & Abuse, Trafficking in Persons, Child Safeguarding and any suggested violation to our Code of Conduct which may involve Conflicts of Interest, Fraud, Corruption or Harassment. If you see, hear or are aware of any suggested activities then you have an obligation to report to International Medical Corps.

Equal Opportunity

International Medical Corps is proud to provide equal consultancy opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, age, disability or status as a veteran.

Payment

Payments are delivery-based. Any deliverable not meeting the required specifications will have to be reworked and resubmitted at no additional cost. The proposed payment for this assignment is the lumpsum amount of the negotiated incentive paid at the delivery of all deliverables and final report and satisfactory performance, payments will be certified by the supervisor.

TITLE RIGHTS

International Medical Corps shall be entitled to all property rights including but not limited to patents, copyrights and trademarks with regard to material, which bears a direct relation to, or is made in consequence of, the services provided to the organization by the consultant.

INSURANCE

Consultants are fully responsible for arranging, at their own expense, such life, health and other forms of insurance covering their period of service on behalf of International Medical Corps as they consider appropriate. Consultants are not eligible to participate in life or health insurance schemes available to International Medical Corps employees

TAXATION

International Medical Corps undertake no liability for taxes, duty or other contributions payable by the consultant on payments under this contract.

TERMINATION OF CONTRACT

Either party may terminate this contract before the expiry date of the contract by giving notice in writing to the other party.

The period of notice shall be 5 days in case of contract less than 2 months duration and 30 days in the case of contracts for longer periods; provided however that the in the event of termination on the grounds of misconduct or the in the event of termination on the grounds of misconduct or poor performance by the consultant, International Medical Corps shall be entitled to terminate the contract without notice.

In the event of the contract being terminated prior to its due expiry date, the consultant shall be compensated pro rata for no more than the actual amount of work performed to the satisfaction of International Medical Corps.

Code of Conduct
As applicable to this position, an individual must promote and encourage a culture of compliance and ethics throughout the organization and maintain a clear understanding of International Medical Corps and donor compliance and ethics standards and adheres to those standards.

Safeguarding
It is all staff shared responsibility and obligation to safeguard and protect populations with whom we work, including adults who may be particularly vulnerable and children. This includes safeguarding from the following conduct by our staff or partners: sexual exploitation and abuse; exploitation, neglect, or abuse of children, adults at risk, or LGBTI individuals; and any form of trafficking in persons. Staff are also responsible for preventing violations to our Code of Conduct and Ethics, which may involve Conflicts of Interest, Fraud, Corruption or Harassment. If you see, hear or are made aware of any violations to the Code of Conduct and Ethics or Safeguarding Policy, you have an obligation to report.

Equal Opportunities
International Medical Corps is proud to provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, age, disability or status as a veteran.

About the Organization

International Medical Corps is a global humanitarian nonprofit organization dedicated to saving lives and relieving suffering through healthcare training and relief and development programs.

Established in 1984 by volunteer doctors and nurses, International Medical Corps is a private, voluntary, nonpolitical, nonsectarian organization. Its mission is to improve the quality of life through health interventions and related activities that build local capacity in areas worldwide. By offering training and healthcare to local populations and medical assistance to people at high risk, and with the flexibility to respond rapidly to emergency situations, International Medical Corps rehabilitates devastated healthcare systems and helps bring them back to self-reliance.