Consultant - SQUEAC at Save the Children Nigeria

Save the Children is the leading independent organization for children in need, with programs in over 120 countries, including the United States. We aim to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children, and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives by improving their health, education and economic opportunities. In times of acute crisis, we mobilize rapid assistance to help children recover from the effects of war, conflict and natural disasters. Each year, we and our partners reach millions of children in communities around the world. Join our dedicated and diverse staff in their work to improve the well-being of children everywhere.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Semi Quantitative Evaluation of Access and Coverage (SQUEAC) Consultant

Job ID: 190003O5
Location: Maiduguri, Borno
Employee Status: Contingent

Overall Objective/Purpose

• The Semi Quantitative Evaluation of Access and Coverage (SQUEAC) Survey will be conducted to ascertain the level of access of beneficiaries to CMAM services and determine the coverage of the CMAM program within project locations to better inform the implementation of CMAM programs and improve program delivery

Specific objectives

• To estimate the:
  • Point coverage in the targeted locations
  • Period coverage in the targeted areas
• Identify factors affecting the uptake of OTP and CMAM services in target area of operation (Barriers and Boosters)
• Develop in collaboration with Community leaders and MOH specific recommendations to address the identified barriers to coverage of CMAM programme.
• Enhance competencies of SCI technical teams in SQUEAC methodology
• Develop specific recommendations to build on the identified enhancers of CMAM coverage.

Detailed Terms of Reference
To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the survey consultant will undertake the following:

• Design the survey and develop comprehensive tools for data collection which suit and address gender and cultural contexts of survey locations.
• Finalize the data tools with technical team
• Conduct a one-week training for SCI nutrition staff on SQUEAC methodology and thereafter guide and supervise them as they take part in the entire assessment processes - planning, data collection, data analysis and reporting.
• Train data collectors on the use of the survey tools
• Organize adequate supervision and coordination of the survey teams in the field
• Analyze data and compile a comprehensive coverage survey report.
• For purposes of survey validation, the consultant will present the results to the Nutrition Technical Working group in Borno.
• In collaboration with SCI staff, organize a one-day workshop to develop specific recommendations and a joint action plans to improve coverage of CMAM program in the target areas.

Desired Qualifications

• Education (knowledge): Advanced degree in Nutrition, Public Health, Epidemiology or related discipline.
• Experience: At least 5 years of international and field experience preferably in developing countries.
• Extensive Experience in Nutrition surveys and surveillance systems as well as proven experience with the SQUEAC/LQAS methodology (provide evidence of previous assessments undertaken)
• Experience in conducting coverage surveys in pastoral areas
• Skills and Abilities: Proven ability to organize and supervise a survey team in a cross-cultural setting. Excellent report writing and communication skills. Good training/facilitation skills and understanding of NGOs operations.
• Child safeguarding: previous experience working or conducting assessments involving children and knowledge of children’s rights.

Duration of the Consultancy
The proposed consultancy will last for 5 weeks; the first 2 weeks will be for development and finalization of data tools, information harvesting (average MUAC on admission, average length of stay in the program, performance indicators, locations of defaulters among others) from OTP Cards for a given period of time (at least 1 year preceding the survey); 1 week will be for class room training SCI staff on SQUEAC methodology, 1 week for survey teams training and data collection and 1 week for analysis and reporting and final 2 weeks for consultation meetings to develop recommendations, validation meeting with Nutrition Sector, review of report with feedback from the consultation and validation meetings as well as the Country office.

Expected Output
At the end of the assignment the consultant should deliver:

• SCI staff training and post training report, this should include aspects of data collection, analysis and report writing.
• Final coverage survey report including recommendations
• A PowerPoint presentation of the report for presentation to the nutrition technical forum
• All raw data collected and reports generated will remain the property of SCI.

Conditions of Work

• The consultant will be required to travel from his/her base to the field (Borno) on where the training of SCI staffs will be conducted and thereafter continue with the assessment while staying in Borno SCI field base. SCI team will be trained centrally for one week. The consultant will be expected to lead the team in the initial preparations including enumerator selection, survey team’s trainings and subsequent data collection in Maiduguri, Borno -Nigeria.
• In order to ensure high quality data the consultant will be required to rove across the location offering technical guidance to the teams in the entire process.
• Data will be entered and analysed in the field office under the supervision of the consultants who will have to review all the Data for accuracy.
• Besides reporting will also be undertaken at the field level. SCI will support and facilitate the consultant’s travel to the field, within the Borno and back, as well as administrative, logistics, and security related issues of the consultancy.
• The consultant will be required to abide by SCI security procedures and rules in place for SCI staff including the child safeguarding policy and other field procedures. While in the field, the consultant will be provided with security briefings from the field security focal person.

General Conditions of the Consultancy

• SCI will provide accommodation for the consultant in team guest house
• Meals and other incidentals will be the responsibility of the consultant while in the primary location of the consultancy
• Payment of per diem for the period of Consultancy (where applicable) will be in accordance with the SCI per-diem policy
• The consultant will conduct his/her work using his/her own computer equipment.
• Other miscellaneous costs directly related to the task that can include photocopying of questionnaires etc. shall be covered by SCI. Any cost needs to have prior approval from SCI.
• The movement of the consultant and team to and from the field will be facilitated by SCI.
• SCI will provide survey enumerators; translators as may be required.
• The cost related to travel from/ to Field of the survey teams will be covered by SCI.

Force Majeure:

• The consultant and SCI may agree to reschedule or alter some tasks in the TOR, if unforeseen circumstances arise. In the event SCI is not satisfied with the work produced by the consultant, they may opt to terminate the contract on mutually agreeable terms. Likewise, if the consultant is unhappy with new conditions given by its client, She/he may opt to withdraw on mutually agreeable terms.

Scope of Survey.

• The survey will cover Konduga, Jere, Mafa and Magumeri Local government areas (LGAs). The specific target areas will be catchment areas/ populations of health facilities SCI is implementing OTP services.

Application Closing Date
25th October, 2019.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Application Pack

• Interested and qualified candidates should submit their applications (CV, and technical proposal detailing survey methodology, work plan and financial budget). Copies of relevant previous evaluation reports (to be kept confidential).

Evaluation Criteria and the Rights of Save the Children
Applications will be evaluated based on a composite index considering:

• The content of the technical proposal
• The proposed methodology
• Cost effectiveness as reflected by the financial proposal
• The related experience of the consultant