Multisectoral Assessment Consultant
Consultancy, Research Jobs
- International Medical Corps
- Expires 27 Jun 2021
- Bulawayo
- Full Time
Job Description
Organisational Background
International Medical Corps is a global, humanitarian, non-governmental organization dedicated to saving lives and relieving suffering through health and emergency relief programming. During the 2008–09 cholera epidemic, its work in Zimbabwe included health, water, and sanitation interventions for the affected populations. In 2013, in response to food and nutrition insecurity in the country’s southern region, IMC worked under the Amalima consortium, to implement WASH and nutrition activities as part of a U.S. Agency for International Development Food Assistance Program, serving more than 66,000 community households. Currently, International Medical Corps is leading health, nutrition, and WASH activities with the support of USAID/Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, under the CNFA led Amalima Loko. The program runs from 2020-2025 in the drought-prone, food-insecure districts in Matabeleland, North province. International Medical Corps is also implementing a USAID/ Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance funded project in support of ‘Emergency Access to Water, Hygiene and Sanitation (WASH) services in Zimbabwe’ in Binga district and a UNICEF funded ‘Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Response to COVID-19 in Health care facilities’ project across 17 health care facilities in Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South and Bulawayo metropolitan.
Amidst a decade of economic decline in Zimbabwe, International Medical Corps has delivered quality health, nutrition and water, sanitation, and hygiene services to vulnerable populations in poor and vulnerable rural communities. The interventions aimed to improve nutrition and reduce the spread of waterborne disease, thereby contributing to reduced morbidity and mortality. In response, International Medical Corps is proposing a comprehensive needs assessment that focuses on WASH, Health, Food security & Livelihoods, and protection mainstreaming (GBV) in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The assessment findings will be used to design project interventions in some of the most food insecure provinces in the country which include Matabeleland South and Masvingo, and inform the design of interventions that will respond to communities' needs, alleviate suffering and enhance their adaptive and absorptive capacities to respond to WASH, Health, food security & Livelihoods related shock and stressors.
Assessment Objectives
The objective of this assessment is to provide a comprehensive understanding of multisectoral humanitarian needs and gaps in the WASH, Health, food security & livelihoods, and Protection main steaming (GBV) in Matabeleland South and Masvingo provinces. The assessment will assess the effects and impact of COVID-19 on the above sectors.
Duties and Responsibilities
Specific Objectives
• Specific Objective 1: Assess the functionality of communal water infrastructure, WASH governance, current WASH practices, community service delivery structures, and the effects of COVID-19.
• Specific Objective 2: Understand gaps in hygiene and sanitation promotion, current WASH practices, and activities in the districts, identifying positive and negative coping mechanisms adopted by communities in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Specific Objective 3: Understand how the existing health delivery system operates, the opportunities and the gaps the health system is facing in Matabeleland South and Masvingo provinces, with a particular emphasis on the primary health care system and challenges in the context of COVID-19.
• Specific Objective 4: Investigate epidemiological trends, particularly in terms of infectious disease and the maternal and child health situation.
• Specific objective 5: Assess the impacts of COVID-19 on HH Food security and Livelihoods, and the needs of the affected communities to inform relevant food security and livelihoods interventions with particular focus on cash and market-based programming, and agriculture production.
• Specific Objective 6: Investigate community needs and challenges related to gender-based violence and inclusion, and ways in which COVID-19 has impacted GBV.
Consultant Activities
The consultant is expected to collect primary data from key stakeholders in Matabeleland South Province (Gwanda, Mangwe, Insiza district) and Masvingo (Gutu and Chiredzi district), using both qualitative and quantitative methods to collect this data. He/she will also review existing secondary literature to obtain information. The consultant will finalize the key questions for this work, and develop a study proposal that includes the following: individual/groups to be consulted; size or scope of sampling frame; sample selection method and data collection methods; data analysis at the district level, and health data be specific per health facility.
The consultant's data collection methods should be in adherence to the WHO recommended COVID-19 regulations. Methodologies should incorporate gender mainstreaming and protection issues.
The consultant is expected to submit a work plan within the first 3 days of the assignment and confirm the study methodology, tools, and sample size with the MEAL Coordinator and IMC Country Director. International Medical Corps will have the sole responsibility for the hiring and payment of enumerators, while the consultant will be responsible for training and supervision of enumerators during the assessment. IMC will facilitate all logistical arrangements for the assessment, including transport to the field and enumerator accommodation. The consultant will work with IMC MEAL and TU team members to derive the best possible valid and relevant data collection tools to be used in the assessment. International Medical Corps will review and approve the tools and support the selection of communities/clusters to be selected for assessment. IMC focal points for the assessment will organize introductions with stakeholders where required, assist in mobilizing participation and the provision of feedback to participants.
The major role of the consultant is to coordinate the needs assessment team members as they conduct the assessment in Matabeleland South and Masvingo provinces. The Consultant will be responsible for:
• Proposing the most relevant and reliable methodology and design of the assessment.
• S/he will design data collection tools/questionnaires and translate tools into the local language for standardization and to ensure that all evaluation team members administer tools in the same way at different settings.
• Lead tool training for enumerators.
• Supervise the collection of data.
• Analyze data and present preliminary findings to International Medical Corps and relevant stakeholders.
• Compile and submit quality and comprehensive assessment reports, including a detailed Preliminary Report for review by IMC and a final assessment report incorporating applicable feedback.
• Identify relevant sector actors and their gaps and possible future intervention in each district (who, where, what, and when).
Expected Outputs / Deliverables
• Inception report (including specific details on methodology, research questions, tools and schedules for data collection, ethical considerations, data analysis, storage, and management plans).
• A one-pager on the benefits and limitations of the assessment methodology used in the selected Provinces.
• Raw dataset and cleaned dataset in CSV (quantitative) and Word or Excel (qualitative) including all primary data collected, and a list of all groups/people consulted or interviewed.
• Provide Geo-Positioning system (GPS) coordinates for all study sites (including all households interviewed, should there be any).
• Needs assessment narrative report (including maps, pictures, tables, graphs) detailing findings and recommendations, including secondary data review.
Qualifications and Experience
The expert or consultancy firm must have at minimum a master's degree in Public Health, Environmental Health, Nutrition, Food security and livelihoods or a related disciplines with at least seven (7) years of work experience in or with MoHCC and/UN system and NGOs, and proven experience in qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis. The expert must have a strong technical team to support the thematic areas. The expert will also have demonstrated experience in research and development work related to program assessments, evaluations, or operational research. The consultant should have:
o Education at a master degree level is mandatory; PhD is an advantage.
o Proven experience in conducting multisectoral assessments in all the specified sectors
o Experience using mixed methods in data collection.
o Strong command of English and knowledge of local languages (i.e., Shona and Ndebele).
o Experience in the use of mobile data collection and mapping of GPS Coordinates.
o Commitment to and understanding of internationally recognized child protection values and principles and a commitment to abide by the International Medical Corps Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse policy.
Application Requirements
All expressions of interest should include:
• A technical proposal (maximum of 10 pages), highlighting the scope of work, experience, and qualifications, as well as a brief explanation on understanding the Terms of Reference. An analysis framework and evaluation plan should also accompany this.
• Financial proposal in US dollars (US$): the financial proposal should provide cost estimates for services rendered.
• Proof of previous work done, in the form of hard copies of at least three (3) reports produced for previous work done.
• The consultant should be prepared to make a presentation to International Medical Corps and stakeholders on how they propose to carry out the assessment. The expert to attach CVs of all team members that will participate in the assessment
How to Apply
This position is open to Zimbabwe local consultants only and applicants are requested to submit the aforementioned documents through e-mail to recruitmentzimbabwe@internationalmedicalcorps.org with the email heading ‘Multisectorial Assessment Consultant’ by the 27th of June 2021. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
International Medical Corps never asks consultants or job applicants for a fee, payment, or other monetary transaction. If you are asked for money in connection with this recruitment, please report to International Medical Corps at the reporting email address provided at the end of this document. International Medical Corps’ Reporting email address: report@InternationalMedicalCorps.org. Please do not submit your CV or application to the reporting email address, it will not be considered for review.
