Home-based: Working Across Sectors Indicator Package Consultant

Job Title: Working Across Sectors Indicator Package Consultant

Background and Role Purpose:                          

The Child Protection Minimum Standards Working Group (CPMS WG), together with the Assessment, Measurement and Evidence Working Group at the Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action is seeking a consultant to develop an indicator package on working across sectors for children’s protection and well-being.   

A strategic priority for the Alliance is to ensure that children's protection and well-being are prioritised within cross-sector collaboration, including within multi-sector and integrated programmes, and across all humanitarian action (Strategic Priority 3). 

The CPMS WG has been leading a project to advance this goal; From 2021-2022, the CPMS WG led inter-agency, multi-sectoral consultations with nearly 400 stakeholders to identify barriers, opportunities and key priorities for cross-sectoral work that centres children’s protection and well-being.  As a result of these consultations the Inter-Sectoral Framework for Advancing Children’s Protection and Well-being (Framework) was launched.  The Framework identified building data, evidence and learning on key objective to strengthen practice :

“The lack of evidence on good practice for collaboration across sectors and the limited data on the impact of other sectors interventions on children’s protection and well-being currently limit the adoption of child-centred practices. Identifying indicators and sharing data and findings from research that demonstrates impact on sector-specific outcomes as well as on outcomes for children, will be a catalyst for change.”

The CPMS and AME WGs are now looking for a consultant to lead the development of an indicator package for advancing children’s protection and well-being across all sectors of humanitarian response to contribute to the above objective. The indicator package should meet the following criteria: 

• Audience: Inter-agency coordinators, technical advisors and program managers from non-protection sectoral actors, particularly education, health, food security, and camp coordination and camp management (CCCM) actors
• Content: indicators developed should: 
  • Include outcome-level and output-level indicators building from with Pillar 4 of the Child Protection Minimum Standards, but also linking to relevant minimum humanitarian standards for target sectors and the Core Humanitarian Standard 
  • Together with target sectors, agree on one  priority, outcome indicator that can be used in programming and inter-agency response plans to drive forward work in a key area for children’s protection and well-being
  • Link with relevant principles, policies and strategic priorities that guide humanitarian action 
  • Establish indicator definitions, data sources, baseline and targets, and proposed guidance on timeline for reporting.  
  • Be able to be implemented without additional resources or staff
• Final product: should be straightforward and easy for an array of users to understand.  It would combine the indicators themselves with practical guidance on how to use them. 

Timeframe:                                         

This consultancy is planned for 15 June – 31 December 2023 and includes approximately 60 days of work. The exact number of days and a workplan will be agreed with the successful candidate. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and priority given to candidates with immediate availability.  

Key Tasks and Deliverables:                                 

1. Desk Review and multi-sectoral consultations: 20 days

A Desk Review will be conducted to identify existing indicators linked to the centrality of children’s protection in humanitarian action, including those included in CPMS Pillar 4, and the Alliance’s project on measuring child well-being. The review should also include indicator packages from other humanitarian standards and measurement frameworks from target sectors.  Concurrent to the desk review the consultant will lead a series of key informant interviews targeting CP actors and the education, health, CCCM and food security actors to identify existing tools, key measurement needs, and gaps.  Members of the Humanitarian Standards Partnership should be included to ensure linkages to sectoral humanitarian standards.  Other key targets will be agreed together with the CPMS and AME WG leads.

Deliverable: desk review and consultation report, including recommendations for indicator package and a table mapping indicators identified with key categories

2. Drafting of Indicators and Supporting Package: 20 days

Full indicator package on working across sectors for children’s protection is developed and can be used to measure outcomes of priority sectors’ programming on children’s protection and well-being. The indicators and accompanying guidance would include measurement guidance for each indicator and practical tips for data collection and use. The package should include detailed indicator description) and a guidance note. Guidance note should have the following info: 

• how indicators should be selected from the list/compendium. If the list is going to have both output and outcome then there should be some generic guidance for both levels
• aggregation – options for aggregation at country/regional and global levels
• when to use – baseline, mid term review and etc
• linkages/contribution- to sector specific strategies, priorities, and minimum standards 

The package should prioritize decision trees and practical checklists instead of long narrative.

Deliverable: Full draft of competency framework package

3. Revising and Finalizing Indicator Package: 15 days

A period of inter-agency review and feedback would be held prior to finalising the package. The consultant will present indicator package to key stakeholders within and outside the Alliance for feedback, and coordinate written feedback from relevant stakeholders (e.g. through a shared document).  Consultant will analyze feedback provided and produce a revised draft of the indicator package, in coordination with CPMS and AME WG co-leads. 

Deliverable: revised, final version of indicator package

4. Additional Support to CPMS WG: 5 days

Contribute to recommended next steps to promote implementation of the indicator package, including developing key actions, commenting on communications strategies or products needed, and other related support. 

Reporting Lines:                                    

This consultant will report to Susanna Davies, co-lead of the CPMS Working Group on behalf of Save the Children. The consultant will also work very closely with the Assessment Measurement and Evidence Working Group of the Alliance, who will provide critical technical guidance and inputs for this project.  Other key focal points for cross-sectoral partners will be identified. 

Consultant Profile Needed:                            

• Significant experience in assessment, measurement and evidence in humanitarian settings, particularly in the development and use of indicator packages
• Knowledge of the Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action, Sphere, Core Humanitarian Standard and related minimum humanitarian standards 
• Knowledge and experience of both child protection and at least one other sector (especially education, health, camp management or food security) in humanitarian settings is preferred
• A commitment to excellence & attention to detail
• Superb written and oral communication skills in English 

How to Apply:                              

Please submit applications to the CPMS Working Group by COB 02 June 2023, with the subject line “Application: Working Across Sectors Indicator Package Consultancy” to susanna.davies@savethechildren.org. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. 

In your application, please include:

• A two page (maximum) letter that describes:
  • Your experience in assessment, measurement and evidence and specifically developing indicator packages
  • Relevant knowledge and experience working on child protection and collaboration with other sectors in humanitarian settings 
  • The particular value you would bring to this work 
• Your CV and two professional references
• Your daily rate