Justification
Kenya has a long history of investing in social protection and adopted the National Social Protection Policy (NSPP) in 2012. The Kenya Social Protection Sector Review of 2012 found that overall expenditure on safety nets in Kenya has been increasing rapidly in recent years. Between 2005 and 2010, total spending on safety nets increased from Ksh 11.9 to Ksh 20.5 billion. Throughout this period, emergency food aid dominated safety net spending, accounting for 53.2 percent of total safety net spending. However, there has also been a growing trend towards cash transfers. By the end of 2010, cash transfers constituted 25 percent of total safety net spending in Kenya, having increased rapidly from a very low base in 2005. The NSPP aims to strengthen the delivery of social assistance to poor and vulnerable populations. The NSPP, which was approved by the Cabinet in May 2012, outlines a vision for gradually realizing the right to social protection as articulated in the Constitution and, within this, the government’s ambition to enhance social assistance.
As a first step in this reform agenda, the government has established a National Safety Net Program (NSNP), which aims to strengthen operational systems while expanding the coverage of cash transfer programmes. The main objective of the NSNP is to improve the welfare and resilience of beneficiaries, with the aim of reducing poverty and vulnerability in Kenya. The NSNP will target poor households that are particularly vulnerable because of where they live (the arid and semi-arid lands of northern Kenya or informal settlements of major urban centers) or because of their circumstances (households caring for orphans and vulnerable children, people with severe disabilities, and older people). To achieve this objective, the government aims to (i) progressively expand the coverage of the five cash transfers that constitute the NSNP, (ii) adopt best practices with regards to targeting, enrolment, payment, complaints and grievances and monitoring and evaluation and (iii) strengthen programme systems and structures. Additionally, while most of the programme activities will be carried out initially on a programme-by-programme basis, but as the NSNP proceeds, the government will exploit opportunities to share functions across programmes. This will lead to an increasingly consolidated approach to safety net support in Kenya.
The NSNP monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework specifies the impact, outcome, output, activity and input indicators that will be tracked to monitor the performance and evaluate the impact of the NSNP. Some of these indicators measure disbursement linked results[1] and the M&E plan sets out the sources that will gather data used to construct these indicators, and the reporting and institutional arrangements for M&E. These sources include i) the programme MISs consolidated into a single registry, ii) the Programme Implementation and Beneficiary Satisfaction (PIBS) Survey, iii) spot checks by programme officials, iv) data from the budget and financial management systems, v) impact evaluation surveys, vi) the Kenya Integrated Household Budget Survey (KIHBS) and vi) ad hoc studies.
The objective of the PIBS survey is to provide annual independent and rigorous data on the implementation of the NSNP and the satisfaction of NSNP beneficiaries with the NSNP services they provide. The PIBS survey is designed to provide: (i) annual indicators representative of the different programmes under the NSNP through a survey of beneficiaries; and (ii) a qualitative assessment of how well the procedures in the operational manuals are understood and applied by programme implementers, and opportunities for beneficiaries to provide qualitative feedback on the NSNP. The data will be used by the SP Secretariat and programme managers to check on and improve the NSNP’s implementation, and for those involved in the governance of the NSNP to provide accountability. It will also serve as feedback to higher level policy decision making (either for the NSNP or for design of other programmes as needed). The SP secretariat is in the process of engaging an external consultancy firm to undertake the PIBS survey and the reports will be submitted annually to the NSNP M&E coordinator in the SP Secretariat (and thereafter be distributed to development partners).
In addition to the M&E functions mentioned above, there is an external monitoring system which provides an independent and objective review of the progress of three of the five cash transfer programmes under the NSNP namely the Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC), Older Persons (OP) and Persons with Severe Disabilities (PWSD). This function aims to complement the in-built monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system that tracks the implementation process on a regular basis. In particular, the external monitoring system assesses the extent to which implementation of the programmes is carried out in accordance with the procedures in the respective Operations Manual (OM) of each programme. The system offers an independent assessment of levels of divergence from the given procedures and recommends approaches for strengthening compliance. It also provides information on targeting processes including the role played by various actors at the local level in relation to the standards set by the Operations Manuals. The fifth cycle of the external monitoring was just finalized in July, 2014, specifically focusing on an assessment of the effectiveness of the registration and enrolment processes of the three programmes with the aim of recommending measures to correct process weaknesses observed. The reports are due every sixth months so the next report is expected sometime around January, 2015.
Government has agreed about the usefulness of the External Monitoring system and reports for tracking programmes and will start a new procurement process for contracting a second phase of external reporting giving continuity to the External Evaluation System,
In that extent, the new process should be focus on main key elements of the programmes including key elements of the programmes like, basic family information, like member’s age, gender, education, children information disaggregated, use of the transfer among others.
The Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Services, through the Social Protection Secretariat, wishes to hire a technical advisor to support the government with technical advice for the PIBS and the External Monitoring to ensure that these are carried-out to a high quality. UNICEF has agreed to support the government in this request, through the contracting of this position.
Purpose of Assignment
The technical advisor will provide technical support and advice to the SP Secretariat in overseeing and ensuring the highest possible quality of the PIBS and the External Monitoring assignments.
Scope of Work: Major tasks
Support to the PIBS:
· Provide technical support and advice to the government as part of the review committee in the procurement process to identify the firm that will undertake the PIBS Survey for the NSNP;
· Provide advice to the SP secretariat in the review of the inception report and subsequent questionnaires/survey instruments and other outputs from the assignment submitted by the PIBS survey firm in consultation with the government and donors (this work would complement the external support provided by Oxford Policy Management on the PIBS);
· Provide technical support to the government to coordinate feedback from stakeholders on outputs under the PIBS (to ensure comments are technically relevant etc.);
· Provide technical support and advice to the government during the implementation of the PIBS, to ensure that it is being implemented as per agreed plans, using the agreed instruments;
· Provide technical support to the SP secretariat to maintain operational oversight and quality control of work related to the PIBS (including sampling, instruments and field testing of instruments) and provide technical support if/as needed (and identify additional support required, if applicable);
· Together with the SP secretariat, review methodology for training of enumerators for the PIBS (training materials, duration, pedagogy) and quality controls for data collection and data entry;
· Together with the SP secretariat, oversee field work for baseline data collection for the PIBS and review analysis of baseline data
Support to the External Monitoring
· Provide technical support and advice to the government on the External Monitoring assignment of the NSNP, including reviewing outputs by the firm and providing technical supervision support as needed;
· Provide technical support to the government to coordinate feedback from stakeholders on outputs under the External Monitoring (to ensure comments are technically relevant etc.);
· Support the second phase of the external evaluation contract focussing in specific needs of the programme and including children monitoring
· Support the SP secretariat in maintaining operational oversight of the work related to the external monitoring and providing technical support if/as needed (and identify additional support required, if applicable).
Expected Deliverables
· An approved work plan agreed with the Ministry of Labour and UNICEF after 2 weeks of commencement of consultancy
· Evaluation of expression of interests and proposals for the PIBS;
· Written comments on the inception report and subsequent questionnaires/survey instruments and other outputs from the assignment submitted by the PIBS survey firm in consultation with the government and donors;
· Written comments on outputs from the External Monitoring Firm;
· As needed, written communications with staff working on PIBS and External Monitoring (including firms, government and development partners).
Desired background and experience
- Relevant master’s degree in areas related to Social Protection and Safety nets, like development economics, social science, anthropology, statistics, development Planning, Social Development, Sociology or related field
- Minimum 7 years’ experience in planning, monitoring and evaluation of development programmes in developing countries.
- Experience in working with senior level of government, policy makers, executives to achieve established goals and objectives.
- Proven ability to conceptualize, design and implement monitoring and evaluation systems.
- Ability to coach, mentor train and work as part of team to develop staff in Public Sector
- Excellent skills to effectively communicate orally and in writing
- Strong experience in technical writing and communication.
Duration of contract and remuneration
The contract is for 60-70 days over a twelve month period. The consultant is expected to be present in Nairobi for the duration of the contract. Some local travel within Kenya is anticipated. The anticipated start date is November, 2014.
[1] Against which the World Bank, which is one of the development partners supporting the NSNP, would disburse funds.
How to apply:
Interested and suitable candidates should ensure that they forward their applications along with their curricula vitae, quoting the indicative fee range (Applications submitted without a fee/ rate will not be considered) to;
The Human Resources Manager
UNICEF Kenya Country Office
Email address:kenyahrvacancies@unicef.org
Qualified candidates are requested to submit a cover letter, CV, and signed P11 form (which can be downloaded athttp://www.unicef.org/kenya) with subject line “KCO/SSA/CP/2014-028”and the consultancy title by COB 19 October 2014.
