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Background
Since 2004, the government has steadily increased the coverage and the number of households that directly benefit through Cash Transfer Programmes. Through the State Department for Social Protection and Senior Citizen Affairs, the GoK supports three cash transfer programmes namely: Cash Transfer for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (CT-OVC), Older Persons Cash Transfer (OPCT), and Persons with Severe Disability Cash Transfer (PwSD-CT).
In 2016 the three programmes were consolidated under the Social Assistance Unit (SAU), now the Directorate of Social Assistance (DSA). The DSA is today responsible for the administration of cash stipends to over 1.7 million beneficiaries. Consolidation of social assistance programmes has resulted in improved efficiency by allowing a harmonized approach to targeting, disbursement of funds, and case management which has greatly improved the turnaround time in responding to poor and vulnerable households.
Through CCTP MIS, DSA has greatly enhanced efficiency in the implementation of Cash Transfer Programmes in the State Department. The system mirrors the CCTP operations manual, a tool that informs the day-to-day implementation of the cash transfer programmes under the State Department. The Directorate of Social Assistance (DSA) together with other stakeholders recently reviewed the Cash Transfer for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (CT-OVC) eligibility criteria with an aim of expanding the categories of vulnerable children to be included in the programme. This has led to the revision and expansion of the CT-OVC eligibility criteria. DSA intends to mainstream the revised CT-OVC eligibility criteria into the CCTP operational tools, including the Operations Manual the Harmonized Targeting Tool (HTT), and monitoring tools.
Moving forward, DSA will be conducting on-demand registration and continuous replacement of exited households through the utilization of the Enhanced Single Registry (ESR) data. This calls for a well-established referral pathway structured processes that will guide the vulnerable groups providing for the process, actors, levels to refer, and the needs. The payment model has also changed and now the beneficiaries and caregivers are receiving their payments monthly. DSA is also piloting mobile money payments under the CT-OVC and PwSD-CT programmes.
Based on these changes, the Directorate intends to engage the services of a Technical Assistance (TA) necessary to support the review and validation of the CCTP operations manual and develop an implementation roadmap and operationalization of the revised criteria.
Objectives and Specific Tasks
The objective of the assignment is to update the operational manual of the CCTP programme and help to define the standards, procedures, and guidelines for the operationalization. The specific tasks of the assignment include:
Operationalization Road map: develop a road map on how the criteria will be operationalized including targeting and enrollment.
Description of the CCTP programmes: Including objectives, programme components, results, target areas, beneficiaries, etc.
Programme Eligibility Criteria: Incorporate the revised OVC criteria into the CCTP OM
Institutional, Coordination, and Implementation Arrangements: update the chapter to include roles and responsibilities including implementation, project management and staffing, the role of governments (national and county) and other stakeholders, coordinating mechanisms, the role of the G&CM during implementation, and CCTP administration.
Financial Management: Elaboration of the guidelines for an appropriate Financial Management System that ensures funds are processed, managed, and reported properly for improved internal controls and accountability to all stakeholders and donors. The guidelines for financial management shall include:
• Planning and Budgeting arrangements
• Funds Flow Mechanisms
• Internal Controls and Internal Audit Arrangements
• Financial monitoring and reporting
• Asset management and disposal plan
Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning, and Reporting: Gender and Age sensitive Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning, and Reporting Framework for capturing the information and data (disaggregated by sex) necessary for the measurement/tracking of the performance and for reporting of the CCTP programmes from a gender perspective. Key components include:
• Participatory Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning system
• Project monitoring structures, approaches, and responsibilities at the national and county level as well as component level
• Knowledge generation and management approach including Learning and Adaptive Management (CLA strategy)
• Reporting framework including types of reports, schedules, and responsibilities.
Communication and Information Sharing: Develop an effective information-sharing framework that will support CCTP communications, branding, visibility, and sharing of best practices at all levels. The framework should guide:
• communications and visibility plan
• branding
• Information sharing and content gathering
Risk Assessment and Management: Review the risk management framework for the programme. Key components of the framework include risk identification, analysis, review, and risk reporting tools.
Grievance and Complaints Mechanisms: Review/refine a mechanism for handling grievances relating to the entire programme. The grievance and case management mechanism should include the mode of receiving and publishing grievances, eligible grievances and procedures for grievance resolution, grievance templates, update process and tools, and any other relevant information.
Complimentary Programmes: Review of the payments and G&CM processes related to other KSEIP programmes including Nutrition Improvement through Cash and Health Education (NICHE), Universal Child Benefits (UCB), and Economic Inclusion Programme (EIP).
Complimentary Programmes: Review of the payments and G&CM processes related to other KSEIP programmes including Nutrition Improvement through Cash and Health Education (NICHE), Universal Child Benefits (UCB), and Economic Inclusion Programme (EIP).
Work Assignment Overview
Tasks/Milestone: | Deliverables/Outputs: | Timeline |
Inception Report: In the inception phase, the consultant will undertake consultative calls and meetings combined with review and analysis of documents, which will culminate in the development of the inception report. This report will describe in detail the approach, methodology, and workplan to be used in executing the assignment. The report will also include the proposed outline of the revised Operational Manual. | Inception Report | 5 days |
Revised Operational Manual: NSNP stakeholders led by DSA will review the revised operations manual and provide feedback that will inform the subsequent update of the manual. The revised OM will also include the standard templates, forms, and/or tools separately attached to the manual. The manual will be presented in a validation workshop for comments and initial endorsement.
Operationalization Road Map: Draft a paper on how the criteria will be operationalized including targeting, registration, and enrollment, and the targeting tools revised. |
Revised Operational Manual
Draft Road Map for the revised criteria |
10 days (6 Workshop days) |
Final Operational Manual: The final Operations Manual together with all the relevant annexures/templates will be shared with DSA for approval immediately after the validation workshop. Printing and dissemination of the signed-off OM will be done by the relevant Directorate. | Final Operational Manual and Final Road Map | 15 days (6 workshop days) |
Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:
• A master’s degree in international development or any other field relevant to the assignment
• At least ten (10) years of experience in institutional operations consultancy services preferably with the United Nations (UN) or International NGOs (INGOs)
• Demonstrated experience in cash transfer programme design and operations
• Proven experience in developing Operational Manuals, especially for cash transfer programmes
• Understanding of the Government of Kenya (national and county governments) operational policies and procedures
• Experience working with the State Department of Social Protection (SDSP) or NSNP programmes
• Knowledge and experience on age and gender issues would be a plus
• Experience in multi-institutional and multi-donor funded programmes is an added advantage
Conditions
How to apply
Qualified candidates are requested to submit a cover letter, CV or P11 form, and their technical and financial proposals to the online recruitment portal (Talent Management System). Interested candidates are to indicate their ability, availability, and rate (daily/monthly) expressed in KES to undertake the terms of reference. The fees should be inclusive of other costs incurred such as travel, communication costs, etc. Applications submitted without a fee/ rate will not be considered.
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Remarks:
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
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