Needs Assessment Consultant

Project Name: Plan and Conduct Needs Assessment for SOS Children’s Villages in 3 countries in Western and Central Africa

Duty station: Flexible

Duration of Appointment: 25 working days

Language required: English

Expected Starting Date: ASAP

Travel required: Bangui (Central African Republic), N’Djamena (Tchad), Niamey (Niger)

Background

SOS Children’s Villages International (SOS CVI) is an independent, non-governmental, non-profit and non-denominational international umbrella organisation that has been active in the field of children’s rights and has committed itself to address children’s needs and concerns. It is one of the oldest (since 1949) and largest organizations working with vulnerable children, which operates in 134 countries and territories around the world.

In recent years, SOS CV has been increasingly engaged in emergency preparedness and response activities to protect children from abuse, neglect and exploitation and minimize the negative effects that natural disaster and war could have on children and their families. The Global Emergency Response unit drives and manages the emergency preparedness and response activities of SOS CVI and supports member associations to fulfil the urgent humanitarian needs of children.

Objective of the assignment

West Africa and the Sahel are facing unprecedented levels of acute food insecurity driven by persistent insecurity, conflicts and related population displacements, the impact of climate change and desertification, limited food production, barriers to regional trade and the socioeconomic fallout from the pandemic.

SOS CVI is looking for a Needs Assessment Consultant (NAC) to lead and manage the needs assessment team and hold responsibility for the implementation of a multi sector needs assessment with specific focus on the programmatic and strategic focus areas of the Global Emergency Response Department of SOS CVI. These focus areas are child and maternal health, child protection in emergency education in emergency, nutrition, mental health and psychosocial support and WASH. The needs assessment will be conducted for 3 SOS member associations: SOS Central African Republic, SOS Tchad and SOS Niger as well as in close collaboration with the Western Africa Regional Office of SOS and the International Office. The Consultant is expected to develop a context specific approach including methodology and tools. S/he will be required to visit the National office of all 3 SOS Member Associations to train local staff on the developed approach, methodology and tools for data collection. Based on the data collected the consultant will submit a high quality, analytical needs assessment report to the Global Emergency Response Department of SOS CVI.

This post is initially for a period of 25 working days. The consultant is covered by Allianz World Wide Care (Emergency Medical Cover for Business Trips) and Wr. Städtische Accident Insurance.

Key Tasks

• Assume overall management responsibility for the implementation of a coordinated, multi sector needs assessment in aforementioned areas.
• Based on the tools available with SOS CVI, as well as good-practice external tools, develop – in cooperation with Regional and Country team – an agreed, context-specific assessment approach, methodology, and tool.
• Train and supervise national assessment teams to ensure the best quality for the data collection
• Monitor the quality of data collected on the humanitarian needs of most vulnerable people (with specific references to Unaccompanied and/or separated children, children at risk of loosing parental care and their care givers), and support the identification of gaps and possible response (also at mid/long term), activities, and indicators
• Ensure the production of a high quality, analytical needs assessment report

Expertise and qualification required

• Experience of at least 5 years of progressively responsible professional experience in program management, evaluations, needs assessment and coordination, including at least 3 years international experience.
• Substantive knowledge and understanding of needs assessment, strategic framework, and programming.
• Relevant academic and professional experience, including global and country level experience.
• Expertise and experience in the humanitarian and development sector contexts and programs.
• Management experience including the ability to multitask and the ability to complete tasks working with tight timelines.
• Excellent analytical, research, writing and communication skills.
• Large autonomy; high flexibility and adaptation capacities to the contexts and environment, solution-oriented.
• Strategic thinker.
• Ability to comply strictly with deadlines and work in a timely manner.