International Consultancy for Technical Support to the Internal Process Review Phase II: Cost Effectiveness Analysis Abuja, Nigeria. (4 months) Remote

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, dedication

In Nigeria, UNICEF works in a complex humanitarian and development setting to fulfill and protect children’s rights in partnership with the government, civil society, children, and families.  UNICEF Nigeria is one of the largest UNICEF Country Offices globally – click the link to learn more about UNICEF in Nigeria: https://www.unicef.org/nigeria/

How can you make a difference?

Purpose of Assignment:

With a population of approximately 206 million, Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa. Approximately 43 per cent of the population is below 14 years of age. It is estimated that one in every 13 births globally will occur in Nigeria by 2050. Although this demographic dividend could support the country to further stimulate its economic growth and development, it places an immense burden on an education system already heavily pressured by infrastructure deficits, an inadequately trained teacher cadre, fiscal austerity, and regressive funding patterns. These challenges converge with poor demand and growing threats from insecurity and climate change to perpetuate the country’s dual crises: one in four children are out of school and three in four are not learning.

To assess and improve the relevance, effectiveness and efficiency of the education programme, UNICEF Nigeria launched an internal process review in 2023. This included the review of the logic and complexity of the education programme’s Theory of Change (ToC) to enable timely adjustments where needed as the section entered the current Country Programme (2023-2027). The review revealed alignment between UNICEF programming and government priorities; a logical and evidence- and experience-based ToC; flexible, responsive, and scalable interventions based on what works; and effective coordination and implementation. It also highlighted the need for more support for children with disabilities and greater efforts to coordinate and monitor priorities which cut across output areas (e.g., inclusion), as well as to ensure quality in data reporting. The process review included a preliminary analysis of cost effectiveness as well, which found that resource availability, grant requirements and donor priorities influence how resources are allocated to the programme’s various activities and that the programme’s activities are aligned with global evidence of cost-effective interventions. However, it noted that a more rigorous assessment of cost effectiveness is needed, especially in light of factors such as inflation Therefore, a more in-depth cost-effectiveness analysis was recommended as a key next step to ensure standardized costs are readily available to enable accurate proposal development, the selection of interventions, and budgeting.

Scope of Work:

Using financial data from the UNICEF Nigeria education programme, including expenditure from previous and ongoing grants, procurement records, local travel and DSA costs, exchange rate fluctuations, as well as focus group discussions with Education staff in field offices and Abuja and field visits to programme intervention sites, the consultant will produce a comprehensive report analyzing cost-per-intervention, cost-per-beneficiary, and cost-per-effect ratios for UNICEF Nigeria’s education programme. The report must include the following chapters: introduction and literature review, research questions, literature-referenced methodology including data collection and analysis, results, discussion, conclusions, recommendations, and references.

1.Study background, plan, and methodology:

Draft the first part of the analytical report, namely, introduction, literature review, research questions, and proposed literature-referenced methodology.

2.Discussion, conclusion, and recommendations:

Draft the second part of the report, which includes results, discussion, conclusion, recommendations, and reference chapters. The recommendations chapter presents specific, actionable recommendations for cost-saving strategies which ensure quality and equity are maintained (i.e., improving cost efficiency), based on evidence from other UNICEF programmes, partners, and global literature. These recommendations must address how UNICEF can respond in different scenarios (e.g., Naira devaluation/inflation, provision of top-up by donors, budget shortfalls, etc.)

3.Guidance and dissemination:

Translate the findings into a comprehensive reference sheet (i.e., an excel database) showing location- and context-specific activity costs which UNICEF can use to develop programme budgets. The reference sheet must also translate the recommendations for cost-saving into the formulae presented (e.g., revising costing formulae where possible to eliminate extraneous costs and reduce unit costs) and outline various scenarios, including how economies of scale can be leveraged to lower costs as programmes expand (e.g., formulas for decreasing costs once certain numbers are reached).

Share the findings with Abuja and field office staff, collect feedback, and finalize the report.

Conduct a workshop with Abuja and field office staff to share and discuss the findings and provide further guidance on how to use the results.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here… TOR Cost Effectiveness Analysis .docx

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• A master’s degree in monitoring and evaluation, Economics, International development and education is required.
• At least five years of experiences in programme review and evaluation.
• At least five years of experience in cost-effectiveness analysis and financial evaluation of programmes in the development sector.
• A least three years of experiences in designing, implementing, or evaluating education programme.
• Fluency in written and spoken English

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).

To view our competency framework, please visit  here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks: 

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Applicants must submit their financial and technical proposals along with this application. Applications without these will not be considered. Use this form to provide your financial proposal… All-Inclusive Financial Proposal Form (1).docx

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.