International Consultancy- Incentive Payment and Biometrics Rollout Consultant UNICEF South Sudan for 284 working days

This role’s objective is to support the planning and implementation of a biometric system for effective and transparent implementation of incentive payments to government health workers, in coordination with implementing partners.

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, Care 

Purpose of Activity/Assignment
Under the overall supervision of the Health Manager with close collaboration with Finance/Budget specialists and Implementing Partnership Management Specialist, the consultant will support development and management of the system for incentive payment for government staffs using biometrics technology that will be managed by Financial Service Providers/Money Transfer Agents (FSPs/MTAs). UNICEF plans to enhance the efficiency, security, accountability, and reliability of incentive payments to government workers by adopting a biometric technology to streamline the payment process in close collaboration and under the leadership of the Ministry of Health.
UNICEF is seeking a transformative approach to processing incentive payments without disrupting the delivery of services to eligible government workers. The Programme Specialist – Incentive payment and Biometrics rollout will play a critical role in devising and implementing a payment system that is both efficient and resilient, ensuring eligible approximately 25,000 workers in 10 states and three administration areas are incentivized appropriately while maintaining uninterrupted service provision.

Objective:
This role’s objective is to support the planning and implementation of a biometric system for effective and transparent implementation of incentive payments to government health workers, in coordination with implementing partners.

Scope of Work:
The consultant will be responsible for the following tasks and deliverables:
• Design and oversee the implementation of the incentive payment system in line with the Health System Transformation Project (HSTP) goals.
• Develop and manage a database to harmonize health worker data from various sources, including Implementing Partners, Health Pooled Fund (HPF), FSPs, and link to the Ministry of Health’s (MoH) Human Resources Information System (HRIS).
• Biometric System Adoption – Coordinate closely with the UNICEF SSCO biometric task team in identifying qualified Financial Service Providers for the disbursement of incentive payments with biometrics.
• Facilitate and support FSPs the registration, data management, and payment for HSTP.
• Develop a detailed implementation plan for the incentive payment for HSTP, including timelines and milestones in line with the project start dates.
• Coordinate with FSP and MoH for uploading monthly payment data on HRIS
• Oversee the registration process and manage data for Ministry of Health (MoH) staff eligible for support under HSTP.
• Overseen FSPs in generation of payment lists and facilitate the reconciliation of payments made through the incentive system.
• Develop and execute a comprehensive strategy and implementation plan for incentive payments, incorporating lessons learned from HSTP to enhance UNICEF SSD’s cash payment platforms.
• Advise on the rollout of the biometric system across all areas of UNICEF programming, ensuring a cohesive and unified approach.

Specific Tasks
• Hold consultations with MOH, other government officials, donors and partners on Biometric implementation
• Review existing options for paying incentives by various partners using Biometrics.
• Engage potential service providers to determine appropriate providers
• Lead discussions within UNICEF on wider and scale up implementation of Biometrics across all sections of programming and operations

Specific Deliverables
• A detail implementation plan for the adoption of the biometric system for HSTP.
• A comprehensive database for HSTP that integrates data from IPs, HPF and MoH HRIS.
• Functional biometric system for Health, and other sectors
• Monthly progress reports detailing achievements, challenges, and lessons learned.
• Comprehensive cash payment strategy for UNICEF South Sudan

Deliverables

Provide support to UNICEF South Sudan office biometrics application and incentive payment during preparation and implementation of Health Sector Transformation Project (HSTP).

– Conduct field visits at HSTP target health facilities to monitor biometrics application and cash disbursement services done by Financial Service Providers/Money Transfer Agents.
– Monitor and supervise FSP’s cash distribution service
– Share summary of updated registration and payment verification database every month
– Share lessons learned within UNICEF and with MoH and donors.
– Support MoH to establish MoH’s Human Resource Information Management system.

– Share Detailed Implementation Plan for the Adoption of the Biometric System for HSTP with the following components.
– Detailed flow chart for implementation a biometric system across all relevant health sectors within the HSTP framework.
– key performance indicators (KPIs) such as percentage of healthcare facilities equipped with biometric systems, number of staff trained, and system uptime.
– milestones based on available resources and existing infrastructure.
1st June 2024 – 31st July 2024 (44days) 15.5%
Develop strategy cash distribution strategy with biometrics application for UNICEF South Sudan office including revised incentive payment approach for HSTP
– Discussion with UNICEF SSD programs and operation sections, NGOs and relevant ministries to understand their needs and experiences around biometrics application for cash payment.
– Analysis of existing payment systems in different programmes and sectors and map out in country cash disbursement capacity (Ministry, FSPs/MTAs, IPs/NGOs, UNs)
– Draft and present Biometrics application strategy for UNICEF South Sudan office
– Revise payment strategy for HSTP through review of initial phase implementation (July-December 2024)
– Support UNICEF SS office to sign LTA with qualified local FSPs Comprehensive Database for HSTP Integrating Data from IPs, HPF, and MoH HRIS with the following.
– a unified database that consolidates data from implementing partners (IPs), Health Pooled Fund (HPF), and Ministry of Health Human Resource Information System (MoH HRIS).
– Phased integration plan, with recommended pilot programs in select regions.
1st – 31st August 2024 – (22 days) 8%
Rollout Biometric Pilot Program Which Supports the goal of accurate health service delivery and accountability. Pilot to accommodate.
– Approved Biometric strategy.
– Phased integration plan, with recommended pilot programs in select regions.
– Pilot to Prioritize hard-to-reach regions or sectors. Share report on Functional Biometric System for Health and Other Sectors pilot program shared for two locations – One Urban and Rural highlighting the following.
– Ability to monitor and verify the attendance and identity of health workers across various sectors in those two locations.
– Demonstrate and Track adoption rate, system reliability (uptime), and user satisfaction.
1st September – 30th October 2024 (44 days) 15.5%
Conduct Lessons learned from Biometric rollout Pilot Program
– Review of Pilot Program data: Analyze attendance and identity reporting of health workers across the locations of pilot including adoption rate, system reliability (uptime), and user satisfaction feedback.
– Stakeholder Engagement: Conduct interviews and discussions with key stakeholders involved in the biometric process rollout including – UNICEF, MOH, CHD, IP, FSP
– Data Analysis: Perform a comprehensive analysis of the various bottleneck’s distribution data recorded in DHIS-2 to evaluate the coverage, efficiency, and challenges encountered during the campaign.
– Report Writing: Develop a final technical report that includes:
Share Biometrics Lessons Learned Report for the Pilot
– Detailing Achievements, Challenges, and Lessons Learned
– Prepare detailed reports highlighting the status of the biometric system implementation, including achievements, challenges faced, and lessons learned and key recommendations for country-wide scaleup. 1st – 30th November 2024 (22 days) 8%
Develop a strategy for managing and disbursing cash payments efficiently using the biometric system, tailored to the needs of UNICEF’s operations in South Sudan.
– Consult with financial experts from UNICEF RO/CO to adapt the biometric system for financial transactions with the overall goal to streamline distribution and increase transparency in financial dealings. Share report on Comprehensive Cash Payment Strategy for UNICEF South Sudan
Specific highlighting the following
– Strategies to reduce payment errors, fast track processing payments, and increased security of transactions.
1st – 31st December 2024 (20 days) 7%
Countrywide Rollout Biometric Program Which Supports the goal of accurate health service delivery and accountability. Scaleup to accommodate.
– Findings and recommendations of the Pilot and comprehensive cash payment strategy for South Sudan
Share report on Functional Biometric System for Health and Other Sectors Countrywide scale-up program shared highlighting the following.
– Ability to monitor and verify the attendance and identity of health workers across various sectors across the country.
– Demonstrate and Track adoption rate, system reliability (uptime), and user satisfaction
– Backend support of Implementors 1st Jan – 31st March 2025 (66 days) 23%
Capacity Transfer to ensure UNICEF Staff and Ips/MOH/FSP can identify challenges with system and rollout.
– Prepare detailed reports highlighting the status of the biometric system implementation, including achievements, challenges faced, and lessons learned from field visits.
– Conduct visits to all states implementing the biometric program to observe implementation on the ground and recommend solutions to UNICEF Share 3 Progress Reports from field site visits Detailing.
– Achievements, Challenges, and Lessons Learned and emerging challenges with uptake and implementation in Greater Bahr Gazhal (3 counties – 22days), Greater Equatoria (3 counties – 22days ), and Greater Jonglei (3 counties – 22days ).
– Achievements, Challenges, and Lessons Learned and emerging challenges with uptake and implementation in Greater Equatoria (3 counties – 22days ), and Greater Jonglei (3 counties – 22days ).
– Achievements, Challenges, and Lessons Learned and emerging challenges with uptake and implementation in Greater Jonglei (3 counties – 22days ). 1st April – 30th June 2025 (66 days) 23%

Qualifications and experience
• Advanced degree in Business administration, Finance, Social Science, Technologies, Political Sciences or First University Degree with additional years of related work experience and/or training/courses
• At least five years of experience in managing financing projects.
• Proven experience and skills in biometrics application.
• Familiarity with South Sudan is an added advantaged.
• Work experience in cash assistance and proven knowledge and technical skills in the setup, design, implementation, and monitoring of Cash based intervention projects from a multisectoral in perspective.
• Designing and implementing Cash Transfer programmes, Biometrics and incentive payments in the region is an added advantage.

ALL candidates should provide detailed technical and financial proposal.

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. 

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.