Quality Assurance Consultant with International Expertise, Amman, Jordan

Job Description

The Position:

The quality assurance consultant will support the Department of Statistics (DoS) in the development of a quality assurance framework for the General Population and Housing Census 2025.

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. UNFPA’s strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

Job Purpose:

The quality assurance consultant will support the Department of Statistics (DoS) in the development of a quality assurance framework for the General Population and Housing Census 2025.

Scope of work (Description of services, activities, or outputs)

To achieve the objectives of this assignment, the consultant will perform the following tasks hand in hand with the corresponding team at the UNFPA office and the Department of Statistics:

• Review essential background documents to become familiar with the Jordan 2025 Jordan.
• Conduct an inception meeting with DOS and UNFPA Jordan to understand mission needs.
• Review and refine the proposed mixed-methods census methodology and develop a detailed work plan with clear milestones, deadlines, and deliverables for its execution.
• Assess the census 2025 components and identify priorities for the quality assurance framework, paying particular attention to the proposed first instance of using administrative records for census purposes in the country.
• Develop a preliminary version of the quality assurance framework.
• Facilitate exchange sessions to validate the framework and the plan.
• Produce and finalize the quality assurance framework (covering planning, implementation, and dissemination) for the census 2025
• Organize and lead capacity-building sessions on monitoring the developed quality assurance framework for DOS staff involved in the census operation.

Deliverables:

• Inception Report: Must detail the approach, timeline, and deliverables.
• A preliminary version of the quality assurance framework for the 2025 census.
• Validated and final version of the quality assurance framework for the 2025 census.
• A detailed report on skills and knowledge gaps for quality assurance and appropriate recommendations to address them.
• Develop an effective capacity-building plan for the department’s employees to implement the census according to international standards.

Duration and working schedule:

It is expected to commence on November 3, 2024. The exact timeline and schedule will be finalized during the inception meeting​.

Place where services are to be delivered:

The consultancy will follow a hybrid model, combining face-to-face interactions and remote work as needed, and will require travel to Jordan.

Delivery dates and how work will be delivered (e.g., electronic, hard copy, etc.):

Below are tentative dates for deliverables; the exact timeline for deliverables will be determined during the kick-off meeting with UNFPA and DoS. All reports will be submitted electronically in word format

Deliverable

Date

% of payment

Inception Report

Within 1 week of commencement

10%

A preliminary version of the quality assurance framework

Within 3 weeks of commencement

25%

Final version of the quality assurance framework

Within 8 weeks of commencement

45%

Effective capacity-building plan

By the end of 10 weeks of commencement

20%

Monitoring and progress control, including reporting requirements, periodicity format and deadline:

• Regular progress reports to UNFPA and DoS will be required.
• Weekly meetings (in-person or online) to review progress and address any issues.
• A final presentation to DOS and UNFPA to discuss the preliminary version of the quality assurance framework.

Supervisory arrangements:

The consultant will report directly to the Census Director at DoS, with additional oversight by UNFPA Jordan.

Expected travel:

A minimum of two visits are required, with each visit expected to last 5 working days.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Experience: Minimum 10 years of relevant experience in population censuses or large-scale surveys.
• International expertise is required. It’s essential that the candidate has worked on similar assignments in other countries, indicating international experience and the ability to handle diverse operational contexts.
• Experience in quality assurance of statistical operations. Proficiency in modern census methods and technologies.

Education:

Advanced degree in demography, statistics, or related field (Doctorate preferred).

Languages:

Fluency in Arabic (mandatory) and English (preferred).

Inputs / services to be provided by UNFPA or implementing partner (e.g. support services, office space, equipment), if applicable:

• Consultants are responsible to possessing their own equipment, i.e. laptops, mobiles, etc.
• Office space within UNFPA and DoS will be provided.

Other relevant information or special conditions, if any:

• The consultant should be flexible in working hours to accommodate meetings with stakeholders and should have the ability to work under tight deadlines
• Confidentiality is mandatory; information gained during the assignment must not be disclosed without prior written consent from UNFPA and DOS.

UNFPA Work Environment:

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA’s workforce – click here to learn more.

Disclaimer:

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements.

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants’ bank accounts.

Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.

Format of Technical Proposals

Candidates are expected to adhere to the below structure while submitting their proposals.

Section 1: Expertise and Capability of the Candidate

Provide a brief description of your expertise and qualification. Be sure to include the following information:

• Briefly introduce yourself, including your name, current role, and location.
• Summarize your overall suitability for the assignment in a few sentences.

Education:

• Highlight your advanced degree including the field study. Include the institution name and graduation year.

Relevant Experience:

• Detail your relevant experience

International Expertise:

• Describe any similar assignments you have worked on in different countries.
• Include three references or letters of recommendation from international projects, if available. For each reference, please include the following details: Project name, client, contract value in $, Period of performance (from/to), role in relation to the undertaken to services/works, and reference contact details (Name, Phone, Email).

Skills:

• Explain and discuss your relevant skills, including examples of reports or analyses you have completed.
• Highlight any knowledge of the Jordanian socio-political context and how it might benefit this assignment.

Language Proficiency.

Availability:

Indicate your earliest availability to begin the assignment. Mention any potential availability constraints or considerations.

Section 2: Proposed Workplan & Approach

• Executive Summary: An overview of the work and its aims.
• Project Duration and tasks timeline: Should be aligned with the ToR.
• Context and Justification: This should outline how you intend to undertake the work.
• Project Description: Technical approach, methodology and level of understanding of the objectives of the project. This section should reflect innovative approaches the candidate is proposing.
• Logical Framework: Indicate the goal, outcome, activities, indicators, and means of verification for each deliverable.
• Workplan: Please indicate responsibilities and timeframes for each of your activities.
• Monitoring and Evaluation: This section should detail the plan for the monitoring of the project. This should also include information on reporting to UNFPA with clear indicators. This section should detail the reporting system.

Section 3: Key Personnel

• Personnel / Qualifications: Provide Curriculum vitae of the proposed personnel that will be involved either full time or part time. Highlight the relevant academic qualifications, specialized training and pertinent work experience.