UNICEF Zimbabwe is inviting applications for an individual national consultant to review of School Improvement Grant Management Information Systems (SIGMIS).

UNICEF Zimbabwe is seeking to hire an enthusiastic and proactive individual consultant to capture information of schools selected for payment of school improvement grants by MoPSE, generate an encypted paysheet that is shared with the UNICEF house bank for the transfer of the funds to the targeted schools using an electronic system designed for this purpose.
The other objectives are to create an online platform accessible through internet and secured by https protocol that will assist school heads to receive school disbursement grants for the purposes of school infrastructure development and improved quality of education. 1) Integration of the system to existing Education Management Information System (EMIS) . 2) To generate payment reports. 3) To upload acknowledgements and acquittals from districts

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, hope!

UNICEF has been operating in Zimbabwe since 1982. We are a team of passionate professionals committed to the protection and fulfillment of children’s rights. 

Supporting the Government’s vision of a prosperous  and  empowered upper-middle-income society, the country programme is aimed at contributing to sustainable socioeconomic development that provides all children, including adolescents, with opportunities to fulfil their potential, lead a healthy life, access quality learning and protection and meaningfully participate in society.

For more information about UNICEF Zimbabwe please click here

You can also access and explore all new UNICEF vacancies and create job alerts via the UNICEF Zimbabwe website link below:

https://www.unicef.org/zimbabwe/work-us

Background:

School Improvement Grant (SIG) payments are processed through an automated system that captures requests from schools and generates pay sheets that are encrypted and uploaded onto an online payment system which is then accessed by UNICEF for processing. Since SIG started in 2013, two SIGMIS were developed, one in 2013 and the other one in 2022. The 2013 SIGMIS is the one currently being used by MoPSE to capture paysheets, however, the MoPSE misplaced user manuals and a source code for the application and only established that in 2018 when the system developed a problem, hence the system cannot be modified or maintained in any way. Since then, the consultant who developed the SIGMIS had been called on adhoc basis to support the Grants Management Team (GMT) with fixing any challenges. Unfortunately, the individual consultant who developed the SIGMIS died in December 2022, therefore, there is no backup to the system. This poses a huge risk if the system develops a problem as previously experienced.

In 2022, MoPSE requested for a new system as the 2013 system was exhibiting an unstable pattern ranging from inability to move over to the current year, failure to accept new schools and to generate the pay sheets. All the problems were attributed to the absence of user and technical documentation manuals as well as the source code which was misplaced. Based on this request, a new system was developed, however, the system had teething issues which were not resolved, and this included compatibility with UNICEF Banking platform. In addition, the contract of the consultant ended before the MoPSE team had been trained on the system to allow the MoPSE ICT to take over the management of the system and provide internal support whenever needed. The new system was only used to produce 2 paysheets in 2022, due to the teething issues it demonstrated, the system was shelved, and the GMT reverted to the old system to expedite the process of preparing pay sheets.

There is still a need to move away from the old system to the new 2022 system which is more robust in meeting the user requirements.

UNICEF Zimbabwe is seeking a consultant to support the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (MoPSE) with reviewing and modifying the system to address the issues raised by GMT and allow capturing of reports on expenditure, acknowledgements and reporting as well as capacity building of the Grants Management team and MoPSE ICT staff with the objective of transitioning to the new system for payments planned for 2024. Given that UNICEF has changed its bank, there is need for the consultant to work with MoPSE and the bank and ensure alignment.

Purpose of the assignment: 

To capture information of schools selected for payment of school improvement grants by MoPSE, generate an encypted paysheet that is shared with the UNICEF house bank for the transfer of the funds to the targeted schools using an electronic system designed for this purpose.
The other objectives are to create an online platform accessible through internet and secured by https protocol that will assist school heads to receive school disbursement grants for the purposes of school infrastructure development and improved quality of education. 1) Integration of the system to existing Education Management Information System (EMIS) . 2) To generate payment reports. 3) To upload acknowledgements and acquittals from districts

Assignments:

The consultant will be expected to work closely with MoPSE and UNICEF sections i.e., Education, Information Communication and Technology (ICT) and Finance for the following:

1) Review the existing system that was developed in 2022 to see if it meets all the user requirements stipulated in the TORs for its development. If there is any of the specifications not met, include them in an incremental development.

2) Integration of the system to the existing Education Management Information System (EMIS)

– Creation of a field which captures the EMIS number of a school

– Resolving teething issues raised by GMT

– Ensure MIS security to maintain data integrity.

3) Review and update a template that is used for capturing of

– Grant requests

– Acknowledgments of receipt of SIG-Acquittals detailing type of expenditure

– Associated reporting

4) Capacity building of Grants Management team (GMT)

– Review the SIG MIS User Manual

– Trainings for User  and System Administrator Trainings conducted

5) Alignment of the SIGMIS with the UNICEF House bank platform

– Review of the Stanbic Bank bulk payments   system and ensuring compatibility of SIGMIS to the platform.

– Support the testing of data uploads to the Stanbic platform with the bank.

6) Detailed reporting and backup functionalities – See Annexure A

Major tasks and deliverables: 

#	Tasks/Milestone	Deliverables/Outputs	Timeline
1.	Assignment kick-off, Initial Assessment of the existing system (Review with all stakeholders for the expectations and timelines and come up with an agreement of what needs to be done)	Inception report	10 days
2.	Architecture Design and Prototype Development	Proposed prototype agreed with all parties including the bank	10 days
3.	System Development and Deployment Testing	Completed Platform System	20 days
4.	User Acceptance Testing (UAT)	UAT Sign off	5 days
5.	Platform Stabilisation	Fix bugs after UATs + Sign off	10 days
6.	Training for Super Users and Admins + Handover of system including source codes	Training + source code submission	5 days
7.	User Trainings /Workshops/ User Manual	Training Documentations and User Manuals	10 days
8.	Assignment Exit Sign-off	Exit report	Final product approved 100% invoice

 

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

Education:  A university degree in Information Technology, Computer Science

Experience:

• At least 5 years’ experience working in Software Development

Knowledge/ Expertise/Skills required:

• Familiarity with Government of Zimbabwe procedures, and specifically Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education policies, systems and procedures.
• Advanced knowledge in  vb.net software development, MySQL and SQL database engines.
• Advanced knowledge in database implementation, configuration, and troubleshooting of database instances.
• Familiarity with standard ICT industry best practices, with emphasis on
• Change control and contemporary system security methodologies.
• General knowledge of Education Management Information Systems
• Demonstrated project management experience of varying scope
• Commitment to accuracy
• Previous experience with NGO and Government related projects/ track record is a plus.

Languages:

Fluency in English

Good proficiency of a local languages is essential

Application Procedure:

If you meet the entry qualifications and you are interested and available to be placed on the roster, please submit your application online, upload your application letter, highest academic qualification and detailed CV. The selection process will be competitive.

The detailed consultancy terms of reference is downloadable via this link ToRs SIG Management Information System-PDF.pdf 

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.