This consultancy will support UNICEF South Sudan (SSCO) deliver its first Shock Responsive Cash Transfer (SRCT) programme, upscale the Young Child Support Grant (YCSG) and contribute to the drafting of a National Social Protection Policy for South Sudan’. It will also support the strengthening of initiatives pertained to cash related capacity development, systems’ strengthening and coordination initiatives.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Lead final design, implementation, and monitoring of the Urban Shock Responsive Cash Transfer programme:

Map and select appropriate implementation partners (IPs) for implementation of various components of the SRCT including targeting/identification, registration, communication, Grievance and Redress Mechanism (GRM) and monitoring. Lead in the development of detailed Programme Document (PD) with selected IPs, clearly laying out expectations and roles of IPs;

In coordination with UNICEF PMER team, develop the M&E-related tools/documents for the appropriate execution of the M&E-related activities (baseline registration, PDM surveys, etc.);

Support interpreting the data from CWG and JMMI data to monitor market functionality in implementation areas;

Support the SSCO to identify concrete programmatic linkages with ongoing/planned nutrition interventions to enable a cash+ approach, including the final selection of Outpatient Treatment Programme (OTP) sites for SRCT implementation;

Lead in the finalization of the relevant SRCT programmatic and operational documents,including:

Maintaining updated risk matrix and mitigation measures,

Programmatic SOP,

Monitoring plan,

Implementing Partner Programme Documents;

Support in the finalization of operational documents (with SSCO Operations team), including:

Payment process SOP

FSP approval and contract agreements;

Work with the SSCO Beneficiary Data Management Specialist to facilitate uploading and management of beneficiary information in the UNICEF Humanitarian cash Operations and Programme Ecosystem (HOPE);

Support relevant colleagues, remotely and in person, to manage the IP delivery of SRCT in the field;

Conduct regular operational analysis of the SRCT programme, identify areas of poor performance, bottlenecks, and identify solutions such as design improvements, additional trainings, and technical support;

Ensure relevant analysis of GRM complaints received through different sources, tracking through HOPE and ensure implementing partners relevant follow up;

Prepares relevant programme reports required for management, donors, budget reviews, programme analysis, annual reports, etc.;

Participate in and contribute to the National Social Protection Working Group, the Partners Social Protection Working Group, the South Sudan National Cash Working Group, including providing updates on implementation of the SRCT and ensuring collaborative coordination with other cash actors in country.

Lead scale-up of the Young Child Support Grant Programme (YCSG):

Finalize YCSG operational plan and lead overall implementation of the YCSG roll out including:

Selection, training, and management of Implementing Partners (IPs) including development of workplans for YCSG implementation, GRM and monitoring;

Development and implementation of beneficiary and community communications strategies in coordination with SBC team

Led by the Beneficiary Data Management Specialist and in collaboration with the IP and the Nutrition Section, facilitate beneficiary targeting and registration through CAPI, and ensure all beneficiary data are uploaded into HOPE;

Liaise with government and local officials at national and state-levels, provide supportive technical backstopping for their implementation roles

Support monitoring and backstopping of IPs, especially during targeting and registration, and with support from the Beneficiary Data Specialist ensure timely beneficiary payments and tracking/resolution of GRM complaints using HOPE;

Led by the Beneficiary Data Management Specialist, ensure appropriate beneficiary data management is adhered to in HOPE, establish a table of authority and enable adequate tracking of beneficiary case management, payments, and GRM tracking and resolution;

Monitor FSP performance (including beneficiary experience and satisfaction) and support UNICEF Operations colleagues with timely and reliable reconciliation processes;

Strengthen the Grievance and Redress Mechanism (GRM) design and implementation, ensuring beneficiaries have multiple appropriate channels to raise complaints, and that the system adequately tracks and addresses all complaints in a timely and appropriate manner, including through the HOPE system as designed by the Beneficiary Data Management Specialist;

Working with SSCO colleagues, IPs and government authorities, ensure robust complementary services are well integrated within the YCSG including (but not limited to) nutrition services (prevention, screening and treatment), referral to health and GBV services, and others;

Supported by PMER, development and implementation of a robust monitoring and evaluation framework including establishing and tracking a consistent programme reporting process for IPs and colleagues, undertake field monitoring at key implementation points to assess programme performance and take corrective action where required;

Produce relevant knowledge management products over the duration of the YCSG implementation including summary PDM briefs, implementation progress, and documentation of lessons learned;

Contribute to donor reporting and donor engagement as required;

collaboration with the Social Policy Specialist, participate in all relevant social protection coordination and working groups, providing updates on YCSG progress as well as technical inputs into the broader social protection sector objectives and work;

Provide technical support to the ongoing National Social Protection Policy Framework revision discussions and activities, ensuring that social protection sector in country is rights based and inclusive, in line with Government objectives;

Support South Sudan CO with social protection resource mobilization activities.

SSCO cash coordination and capacity strengthening:

Support the finalization and implementation of the SSCO Cash Strategy (currently in draft form);

Facilitate coordination of the SSCO Cash Task Force and overall CO objectives of cohesive and collaborative cash transfer programming in country;

Identify capacity gaps in SSCO, and support with strengthening overall understanding and implementation of all cash transfer programmes in SSCO;

Collaborate with Operations Section to establish and maintain sound internal controls supportive of accountable and risk informed cash transfer programming in SSCO.

Minimum Requirements:

Education: 

Advanced university degree or equivalent in public policy, economics, development studies, social sciences, international relations, political science, operations management, or other relevant field (an additional 3 years of relevant experience will be accepted in lieu of a master’s degree);

Experience:

Minimum 8 years of relevant professional experience in emergency cash transfers and shock responsive social protection, including:
– Cash transfer related needs assessments supporting preparedness, humanitarian needs, market functionality and price monitoring, and feasibility assessments;
-Design of cash transfer interventions including risk assessment, mitigation and monitoring, programmatic design (targeting, benefit level, payment frequency and modality), operational models (including selection of payment mechanism, data management, data protection, etc., M&E including PDMs, payment verification, third party monitoring and programmatic monitoring;
– Oversight and quality assurance of cash transfer programme implementation including coordination, supportive monitoring, identification of bottlenecks and troubleshooting of solutions.
– Coordination of multiple actors and stakeholders an asset;
• Understanding of the humanitarian context in sub-Saharan Africa is a strong advantage, experience in protracted crises and/or South Sudan is an asset;
• Excellent inter-personal and communication (oral and written) skills;
• Fluency in English is required, knowledge of Arabic is a plus.