Care Reform Measurement Efforts Review and Mapping Consultant, Remote

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

About Data for Impact (D4I):

The Data for Impact (D4I) (https://www.data4impactproject.org) project is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which uses innovative methods globally to generate strong evidence for health and child protection and care programming and policy decision making. D4I is based on a five-year cooperative agreement awarded by USAID in September 2018 that will run until August 2023. It is led by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) through Carolina Population Center (https://www.cpc.unc.edu/) and is implemented in partnership with Palladium, ICF, John Snow, Inc. (JSI), and Tulane University. The D4I mission is to support countries to realize the power of data as evidence that can improve programs, policies, and outcomes. D4I strengthens the technical and organizational capacity of local partners to collect, analyse, and use data.

This Opportunity:

Around the world, many countries are reforming their care systems to ensure appropriate care for children without and/or at-risk of losing parental care. An essential component of ongoing care reforms are efforts to improve data collection, information management and reporting systems. Consistent and reliable data are critical for measuring progress and outcomes of national care reforms. In recent years, there has been a proliferation of multiple initiatives and approaches to strengthen and enhance care reform measurement at global, regional, and national levels. These approaches are at differing stages of development and implementation and their promise has yet to be actualized. At the same time, these approaches are currently uncoordinated which has in some cases led to duplication of efforts, inefficient use of resources, and potentially diffused results. This problem has been exacerbated by a lack of a shared conceptual and measurement framework among the actors involved.

In June 2021, a Task Force on Measurement was established as a sub-group of the Evidence for Impact Working Group under Global Collaborative Platform on Transforming Children’s Care. The goal of this task force is to review existing efforts and approaches to measure progress and outcomes of national care reforms and to provide a more coherent and comprehensive framework and approach to measurement that can be adapted to specific country contexts. As part of the working group, the task force also seeks to improve coordination across actors involved in strengthening data systems related to children’s care. Between July and December 2021, the Task Force held six meetings during which over 12 presentations were shared by international NGOs, academic institutions, donors, and UN organizations that covered issues ranging from global measurement frameworks and tools to national efforts to measure care reform. Based on the exchanges and discussions, a position paper was developed titled “Supporting Countries to Measure Progress and Outcomes of National Care Reforms.” This paper outlines efforts to strengthen care reform measurement, lessons learned and emerging gaps.

Building on the position paper, the Task Force on Measurement, with support from D4I, seeks to engage the services of an independent technical expert consultant to review existing frameworks and tools that measure the progress and outcomes of reforms at the system level and map ongoing efforts to strengthen care reform measurement at global, regional, and country levels. The aim is to identify key gaps, make recommendations on how those gaps should be addressed, and pinpoint opportunities for supporting a coordinated approach to care reform measurement. These findings will be shared with the task force and Evidence for Impact Working Group for feedback and will inform the group’s strategy and roadmap for promoting a coordinated and harmonized approach to care reform measurement.

Location:

The consultancy is fully remote. Choose an item.

Reporting and Supervision:

The consultant will work under the direct supervision of Nalini Tarakeshwar and Ismael E. Ddumba-Nyanzi, the Conveners of the Measurement Task Force, with the overall technical guidance of Alex Collins, D4I Senior Technical Advisor, Child Protection. Additional guidance and support will be provided by Florence Martin and Marinus van IJzendoorn, Evidence for Impact Working Group. The consultant will have direct technical discussions with members of the task force.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

The consultant will be responsible for the following deliverables:

1. Draft methodology for review and mapping exercise, based on position paper and input from task force members

2. Draft report highlighting key findings from the review and mapping exercise

3. Presentation of the key findings to the task force and Evidence for Impact Working Group

4. Revised version of the report based on feedback received

5. Final report highlighting the key findings, gaps, recommendations, and opportunities that can inform the task force’s strategy and roadmap for promoting a coordinated and harmonized approach to care reform measurement. It should also include, as an appendix, a comprehensive summary of the different tools, measurement initiatives, with clarification about their scope, methodology, and timeframe.

6. Finalized position paper, including updates to content based on review and mapping exercise, and a proposed framework for measuring progress and outcomes of national care system reforms at the country level, and suggestions for testing or validation.

The period of performance will be for 6 months, approximately February 2023 – July 2023, with an estimated total 40 days level of effort (LOE).

Key Competencies Required:

• Strong experience in strengthening information management systems and developing measurement and evaluation (M&E) or related frameworks for social services, or for similar fields (education, health) at country, regional and/or global levels
• Demonstrated expertise working with country counterparts at national and subnational levels in building and evaluating the capacity of data or information systems/M&E through assessment, training, mentorship, or other methods
• (Preferred) Familiarity with key relevant international and regional instruments on children’s care, children’s data and governance, and principles of digital development
• (Preferred) Familiarity with measurement frameworks and tools on children’s care and protection, and knowledge of strengthening national information management systems in children’s care and protection (CPIS, CMIS)
• Excellent English-language verbal and written communication skills with exceptional attention to details
• Strong analytical capabilities, including ability to judge quality of statistical methods used in care reform measurement
• Ability to work under pressure, stay on track and meet deadlines
• Demonstrated expertise in group facilitation, with presentation skills

Professional Expertise/Competencies Preferred:

None.

Selection Criteria –

Company Overview:

About Palladium - Palladium is a global leader in the design, development and delivery of Positive Impact – the intentional creation of enduring social and economic value. We work with governments, businesses, and investors to solve the world's most pressing challenges. With a team of more than 3,000 employees operating in 90 plus countries and a global network of over 35,000 experts, we help improve economies, societies and, most importantly, people's lives.

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion - Palladium is committed to embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion into everything we do. We welcome applications from all sections of society and actively encourage diversity to drive innovation, creativity, success and good practice. We positively welcome and seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce; and that all job applicants and employees receive equal and fair treatment regardless of their background or personal characteristics. These include: (but are not limited to) socio-economic background, age, race, gender identity and expression, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, nationality, veteran, marital or Indigenous status.

Should you require any adjustments or accommodations to be made due to a disability or you are a neurodivergent individual or for any other circumstance, please email our team at accessibility@thepalladiumgroup.com and we will be in touch to discuss.

Safeguarding - We define Safeguarding as “the preventative action taken by Palladium to protect our people, clients and the communities we work with from harm”. We are committed to ensuring that all children and adults who come into contact with Palladium are treated with respect and are free from abuse. All successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced selection process including safeguarding-focused interviews and a rigorous due diligence process.