Consultant, Child Mortality Estimation

Terms of Reference Supporting UNICEF’s interagency work in the area of Child Mortality Estimation New York November 2011

1. Background Child survival monitoring is one of the main activities for UNICEF as a response to the commitments to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and other international agreements as well as UNICEF’s Medium Term Strategic Plan (2008-2013). UNICEF has direct responsibility to monitor and assess child mortality indicators at the global, regional and country level and to these efforts, the organization is engaging governments, civil society, international organizations, academic organizations and individuals working in this areas. In implementing this work, UNICEF is involving child mortality experts to support activities of capacity building, data collection, assessment, analysis, estimation and dissemination of activities coordinated at the global, regional and country level. Activities are identified to support UNICEF’s inter agency work in the area of child mortality estimation as well as specific activities by UNICEF at the global, regional and country level.
2. Purpose The purpose of this consultancy is to support UNICEF’s work in child mortality estimation. Specifically to: a) Support of activities of the Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (IGME) and its Technical Advisory Group (TAG) specifically the preparation and follow-up to the TAG meetings to be held in December 2011 – estimate 4 days

b) Support child mortality methods development and other research activities, including: • write peer-reviewed papers on methodology to estimate child mortality developed by the TAG of the IGME – estimate 4 days • review the existing methodology used for adjusting direct estimates of under-5 mortality for survivor bias – estimate 2 days • continue to support research on comparison of the direct and indirect estimates of child mortality – estimate 6 days

1. Duration: total of 16 working days from 17 November 2011 – 15 February 2012

2. Activities, resources, deadlines: The scope of the work is specific and requires working with some SMS staff, liaising with partner organizations, ROs and COs. Travel as required. Outputs/deliverables Estimated Duration (person days) Deadline • Meeting reports for the Technical Advisory Group TAG meeting in December 2011 4 days Dec 31, 2011 • Paper and reports on methodological developments by TAG in child mortality area as appropriate 12 days Feb 15, 2012 TOTAL 16 days

3. Travel Travel is expected for this consultancy (to be organized by UNICEF as per the UNICEF rules and regulations).

4. Key skills, technical background, and experience required:

The consultant should have the following skills and qualifications: • Ph.D. degree in demography. • Minimum 15 years of professional experience in the area of demography particularly in child mortality area. • Advanced experience in working with the Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation and its Technical Advisory Group. • Excellent communication and writing skills.

How to apply:

How to Apply: Qualified candidates are requested to submit a cover letter, the design proposal, a sample of their best work and a proposed budget for completion of the task as well as a CV and P 11 form (which can be downloaded from our website at http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/index_53129.html) to pdconsultants@unicef.org with subject line “Consultant, Child Mortality Estimation” by 11th November 2011. Please indicate your ability, and daily/monthly rate and availability to undertake the terms of reference above. Applications submitted without a daily rate will not be considered.