Urgent Job Vacancy at Catholic Relief Service (CRS) for Survey Coordinator – Consultant

CONSULTANCY SERVICE – SURVEY COORDINATOR

If you are interested and your profile matches the requirements, please read the below terms of reference and follow the instructions to submit your expression of interest package.

About CRS

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding.

CRS/ Sierra Leone and Program Background

Since 1963, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) has been an integral development partner in Sierra Leone; addressing national needs in Health, Agriculture, Education and Emergency Response.  The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (GFATM) has approved the Sierra Leone proposal for the New Funding Model 2 (NFMII) as a Program Continuation Request from the previous NFMI for Malaria.  CRS has been named as a co-Principal Recipient with the Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS/NMCP) for this grant.  The period of the grant is for three years (July 1st, 2018- June 30th, 2021). The project is being implemented by both CRS Sierra Leone and the Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS) and through Sub-Recipients.  The project is being implemented in all 16 districts of Sierra Leone.  CRS main responsibilities include community behavior change communication, mass-media communication and major research studies, including the Knowledge, Attitude and Practices study and the Malaria Indicator Survey (MIS.

Malaria remains endemic in Sierra Leone with stable and perennial transmission in all parts of the country, but the situation has improved significantly over the past decade because of sustained investments in malaria control. Malaria mortality and case incidence in Sierra Leone reduced by more than 40% and 50% respectively between the year 2000 and 2015 (World Malaria Report 2016; p88-90). Malaria Indicator Surveys 2013 and 2016 showed that parasite prevalence rates varied widely across districts with national average of 43% and 40% respectively Sierra Leone Malaria Indicator Surveys (SLMIS) 2016, p51).

Therefore, sustained scale-up for impact is required to reduce transmission to pre-elimination levels.

Effort to achieve and sustain universal coverage and utilization of Long-Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs) through mass campaigns and continuous routine distribution, as well as prompt access to malaria diagnosis with Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) or microscopy, and treatment with Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy (ACTs), are the key reasons for the observed improvement in malaria situation in Sierra Leone.

In 2016 the utilization of LLIN in household with nets was generally high:  63% of the household population, 71% of children under 5, and 75% of pregnant women using ITN (SLMIS 2016, page 33).

However, the overall access to ITN was low. The planned LLIN mass distribution campaign in 2017 and 2020 and continuous distribution through Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) services along with an effective Social Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) strategy are expected to improve access and sustain high ITN use in the general population. MoHS/NMCP has instituted Insecticide Resistance Monitoring and Management Plan (IRMMP 2017-2020) to maintain the effectiveness of existing vector control interventions.

Job Title:                              Survey Coordinator – Consultant

Country/Location:           Freetown, Sierra Leone

Report to:                           Project Director – Global Fund

Department:                      Global Fund – New Funding Model (NFM2) for Malaria

Country:                              CRS Sierra Leone

Objective Summary:

The overall goal of the Sierra Leone Malaria Strategic plan (SLMSP) is: By 2020, reduce malaria morbidity and mortality by at least 40% compared with 2015.  This goal will be reached by focusing on five key objectives:

1.a.         All suspected malaria cases should have access to confirmatory diagnosis.

1.b.        All malaria cases to receive effective treatment.

2.a.         Provide access to 100% of the population at risk with preventive measures by 2017.

2.b.        To protect at least 80 % of pregnant women and children under one year with IPT 3 by 2020

3.            To provide knowledge to the population such that at least 80% practice malaria prevention and treatment measures by 2018.

4.            By 2020, at least 95% of health facilities report routinely on malaria programmed performance.

5.            By 2020, maintain and strengthen capacity for program management, coordination and partnership to achieve malaria program performance at all levels.

To track progress and impact, a national Malaria Indicator Survey (MIS) was conducted in 2010, 2013 and most recently 2016 and will again be carried out May/June 2021. The national MIS that was conducted in Sierra Leone 2016 included slide testing to determine malaria prevalence.  These were successful and will be repeated in 2021 MIS.  In the previous MIS, the survey was able to present findings by Regions, Districts, rural and urban areas and this will repeated in the May/June 2021.  CRS intends to hire a survey/research firm to review the sampling and survey design before it is finalized.

This survey will use an appropriate software e.g. CSPro to manage data collection, processing, analysis and reporting. 

Key partners in the MIS will be the National Malaria Control Program of the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Stats SL, College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences (COMAHS) of the University of Sierra Leone, WHO, UNICEF, and PMI among others.

This 2021 survey will build on lessons learned from the 2016 MIS.  With the support of CRS’ Global Knowledge and Information Management (GKIM) staff.

Results from the MIS will be produced in a timely manner (as guided by the work plan – Annex A) so that preliminary data is available by 30th August 2021 and all activities complete by 30^th September 2021 and the data will be disseminated widely so as to be useful to program managers and policy-makers in Government, development agencies and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) within and outside Sierra Leone. The results will be used to evaluate the Sierra Leone NMCSP, programming for Global Fund Malaria NFM 3 and partner needs related to other funding initiatives.

Organization of the Survey: As the organization commissioning the MIS survey, Catholic Relief Services will serve as the coordinating body for the survey.

Work to be accomplished by the Survey Coordinator:

1. Provide technical and managerial support to the MIS survey;
2. Present the MIS methodology, tools, and guidelines to partners/stakeholders (e.g. ministries, UN Agencies, etc.);
3. Finalize in collaboration with national partners and CRS, the Survey Plan and Budget, including timetable and share with the CRS Country Office
4. Oversee each stage of the survey process and ensure that the MIS protocols and standards are followed by the NMCP, more specifically during training and field supervision visits
5. Communicate regularly with the CRS Country Office responding to all MIS related issues in a timely manner; while working closely with NMCP
6. Provide progress reports on MIS activities to CRS on a monthly basis
7. Coordinate the work of NMCP experts and CRS staff and other resource persons assigned by CRS to support different survey stages
8. Ensure that external technical reviews by experts are carried out at key survey stages and coordinate the feedback and response between CRS and the Survey Firm
9. Ensure that all survey related documents and deliverables (questionnaires, manuals, expert reports, final report, datasets, etc.) are properly archived throughout the survey process.
10. Participate in all MIS Technical Working Group meetings.
11. Ensure that lessons learned, problems, and good practices are documented throughout the MIS process and rapidly shared with the Technical Working Group through all means available.
12. 12.   The survey Coordinator will be assigned any other MIS coordination function as identified from time to time by CRS during the assignment.

Estimated Duration of the Contract: CRS intends to hire a consultant as MIS Survey Coordinator for the duration of six months with the possibility of extension.  The consultancy service is expected to be from January 18^th to June 30^th, 2021 and will have the possibility of extension based on the availability of funding.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Master’s degree in Public Health with a focus on Social and Behavioral Sciences or related field in the social sciences from recognized institutions or a bachelor’s degree at the minimum
• Three or more years of professional experience in the field of behavior change communication and primary health care or related field in public health.
• Three or more years of project management experience, with marketing or social communication.
• Three or more years of experience in project design and development, including budgeting.
• Experience in designing and implementing participatory planning and evaluation methods.
• Strong research skills, strong M&E experience.
• Strong English language (writing and communication) skills is required.
• Strong computer skills (MS Office, internet, etc)
• Willingness to travel as needed.
• Ability to work with Faith-Based Organizations, including the Catholic Church.
• Experience with malaria programming and Global Fund is a plus.
• Proficiency in multiple Sierra Leonean languages is a plus.

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS:

Internal:  Country Representative, Head of Programming, Global Fund Project Director, Health Program Manager, Regional Technical Advisor for Health, CRS West Africa Regional Office.

External: CRS Sub-Recipients in the Global fund grant and other CRS Partner Organizations, The National Malaria Control Program, local bilateral institutions, Local Funding Agent (subcontracted by Global Fund), other funding agencies, local/international NGO offices

Submissions

• CV/List of previous similar experience
• List of 3 references and contact information
• Financial proposal (lumpsum inclusive of all costs including transportation, communication, office equipment, printing, etc.)
• Screenshot of previous Survey work done in a word document not exceeding 5 pages. Candidates will be tested on Survey abilities prior to engagement.

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff/Interns/Consultants/Volunteers)

These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each Program Participant to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.

• Integrity
• Continuous Improvement & Innovation
• Builds Relationships
• Develops Talent
• Strategic Mindset
• Accountability & Stewardship

Disclaimer:  These terms of reference are not an exhaustive list of the skills, efforts, duties, and responsibilities associated with this Consultancy

CRS’ talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

“By applying to this consultancy, I understand and acknowledge that CRS requires its Program Participant to treat all people with dignity and respect and to actively prevent harassment, abuse, exploitation, and human trafficking. Further, I understand that if I am a successful candidate, I will be subject to a comprehensive background check, and my personal/professional references will be asked to evaluate my behaviors related to the above safeguarding-related topics”.

WOMEN ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO EXPRESS THEIR INTEREST.  CRS IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Please submit your application by email to only [email protected] by 15^th January 2021