The cluster approach seeks to make humanitarian assistance more effective by introducing an enhanced system of sectoral coordination with predictable and accountable leadership. Building on existing sector coordination the approach aims to optimize humanitarian response mechanisms ensuring a more coherent, principled, timely, effective and predictable humanitarian assistance to people in need.
In line with the Humanitarian Reform, NGOs, international organizations and UN agencies operating in the same sector are brought under the leadership of an agreed cluster lead and co-lead, to identify gaps, plan and prioritize response, and to implement and monitor activities in a spirit of partnership. Actions are undertaken in full consultation with relevant government counterparts, where feasible.
The Education Cluster was established in October 2011, and its objectives are to:
• Provide a national coordination forum in which all relevant organisations work together to support the Government of South Sudan to address education related issues in current and potential future emergencies;
• Ensure the development of a comprehensive program of activities related to education in emergencies across planning and strategy development, application of standards, preparedness, capacity building, emergency response through to rehabilitation and recovery; supported by information management, monitoring and evaluation, policy and advocacy;
• Strengthen the education sector’s contribution to integrated humanitarian responses, including targeting those most at risk, giving due attention to priority cross-cutting issues such as psychosocial support, gender, diversity/inclusiveness, HIV/AIDS and human rights.
As lead and co-lead agencies of the Education Cluster in South Sudan, UNICEF and Save the Children are required to ensure appropriate Information Management (IM) for an effective intra- and inter-cluster response (see, the IASC Generic Terms of Reference for Cluster/Sector Leads at the Country Level) . The IASC Guidance on Responsibilities of Cluster/Sector Leads and OCHA for Information Management details, as part of these cluster lead responsibilities, that cluster lead agencies need to establish IM focal point(s) who should have sufficient expertise and an ability to work with different partners and clusters, and allocate the necessary human and financial resources for Information Management to ensure this.
Information management (IM) is required for a coordinated emergency response as it improves the capacity of stakeholders in analysis and decision-making through strengthened collection, processing, interpretation and dissemination of information at the intra- and inter-cluster level. Information and information management is the foundation on which decision-making for a coordinated and effective response is based. Strong IM, carried out in support of coordination processes will support relevant actors to work with the same or complementary information and baseline data when making decisions. Properly collected and managed data during emergencies can furthermore support in early recovery, recovery and disaster preparedness activities. Information Management is therefore both a time critical intervention to support timely evidence based decision making in the Education Cluster, but is also a responsibility and an accountability by its agreement to the IASC Guidance on Responsibilities of Cluster/Sector Leads and OCHA for Information Management
Key Result Areas
The Information Manager is a core member of the Education Cluster Coordination teams and will support both Cluster Coordinator. The Information Manager will play a vital role establishing a comprehensive and field-friend information management system that will allow collection, analysis, and sharing information that is important for cluster partners to make informed, evidence-based, strategic decisions on:
1. the education needs of affected populations;
2. the prioritization of these needs;
3. the key gaps in activities to meet prioritised needs;
4. what capacity (human, material, financial) exists to be used in support of the identified prioritised response needs.
In particular, key result areas include:
• Systems development: Establishment of effective mechanisms for communication, information exchange and sharing learning within the national clusters and between the national and sub-national clusters, including: developing and maintaining contact lists and email lists, manage web-based information including websites, 3/4Ws, cluster updates and bulletins, meeting outcomes, workplans, and response and capacity mapping.
• Data Collection, Analysis and Application: Building on national systems and capacities, such as EMIS, facilitation of education data collection and collation, storage, filtering and analysis to inform decision-making. This includes: supporting the identification of pre-crisis and in-crisis baseline data, standards and indicators as appropriate to the context; managing analysis and interpretation of needs assessment information; facilitating collection, analysis and dissemination of cluster partner experience, lessons learned and good practice.
• Monitoring and Reporting: develop simple, user-friendly reporting formats in consultation key stakeholders; these reporting formats should include provision for gender and age disaggregation of data and reporting on particularly vulnerable groups. Produce education updates and situation reports on behalf of the Education Cluster.
• Standards: Support the Cluster in the agreement of common standards and indicators for monitoring the progress and the effectiveness of humanitarian response within the Cluster. Standards and indicators should take into account national standards or guidelines as well as existing globally agreed standards such as the Inter Agency Network on Education in Emergencies (INEE) Minimum Standards and agency-specific standards such as the CCCs.
• Inter-Cluster Coordination: Proactively gather information from other clusters/organizations/military which may be of use to the education cluster including movement of returnees, security updates, provision of shelter for IDPs and returnees. Feed into inter-cluster reporting and OCHA-led humanitarian situation reports. Work closely with OCHA on cross-cluster IM and analysis at the strategic level through the establishment of systems and processes needed for effective information sharing with cluster partners. Represent the Clusters in any meetings of IM focal points led by OCHA and liaise with North Sudan Cluster IM Focal Point.
• Capacity-building: assist cluster partners to meet cluster information needs through minimising requirements, adopting simple tools, and providing timely, relevant information to meet their own coordination needs; develop and implement a training package for National and State Level Clusters on IM theory and systems.
• Any other tasks that may be required (within reason) to achieve the objective of this assignment
Expected background and Experience
1. Advanced University degree or equivalent in relevant field such as: education, humanitarian affairs, political science, information technology, information systems, geographic sciences, engineering or communications
2. Minimum of five years of significant experience in emergency contexts preferably as UN or NGO at middle management level.
3. Experience in information management, knowledge management, database management or a related field
4. Experience of humanitarian needs assessments, surveys, and monitoring and evaluation
5. Proven statistical, analytic and technical skills, including: excellent knowledge of MS Excel and MS Access, knowledge of GIS and map-making processes, experience of data capture, storage and file management and analysis and report generation, advanced knowledge of web-based applications, particular google groups, google sites and google fusion tables, ability to present information in understandable tables, charts and graphs
6. Demonstrable technical expertise in education in emergencies, early recovery and post crisis transition. An understanding and training in INEE Minimum Standards for education in emergencies would be an added advantage;
7. Knowledge of the cluster approach guidelines and terms of reference and knowledge/experience in applying them
8. Demonstrable ability to work with diverse groups of stakeholders and to develop consensus and partnerships;
9. Formal training in cluster coordination and or demonstrable experience of effective co-ordination at sector or national level would be preferable;
10. Fluency in English (verbal and writing) and another UN language preferred;
Areas to be considered
This post is office-based (mainly in Juba) but there will be significant travel within Southern Sudan.
Areas of concern:
The incumbent is expected to perform the above functions under difficult working conditions, related to office accommodation, procedures, workload, mobility, and institutional and personal safety. There is limited access to health care and recreational facilities, and this is compounded by long working hours and potentially stressful conditions.
General Conditions: Procedures and Logistics
• The consultant is entitled to DSA inside Southern Sudan as per the rules and regulations;
• The consultant will be required to pay for meals and accommodation;
• Working space and working tools will be provided for the consultant to work from UNICEF premises;
• The consultant will have access to UNICEF transport for official purposes as per rules and regulations;
• The assignment is for a period of 9 months, and the consultant shall be paid according to the days worked per month on a pro-rata basis;
• The consultant is not entitled sick leave with pay, annual leave or over-time payment, including weekends and during holidays;
• Flight tickets both local (within Sudan) and international travel (most economical and direct route) shall be paid for by UNICEF.
Policy both parties should be aware of:
• Under the consultancy agreements, a month is defined as 21 working days, and fees are prorated accordingly. Consultants are not paid for weekends or public holidays;
• Consultants are not entitled to payment of overtime. All remuneration must be within the contract agreement;
• No contract may commence unless the contract is signed by both UNICEF and the consultant;
• For international consultants outside the duty station, signed contracts must be sent by fax or email. Signed contract copy or written agreement must be received by the office before Travel Authorization is issued.
How to apply
send applications directly to jubavacancies@unicef.org
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