This position is contingent on funding.

PROGRAM/DEPARTMENT SUMMARY:

Mercy Corps has been operational in Kenya since 2008, initially in response to the Post Election Violence in Rift Valley, and then expanding to a national program under USAID's Yes Youth Can! initiative. In July 2011, Mercy Corps began operations in Northeastern Province through integrated humanitarian response in Wajir County, which currently focuses on supporting increased resilience through strengthening the livestock value chain, supporting diversified livelihood options and improving access to pasture and water resources.

The REGAL-IR program will support USAID's Feed the Future Initiative through improving resilience to drought and other shocks. The objectives of the program include: strengthened and diversified livelihood options, increased inclusiveness of value chains, improved nutrition, improved capacity to peacefully manage conflicts, community-based natural resource management, and disaster risk reduction .

GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:

The Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP) will play a key leadership role in the implementation of a proposed 5-year $49 million program to support increased resiliency and economic growth in Kenya's Northern and Arid Lands. The DCOP will assist the COP in projects oversight, technical, administrative, operational and logistical management of the project. In absence of the COP; the DCOP will undertake some of the CoP responsibilities. S/he, with the assistance of other personnel will provide technical assistance in Objectives 1 & 2: strengthened & diversified livelihood options, and advancing value chain inclusiveness. The DCOP will also have direct oversight of program operations and M&E functions.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Program Management

Provide leadership and strategic vision to the livelihood diversification; and pastoral livestock and marketing components of the REGAL program including workplan development, market analysis, partnership selection and management, and overall sector strategy.

Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) and Reporting

Facilitate the achievement of program targets and objectives and lead efforts to design effective M&E systems.Oversee the scheduling and production of formal and informal reports on all aspects of the program in a timely and efficient manner.Ensure that M&E staff focus on assisting programs to generate practical information that can be used for ongoing program decision-making while also capturing results at the impact level.

Team Management

In close partnership with the COP, create a work atmosphere conducive to professional growth and development of excellent personnel at all levels.Implement, and ensure all staff are effectively using, the performance planning and management system, establishing performance expectations and regularly providing constructive feedback.Promote accountability by conducting staff annual performance reviews with direct supervisees, and ensuring that supervisory staff do the same.

Organizational Learning

As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve - we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

Accountability to Beneficiaries

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts towards accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY:-->

Direct supervision of: Livelihoods and value chain component technical teams, program operations staff.

REPORTS DIRECTLY TO: Chief of Party

WORKS DIRECTLY WITH: Component leads in disaster risk reduction , NRM, conflict mitigation , and nutrition.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

MA/S in international development, livestock, agriculture, economics, or related field of study5-10 years of overseas experience including five years in a senior management positionStrong understanding of U.S. government compliance issuesStrong written and oral communication skills in English, including report development, writing and editingStrong management skills, with good understanding of relevant cross-cultural issuesExperience in value chain development, facilitation and agribusiness is added advantage5+ years' experience in Kenya or the Horn of Africa preferredKnowledge of Somali and Kiswahili preferred

SUCCESS FACTORS:

The successful candidate will have excellent verbal and written communication skills, M&E skills. S/he will be able to establish good inter-personal relationships and network, and have already established relationships with and/or substantive knowledge of key players in the drylands of Kenya.

LIVING CONDITIONS /ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS:

This position will be based in Garissa, which is an unaccompanied post, eligible for hardship and R&R benefits.

Garissa is located in the North Eastern province of Kenya, and has a population of approximately 70,000. It lies along the Tana River, and has a very warm climate. Most of the town's inhabitants are ethic Somalis and pastoralists. Travel from Nairobi to Garissa takes approximately five hours by car. There are many international agencies with a presence in Garissa. Mercy Corps staff members will live in group housing and have access to basic services. Cell phone coverage is adequate.

Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

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Terms of Reference for Value for Money Assessment into the EC Food Facility Programme “Using Food Aid to Stimulate Markets in Pastoral Areas”

1.0 Save the Children in Kenya

Save the Children has been managing programmes in Kenya for over 20 years. Save the Children’s strategy for Kenya, and in particular for the pastoral areas of the counry, is linked to the organizational goals for ensuring that all children have access to quality basic services – health, education, protection and social welfare.

Our programme in Kenya is linked to this goal through the improvement of and access to health facilities, the protection and improvement of the nutritional status of beneficiaries, and improved food security and livelihoods of beneficiaries through community management structures and social protection.

In line with this strategy, Save the Children has been one of the leading International NGO’s responding to emergencies in Kenya. However the organisation is also committed to addressing the root causes of malnutrition and poverty that compromise children’s rights to survival and development.

2.0 The Project

The project “Using Food Aid to Stimulate Markets” is being implemented by a consortium of NGOs, namely Save the Children UK, Oxfam GB, and local NGOs ALDEF and WASDA, and is carried out in the Wajir and Turkana districts.

This project is scaling up two interventions that at their pilot level proven to be successful. Through funding from the European Union, the project implements a new way to delivery food aid using a voucher system and engaging small local traders as well as local food producers. This is 18-month initiative with a cost of over EUR 4.5 million.

Project Details

Overall objective. To stimulate market function and food production benefiting local agricultural producers, traders and consumers in marginal pastoral areas

Specific objective. To increase the incomes of local food producers and traders and the food security of consumers through the (part) local purchase and distribution of food aid through local markets

Areas of operation

Northern Kenya: Wajir (East and South) and Turkana (North and West)

Expected Results

Result 1: Increased income for target trader and producer households through increased trade, market linkages and food production

Result 2: Diet quality (diversity, balance, frequency) for vulnerable household members in the target population is improved

Result 3: An increase in the quality and quantity of local food products available in local markets

Result 4: Reduced seasonal variations in cost and availability of local food products

Result 5: Evidence generated by the project used to influence local and national food security policy and practice

2.1 Key Activities and Progress to date

Activity 1 - Distribution of the general food ration to targeted households through local markets via a voucher system

To date 54,000 food aid beneficiaries have been selected for the programme and since May 2010 have been receiving their monthly GFD ration via vouchers which they redeem with local traders in the target market centres.

Traders are reimbursed at a rate of Ksh2 per kg of food commodity distributed. Increasingly traders are being given a transport allowance to collect food commodities from the main food relief store in the towns of Wajir and Lodwar.

Emerging Findings to date:

Beneficiaries prefer this mode of distribution as it gives them control over when and how much food they collect during the monthBeneficiaries feel very confident they are receiving the correct ration Local grain traders have increased their income and turnover an average of 25% over and above the income and volumes received via the projectIn the majority of project sites there has been an increase in the number of traders presentActivity (2) - Substitution of part of food ration with locally produced food products sourced from local producers and supplied via a voucher system

The project has started substituting the 1.8kg per person ration of pulse in the standard GFD ration with vouchers for locally purchased commodities. To date 50% of beneficiaries in Wajir and 750 beneficiaries in Tukana have been receiving vouchers for the following:

Emerging Findings to date:

Children receiving meat and milk vouchers are emerging as better nourished. When comparing different type beneficiaries, the highest percentage of well-nourished under fives is found in households receiving meat and milk vouchers.

Furthermore, no severely malnourished children were recorded in this group in the last month of reporting (December) right when the prolonged dry season produced an increase of malnourished children in other types of households.

Activity (3) - Support to local agricultural producers and traders to improve the quality and quantity of protein rich foods on local markets.

The project is supporting 3,600 local livestock producers to increase both the quality and quantity of the milk and meat sold through local market outlets. VSF-Suisse has been sub-contracted by the programme to provide the following to local producers and milk and meat traders:

training (e.g. livestock management, milk and meat handling, processing and storage),Expanded access to animal health services (training community animal health workers – CAHWs and support to vet pharmacies)Provision of milk and met handling equipment (e.g. stainless steel milk containers, knives, slaughter slabs etc). Baseline surveys on milk quality, animal husbandry practices and producers production and income have been undertaken.

Activity (4) - Action research produced for learning and advocacy

A comprehensive monitoring framework has been established to monitor the quantitative impacts of the project. Project findings will be fully documented and shared with key stakeholders.

Project findings, including the quantitative data collected from this project, will be used to feed into wider debates on key issues such as food aid, pastoral productivity and chronic malnutrition levels. The subjects for examination in this TOR form part of this wider action research.

3.0 Purpose of the Study under this consultancy

The purpose of the study is to assess how far the alternative approaches to food distribution and the inclusion of locally-produced food used in the project demonstrate value for money (VFM) compared with the traditional approach to general food distribution (GFD) practiced in Kenya.

Specific objectives

1. Quantification of intangible and indirect benefits of the new food aid modalities

The consultant will identify and estimate the additional intangible benefits that the voucher intervention is creating for both traders and food aid recipients. The consultant will also estimate the indirect benefits to local food producers that have emerged from the inclusion of their products in the food aid basket and therefore creating a guaranteed market for them.

2. VFM of delivering food aid via vouchers compared to the traditional GFD.

The consultant shall establish the estimated cost of delivering food aid under the two modalities (traditional GFD vs. use of vouchers and local traders), as well as identify any further opportunities for cost reduction in the project approach should it be implemented at greater scale. The consultant will give special consideration to the additional intangible benefits of the new approach.

3. VFM of including locally-produced foods compared to imported commodities.

The consultant shall quantify the cost of utilizing local sources of protein (meat and milk for Wajir and dry fish in Turkana) and compare it to the cost of using the protein-rich foods that are traditionally utilized as food aid (i.e. imported pulses). The consultant will also focus on the intangible benefits of using foods that are culturally accepted by the recipients’ communities.

4. Overall assessment of VFM of the wider project

The consultant will consolidate the findings from the previous points in a summarized VFM assessment for the overall project.

4.0 Proposed Methodology

Prospective consultants are encouraged to submit their proposed methodology to ensure the evaluation objectives are fully met, however at minimum it is expected the following will be undertaken:

Meet SC and other consortium partners technical and programme staff (both in Nairobi and field level) to discuss programme implementation, financial expenditure and monitoring results. Meet with WFP and KFSSG (Kenya Food Security Steering Group) representatives in Nairobi and District Officials in the respective programme areas. Review all qualitative and quantitative data collected for and by the project staff and partners. SCUK undertakes regular monthly analysis of the quantitative household and other survey data collected by the project. SCUK will provide support in the further or re-analysis of this data for the consultant as required. The consultants are encouraged to recommend how the monitoring framework could be revised to better capture costs and benefits. Undertake a field visit to the project locations and undertake focus groups with all beneficiary groups i.e. Food aid beneficiaries General grain traders Milk traders Meat traders Pastoral milk and meat producers Undertake visits to other interviews or FGDs with a range of other stakeholders e.g. District Officials, other market traders, non-beneficiary producers, other NGOs etc Preparation of a presentation on draft findings for presentation to the ECFF consortium steering committeeSubmission of a draft report within one month of start date for comment and review by client 5.0 Critical Issues to consider

Specific issues that should be critically assessed by the consultant in the evaluation include:

How efficient are vouchers as a modality compared to other mechanisms such as food aid or cash? Does the voucher system represent a cost efficient modality for food aid delivery for agencies like the WFP and the government?The target areas are also project locations for the DFID funded HSNP (Hunger safety net programme) how far are the two projects comparable or complementary?Are markets and livelihoods being increased / expanded beyond the direct inputs of the project – i.e. is there a sustainable multiplier effect?Are the means used to lead activities well optimized? Does the investment in livelihoods by the project represent value for money? Recommendations for improving the execution, replication and scale up of future phases of the programme, should be provided where necessary.

6.0 Consultancy Period

It is anticipated that consultancy shall be conducted and completed before a period of 30 days from signing of consultancy contract.

7.0 Accountabilities and Responsibilities

The consultant shall report directly to SCUK’s Food Security and Livelihood Advisor. S/he will also liaise closely with the SCUK Data Analyst, OGB’s Food Security and Livelihoods Advisor and ECFF Programme Managers in Wajir and Turkana.

Save the Children will provide;

Guidance throughout all phases of execution.Logistic arrangements for all field travel (Oxfam GB to support in Turkana)Approval of all deliverables including final sign offs for the purpose of making payments.The consultant will be responsible for;
Conducting field work, initial presentation of findings, draft and final study .Regular progress reporting to Save the Children’s evaluation Manager.Development of the study results.Production of deliverables in accordance with contractual requirements.8.0 Deliverables

As part of the study the consultant will prepare

A final study workplan for approval by the SCUK Food Security and Livelihoods Advisor before beginning any work.A presentation of finding using powerpoint – to the ECFF steering group representativesA draft study report of no more than 20 pages (excluding annexes)A final study report Prepared in English only.Submitted to SCUK electronically via email and/or electronic media storage devices.All reports are to be submitted to the SCUK FSL Advisor.

9.0 Qualifications and required competencies

An experienced development practitioner with direct relevant experience in the areas of food aid, development economics, cost benefit analyses or similar. Proficient in methodologies to estimate the intangible and indirect benefits of project interventions.Ability to analyze large amounts of information and undertake critical and relevant written analysis.
Proof to be provided in the form of previous relevant studies or work produced.Excellent standard of written and spoken English.Excellent report writing skills.Experienced in the region specifically northern Kenya.10.0 Expressions of Interest

Interested consultants should send the information listed below to jobskenya@scuk.or.ke by May 15th, 2011

Brief proposal – outlining their approach in undertake the assessment, days required and daily rate CV (of consultant and any supporting team members) Examples of relevant previous experienceFeesFurther information can be obtained by contacting Ernesto Gonzalez, Food Security and Livelihoods Advisor (E.Gonzalez@scuk.or.ke).

Please quote kenyanjobs.blogspot.com as the source of the job advert

Terms of Reference for Value for Money Assessment into the EC Food Facility Programme “Using Food Aid to Stimulate Markets in Pastoral Areas”

1.0 Save the Children in Kenya

Save the Children has been managing programmes in Kenya for over 20 years. Save the Children’s strategy for Kenya, and in particular for the pastoral areas of the counry, is linked to the organizational goals for ensuring that all children have access to quality basic services – health, education, protection and social welfare.

Our programme in Kenya is linked to this goal through the improvement of and access to health facilities, the protection and improvement of the nutritional status of beneficiaries, and improved food security and livelihoods of beneficiaries through community management structures and social protection.

In line with this strategy, Save the Children has been one of the leading International NGO’s responding to emergencies in Kenya. However the organisation is also committed to addressing the root causes of malnutrition and poverty that compromise children’s rights to survival and development.

2.0 The Project

The project “Using Food Aid to Stimulate Markets” is being implemented by a consortium of NGOs, namely Save the Children UK, Oxfam GB, and local NGOs ALDEF and WASDA, and is carried out in the Wajir and Turkana districts.

This project is scaling up two interventions that at their pilot level proven to be successful. Through funding from the European Union, the project implements a new way to delivery food aid using a voucher system and engaging small local traders as well as local food producers. This is 18-month initiative with a cost of over EUR 4.5 million.

Project Details

Overall objective. To stimulate market function and food production benefiting local agricultural producers, traders and consumers in marginal pastoral areas

Specific objective. To increase the incomes of local food producers and traders and the food security of consumers through the (part) local purchase and distribution of food aid through local markets

Areas of operation

Northern Kenya: Wajir (East and South) and Turkana (North and West)

Expected Results

Result 1: Increased income for target trader and producer households through increased trade, market linkages and food production

Result 2: Diet quality (diversity, balance, frequency) for vulnerable household members in the target population is improved

Result 3: An increase in the quality and quantity of local food products available in local markets

Result 4: Reduced seasonal variations in cost and availability of local food products

Result 5: Evidence generated by the project used to influence local and national food security policy and practice

2.1 Key Activities and Progress to date

Activity 1 - Distribution of the general food ration to targeted households through local markets via a voucher system

To date 54,000 food aid beneficiaries have been selected for the programme and since May 2010 have been receiving their monthly GFD ration via vouchers which they redeem with local traders in the target market centres.

Traders are reimbursed at a rate of Ksh2 per kg of food commodity distributed. Increasingly traders are being given a transport allowance to collect food commodities from the main food relief store in the towns of Wajir and Lodwar.

Emerging Findings to date:

Beneficiaries prefer this mode of distribution as it gives them control over when and how much food they collect during the monthBeneficiaries feel very confident they are receiving the correct ration Local grain traders have increased their income and turnover an average of 25% over and above the income and volumes received via the projectIn the majority of project sites there has been an increase in the number of traders presentActivity (2) - Substitution of part of food ration with locally produced food products sourced from local producers and supplied via a voucher system

The project has started substituting the 1.8kg per person ration of pulse in the standard GFD ration with vouchers for locally purchased commodities. To date 50% of beneficiaries in Wajir and 750 beneficiaries in Tukana have been receiving vouchers for the following:

Emerging Findings to date:

Children receiving meat and milk vouchers are emerging as better nourished. When comparing different type beneficiaries, the highest percentage of well-nourished under fives is found in households receiving meat and milk vouchers.

Furthermore, no severely malnourished children were recorded in this group in the last month of reporting (December) right when the prolonged dry season produced an increase of malnourished children in other types of households.

Activity (3) - Support to local agricultural producers and traders to improve the quality and quantity of protein rich foods on local markets.

The project is supporting 3,600 local livestock producers to increase both the quality and quantity of the milk and meat sold through local market outlets. VSF-Suisse has been sub-contracted by the programme to provide the following to local producers and milk and meat traders:

training (e.g. livestock management, milk and meat handling, processing and storage),Expanded access to animal health services (training community animal health workers – CAHWs and support to vet pharmacies)Provision of milk and met handling equipment (e.g. stainless steel milk containers, knives, slaughter slabs etc). Baseline surveys on milk quality, animal husbandry practices and producers production and income have been undertaken.

Activity (4) - Action research produced for learning and advocacy
A comprehensive monitoring framework has been established to monitor the quantitative impacts of the project. Project findings will be fully documented and shared with key stakeholders.

Project findings, including the quantitative data collected from this project, will be used to feed into wider debates on key issues such as food aid, pastoral productivity and chronic malnutrition levels. The subjects for examination in this TOR form part of this wider action research.

3.0 Purpose of the Study under this consultancy

The purpose of the study is to assess the market functionality for basic food commodities in Wajir (East and South) and estimate the potential of the project interventions to affect prices.

Specific objectives

1. Assess market functionality

Understand whether the markets with the project area are functioning by looking at prices of food items compared to other areas. Issues to consider include a review of trade flows/volumes, competition, integration, and price signaling.

2. Assess the risk of inflation

Look into any likely risk of inflation or deflation (gradual price reduction after project funding) borne of the voucher/cash transfer to beneficiaries and producers. Determine the induced demand levels and trader capacities to respond.

3. Beneficiary preference

Investigate the type of assistance that beneficiaries prefer (cash vs. food aid (in-kind or voucher).

4. Efficacy of vouchers

Determine the efficacy of the voucher transfers by examining how prices have responded to food procurement from local markets and how prices have been impacted by food aid distribution in the target recipient community.

Methodology/Approach

Although Save the Children is open to expert opinion on this, some of the methods to utilize include:

Review of the extensive quantitative data collected by project partners to date in terms of trader turnovers and income, market prices and household surveys etc. Re-analysis of this information to address the specific objectives of the study may be required. Market visits. Observe how many retailers there are and what is being sold. Record prices and talk to retailers.Semi-structured interviews with traders. A checklist of questions is given in the annex. (discreet interviews with traders).Semi-structured interviews with community-level key informants such as community leaders/LGAs/development agencies. They are usually able to give good information on trade flows in relation to the market the people use (e.g., where grain comes from or goes to), on seasonal price trends and even what happened to prices and trade following previous calamities.Graphing price data to compare with ‘normal’ trends from national / local or other external sources; ECFF has been collecting Market Prices and analysis of that will be useful to help differentiate seasonal and normal fluctuation;Proposed tools

Save the Children proposes that a of a mix of tools be employed with MIFIRA predominantly referred to, and informed by the EMMA and ICRC market analysis tools.

Critical Questions to the Assessment

The assessment should look into some of the key questions outlined in the MIFIRA approach, specifically:

Are Local Markets Functioning Well?

1a. Are food insecure households well connected to local markets?

1b. How has local demand responded to the voucher transfers?

1c. How much additional food will traders supply at or near current costs?

1d. Do local food traders behave competitively? and;

1e. Do food insecure households have a preference over the form/mix of aid they receive?

Is there sufficient food available nearby to fill the gap?

2a. Where are viable prospective source markets?

2b. Will agency purchases drive up food prices excessively in source markets?

4.0 Proposed Methodology

Prospective consultants are encouraged to submit their proposed methodology to ensure the evaluation objectives are fully met, however at minimum it is expected the following will be undertaken:

5.0 Critical Issues to consider

Specific issues that should be critically assessed by the consultant in the evaluation include:

How efficient are vouchers as a modality compared to other mechanisms such as food aid or cash? 6.0 Consultancy Period

It is anticipated that consultancy shall be conducted and completed before a period of 30 days from signing of consultancy contract.

7.0 Accountabilities and Responsibilities

The consultant shall report directly to SCUK’s Food Security and Livelihood Advisor. S/he will also liaise closely with the SCUK Data Analyst, OGB’s Food Security and Livelihoods Advisor and ECFF Programme Managers in Wajir and Turkana.

Save the Children will provide;

Guidance throughout all phases of execution.Logistic arrangements for all field travel (Oxfam GB to support in Turkana)Approval of all deliverables including final sign offs for the purpose of making payments.The consultant will be responsible for;
Conducting field work, initial presentation of findings, draft and final study .Regular progress reporting to Save the Children’s evaluation Manager.Development of the study results.Production of deliverables in accordance with contractual requirements.8.0 Deliverables

As part of the study the consultant will prepare

A final study workplan for approval by the SCUK Food Security and Livelihoods Advisor before beginning any work.A presentation of finding using powerpoint – to the ECFF steering group representativesA draft study report of no more than 20 pages (excluding annexes)A final study report Prepared in English only.Submitted to SCUK electronically via email and/or electronic media storage devices.All reports are to be submitted to the SCUK FSL Advisor.

9.0 Qualifications and required competencies

An experienced development practitioner with direct relevant experience in the areas of food aid, development economics or similar. Solid experience in economic assessment and ability to translate economic principles and methods to inform the development community.Ability to analyze large amounts of information and undertake critical and relevant written analysis. Proof to be provided in the form of previous relevant studies or work produced.Excellent standard of written and spoken English.Excellent report writing skills.Experienced in the region specifically northern Kenya.10.0 Expressions of Interest

Interested consultants should send the information listed below to jobskenya@scuk.or.ke by May 15th, 2011

Brief proposal – outlining their approach in undertake the assessment, days required and daily rate CV (of consultant and any supporting team members) Examples of relevant previous experienceFeesFurther information can be obtained by contacting Ernesto Gonzalez, Food Security and Livelihoods Advisor (E.Gonzalez@scuk.or.ke).

Please quote kenyanjobs.blogspot.com as the source of the job advert

Horn Relief Horn Relief is an African based international development and humanitarian organization that aims to improve the lives of those who are living in marginalized areas in the Horn of Africa. We strengthen rural livelihoods through environmental awareness, training, technology transfer and innovative humanitarian projects in pursuit of a peaceful, self-reliant, and greener future. Horn Relief works in the following sectors: food security and livelihoods, natural resource management education (formal and non-formal), water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), and humanitarian programs, and sources its funding mainly from institutional US and European donors as well as from multilateral donors such as the UN.
Short Assignment: Pastoral Situational Assessment Consultancy
Position Location: Nairobi, Kenya (with travel to Somalia/land for data collection)
Duration: 100 days
Start date: Immediate
Application deadline: 7th February 2011
Vacancy contact: Please send applications to vacancies@hornrelief.org – with a proposal, detailed time schedule, and total budget.

ASSIGNMENT SUMMARY
Horn Relief is seeking 3 qualified consultants (1 lead and 2 others) specialized in social surveys and statistics, with experience in undertaking research in the education sector. The consultants will provide leadership to the survey team in the planned comprehensive situational assessment of pastoral needs on education. The consultancy is for a period of up to 100 days with tasks that will include desk work, training enumerators/data clerks, field data collection, data analysis, sectoral briefs, drafting final reports, and presentation of findings. Horn Relief encourages consultancy firms or individuals with sufficient experience in the areas required.

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

The protracted complex humanitarian and livelihoods crisis in Somalia has resulted, among other problems, in increasing socio-economic vulnerability and worsening poverty. According to the United Nations (UN), Somalia represents one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world with almost 50% of its people in need of urgent external assistance and close to 1.5 million internally displaced, approximately 16% of Somalia’s 9.3 million people. Livestock and their products account for 80% of export income in normal years, but trade has been significantly interrupted by drought and international bans in the last decade. The cycle of drought in the last 4 to 5 rainy seasons has led to a significant loss of livestock, severely affecting the livelihoods of pastoral communities, with a rise in pastoral dropouts.

In education, Somalia has one of the lowest literacy rates in the world at ranging between 19.2 to 34.9 % for rural and urban populations respectively . The overall enrollment rate in primary schools is less than 30% with significant gender and region based differences. While there has been some progress in recent years, there is also a marked divide between education provision, enrolment and quality between urban areas and rural areas. Many rural locations have no schools and often children cannot access formal schooling. Differences in access to education also exist within the rural areas where the lowest levels of provision and investment for education are found in pastoral communities as opposed to rural settled communities.

It is estimated that pastoralists constitute 65% of the Somali population yet their needs are often not taken into consideration. The proposed intervention intends to assemble a comprehensive knowledge base on pastoralist communities in Somalia to gain an understanding of their livelihood, environment, health, sanitation, protection and education needs. The knowledge base will benefit future planning by the government, local and international NGOs as well as donors. The assessment aims to create the knowledge base through an efficient use of funds and through maximizing the use of resources already deployed in the field by coordinating with a wide range of implementing agencies and drawing on whatever knowledge and analysis currently exists.

OBJECTIVE OF THE ASSIGNMENT
The overall objective of this assignment is to conduct a comprehensive study on the pastoral community needs in Somalia with a focus on education. Information gathered will form a baseline and will be used for programming by government authorities in Somalia, implementing partners, UN bodies and donors.

DELIVERABLES
• Development of appropriate questionnaires and survey tools including setting up necessary software.
• Training enumerators on data collection tools and data entry procedures
• Training reports of both enumerators and research assistants/trouble shooters
• Data entry/cleaning and initial analysis with project teams
• Data analysis
• Detailed assessment/survey report including summaries on key sectors (Education, Health, WASH, protection, environment and Livelihoods). PowerPoint presentation to the Pastoral education task Force, the Education Sector and other development partners.
• Detailed survey plan including sampling techniques that specifically take into account the pastoralist’s circumstances, and the research tools to be used at the inception stage
• Study tools as per the methodology agreed, project monitoring tools and processes

SCOPE OF WORK
The following key areas of work are included in this consultancy. The list however is not exhaustive and additional issues might come up during the consultancy.

The lead consultant will provide leadership to the consultancy team who will undertake the following tasks:

• Be responsible for and provide technical expertise for the design and implementation of the survey
• Develop appropriate data collection instruments, including:
o A household survey that includes, but is not limited to, demographic information, education levels (past and present) of all adults and children, education access and preferred education modalities for children and youth, rural food basket content and costs, income and expenditures, livestock size and health, access to health care for humans and for livestock, coping mechanisms, environmental factors and management strategies, access to water/sanitation, and child protection factors including security.
o Community focus group items derived from household survey, particularly regarding education access and modality preferences.
o Analytical framework for a literature review
• Develop measures for assuring inter-rater reliability and consistency among enumerators and team leaders and for standardizing data entry and data analysis processes
• Develop training for team leaders, enumerators and data entry personnel and a timely training schedule for the 3 zones
• Develop monitoring tools for ongoing monitoring of the project and develop training for team monitors
• Provide overall supervision and coordination of the survey teams
• Provide supervision of data entry and analysis
• Develop survey report and present report at appropriate venues

METHODOLOGY

Desk work
The consultancy will include a period of initial desk work to review project documentation (proposal, past project reports, other relevant materials) and to develop appropriate survey tools (as per scope of work). Once the survey is complete, deskwork will involve analysis and reporting of the survey findings as well as supervision of two other consultants through analysis and cleaning of data.

Field Work
The consultancy is to include period/s of fieldwork in the project areas/s in Somalia and Somaliland, depending on security. This will be necessary for training of the survey team, providing support during data collection, reviewing data and providing training on the project monitoring tools.

The field work is expected to take approximately 15 days but is subject to review.

WORK PLAN FOR THE ASSIGNMENT
The consultants will generate a detailed work plan for this assignment in in relation to the methodology in the general PSA TORs , and the number of timelines set for this assignment.

ACCOUNTABILITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Overall coordination of the assignment and liaison with any partner agencies will be ensured by the Programs Director based in Nairobi, Kenya. The lead consultant will work closely with the project teams throughout the length of the consultancy, as well as Horn Relief staff both in Nairobi and Somalia in carrying out the assignment. The design and organisation of the Pastoral situational assessment, including approval of technical aspects will be done by the Head of Programmes in Nairobi.

The Programs Director is responsible for:
? Overall responsibility and accountability for the consultancy;
? Guidance throughout all phases of execution; and
? Approval of all deliverables.

The Consultant will report directly to Horn Relief's Programs Director.

QUALIFICATION PROFILE
• Post graduate degree in a social anthropology or related social science with a strong background in education.
• At least seven years of hands on experience in conducting surveys/assessments.
• Must have knowledge of pastoral livelihoods, education and other related fields
• Familiar with the livelihood contexts in Somalia.
• Must be experienced in developing and implementing gender sensitive baseline methodologies ;
• Ability to analyze complex livelihood systems.
• Good knowledge and experience in survey design, implementation of surveys and statistical data analysis is required;
• Knowledge of Somali people, culture and the Somali political dynamics an advantage.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS:
All the deliverables produced by the project will be made available to the Education Sector Committee, education partners and other interested sectors. All other project documents will remain as the property of Horn Relief and partnering agencies. The visibility of donors and implementers will be ensured on all product outputs.

• An application letter addressing the selection criteria including how the candidate’s previous experience matches the consultancy objectives as well as his/her interest for the position. It should also indicate the candidate’s availability and consultancy rates. The letter should be no longer than two pages.
• An updated CV including relevant work experience and qualifications.

Only short listed candidates will be contacted.

All applications should be sent to Horn Relief at vacancies@hornrelief.org with the subject line: “Pastoral Situational Assessment” or by post to: Horn Relief Kenya - P.O. Box 70331 - 00400 Nairobi, Kenya. Applications should be submitted no later than 7th February 2011.

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