INFORMATION MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT
Title / Name of the Role: Save the Children – Centre Evidence and Learning Team – Information Management Consultant Objectives:
· Review Country Office Information Flows and build a standard Humanitarian Information Flow in alignment with MEAL in Emergencies (MiE) Workflow, connecting frontline data collection tools with SCI’s IPTT tools
· Collaborate with Centre and Country Office Teams to Develop Standardized Monitoring and Tracking formats for Information Management in Country Offices
· Hunt for past data available working with centre PQI E&LDuration of the Consultancy: 4 months – Full time Working Modality: Remote / Online – If based in UK – SCI Centre Office can be used Travel Requirement: None Acronyms CO Country Office MEAL Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning E&L Evidence and Learning IM Information Management OHT One Humanitarian Team SC/I Save the Children / International PQI Program Quality & Impact SCHP Save the Children Humanitarian Plan MiE MEAL in Emergencies RACI Responsible, Accountable, Consulted and Informed IPTT Indicator Performance Tracking Table PRIME Project Reporting Information Management and Evidence System Summary / Background:
This consultancy is commissioned to address the critical need for enhanced information management within our Country Offices, operating in humanitarian and developmental contexts.
The consultant is tasked with bridging the gaps in our current information flow and data management systems to establish a coherent, efficient, and industry-aligned practice. The goal is to refine data collection, storage, and analysis processes, and to forge a unified framework that enhances coordination between Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) and Programmatic teams
It’s crucial to recognize existing initiatives in information management and reporting, particularly those targeting various stages of the MEAL workflow, including data collection platforms, indicator performance tracking, and project management reporting (e.g., PRIME).
However, there is a notable gap between these stages (as illustrated in the diagram below) where activities such as data cleaning, transformation, and management take place. Country offices have expressed the need for a digitalized information management system in this area. While implementing a comprehensive system in the short term may not be feasible, the consultant hired for this task is expected to assess Country Office systems and develop procedures, a standardized workflow, and templates for databases and trackers. Objectives:
- Standardize Information Flow
- Conduct a detailed review of existing information management practices in Country Offices.
The consultant will thoroughly examine how information is currently handled in both Humanitarian and Development Country Offices. It’s crucial to highlight that this information setup is not widely documented across offices. Therefore, the consultant will need to investigate and grasp how information is managed, including the systems and tools in place.
The flow should also make references to other data initiatives with linkages how they contribute or can support to the different stages of the flow.
- Develop a standardized Humanitarian and Development Information Flow, incorporating a RACI matrix to delineate roles and responsibilities clearly.
The goal is to pinpoint areas where current practices can be enhanced and create a standardized Humanitarian and Development Information Flow that aligns with the MiE MEAL Workflow. This involves establishing distinct roles and responsibilities at each stage, from data collection to management, and extending to donor and SCI Centre reporting.
- Map current processes, identify bottlenecks, and recommend improvements for alignment with the MEAL in Emergencies (MiE) Workflow.
The work includes mapping out information flow processes, identifying bottlenecks, and recommending improvements to ensure efficient and effective data management aligned with organizational objectives. It should include a detailed RACI that lays out which function is supposed to do in each step of the flow, and how MEAL and Program / Operation teams should be engaging with each other and collaborate.
- Define requirements for Monitoring and Tracking Systems
- Collaborate with the Data & Analytics and MEAL teams to define requirements for standardized tools such as Activity Trackers and Beneficiary Databases:
The consultant will collaborate closely with the Data & Analytics team and the MEAL department to define requirements for standardized tools such as Activity Trackers and Beneficiary Databases. This includes designing requirements for systems that can efficiently monitor humanitarian and development activities, track progress, and handle beneficiary information to connect existing frontline data systems (especially data collection tools) and aggregate-level IPTT tools (SCI’s tool for this is PRIME).
The intention is to create templates that could potentially serve as the groundwork for a comprehensive global digital information management system in the future, compatible with various data initiatives within the organization. This effort should directly align with the upcoming objective focused on establishing a standardized MEAL language for Country Offices.
- Ensure these systems facilitate the storage, transformation, management, and analysis of data for improved decision-making and reporting.
It’s crucial to recognize existing initiatives in information management and reporting, particularly those targeting various stages of the MEAL workflow, including data collection platforms, indicator performance tracking, and project management reporting (e.g., PRIME).
However, there is a notable gap between these stages (as illustrated in the diagram above) where activities such as data cleaning, transformation, and management take place. Country offices have expressed the need for a digitalized information management system in this area.
While implementing a comprehensive system in the short term may not be feasible, the consultant hired for this task is expected to assess Country Office systems and develop procedures, a standardized workflow, and templates for databases and trackers.
- Looking at ways at minimizing duplication between Strategy Milestone and Humanitarian Plan Reporting
The consultant is anticipated to propose recommendations and refine standard formats to support harmonization of efforts between Strategy Milestone and Humanitarian Plan reporting. This entails examining the indicators reported by Country Offices and finding ways to harmonize their data management and transformation processes.
- Establish a standard MEAL language
Building on the standard indicators, it is expected that the standard indicators can be used as a common MEAL language in Information Management databases, trackers and tools that links up different data points for holistic information management
- Data Retrieval and Analysis
- Work with the Program Quality and Innovation (PQI) E&L team, and Data and Analytics team to locate and analyse historical data.
The consultant is expected to engage with the SCI Centre E&L / MEAL teams to collect historical data available to centre staff, and transform them to be aggregated under Standard Humanitarian or / Global Indicators. Deliverables:
- A standard information flow model for Save the Children
- Standardised information management databases for Country Offices that are aligned with the existing systems of SCI, including data collection tools (Kobo/CommCare) and IPTT tools (PRIME)
- Training modules for MEAL / E&L personnel on information flow and standard tools.
- Consolidated historical data for Save the Children Centre Office
Scope:
The scope for the consultancy will cover all Country, Response and Member Offices within the organization’s global network. The consultant will engage with each office to the extent necessary to achieve the standardization of information management practices.Timeline:
A detailed timeline will be provided upon commencement, with milestones for each deliverable. The consultancy is expected to be completed within four months from the start date.Resources and Constraints:
The consultant will have access to existing data, tools, and the cooperation of relevant departmental teams. Budgetary and time constraints will be outlined in the full contract.Stakeholder Engagement:
The consultant will report to Roy Hanna, Director of Data and Analytics, with close collaboration and supervision by Ali Aksoy, Humanitarian Evidence & Learning Advisor. The consultant will work in collaboration with Country Office teams, Data & Analytics, and MEAL departments. Clear communication channels will be established
JOB DESCRIPTION
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24 NOV 2023
11 DEC 2023 – 02:59 EAT
WORLDWIDE
BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION
FIXED-TERM CONTRACT