Census and Survey Chief Technical Advisor

Job Posting Organization:
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is the lead UN agency dedicated to delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled. Established to address population issues and reproductive health, UNFPA operates in numerous countries worldwide, focusing on improving the lives of individuals through various programs. The organization emphasizes gender equality, diversity, and the empowerment of women and girls. UNFPA Afghanistan is currently implementing its fourth Country Programme, which spans from 2015 to 2019, with extensions planned until 202

• The organization employs a diverse workforce and is committed to ensuring gender parity and inclusivity in its hiring practices, encouraging applications from underrepresented groups.

Job Overview:
The Census and Survey Chief Technical Advisor will play a crucial role in providing specialized technical assistance to ensure the quality and integrity of data collected during a mini census and household listing in Afghanistan's Helmand, Kandahar, Urozgan, and Zabul provinces. This position involves close collaboration with various stakeholders, including the UNFPA Deputy Country Representative, Assistant Representative, and field teams. The advisor will be responsible for developing technical designs and methodologies, reviewing survey questionnaires, and ensuring compliance with the Polio Eradication Initiative. The role also includes advising on data anonymization protocols and integrating geographic information systems (GIS) with data collection efforts. The advisor will oversee field operations, evaluate pilot census results, and provide strategic recommendations to enhance data collection workflows. Additionally, the advisor will ensure data quality assurance and validation, leading to the publication and dissemination of findings that support humanitarian programming and public health initiatives.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The duties and responsibilities of the Census and Survey Chief Technical Advisor include:

• Providing technical design and methodology guidance for the census and survey processes, ensuring adherence to best practices and standards.
• Reviewing and standardizing survey questionnaires, including compliance verification for the Polio Eradication Initiative under-five module.
• Advising on data anonymization protocols to protect the privacy of respondents, particularly female family members.
• Developing GIS framework recommendations for integrating GPS-enabled tablets with existing geographic shapefiles to enhance data collection accuracy.
• Evaluating pilot census operations and providing strategic recommendations to improve both digital and paper-based workflows.
• Creating risk mitigation and contingency plans for deploying paper-based protocols in high-risk zones.
• Ensuring data quality assurance and validation through statistical sampling and weighting guides to eliminate selection bias.
• Developing spatial reconciliation protocols to align fieldwork data with satellite imagery-derived settlement databases.
• Overseeing the cleaning and validation of data to ensure a definitive, geo-referenced line list of children under five. 1
• Advising on data anonymization techniques for household listings and under-five children line list data, ensuring compliance with ethical standards.

Required Qualifications:
The ideal candidate for the Census and Survey Chief Technical Advisor position must possess the following qualifications:

• An advanced degree in statistics, economics, demography, or population studies.
• A minimum of 7 years of professional experience in managing large-scale household surveys or population censuses.
• Demonstrated expertise in managing culturally sensitive data collections, with a strong understanding of ethical considerations in data handling.
• Experience working in developing countries, particularly in complex emergency or post-conflict environments, is highly desirable.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively with diverse teams and stakeholders, including government agencies and international organizations.

Educational Background:
Candidates must hold an advanced degree in a relevant field such as statistics, economics, demography, or population studies. This educational background is essential to ensure the advisor has the necessary theoretical knowledge and practical skills to effectively manage and analyze large-scale data collection efforts.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of 7 years of professional experience in managing large-scale household surveys or population censuses. Candidates should have a proven track record of successfully overseeing data collection processes, ensuring data quality, and implementing methodologies that adhere to international standards. Experience in culturally sensitive data collection and working in challenging environments is also crucial.

Languages:
The mandatory language requirement for this position is an excellent command of written and spoken English. Proficiency in additional languages may be considered an asset, particularly if they are relevant to the regions where the census and survey activities are being conducted.

Additional Notes:
This consultancy position is remote, allowing for flexibility in work arrangements. UNFPA emphasizes a work environment that reflects values of gender equality, diversity, and integrity. The organization is committed to ensuring gender parity and encourages applications from women and individuals from underrepresented groups, including the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, and persons with disabilities. The consultant is expected to provide their own equipment necessary for the assignment, while UNFPA will supply relevant background information and documentation. The selection process may involve background checks, medical clearance, and other administrative requirements. UNFPA does not charge any fees during the application or recruitment process.