UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund in Zambia is inviting interested qualified applicants to apply for the position of Census Technical Advisor (national consultant) to be based at the Zambia Statistics Agency (ZamStats).
Background
The Government of the Republic of Zambia, through the Zambia Statistics Agency (ZamStats), is in the process of undertaking the Population and Housing Census with the main data collection scheduled for 18 August to 14 September 2022. This will be the sixth census that Zambia will have conducted every ten years since independence in 1964.
A census includes the total process of collecting, compiling, analysing, evaluating, publishing and disseminating statistical data regarding a country’s population and housing as well as their geographical location. Population characteristics covered in a census include demographic, social and economic data which are provided as of a particular date. The 2022 Zambia Census is utilizing latest innovative technologies and methodologies in mapping, data collection, data processing and dissemination. This will ensure timeliness in release of data but more importantly harnessing the rich geo-spatial database to support national, subnational and sectorial planning.
The Government has approached the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to provide technical and financial support towards the forthcoming census. UNFPA’s support would ensure that ZamStats has adequate technical and management capacity to plan and implement a census in accordance with the United Nations (UN) guidelines and procedures.
UNFPA, therefore, seeks to engage the services of a Census Technical Adviser (CTA) to provide technical support to ZamStats on the post-enumeration phase of the census. This will entail providing technical support on the post-enumeration survey, census data verification and processing, development of data analyses plans, thematic data analyses and development of thematic reports. The Census Consultant will be based at ZamStats Headquarters in Lusaka, and work under the direct supervision of the Census Manager at ZamStats but within the overall guidance of the UNFPA Representative in Zambia.
Purpose
In line with UN/UNFPA policies and guidelines, government procedures and internationally established standards and recommendations for census undertaking, the Census Consultant will perform various tasks and provide vital technical inputs to all activities pertaining to all census post-enumeration activities.
Main Tasks and Responsibilities
The overall responsibility of the CTA will be to provide technical support to the ZamStats to maintain state-of-the-art scientific and internationally recognized standards throughout the census process and to support national capacities in ensuring high quality products from the census. It is expected that the CTA will also provide capacity building to staff at ZamStats, taking full advantage of the opportunity for on-the-job training for staff involved in the Census.
Specifically, the consultant will undertake the following tasks:
1. Planning and Coordination
- Support ZamStats and stakeholders in developing a roadmap for various post-enumeration activities;
- Provide support to ensure that strategies to mitigate the impact of COVID19 on various census activities are developed in line with National COVID-19 protocols.
2. Data Production, Analysis and Reporting
- Review and support the finalisation of technical documents for the census including analysis and tabulation plans, data coding manuals and all instructions relating to electronic data processing;
- Provide technical assistance to ZamStats staff in the design of the Post Enumeration Survey (PES) procedures and documentations required, including field work;
- Support the implementation of field operations for the PES;
3. Capacity Development
- Assist and advise ZamStats on the identification skills gap in terms of census data analyses and provide recommendations for action; and
- Support the identification and undertaking of training activities for personnel involved in various stages of the census undertaking.
4. Other areas
- Monitor and review progress and challenges, prepare and submit monthly progress reports on the 2022 Census implementation to the ZamStats Statistician General and UNFPA Representative, and consolidate quarterly progress reports for submission to stakeholders; and
- Undertake any other tasks relevant to the 2022 Census as may be required and assigned by the Statistician General of ZamStats in consultation with the UNFPA Representative.
Excepted Outcomes/Milestones
- PES methodology and tools prepared, reviewed and finalised;
- Census data edit rules, tabulation plan developed and discussed with ZamStats;
- Strengthened capacity of staff at ZamStats; and
- Draft census reports.
Expected Duration
- This consultancy will be for a period of nine months commencing on 1 Octber 2022.
Qualifications and Experience
- Advanced university degree in Demography, Statistics, Population Studies, Social Sciences or related subjects;
- At least 10 years of relevant, progressive experience in the field of population and housing censuses, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa;
- Experience in providing on-the-job training to local staff on census mapping, development of strategies and implementation plans, development of census instruments and documents;
- Experience in stakeholder analysis to ensure that user needs are crystalized and taken into account, also knowledgeable on dealing with broad audiences as well as in motivating the utilization of data and results in development planning and policy issues;
- Analytic and data visualization skills including knowledge and use of statistical software and spatial analysis (GIS);
- Proven ability to work in teams with people specialized in diverse areas to produce demonstrable results; and
- Excellent written and oral communication skills.
HOW TO APPLY
All applications should be emailed to bmutale@unfpa.org with the subject clearly stated.
Application Deadline: 07 September 2022.
Please note: There is no application, processing or other fees at any stage of the application process. UNFPA does not solicit or screen for information in respect of HIV or AIDS and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status.
