Replacement of Data Entry Supervisor

KINGDOM OF LESOTHO

MINISTRY OF GENDER, YOUTH AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

PATHWAYS TO SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS PROJECT (PSLP)

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST

(CONSULTING SERVICES- INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANTS SELECTION METHOD)

LOAN NO: P177814

CREDIT NO: IDA -71480 -LS

ASSIGNMENT TITLE: DATA CLERK SUPERVISOR

REFERENCE NO: LS-MOSD- 456818-CS-INDV

DURATION: TWELVE (12) MONTHS

OVERALL CONTEXT

Lesotho ranks highest amongst the countries which spend significant resources on social assistance programs in Africa. Lesotho’s social assistance programs tackle vulnerabilities throughout the life cycle from children to the elderly. The Ministry of Gender, Youth and Social Development (MGYSD) is administering four key social assistance programs, namely the Child Grant Program (CGP), the Public Assistance (PA), the Disability Grant (DG), the Old Age Pensions (OAP) and the Orphans and Vulnerable Children Bursary program (OVC-Bursary, for secondary students). The CGP programs supports around 50,000 poor households with children under the age of 18 with a quarterly transfer. The PA program supports 15,000 poor and destitute adults with quarterly transfers. The DG program supports 2500 persons with disability from the poor and destitute households with quarterly transfers as well. The OAP program pays a monthly social pension to 78,000 elderly Basotho over the age of seventy (70). OVC-Bursaries are transferred directly to schools to cover tuition and other expenses for over 24,000 vulnerable children. Several other social assistance programs also exist but the CGP, PA, DG and OAP programs are the flagship cash transfer programs implemented by Ministry of Gender, Youth and Social Development (MGYSD) and make up a large share of the Government to People (G2P) payments in Lesotho.

The current social assistance payment delivery mechanisms of the cash transfer program -- CGP, PA, DG and OAP -- are largely through in-person cash delivery via a Cash-In-Transit agency or by social assistance payment officers directly. Beneficiaries gather and queue at hundreds of pay points throughout the country quarterly or monthly to receive their cash payments (in pre-packed envelopes or lose cash bills) which is driven there by car or via other modes of transportation. This methodology is inefficient, risky, and expensive. And the information systems that are administering the payments and reconciliations are not fully automated allowing space for errors. Beneficiaries, many of which are elderly or vulnerable, have to walk long distances and wait for a long time to receive their cash. Cash payments also do not contribute to financial inclusion and access to other banking or digital payment services such as savings and borrowing. To date, the Ministry has achieved some milestones to register some of the beneficiaries of these grants to move from cash to digital payments.

The Pathways to Sustainable Livelihoods Project (PSLP).

The Project (Pathways to Sustainable Livelihoods Project – PSLP - P177184) is composed by the following components:

• Component 1 will support the introduction of an economic inclusion package designed to strengthen beneficiary livelihoods and support people living with disabilities;

• Component 2 will pre-position contingent finance to enable the timely delivery of shock responsive cash transfers, using those same delivery systems, for more efficient shock responses;

• Component 3 will strengthen core delivery systems to improve the efficiency and equity of the selected social assistance programs; and

• Component 4 includes project management and supports components 1-3.

Specifically, Component 3 of PSLP will invest in strengthening the delivery systems for the main social assistance programs to improve its equity and efficiency. Accordingly, this component will strengthen delivery systems with an emphasis on improving equity by (i) enhancing the ability of programs to target the poor, including not only the CGP, PA and OVC-B program but also the tertiary bursary program, which is both costly and not targeted at the poor; and (ii) improve efficiency by reducing administrative costs, non-transparent and costly processes, and leakages. At the same time, as a subsidiary objective, the investments made with this component are expected to increase the MGYSD’s preparedness to respond to shocks by (i) supporting the wider adoption of digital payments which can facilitate the faster delivery of post-shock cash transfers; and (ii) strengthening the social registry (NISSA) and management information systems as the primary operational tools used when increasing coverage in response to shocks.

The Ministry intends to use part of the proceeds of this credit for an individual consultant to act as a Data Clerk Supervisor to support the implementation of component 3 of the Pathways to Sustainable Livelihoods Project in order to realize its impact.

BACKGROUND FOR THE ASSIGNMENT.

The position of the Data Clerk supervisor is required by the Ministry of Gender, Youth and Social Development. Through management, oversight, review and training ensures data entry services are completed in an accurate efficient and timely manner. Ensures confidentiality, security of sensitive data and reports including personnel data, financial data etc. Furthermore, the objective is to oversee proper implementation of digital payments data collection, use of appropriate tools, procedures and ministerial policies as well as guidelines to ensure that the rollout of digital payments becomes successful and to enable the ministry to produce relevant and updated plans.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE DATA CLERK SUPERVISOR

Under the supervision of the Social Assistance Manager, the Data Clerk Supervisor is responsible for:

• Training data entry clerks and enumerators to ensure that they know the specific functions of their position and ensures they undertake data entry and collection for all MGYSD programs especially for digital payments. They answer questions as necessary and walk them through different processes in data entry and collection.

• Ensuring that data collected and entered into the MGYSD Management Information Systems is of highest quality. He/she ensures that the data or information collected or gathered and entered into the MIS is free from errors such as spelling mistake, incomplete data etc., and researches to find cause of such mistakes if any and proposes corrective action with Data Entry Clerks.

• Training and assigning work to personnel and direct activities. He/she is the supervisor of Data Clerks during data collection, entry, cleaning, verifications and reporting. The incumbent will ensure that there is continuous workflow and meeting of assigned tasks and set deadlines for data collection, cleaning, entry, payments and case management processes.

• Working with staff, Data Clerk Supervisor will evaluate performance and offer feedback. They look for ways to improve efficiency within their team and offer guidance in handling issues or difficulties.

• Ensuring that their staff understands the policies and regulations of the ministry, making sure these policies are followed.

• Contribute in the development and improvement of information systems for digital payments to securely administer payments processes and assist in identifying systems constraints.

• Ensure that all needed resources or materials for data collection are in place working closely with IT team.

• Data clerk supervisor gathers and shares data information regarding the current state of digital payment and report monthly and annually on all digital payment activities progress.

• She/he stores and backups of collected data information for future references and compiles well-analyzed reports on data collection processes.

• Coordinating work with other employees, data entry supervisors have a strong sense of teamwork. Must work efficiently in high-volume and fast-paced environments.

• Typically, they must have three to five years of experience.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Degree in IT, Statistics, or Computer science, with two (2) to three (3) years of experience

• Strong Supervisory and Leadership skills, ideally with experience leading field teams to collect data in the field

• Significant data entry experience

• Fast typing

• Excellent time management skills

• Computer literacy and proficiency in the use of Excel

• Excellent organization skills and attention to detail

• Thorough understanding of data entry methods, equipment and procedures

• Information processed into electronic database & Management of Records & Files.

DURATION OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The assignment will be done over a period of Twelve (12) Months.

SUBMISSION

A consultant will be selected in accordance with selection of Individual Consultants Method set out in Procurement Regulations. Expressions of interest accompanied by detailed CV must be delivered in a written form to the address below in person or by email by 16:00 hrs local time on the 8th November 2024 clearly marked ‘’Expression of Interest for Consulting Services – Data Clerk Supervisor (LS-MOSD-456818-CS-INDV).

To: The Project Coordinator

1010 Building

Bust Stop, Opposite Pitso Ground

Pathways to Sustainable Livelihoods Project (PSLP)

Ministry of Gender, Youth and Social Development

P/Bag A222

Maseru 100 Lesotho.

Email: [email protected] with a copy to [email protected]

Qualified persons with disabilities and female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. Applications can be hand delivered or emailed and applications received after the closing date will not be considered.

Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.