Consultant; GF Engagement. Req. # 563284

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. 

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

And we never give up. 

For every child, LOVE 

Vacancy Announcement: Consultant

Consultancy Title: GF Engagement Consultant

Section/Division/Duty Station: Health – Programme Group /NYHQ

Duration: 3 July 2023 to 31 December 2023 – Remote/Home based.

About UNICEF

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world’s leading children’s rights organization would like to hear from you. Over 75 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children’s survival, protection and development. UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.

BACKGROUND

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

UNICEF plays a critical convening and technical support role aimed at ending inequalities and AIDS in children by 2030 through epidemic control and treatment of HIV to reduce HIV related mortality in pregnant and parenting girls and women and children and adolescents, including those from key populations. UNICEF also contributes to accelerating the reduction of maternal, new-born and child mortality through strengthening health systems for PHC, with focus at community level, includingC19 integration into PHC.

The purpose of the assignment is to provide support to UNICEF HQ, regional and country levels to engage with the Global fund in funding requests, reprogramming, grant optimization and catalytic investments. Differentiated support should consider PR, SR, CCM, and general leveraging roles. Support should coordinate colleagues at HQ working on the 3 different disease components, as well as RSSH, mental health, community systems, child survival (iCCM), oxygen, C19/pandemic preparedness etc., to provide coordinated support to regions and countries.

Scope of Work:

Under the supervision of Senior Advisor Health Group, and working closely with Health teams, the consultant will provide support to coordinate Global Fund opportunities for UNICEF at country and regional levels for window 3, as well as grant making for all windows. The work will cover consolidation of GF guidance and identify relevant opportunities across all three diseases (HIV, TB, Malaria), RSSH and C19 reprogramming, including routine allocation funding, catalytic multi-country funds, catalytic matching funds, strategic initiatives, and innovative financing.

Opportunities will be identified for Funding Application submission window 31 and during grant making for all windows (1-3). As part the landscape analysis, a mapping of the leveraging opportunities across some ‘high priority’ contexts should be conducted. Opportunities to be either Principal Recipient (PR) or Sub-recipient (SR) should also be explored including implications around supply and financial monitoring and audit.

As part of the support, we will provide to countries and regions to leverage GF opportunities, several assets should be developed including:

• Develop a brief outlining entry point for engagement at country/regional levels in window 3 funding request (FR), grant making for windows 1 – 3, and C19RM reprogramming.
• Coordinate the development of succinct information briefs or tools aligned with GF technical notes which can support UNICEF engagement in countries and at regional level with GF. Briefs may include disease specific (HIV, TB, Malaria) and RSSH grant component, catalytic investments or specific cross-cutting issues such as mental health, community systems, etc.
• A brief of available resources in window 3 and those leveraged (window 2 and 3 FR’s) for community based PHC and iCCM in UNICEF priority countries.
• Conduct webinars or other KM events to brief relevant countries/regions.
• At least one webinar conducted.

To achieve the outputs indicated in this ToR, the consultant will have to liaise with relevant persons in UNICEF across the Health and Nutrition sections and regional offices, Global Fund, USAID, other UN agencies and other funding entities.

Terms of Reference / Deliverables/Deadlines

1. A matrix of all opportunities and related details and communication to relevant countries through regional offices. By 31st July
2. A matrix of all opportunities and related details and communication to relevant countries through regional offices. By 31st July
3. Short brief on findings. By 31st July
4. Short brief on findings. By 31st July
5. 5 Info Briefs produced. By 15th August
6. 3 engagement

plans: 1) window 1; 2) window 2; and 3) window 3 

• Grant making W1. By 31st August
• Grant making W2 and W3. By 31st October

7. At least one 1 Webinar conducted. By 15th August
8. *(PHASE 2) Remote and in- person technical support session, reviewing and strengthening Global Fund grant proposals. By 31st December

*Note: Phase 2 is only if funds become available.

At the beginning of the assignment the consultant will develop a workplan in coordination with the Health Director’s office and team. Tasks may not be in the same order they are reflected above in the table. Payment will be made against invoices submitted by the consultant, indicating satisfactory completion of the expected deliverable by the deadline. Payment will be subject to delivery of outputs on time and of good quality, as certified by the supervisor. Payment will be subject to delivery of outputs on time and of good quality, as certified by the supervisor.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

Qualifications

(1) Education

Masters Level. Enter Disciplines: A graduate university degree in public health and/or social sciences or any other relevant field.

(2) Work experience

• Minimum of 8 years’ experience working on multilateral grants including 5 years’ experience with the Global Fund including as former employee, PR Manager, SR Manager, or Funding Request development consultant.
• Experience drafting technical briefs.
• Experience in proposal and report writing

(3) Competencies

• Excellent written communication skills, including evidence of persuasive writing skills
• Excellent analytical skills and ability to effectively collect, analyse, organize, distil, and present information
• Good understanding of the global health challenges and responses for children, adolescents and pregnant women
• Good understanding of other global multilateral funding platforms for heath and HIV programme

Requirements:

• Completed profile in UNICEF’s e-Recruitment system and provide Personal History Form (P11)
• Upload copy of academic credentials
• Financial proposal that will include:

• All-inclusive (lump sum) fees for the deliverables noted above.
• Travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR
• Any other estimated costs: visa, health insurance, and living costs as applicable.
• Indicate your availability

• Any emergent / unforeseen duty travel and related expenses will be covered by UNICEF.
• At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.
• Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

U.S. Visa information:

With the exception of the US Citizens, G4 Visa and Green Card holders, should the selected candidate and his/her household members reside in the United States under a different visa, the consultant and his/her household members are required to change their visa status to G4, and the consultant’s household members (spouse) will require an Employment Authorization Card (EAD) to be able to work, even if he/she was authorized to work under the visa held prior to switching to G4.  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results. View our competency framework at: Here

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check. 

Remarks:  

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.