Home-based Consultancy: RRT Nutrition Cluster Coordinator (168 working days between Aug 2023 and July 2024) – Office of Emergency Programmes (EMOPS)

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, an advocate

Purpose of Activity/Assignment

The purpose of this consultancy is to strengthen the capacity of clusters/sector coordination mechanisms at the country/regional level specially in Spanish speaking countries as well as supporting French and English speaking countries as needed, to prepare for, plan and deliver quality, predictable, timely, effective, and integrated nutrition responses through provision of quality cluster/sector coordination-related support and capacity strengthen (mentoring and training) with more focus on emergency response preparedness and coordination blended training.

Scope of work

The RRT Nutrition cluster coordination Consultant is a core Cluster Coordination team member. The purpose of this support is to strengthening coordination capacity at the regional, county/national, and sub-national level with more focus on L2 and L3 & Humanitarian response plan (HRP) countries. The consultant is responsible for providing predictable, timely and strategic leadership to ensure a timely and effective cluster/ sector/ working group response. The consultant is responsible for leading multiple stakeholders to work collectively towards the realization of a shared goal based on evidence in a complex humanitarian environment. The consultant, with the support of the GNC Coordination team, and in collaboration with UNICEF reginal and country offices involves a day to day one on one needs based in-person or remote support to countries on specific requests for support on sectoral/cluster/ working groups coordination matters.

The following expected results include details on tasks to be undertaken:

• Systematically identify the need within the various cluster/sector milestones, by supporting the implementation of the cluster coordination performance monitoring exercises (CCPM) and the development of plan of actions, which clearly articulate action required from GNC-CT to support the implementation of the plan of action.
• Conduct in-depth analysis on CCPM results trend in 5 prioritized countries, highlighting the improvement that have been achieved versus the remaining weakness and how they could be addressed.
• Identified NiE technical support needs, maintain and regularly update the Nutrition Cluster Coordination checklist and Nutrition Cluster Coordination Toolkit to ensure that it includes latest guidance and best practices and promote its adaptation by countries.
• Support the GNC capacity strengthen activities with special focus on the Emergency Response Preparedness (ERP). Lead the implementation of coordination blended training ensuring increased participation of country coordination team members and partners at national and sub-national level. Providing orientating/mentoring of newly appointed nutrition coordinators on cluster coordination.
• Support countries in developing their emergency response preparedness plans and putting in place preparedness mechanism/ emergency response preproduces as integral part of HPC.
• Systematically support country cluster/sectors in formulating nutrition cluster/sector response plans based on evidence and provide technical inputs to the Humanitarian Needs Overviews (HNOs) and Humanitarian Response Plans (HRPs) developed by country clusters/sectors/WGs prior to their finalization, to ensuring quality of a coordinated comprehensive NiE response plan.
• Support countries in cross-cutting issues such (GBV, disability and AAP) and ensure proactive engagement and collaboration with EMOPS specialists.
• Support country coordination teams to oversee the functioning of sub-national or hub level Nutrition coordination mechanisms where they exist.
• Regularly (monthly and on as “needed” basis), communicate issues raised by the NCCs to the Global Nutrition Cluster Coordination Team through weekly calls & monthly reports.
• Contribute to the production of the GNC reports/ KM products including liaising with countries to collect and review their contributions.
• Any other task as assigned by the supervisor

Work Assignment Overview

Tasks / Milestone	Deliverables / Outputs	Timeline / Deadline
Identified NiE technical support needs in Spanish speaking countries.	NiE technical needs identified and a Plan to address them with clear timelines developed	8 working days; By August 2023
Maintain and regularly update the Nutrition Cluster Coordination checklist and Nutrition Cluster Coordination Toolkit to ensure that it includes latest guidance and best practices and promote its adaptation by countries.	Coordination checklists/toolkit are maintained/updated	5 working days; By August 2023
Systematically support country cluster/sectors in formulating nutrition cluster/sector response plans based on evidence and provide technical inputs to the Humanitarian Needs Overviews (HNOs) and Humanitarian Response Plans (HRPs) developed by country clusters/sectors/WGs prior to their finalization, to ensuring quality of a coordinated comprehensive NiE response plan.	Countries supported timely in term of developing/ finalizing the Nutrition Cluster (NC) response plans, HNO & HRPs	15 working days; Between Aug and Nov 2023
Support countries in cross-cutting issues such (GBV, disability and AAP) and ensure proactive engagement and collaboration with EMOPS specialists.	100% of the supported COs HRPs are highlighting GBV, Disability & AAP related aspects in clear way	7 working days; Between Aug and Nov 2023
Conduct in-depth analysis on CCPM results trend in 5 prioritized countries over, highlighting the improvement that have been achieved versus the remaining weakness and how they could be addressed	Analysis report with clear recommendations on the way forward developed and consultation meetings with the 5 targeted countries conducted	20 working days; Between Nov 2023 and Jan 2024
Supporting the implementation of the annual cluster coordination performance monitoring exercises (CCPM) and the development of plan of actions, which clearly articulate action required from GNC-CT to support the implementation of the plan of action.	100% of prioritized HRP countries managed to conduct CCPM exercise on time and post exercise plan of action developed	15 working days; Between Nov 2023 and Jan 2024
Support the GNC capacity strengthen activities with special focus on the Emergency Response Preparedness (ERP)	At least 4 ERP training courses are conducted	20 working days; Between Oct 2023 and Apr 2024
Lead the implementation of coordination blended training ensuring increased participation of country coordination team members and partners at national and sub-national level.	At least 3 blended training on coordination are conducted	15 working days; Between Oct 2023 and Apr 2024
Providing orientating/mentoring of newly appointed nutrition coordinators on cluster coordination	Mentoring provided to at least 2 NCCs	10 working days; Between Oct 2023 and Apr 2024
Support countries in developing their emergency response preparedness plans and putting in place preparedness mechanism/ emergency response preproduces as integral part of HPC.	4 CO level ERP plan were developed (20 days)	20 working days; Between Oct 2023 and Apr 2024
Support country coordination teams to oversee the functioning of sub-national or hub level Nutrition coordination mechanisms where they exist	At least 5 sub-cluster coordination team are supported	15 working days; Between Feb and June 2024
Contribute to the production of the GNC reports/ KM products including liaising with countries to collect and review their contributions.	Inputs for the GNC annual report, KM products were provided timely	6 working days; Between Feb and June 2024
Regularly (monthly and on as “needed” basis), communicate issues raised by the NCCs to the Global Nutrition Cluster Coordination Team through weekly calls & monthly reports.	90% of request for support responded within 48 hours; 90% of the weekly calls are attended; 100% of monthly reports are prepared/ shared on time	12 working days; Between Aug 2023 and July 2024

Estimated Duration of the Contract

168 working days (between August 2023 and July 2024). The consultant will work part-time, working 3 days a week.

Consultant’s Work Place and Official Travel

The Consultant will be home-based in the same time zone as Geneva or with a maximum of 1-2 hours’ time difference. Otherwise, consultant should confirm her/his ability to work as per Geneva office working hours.

As part of this assignment, four (4) travels are expected from the chosen duty station to selected countries such as Venezuela, Guatemala, Cameroon and Honduras (5-10 days expected for each trip). The consultant will arrange her/his travel as and when they take place, and related costs will be reimbursed per UNICEF travel policy.

Travel Clause

• All UNICEF rules and regulations related to travel of Consultants apply.
• All travels shall be undertaken only upon the prior written approval by UNICEF.
• The consultant must be fit to travel, be in a possession of the valid UN BSAFE certificate, obligatory inoculation(s) and have a valid own travel/medical insurance and an immunization/vaccination card.

Estimated Cost of the Consultancy & Payment Schedule

Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of an invoice and satisfactory completion of the above-mentioned 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.

Please propose a professional fee based on 168 working days to undertake this assignment.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: nutrition, public health, nutritional epidemiology, global/international health and nutrition, health/nutrition research, policy and/or management, humanitarian assistance and development or another nutrition-related science.
• 9 years of relevant work experience combined with a first University degree may be considered in lieu of the Master’s degree.
• A minimum of 7 years of professional experience in nutrition in emergencies programming, nutrition, public health, nutrition planning and management.
• Proven experience of nutrition in emergencies responses in a range of settings including sudden onset natural disasters and conflict setting; Leading coordination in such a setting would be considered an asset.
• Relevant experience in nutrition projects development and management in a UN system considered an asset.
• Fluency in English and Spanish, and good working knowledge of French is required. Knowledge of other UN languages is considered as an asset.

 

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS), and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

View our competency framework at http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

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, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

Remarks:

Please include a full CV and a Financial Proposal in your application by indicating your availability and professional fee (in USD) to undertake the terms of reference above. Applications submitted without a proposed professional fee will not be considered. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

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.