Individual Consultant for Field Monitor and Technical Support for ERVHIZ WASH Project (Based in Bulawayo)- Open to Zimbabwe Nationals Only

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UNICEF has been operating in Zimbabwe since 1982. We are a team of passionate professionals committed to the protection and fulfillment of children’s rights. 

Supporting the Government’s vision of a prosperous  and  empowered upper-middle-income society, the country programme is aimed at contributing to sustainable socioeconomic development that provides all children, including adolescents, with opportunities to fulfil their potential, lead a healthy life, access quality learning and protection and meaningfully participate in society.

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How can you make a difference? 

UNICEF Zimbabwe is seeking to hire an innovative individual on consultancy basis for Field Monitor and Technical Support for ERVHIZ WASH Project (Based in Bulawayo)

BACKGROUND

UNICEF Zimbabwe’s WASH programming strategy for 2022-2025 prioritised providing technical support to operationalise the Government of Zimbabwe (GoZ)’s commitment to increase the resilience of all children and their families, including to protect against water and sanitation related diseases at home, in schools and in healthcare facilities – in ordinary times and during emergencies. Climate change is already having an impact on WASH services in Zimbabwe. The country has not been spared from the detrimental effects of climate change, including from extreme weather patterns resulting in recurring droughts and floods – the worst and unprecented disaster being the 2019 Cyclone Idai. Zimbabwe’s future outlook is projected to experience more frequent and intense droughts, as well as more erratic rainfall patterns. In the efforts to ‘build back better’ from the Cyclone Idai, UNICEF worked closely with the Government of Zimbabwe with support from the World Bank to pilot innovative risk-informed programming approaches, including the Drinking Water Safety and Security Planning (DWSSP) framework to achieve sustainable and resilient WASH Services.

This approach is now being amplified to model agriculture and nutrition as a nexus approach to enhance household and institutions resilience, in 6 Districts of Matabeleland South Province through support from EU in collaboration with FAO, under the ‘Enhanced Resilience Building for Vulnerable Households in Zimbabwe (ERVHIZ). Key stakeholders include: the Department of WASH Coordination (DWASHC) in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water & Rural Development (MoLAFWRD), the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MOHCC), WASH sector national and sub-national coordination bodies, NGOs/CSOs implementing partners and other relevant stakeholders.

The ERVHIZ project is ending in August, 2024. In order to ensure the project is successfully completed on time, intensification of monitoring and technical support are required. There is also need to ensure lessons learned and best practices are well documented and handover processes are well coordinated.

It is against this background that UNICEF Zimbabwe WASH Section now requires technical assistance services of a consultant with skills and demonstratable capacity to provide the required support.

PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

UNICEF Climate Resilient WASH requires a consultant who will work closely with Rural Development Councils, District Water and Sanitation Sub-committees (DWSCCs), Provincial Water and Sanitation Sub-commitee, UNICEF and its implementing NGO partners and other relevant stakeholders, to provide effective coordination, capacity building, monitoring, documenting and reporting services in the implementation of the EU supported FAO-UNICEF Enhancing Resilience in Vulnerable Households in Zimbabwe (ERVHIZ) project in 6 targeted districts of Matabeleland Province (Beitbridge, Bulilima, Mangwe, Matobo, Gwanda and Insiza).

Outputs foreseen under this consultancy include but are not limited to project field monitoring and reporting, coordination of relevant stakeholders in liason with the respective DWSSC and Rural District Councils, collating best practices and lessons learned and providing capacity building on identified gaps.

ASSIGNMENTS:

The consultant will carry out the following activities:

1. Provide field monitoring and coordination oversight of UNICEF’s ERVHIZ implementing partners, tracking implementation progress and reporting support, ensuring clear plans are in place, updated regularly and remain on track and that information is regularly communicated to local authorities and UNICEF.
2. Responsible for building capacity of the DWSSC and PWSSCs on WASH sector coordination, Demand Led sanitation, District WASH planning and provide support in implementation of  project sustainability and closure processes,
3. Provide support and coordinate project closure processes and oversight on implementing exit and sustainability mechanisms
4. Promote effective project knowledge management, communication  and visibility through providing input in collating lessons learned and assist partners in development of knowledge products sharing good practices and lessons learned.

Major tasks and deliverables: 

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

Education: 

Advanced University Degree in Social Sciences, Water Management, Public Health or Development Studies or a Bachelors’ degree plus an additional five years of experience.

Experience: 

At least eight years of relevant experience in WASH in Zimbabwe with capacity to carry out field monitoring and reporting of WASH development/humanitarian interventions with reference to similar projects. Experience working in Matabeleland Provinces would be an added advantage.

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

Extensive technical and professional evaluation skills and direct experience in applying qualitative and quantitative evaluation methods; and familiarity with UNEG Norms and Standards and Ethical Guidelines is required.

Strong experience and knowledge in the UN programming principles, including leaving no one behind LNOB, human rights, gender equality and women’s empowerment, sustainability and resilience, and accountability is required.

Excellent knowledge of emerging global development issues and evaluation trends that impact the work of the UN. is desirable.

Previous experience working in Zimbabwe is an added advantage.

Highly Desirable:

Demonstrated experience in community engagement, demand led

sanitation, application of risk informed approaches in resilience building for

communities and hygiene promotion and social mobilisation.

Experience working with Government, UN agencies and/or NGO and

demonstrated ability to work in complex environment.

Proven experience supporting government agencies,

international organizations, and development partners for

the delivery of Rural WASH services

Excellent communication skills including fluency in Ndebele and English (verbal and written).

Languages:

English and Ndebele, Desirable: Venda and Kalanga

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

If interested and available to undertake the individual consultancy, please submit your application online and attach the required documents including the technical proposal and an all-inclusive financial proposal incorporating an approximate number of travel days for field (local) travel. 

Technical proposal: The Technical Proposal should articulate an understanding of the TOR and include the proposed Tasks/Milestones, Deliverables/Outputs, Timeline and level of effort by deliverable. The similar table provided in the TOR is indicative. Applicants may use the indicative table as a guide or deviate as per the proposed approach. The proposal should also cost-effectively propose the local travel proposed by the applicant to undertake the assignment.

Financial proposal: The Financial Proposal should include the costs (providing a daily rate as justification) for each task, including consultant fee, proposed travel costs and perdiem, communications costs and any other proposed cost.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

To view our competency framework, please visit  here. 

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

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:  

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.