Consultancy: Consultant, Nutrition Information Systems in Emergencies - Nutrition Section, PD, NYHQ/Home based - Req

Contract

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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, hope.

Consultancy Title: Nutrition Information Systems in emergencies Consultant

Section/Division/Duty Station: Nutrition/ Programme/ New York (home based)

Duration: 11.5 months

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. For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, 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. UNICEF has over 12,000 staff in more than 145 countries.

BACKGROUND

Nutrition Information System (NIS) encompasses collection, analysis, and interpretation of nutrition data from multiple sources for the purpose of providing information for decision making.

UNICEF is working in collaboration with the Global Nutrition Cluster Technical Alliance and other partners and platforms to develop a roadmap for system wide improvements to NIS-e. This initiative will build on the successes and progress in NIS and NIS-e, while taking the opportunity to learn from the Covid-19 pandemic and its negative impact on the availability of nutrition information for decisions in nutrition crises, to make recommendations for transformational change in NIS-e.

The overarching objective of this assignment is to support UNICEF to deliver transformational change in NIS-e. Specifically, the consultancy should achieve the following:

1. Effective coordination of UNICEF’s global NIS-e initiatives.
2. Technical and operational support for UNICEF’s internal efforts on NIS-e in areas including the NIS-e strengthening initiative, NIS-e research, the Famine Task Team and monitoring of priority nutrition crises.
3. UNICEF’s country and regional office staff receive timely technical support in NIS-e.
4. Technical and operational support for UNICEF’s external NIS-e initiatives, including the Global Nutrition Cluster Technical Alliance Working Group for NIS, the IPC and the Global Report on Food Crises.

Terms of Reference / Deliverables

Support UNICEF’s internal efforts on Nutrition Information Systems in Emergencies (40%)

• Support project management of the NIS-e initiative, with a specific focus on engagement and support to key stakeholders to ensure initiative progresses according to schedule and delivers results.
• Provide technical guidance and support to all aspects of the Initiative, from design to implementation of recommendations through pilots, projects, research etc.
• Coordinate with external partners to test predictive modelling approaches, and facilitate collection of nutrition data from UNICEF Country Offices, for use in NIS-e research.
• Provide general NIS support to the UNICEF Famine Task Team
• Provide technical and capacity strengthening support on NIS-e to UNICEF Country and Regional Offices.
• Work with the Global Nutrition Cluster and NIS coordination helpdesk function to coordinate and accelerate support for NIS-e at the cluster and sector level.

Support UNICEF’s external efforts on Nutrition Information Systems in Emergencies (60%)

• Maintain and improve a map of relevant initiatives/ groups/ work in NIS-e and support UNICEF’s strategic involvement and support to the broader NIS-e landscape. This will include working with partners and potential partners to identify opportunities for collaboration with UNICEF, or bilaterally with other initiatives and groups.
• Lead UNICEF’s representation in the NIS Global Technical Working Group (GTWG), and the achievement of the GTWG’s strategic objectives and workplan.
• Lead on key areas of work on the GTWG workplan, as agreed within the GTWG and with UNICEF
• In coordination with the GNC Technical Alliance support staff, and specifically the NIS Helpdesk functions, respond to NIS-e questions and requests for support from GNC partners as needed.
• Support UNICEF’s representation within the Technical Working Group and Technical Advisory Group for the IPC Acute Malnutrition (AMN).
• Support the execution of the IPC AMN improvement roadmap (2021-2023).
• Support the identification and consolidation of UNICEF’s nutrition data relevant to the Global Report of Food Crisis (GRFC).
• Support UNICEF’s participation in the GRFC launch event.

Qualifications

• Advanced University degree (Master or equivalent) in Nutrition, Public Health, or relevant field

Experience

• At least 8 years of demonstrated experience working with Nutrition Information Systems in emergency contexts
• Experience of the IPC Acute Malnutrition is desirable
• Excellent understanding of the humanitarian architecture at global and country level and the IASC Transformative Agenda and cluster approach
• Highly developed interpersonal skills and an aptitude for problem solving
• Excellent communication skills
• Proven ability to work independently and deliver results.

Languages

• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French, Spanish, Arabic an asset.

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:
• your daily/monthly rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference
  • 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 is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, race, sexual orientation, nationality, culture, appearance, socio-economic status, ability, age, religious, and ethnic backgrounds, 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.