Consultancy: Contract Specialist (HR Consultancy) - Health Section, PG, NY/Remote - Req

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

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: Contract Specialist (HR Consultancy)

Section/Division/Duty Station: PD/Health Section/Immunization Unit

Duration: 1 April 2022 - 15 March 2023.

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

In addition to continued support to routine immunization programmes, the immunization section is also supporting UNICEF regions and country offices with COVID-19 vaccine roll-out planning, delivery, monitoring and reporting. An important element of the immunization section support is to ensure timely provision of quality Technical Support through consultants and TA staff at HQ, regional and country level across several technical areas (e.g. immunization supply chain, vaccine uptake and immunization hesitancy, immunization financing).

With significant acceleration of COVID-19 vaccine roll-out efforts in Q4 2021 and Q1 2022 in low and middle income countries in Africa, Asia and other low and middle income countries supported by UNICEF, there is an urgent need for additional HR capacity within the immunization section. While between Jan and September 2021, the immunization section established 2 new rosters and processed 30 contracts, 50 more contracts have been requested in the coming months.

In addition to increased work-load associated with the increased request for technical support provided by UNICEF, the immunization section has been looking at ways of reducing the time for hiring consultants to 3 weeks (from the current 10 weeks or more) and to ensure highest possible quality of technical advice provided by UNICEF in the area of immunization.

Thus, additional capacity is required to support a rapid deployment of critical HR and the establishment of effective and innovative HR solutions to improve the efficiency and quality of technical support provided by UNICEF Health at the global, regional and country level.

How can you make a difference?

Under the supervision of the Programme and Planning Specialist in Immunization Section, Health Programmes and in close collaboration with Immunization and Health Programmes Team Leads, DHR and Supply Division.

1. To fast track the recruitment of surge support (consultants and TAs), the consultant will:

• With reference to the immunization SSA and TA plan, support immunization section with implementing the recruitment processes in line with UNICEF HR policies, including but not limited to supporting immunization staff develop quality Terms of Reference, sourcing, as relevant liaise with Programme Operations Hub (HR) to advertise, help hiring managers with shortlisting, selection, following up on references, compilation of relevant supporting documentation, facilitating and following up on approvals and requisitions through UNICEF systems.
• Develop an effective monitoring tool for the implementation of SSA/TA plan; monitor and report on the SSA/TA plan implementation on at least monthly basis

2. To set-up new pre-cleared rosters for immunization consultants, the consultant will:

1. Pre-selection phase

• Collaborate with immunization and Health Programmes Team Leads to identify/map a list of specialist stream categories and sub-categories for which the rosters would be established.
• Source existing rosters and / or a list of recommended consultants from regional and country offices rosters
• Develop a generic ‘Call for Expression of Interest’ for inviting applications to the HQ Immunization Consultancy Rosters. Invite applications from individual and institutional consultants through the submission of an Expression of Interest and annexes demonstrating a proven track record.

2. Selection phase

• Establish a selection protocol for HQ Immunization for vetting consultants. The selection protocol will at the minimum include a technical review of past products, performance evaluations, capacity (for institutions) and reference checks. The selection protocol should also outline the requirements and quorum for a selection panel that will undertake the selection process outlined in the selection protocol.
• Participate and document the selection process and obtain necessary clearances certifying adherence to the agreed selection protocol.
• Establish a list of consultants with functional streams that have passed the selection process. This list should be accessible to all HQs and Regions and should provide at least a basic profile of the consultant.
• Prepare necessary communication announcing the release of the HQ Consultancy Roster to HQ, Regions and Country Offices.

3. Post-selection Phase:

• Establish processes to ensure that new Performance Reviews from COs/RO/HQ of consultants already included in the roster are made available to HQ and filed in centrally.
• Establish processes to conduct a periodic review of the Consultancy Rosters for a) removing poor performers consultants from roster based on performance reviews, and b) adding new candidates based on the application of the HQ immunization selection protocol.

3. To support the establishment of a model for outsourcing HR services (end-to-end services or for key pain points) to a third-party provider, the consultant will:

• In consultation with the health team leads in HQ and DHR, review the current recruitment practice and identify key bottlenecks leading to long recruitments, as well as the desired scope and type of HR services required to be mobilized to provide technical consulting services to all offices.
• Based on the knowledge of UNICEF contracting policy and procedure and the best practices in this area, identify 2-3 approaches for consideration by UNICEF Health and DHR.
• Based on above consultations develop recommendations for establishment of a model for outsourcing HR services (end-to-end services or for key pain points) to a third-party provider, including but not limited to establishing the contract with service providers, development of SOPs, development of a generic ‘Call for Proposals’ outlining the scope/type of HR services, and establishing evaluation process.

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

Education:

• An Advanced University Degree in human resource management, business management, international relations, psychology or another related fields.

Work experience and skills:

• Five years of increasingly responsible professional experience in human resource management in an international organization and/or large corporation is required.
• Fluency in English (both written and spoken) is required.
• Experience in recruitment of staff positions and consultancies is required.
• Excellent facilitation, written and oral communication skills.
• Understanding of UN systems is an asset.
• Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment.

Requirements:

• Completed profile in UNICEF's e-Recruitment system and provide Personal History Form (P11) or resume

• Upload copy of academic credentials

• Financial proposal that will include your daily/monthly rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference above

Please note:

• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process
• No travel is required.
• 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.

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 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.