Consultancy - Regional Humanitarian Learning & Development Strategy for LAC - LACRO, Panama City (6 Months)

Consultant Human Resources Crisis & Emergency Response

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, learning

How can you make a difference?

Background

UNICEF promotes the rights and welfare of all children and adolescents in everything we do. Together with our allies, we work in 190 countries and territories to transform this commitment into practical actions that benefit all children, especially focusing our efforts on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded, worldwide. The UNICEF Latin America and Caribbean Regional Office (LACRO) is based in in Panama, operating in 36 territories, including 24 country offices.

UNICEF works to put the rights and well-being of the most disadvantaged children at the heart of the social, political, and economic agenda, in line with our equity focus, working across our organization and with our partners in government, civil society and the private sector to support shifts in public policy, fuel social engagement, and increase investment for children. As part of its mandate, UNICEF is engaged at global, regional and country level in humanitarian action, including preparedness and response to emergencies situation in close coordination and support of governments, NGO partners and private sector (for more information about UNICEF and its work: www.unicef.org/lac)..)

The following elements justify the need to carry out the present consultancy:

• Rapid rises in the number, scale, duration and complexity of humanitarian crises, coupled with a growing gap in well-trained and competent personnel, ready to respond to all affected populations, including the most vulnerable.
• Global growing skills gaps in the rapidly changing ‘world of work’, and a persistent, yet unaddressed, need to address the professionalization of the humanitarian workforce.
• Need for effective leadership, particularly in complex and high threat environments, and for frontline staff.
• Building a capable and informed frontline/local responder workforce is a component of globally agreed priorities to improve localization and to foster coherence between humanitarian and development programming (Nexus).

In this context, as part of UNICEF’s Humanitarian Review1, in order to keep pace with a rapidly changing world with increasing humanitarian needs, more complex ad protracted crises, and more constrained funding, UNICEF at the HQ level has recently undertaken a process aimed at elaborating the Global Humanitarian Learning Framework and its Implementation Guide (annex), aimed at strengthening its humanitarian workforce’s skills, knowledge, attitudes and behaviors to deliver timely, effective and child-centred humanitarian response in any crises with humanitarian consequences. The goal of the initiative is to strengthen the response for children in humanitarian action, providing a consistent and harmonized set of learning domains, competencies, skills, attitudes, behaviours and knowledge areas. The framework and learning initiative will enhance the professional development of an agile workforce, who are willing, able and ready to provide a child-centred humanitarian response across a range of contexts and organizations. Ultimately, this will contribute to improved accountability, quality and predictability of preparedness and response programming for affected populations. The framework draws on UNICEF’s Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Action2, and integrates the Core Humanitarian Competency Framework3, and relevant competencies from the Alliance, Child Protection in Humanitarian Action Competency Framework4.

In a synergic effort to this HQ learning initiative, UNICEF LACRO Emergency Unit in coordination with the HR Section is planning to develop the Regional Humanitarian Learning & Development Strategy, which is the ultimate goal of this consultancy, with the aim of scanning the humanitarian capacity development needs of all UNICEF country offices and provide a package of training courses and other capacity development opportunities, tailored to the different groups of staff at all levels.

1 UNICEF, 2020, Strengthening UNICEF’s Humanitarian Action THE HUMANITARIAN REVIEW: Findings and Recommendations 2 https://www.corecommitments.unicef.org/ccc-toc 3 CHS Alliance, 2017, The Core Humanitarian Competency Framework, https://www.chsalliance.org/get-support/resource/core-humanitarian-competency-framework/ 4 https://alliancecpha.org/en/child-protection-online-library/guidance-child-protection-humanitarian-action-competency-framework

Purpose of the Assignment

UNICEF Latin American and the Caribbean (LAC) Regional Office in Panama is looking for a consultant (consulting team) with expertise in producing a Regional Humanitarian Learning & Development (L&D) Strategy for LAC: A systematic and competency-based approach to enhance the humanitarian capacity of UNICEF staff and partners in LAC. Under the overall guidance of the Regional Emergency Advisor and in close coordination with the Regional Chief of HR, the Emergency Manager and the HR Specialist Emergency, the consultant will assess and analyze competencies and learning needs related to humanitarian action across LACRO and Country Offices (COs) in the LAC region, and develop a consequent Regional Humanitarian L&D Strategy linked to the global framework above mentioned which is being developed by UNICEF Office of Emergency Programmes at HQ level.

The Regional Humanitarian L&D Strategy for LAC will have to address the following:

(i) Consider six specific target groups who will have tailored capacity building menu of options: (1) country offices (COs) Representatives and Deputy Representatives, (2) Regional Office’s (LACRO) regional response roster (RRR) members, (3) Humanitarian Champions, (4) UNICEF Emergency focal points at CO level, LACRO Emergency Specialists and Immediate Response Team (IRT) members, (5) UNICEF staff in general at the CO level, and (6) UNICEF partners; (with priority for the groups from 1 to 4)

(ii) Consider three tiers of learning domains (as per Global Learning Framework): Tier 1 - Foundation Learning Domains; Tier 2 - Common (cross-sector) Learning Domains; and Tier 3 - Functional Learning Domains-Programmatic and Operational.

(iii) Identify different learning modalities, e.g. trainings (online, presential and blended), surge missions, stretch assignments, shadowing, coaching, community of practice, workplace assignments, etc.

(iv) Outline learning paths for different categories/types of staff (e.g. for CO Emergency Focal Points, Sectoral officers/Specialists, Field based staff, Supply & Logistics Specialists, Country Representative, Deputy Representatives, etc.)

(v) Outline a monitoring and evaluation system to measure the effectiveness of the Regional Humanitarian L&D Strategy for LAC, linked to the Global Humanitarian Learning Framework’s monitoring system.

As part of the assignment, the consultant will also:

(vi) Complete the map of the key UNICEF learning resources, global and developed at regional level, available to be used in the LAC region, as well as the key learning resource gaps for LAC (EMOPS is already mapping the global resources and LACRO Emergency Unit has started a map of the resources developed/available in LAC). Identify essential and elective trainings.

(vii) Identify external resources that UNICEF could use to complement its learning offer for staff in LAC.

(viii) Support LACRO in developing new priority training courses and/or adapt globally available ones to the LAC context.

Specific Tasks

Based on the mentioned Purpose, the assignment includes the following key tasks to be developed:

1. Get deeply familiar with the Global Humanitarian Learning Framework and its implementation guide developed by UNICEF EMOPS and the related training resources. 2. Conduct a mapping of learning needs/demand and a skills gap analysis for the following specific target groups in LAC (with priority for the groups from i to iv):

i. country offices (COs) Representatives and Deputy Representatives; ii. Regional Office’s (LACRO) regional response roster (RRR) members; iii. Humanitarian Champions; iv. UNICEF Emergency focal points at CO level, LACRO Emergency Specialists and Immediate Response Team (IRT) members; v. UNICEF staff in general at the CO level; vi. UNICEF partners.

3. Outline strategies for different learning modalities (trainings, surge missions, stretch assignments, shadowing, coaching, community of practice, workplace assignments, etc.); 4. Using the Global Learning Framework, its Implementation Guide and the preliminary map produced by LACRO, complete the map of the UNICEF learning resources available globally and at regional level for LAC (including generic and sectoral learning resources), and the key learning resource gaps. Divide training resources into: (i) ready to use, (ii) to be contextualized, (iii) gaps to be filled, and into essential and elective trainings. 5. Based on the existing needs, identify the learning paths (essential and elective trainings) with an estimation of staff time investment, tailored for the different target groups, linked to the sectoral learning resources available in LAC and to the global framework implementation guide; 6. Identify external resources that UNICEF in LAC could use to complement its learning offer for the LAC staff. 7. Overall final product: elaborate the Regional Humanitarian L&D Strategy for LAC linked to the Global Humanitarian Learning Framework 8. Define a monitoring and evaluation system to measure the effectiveness of the Regional Humanitarian L&D Strategy for LAC, linked to the Global Humanitarian Learning Framework’s monitoring system. 9. Develop new priority training courses and/or adapt globally available ones to the LAC context.

Deliverables

Description

Duration [in days]

Expected deadline

Humanitarian learning demand and needs assessment for LAC, for the six different categories.

As per technical proposal

July 15th 2022

Map of UNICEF learning resources available globally and at regional level for LAC including generic and sectoral learning resources; (essential elective), key learning resource gaps, based on the Global Learning Framework, its Implementation Guide and preliminary map produced by LACRO.

As per technical proposal

August 15th 2022

DRAFT Regional Humanitarian L&D Strategy for LAC including the training modalities and specific tailored learning paths for the different categories of staff.

As per technical proposal

August 31st 2022

Mapping of the external resources (in Spanish, English and French) that UNICEF could use to complete its learning offer to staff in LAC.

As per technical proposal

September 15th 2022

FINAL Regional Humanitarian L&D Strategy for LAC including the training modalities and specific tailored learning paths for the different categories of staff.

As per technical proposal

September 30th 2022

Monitoring and evaluation system to measure the effectiveness of the Regional Humanitarian L&D Strategy for LAC, linked to the Global Humanitarian Learning Framework’s monitoring system.

As per technical proposal

October 31th 2022

At least two new priority training courses (modules) and/or adaptation of available ones at the LAC context

As per technical proposal

31st October 2022

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

Minimum Requirements and Qualifications

Education

• Advanced University Degree in human resource management, business administration, organizational development, social sciences, international relations, psychology or another related field is an asset.
• Professional certification/additional training in the field of learning and development or related field is desirable.

• Specializations in humanitarian related fields is an asset.

  Work Experience

• At least 5 years of professional work experience in learning and development (design and delivery) in a global/international organization, preferably humanitarian, or private sector is required.

• Strong facilitation skills and track records in learning needs assessment and in the design and implementation of learning and development strategies, including learning impact assessment is required.
• Hands-on experience in adult learning, distance and computer-based training and learning including specific learning activities relating to humanitarian action in emergencies, is required.
• Good understanding of how adults acquire and use knowledge, including individual and cultural differences in learning; and the ability to develop effective training/learning curricula for adult learners, especially for organizational development and behavior change is an asset.
• Knowledge of group and organizational psychology is an asset.
• Field experience in emergencies is an asset.

Languages

• Fluency in English (written and oral) is required. Fluency in Spanish is an asset.

Technical knowledge (if applicable)

• Expertise in humanitarian learning is an asset.
• Knowledge of UNICEF humanitarian programmes globally and in the LAC Region is an asset.

Other skills and attributes (optional)

• Ability to work well with other.
• Able to work effectively in a multicultural environment.

Administrative details

Supervision

The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the Regional Emergency Advisor and dotted supervision of the Regional Chief of HR, and in close collaboration with HR Specialist Emergency and the Emergency Manager.

Workplace

This is a home-based consultancy.

Duration

This consultancy will have a duration of 6 months.

How to Apply

Application should be submitted online and include: Resume, Cover Letter, Technical Proposal (including proposed timeline) and Financial proposal (including number of work-day proposed for each deliverable). Qualified candidates are requested to submit daily fees in their financial proposal.

For additional information the following UNICEF LACRO staff can be reached: Antonio Marro, Emergency Manager ([email protected]) and Liza Gonzales, HR Specialist ([email protected])

Applications of a team of consultants are welcome. In such a case, UNICEF would sign the contract only with the team leader.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA). To view our competency framework, please visit here.

*****

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 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:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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.

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Added 2 years ago - Updated 2 years ago - Source: unicef.org