Consultancy: WASH Systems Strengthening and Finance Training and Operationalisation Consultant /WASH Section/Programme Group/NYHQ (remote) Ref

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.

BACKGROUND

In the UNICEF Strategic Plan (2022-25) the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programme departed from previous convention and strategically divided programming into WASH service delivery, and WASH systems strengthening. This division has enabled a more holistic approach to WASH systems strengthening, avoiding potential silos of delivering similar objectives across different WASH sub-sectors. Two key next steps in this process are to ensure sufficient capacity building support is available and operationalize the theory into the practice of UNICEF country offices.

During 2021 and 2022 UNICEF, in partnership with IRC, as been developing training courses in WASH systems strengthening and WASH financing. These courses are split into two versions, a basic course, and an advanced course. The basic courses will be delivered online, whilst the advanced courses will be delivered in person in 2023. Support is needed to successfully role out these trainings in a way that successfully cascades the support to country offices and implementing partners.

As part of the implementation of the UNICEF Strategic Plan (2022-25) support from WASH systems strengthening is also required to global WASH subsector teams (namely water and climate, sanitation and hygiene, and WASH emergencies and protracted crises). Supporting these teams to extract already developed systems strengthening guidance and articulate it within the framework of the 2022-25 strategic plan objectives and results framework is critical. Further to this, support to regional offices in how to guide country offices when developing their own country programme strategies is fundamental to the role out of the results area.

Purpose of Activity/ Assignment:

The purpose of the consultancy is divided into the following three areas:

1. Review of the basic and advanced WASH systems strengthening course, including troubleshooting, and ensuring alignment with UNICEF systems and strategies, followed by subsequent support to the training roll out.
2. Review of the basic and advanced WASH financing course, including troubleshooting, and ensuring alignment with UNICEF systems and strategies, followed by subsequent support to the training roll out.
3. Technical assistance to PG-WASH sub-sector teams and regional offices on the operationalization of the systems strengthening result area, along with a synthesis of key findings.

Key tasks and deliverables include:

1. Support to the basic and advanced WASH systems strengthening course

• Review of course content and platform delivery modalities – where applicable at the time of on-set of the consultancy provide a thorough review of course content, and also the platforms by which content will be delivered
• Support to Regional and Country offices in training roll out – provide support to the relevant regional and country offices in preparation to the training, including speaking with those who are destined to become trainers of the future in their locations
• In-person support to the face-to-face advanced training – be on the ground with the trainers at the implementation of the basic and advanced WASH systems strengthening course.
• Translation of Training Materials – assist in ensuring services of suitable quality are in place for the translation of materials into French, and subsequent delivery of the French language course

2. Support to the basic and advanced WASH financing course

• Review of course content and platform delivery modalities – where applicable at the time of on-set of the consultancy provide a thorough review of course content, and also the platforms by which content will be delivered
• Support to Regional and Country offices in training roll out – provide support to the relevant regional and country offices in preparation to the training, including speaking with those who are destined to become trainers of the future in their locations
• In-person support to the face-to-face advanced training – be on the ground with the trainers at the implementation of the basic and advanced WASH financing course
• Translation of Training Materials – assist in ensuring services of suitable quality are in place for the translation of materials into French, and subsequent delivery of the French language course

3. Technical Assistance to PG-WASH sub-sector teams and regional office WASH teams in operationalization of the systems strengthening result area

• Conduct deep dive sessions with all relevant PG-WASH teams and create a synthesis report for each
• Create a summary report based on discussions with regional offices
• Provide further technical support to all teams for a set period of time, including assistance to development of systems strengthening proposals

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

• University degree in a WASH related field

Work experience:

• A minimum of ten years of recent related professional experience in systems strengthening work in the WASH sector
• Firm grasp of the key definitions of WASH programming and the building blocks of WASH system strengthening – including of the implementation of programming
• In-depth understanding of WASH financing
• Excellent English language skills
• French language preferred
• Proven ability to work under tight deadlines and drive for results
• Previous working experience with the United Nations and/or an international organization is desirable.

Competencies:

• Possesses strong knowledge and understanding of Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Programme and UNICEF’s approach to System Strengthening for accelerating progress on SDG 6.1 and 6.2.
• Understands the rationale behind the Systems Strengthening shift, its main components and recent developments including the Sanitation and Water for All Building Blocks as the key imperatives for moving from a service delivery approach to strengthening the national systems in WASH.
• Demonstrates strong understating of the financing gaps in the WASH sector and the capacity needs on building national understanding for increased financing for WASH results acceleration.
• Possesses strong analytical skills in reviewing and analyzing training modules and packages with quality inputs to comply with global standards.
• Demonstrates strong organizational and facilitation skills in coordinating and delivering face to face or virtual trainings on System Strengthening and Financing in WASH with diverse stakeholders
• Comfortable to work independently while coordinating closely with different teams.

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.

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.