Consultancy: WASH Systems Strengthening, Finance and Financing Strategies Consultant, WASH Programme Group, HQ New York/Remote Ref

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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: WASH Systems Strengthening, Finance and Financing Strategies Consultant

Section/Division/Duty Station: WASH Programme Group/ NYHQ

Duration: 110 Billable days – December 1, 2022 to August 31, 2023

Home/ office Based: Remote

Background and Rationale

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.

A significant component of this systems strengthening results is on WASH financing, notably on two components, the development of costed WASH financing strategies, and the leveraging of finances into WASH sectors in the countries where UNICEF operates. Whist some global guidance and training courses have been developed to guide UNICEF regional and country offices, this now needs to be operationalized within the organization and lessons learnt for its continued fine tuning.

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

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

1. Engage with UNICEF country offices and development partners to promote use of the WASH Finance Strategy guideline
2. Engage with UNICEF HQ teams, regional/country offices and development partners to promote use of costing methods and tools (national WASH target costing), and support countries in implementing these
3. Engage with UNICEF HQ teams, regional/country offices and development partners on the assessment of UNICEF experience on leveraging of finance, and documentation of case studies of positive experiences of UNICEF in this area
4. Technical assistance to PG-WASH sub-sector teams and regional offices on the operationalization of the financing components of systems strengthening result area, along with a synthesis of key findings, inputs from other relevant UNICEF teams, and contribute to proposal development

Key tasks and deliverables include:

1. Engage with UNICEF country offices and development partners to promote use of the WASH Finance Strategy guideline

• Work with communications teams in UNICEF, SWA and IRC, among others, to continue promotion of the financing strategy guidelines - summary document on the guidance to be delivered
• Hold webinars and meetings with partners and UNICEF country offices to disseminate the guidance and ensure its uptake – webinar on the guidance to be delivered
• Support WASH systems strengthening (as related to the strategic plan result are 4.2) implementation and monitoring on financing with direct support to country offices on implementation of WASH Financing strategy development – a report to be delivered summarising the status in DGIS ASWA II countries on the financing strategy development, including performance of the countries on SP indicators 4.2.1 and 4.2.2

2. Promote use of costing methods and tools (national WASH target costing)

• Engage with UNICEF HQ teams, country offices and development partners to promote use of costing methods and tools (national WASH target costing), and support countries in implementing these – with a particular focus on DGIS ASWA II countries deliverable to provide a summary of the actions to be taken for ASWA II countries to make progress on SP indicators 4.2.1 and 4.2.2.

3. Assessment of UNICEF experience on leveraging of finance

• Engage with UNICEF HQ teams, regional/country offices and development partners on the assessment of UNICEF experience on leveraging of finance, and documentation of case studies of positive experiences of UNICEF in this area – development of three case studies, including liaison with UNICEF social policy colleagues

4. Technical assistance to PG-WASH sub-sector teams and regional offices on the operationalization of the financing components of systems strengthening result area

• Technical assistance to PG-WASH sub-sector teams and regional offices on the operationalization of the financing components of systems strengthening result area, along with a synthesis of key findings, inputs from other relevant UNICEF teams (including the innovative finance hub),– delivery would be for a summary of UNICEF experience on WASH financing as it relates to UNICEF 2022-25 strategic plan and particularly how existing systems and experiences should be leveraged more systematically
• Contribute to proposal development - drafting at least two proposal concept notes for UNICEF projects in the area

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

Education:

• Master’s degree in WASH, public sector financing, systems strengthening

Language Proficiency:

• An excellent command of the English language is required (writing, speaking, and comprehension). Fluency in another UN language is an asset.

Work experience:

• A minimum of ten years of recent related professional experience in systems strengthening work in the WASH sector, at least some of which with a financing focus
• 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
• 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.

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.