Emergency Preparedness Consultant (Country-Specific Simulation Exercises), RAPS, EMOPS, Home-based, 1 year

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

The UNICEF Humanitarian Review recommendations underscore the significance and contribution of Risk Analysis and Preparedness efforts primarily in defining and strategically positioning UNICEF’s role and preparedness to respond to key emergency types, with increased technical capacity at all levels, adapted strategies including a no-regrets approach. As a follow up to the recommendations combined with responses from the recent emergency preparedness survey, RAP Section has further placed increased attention on areas for development and explores practical ways of partnering with ROs/COs on emergency preparedness. With the increasing frequency and severity of emergencies, it is critical that COs are equipped with the knowledge, skills and tools necessary to respond to emergencies quickly and efficiently.

Simulation exercises provide a unique opportunity to test emergency preparedness plans, overall readiness and identify gaps or weaknesses that may hinder the ability to respond effectively. These exercises allow UNICEF offices to simulate realistic emergency scenarios and evaluate their response strategies and procedures. By identifying areas for improvement, they will be able to take corrective actions and enhance emergency preparedness and response capacities. As part of humanitarian learning, particularly of UNICEF staff, simulation helps contribute to enhance knowledge, skills and actions for better preparedness and response.

In 2021, EMOPS developed and disseminated two simulation packages: the In-Depth Simulation Package that offers an opportunity for a full-fledged simulation experience (over one or two days), and the Brief Simulation Package that presents a tabletop ‘lighter’ alternative (about three hours). Since then, several COs conducted simulation exercises to test and strengthen staff skills as well as UNICEF's capacity to address the challenges in emergency response. In addition, the demand for simulation exercises in UNICEF has increased substantially as offices are turning to emergency preparedness and response simulations to identify challenges and gaps that could hinder an eventual UNICEF response. These simulations also help to upgrade the emergency preparedness/ contingency plan developed in the Emergency Preparedness Platform (EPP) and at the inter-agency level.

This activity is included in the RAPS 2023 workplan and priority, supports the implementation of the humanitarian review recommendations and a workstream of the BHA-funding support.

How can you make a difference?

Purpose of Assignment:

UNICEF’s Office for Emergency Programmes (EMOPS) seeks to recruit a consultant to lead the design, delivery and facilitation of simulation exercises for select UNICEF country offices. The consultant will be responsible for designing, developing and facilitating simulation exercises that will test staff skills and knowledge, as well as country preparedness capacities. The consultant will also identify critical actions needed to upgrade the CO’s emergency preparedness/ contingency plan. Working with UNICEF staff at country, regional, and headquarter offices, the consultancy will enhance staff skills and knowledge related to emergency preparedness and response through simulations and offer practical experience in responding to emergency situations.

Scope of Work: The consultant's scope of work will include but not be limited to the following:

Planning Phase: a)Develop a work plan for the design, development, and facilitation of simulation exercises for select country offices with emphasis on the either of the following areas: Thematic, CSO, Government, Public Health Emergencies and another priority area b) Work closely with UNICEF staff across offices to ensure simulation exercises are tailored to the specific needs and context of each country office.

Design/Development Phase: a)Develop simulation scenarios that align with the identified gaps in the emergency preparedness/ contingency plan. b)Develop simulation materials, including facilitator guides, simulation injects, participant manuals, and other necessary materials. c)Review and incorporate feedback from key stakeholders.

Delivery/facilitation Phase: a)Lead facilitation of simulation exercises in UNICEF country offices. b)Ensure that simulation exercises are conducted in an open and safe environment to allow experiential learning c)Collect data during the simulation exercises to evaluate their effectiveness.

Post-Simulation Phase: a)Prepare a report summarizing the simulation exercise, including key findings and recommendations. b)Provide a debrief to the UNICEF country office staff and other key stakeholders. c)Facilitate the action planning and upgrading of emergency preparedness/ contingency plan based on the identified critical actions.

Tasks/Milestone:****Deliverables/Outputs:1. Development of the workplan of the simulation exercisesWorkplan for the simulation exercises in 5 selected Country Offices including timeline and deliverables2. Scenarios development for simulation exercisesDraft scenarios for review and clearance for 5 specific simulation packages: 1)One package focusing on simulation of the first 72 hours; 2)One package focusing on simulation including govt. counterparts 3)One package focusing on simulation including private sector counterparts 4)One package focusing on public health related simulation 5)One package focusing on simulation that includes civil society organization counterparts3.Development of materials, guides, simulation injects, participant manuals, and other necessary materials. With provision for adaptation after each session following reflection learned from the exercise.Learning materials for the simulation exercise that include the following: guides, simulation injects, participant manuals and other requirements for learning. Each package (indicated in #2) will cover three steps: 1) Devt. of the draft package 2) Roll out of the package in a country office and documentation of lessons learned 3) Finalization of the package based on lessons learned4.Facilitation of the simulation exercise in 5 countries.Lead facilitation of simulation exercises in 5 different country offices/locations5. Prepare a report summarizing the simulation exercise, including lessons learned and recommendations.

Recommendations for future simulation exercises and inputs to emergency preparedness.

Workplace:

Home-based, including 5 duty travels to agreed UNICEF country offices during the period.

The selected consultant will need to make their own travel arrangements and will be reimbursed for travel costs and subsistence allowance in line with and limited to those payable by UNICEF.

How to apply:

Application should be submitted online and should include: Resume, Cover Letter, University Diploma and Financial Proposal.

Your financial proposal should include: Your rate per deliverable (in US$) to undertake the ToRs. Estimate of travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally required as per ToRs. Any other estimated costs: visa, health insurance, and living costs as applicable.

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in social sciences, public administration, law, public health, nutrition, international relations, business administration or other related disciplines.
• A minimum of 8 years of progressively responsible professional work experience at the national and international levels in program/project development, emergency preparedness, research, and analysis, and/or monitoring and evaluation.
• Strong writing skills and demonstrated ability to collect and analyse data in an efficient and effective manner.
• Direct experience in, and/or familiarity with, UNICEF emergency operations is an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

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.