Home-Based Consultancy: Full-time consultancy for development of Guidance on Cluster Transition as part of CLA Evaluation Management Response (110 days) - EMOPS, Geneva, Switzerland

Contract

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Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

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For every child, Hope

To follow a consultative process, internally and at inter-agency level, for the development of guidance on cluster transition and considerations to ensure effective transition is possible at the different stages of the planning cycle, from preparedness to evaluation of the response.

Scope of Work:

The second evaluation of UNICEF’s role as Cluster Lead Agency (CLARE II) published in 2022 identifies the need to address issues around deactivation and transition of clusters as a key area for further attention. Detailed activities to support the implementation of CLARE II recommendations, including working on a cluster transition guideline, have been included under an Evaluation Management Response endorsed by the UNICEF Executive Board in June 2022, holding the organisation accountable for its effective and timely implementation.

To deliver on our accountabilities and ensure the cluster approach remains fit for purpose, the Global Cluster Coordination Section (GCCS) is seeking to work with a consultant in the development of a guidance on cluster transition to ensure development of guidance on cluster transition to support clusters once priority issues of the emergency have been addressed to phase into sector coordination. Building on the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Cluster Coordination Reference Module (CCRM) and resources available with the Global Cluster Coordination Group (GCCG), the guidance should ensure that a system-wide approach to transition should be taken into consideration.

The Cluster Transition Guidance will help mitigate the use of clusters in inappropriate scenarios by developing models and tools for non-cluster coordination, including transition points for country offices, and establish clarity on the role of clusters, if any, for national capacity-building to ensure efficient and fit-for-purpose coordination approaches. This could include establishing clarity on preparedness, the role of national authorities, clusters as actors of capacity-strengthening of national and local actors, efficient and fit-for-purpose coordination approaches, development of an exit strategy, access to funding for local actors, communications and participatory engagement strategies for transition, etc. This work will align with UNICEF’s leadership role as CLA and will help improve transition to and from sectoral development and humanitarian coordination mechanisms as well as help avoid duplication with other disaster preparedness and risk reduction actors.

The development of the Cluster Transition Guidance should follow a comprehensive desk review of relevant documents, including OCHA guidance on transition and deactivation of clusters, a consultative process with key internal and external stakeholders, as well as documenting examples of best practice where transition was carried out successfully, or practice where important lessons can be drawn. Internal stakeholders should include, among other, the Global Cluster Coordinators of UNICEF-led clusters/AoR as well as UNICEF Programme Group, and UNICEF staff working at regional and country level. Close collaboration and engagement with OCHA counterparts, other clusters and partners will also be required. Of particular interest is inclusion of OCHA Heads of Office, RC/HCs, HCT members who have gone through cluster transition. A Refence Group will be established to support the work on the Transition Guidance with possible participation of external partners, particularly through the GCCG and through OCHA SWAPS/IASC team.

The Guidance document will ideally provide a step by step guidance, considerations of what is needed in the planning and live stages of clusters to prepare for transition, a transition strategy template, benchmarks to indicate when the transition is required and what activities are needed to develop specific capacity to facilitate this transition, and finally a step-by-step summary guidance document.

The consultancy will also work closely with the GCCG workstream on transition which has the following outputs in the GCCG 2023 workplan - defining benchmarks/timeline and step by step guide for transition and deactivation; and 2. develop ICC guidance on transition.

Work Assignments Overview

Deliverables/Outputs

Delivery deadline

Desk review of relevant documents and initial discussion with Reference Group

Inception report with clear timelines and methodology for the update

March 31, 2023

In consultation with Reference Group, identification of key informants (KIs) (internal and external) followed up with Key Informant interviews

Update on KIs to Reference Group

(including full notes from KIIs)

May 1, 2023

Gather information at global and country level for development of reference case studies following recommendation of the Reference group.

(possible examples: Myanmar, Haiti, Pakistan,

Philippines, Lebanon, Libya, Iraq...)

Country case studies of transition good practices or lessons to be learned

May 26, 2023

Outline content of the Transition Gguidance and its supporting tools and annexes (eg capacity building plan template, transition strategy template, communication plan, etc)

Table of contents of Guidance and its annexes validated by the reference group

June 12, 2023

Draft v1 of the Transition Guidance (this version should be edited by a professional editor, also to ensure concise and crisp reader-friendly text, and visual presentation of the information to the extent possible)

V1 drafted and shared with KIs for comments

July 3, 2023

Draft v2 based on feedback

V2 drafted and presented to Reference Group for final input

July 24, 2023

Work on two final versions :

• One full guidance
• One 2-4 page summary document

Final versions presented designed in InDesign:

- One full guidance

One 2-4 page summary document

September 6, 2023

Estimated Duration of the Contract

110 days.

Consultant’s Work Place and Official Travel

The Consultant will be home-based.

Estimated Cost of the Consultancy & Payment Schedule

Payment will be made on submission of an invoice and satisfactory completion of the above-mentioned deliverables. Please indicate an all-inclusive lumpsum to undertake this TOR based on 110 days.

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

Minimum requirements:

• Advanced University degree in International Affairs, Public Policy, Economics, Social Sciences, or related fields. *A first level university degree with 3 more years of relevant experience will be considered.

• Oral and written fluency in English required

• Twelve years of progressively responsible and relevant professional work experience in Emergencies and programming, at least half of which working with humanitarian coordination.
• Experience working directly in or with clusters, and in UNICEF country emergency management preferred.

• Experience as a Representative/Country Director and/or leading HCTs/UNCTs is an asset.

• Exceptional understanding of humanitarian and development coordination architecture, stakeholders, and realities such as politics, capacities, etc. (Preferably demonstrated across at least 3 country contexts).

• Outstanding strategic thinking.

• Strong interpersonal, leadership and communication skills.
• Demonstrated experience developing guidance, tools and resources related to cluster coordination 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:

Please include a full CV and Financial Proposal in your application by indicating your availability and all-inclusive lumpsum (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference above. Applications submitted without an all-inclusive lumpsum will not be considered. 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.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants 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.