Individual Consultancy to undertake a review of the multisectoral nutrition coordination function in all level

Contract

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UNICEF is a UN organization mandated by the UN General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children’s rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. In Lao PDR, UNICEF is working with its partners to support the Government to realize children’s rights on survival, development, protection and participation.

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, support

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UNICEF in Vientiane, Lao PDR is looking for an Individual Consultancy to undertake a review of the multisectoral nutrition coordination function in all level. The duration of this assignment is 3.5 months, starting from 1 August until 15 November 2021. The Consultant shall be based in Vientiane (UNICEF office or other location) with meetings in the various relevant ministries/departments/center, development partners and with significant travel to the field.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

The consultant shall document and analyze the National, Provincial and District Nutrition Committees’ contribution to the implementation of the nutrition convergent approach including assess the capacity and relevance of the PNC and DNCs including whether the National Nutrition Committee (NNC), Provincial Nutrition Committees (PNCs) and District Nutrition Committees (DNCs) able to lead nutrition planning, budgeting, tracking and reporting in the Agriculture, Education and Health sectors at central and sub-national levels; assess the capacity of PNCs and DNCs to establish clear links between the NPAN and the Agricultural, Education and Health development plans and budgets at central and sub-national levels; assess whether the support to the PNC and DNC provided from Government and development partners including UNICEF was appropriate; analyze constraints and challenges more broadly; and identify opportunities for improvements and recommend potential options for future support by development partners.

More specifically, in consultation with the UNICEF Nutrition Team, the consultant team shall:

1. Prepare an inception report with a proposed work plan, methodology including study design and analytical framework and identified data sources
2. Conduct desk review of relevant information sources
3. Conduct stakeholder consultations at central and local level
4. Prepare and submit a draft report and present it
5. Incorporate comments, prepare and submit a final report

The review should be based on reviews of existing document and on stakeholder consultations at national, province, district and village level. The document review should include the existing strategies, plans, progress reports, budgets and financial statements.

The stakeholder consultations should include key informants from government agencies, development partners, civil society organization concerned with nutrition convergence in Lao PDR. At local level, 3-4 provinces should be selected to represent the variety of conditions in Lao PDR following literature review and consultation with UNICEF, the NNC Secretariat and the EU Delegation. Criteria for sampling should ensure that capacities of different PNCs and DNCs and different development partner support are represented.

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

• Master’s Degree or higher in nutrition, public health, or related fields such as public policy, international development, or similar.
• Minimum 10 years’ experience in in implementing projects in low-income countries, of which minimum 5 should be in implementing nutrition interventions encompassing nutrition-specific health interventions (including WASH), as well as nutrition-sensitive agriculture and education. Proven experience in nutrition programming at sub-national level in Laos, including practical interactions with provincial and district nutrition committees strongly preferred. Experience in working with remote rural communities in a multicultural setting in Lao PDR an advantage.
• Good understanding of coordination across sectors for planning, budgeting, implementation monitoring and more
• Proven experience with applied qualitative research methodologies in nutrition, public health, or related fields, including delivering technical and policy analyses
• Proven experience in training and/or leading a small research team on qualitative research a bonus
• Demonstrated experience working with international organizations preferred
• Strong analytical and communication skills with excellent written and spoken English
• Lao language skills, even if only at a conversational level, an advantage

Submission of applications:

Interested candidates are kindly requested to apply and upload the following documents to: http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/

• Letter of Interest (cover letter)
• CV or Resume
• Performance evaluation reports or references of similar consultancy assignments (if available)
• Financial proposal: All-inclusive lump-sum cost including travel and accommodation cost for this assignment as per work assignment.

The deadline for applications is 5-July-2021

Assessment Criteria:

For evaluation and selection method, the Cumulative Analysis Method (weight combined score method) shall be used for this recruitment:

a) Technical Qualification (max. 100 points) weight 70 %

• Degree Education in ……… (20 points)
  • Master’s Degree or higher in nutrition, public health, or related fields such as public policy, international development, or similar.
• Knowledge of …….. (20 points)
  • Coordination across sectors for the planning, budgeting, implementation, monitoring etc
  • Strong analytical and communication skills with excellent written and spoken English
  • Lao language skills, even if only at a conversational level, an advantage
• Experience in…….. (40 points)
  • Minimum 10 years’ experience in in implementing projects in low-income countries, of which minimum 5 should be in implementing nutrition interventions encompassing nutrition-specific health interventions (including WASH), as well as nutrition-sensitive agriculture and education.
  • Proven experience in nutrition programming at sub-national level in Laos, including practical interactions with provincial and district nutrition committees strongly preferred.
  • Experience in working with remote rural communities in a multicultural setting in Lao PDR an advantage.
  • Proven experience with applied qualitative research methodologies in nutrition, public health, or related fields, including delivering technical and policy analyses
  • Proven experience in training and/or leading a small research team on qualitative research a bonus
  • Demonstrated experience working with international organizations preferred
• Quality of past work (e.g. understanding, methodology) (20 points)
  • Assessment of previous work including written and analytical skills
  • Reference checks

b) Financial Proposal (max. 100 points) weight 30 %

• The maximum number of points shall be allotted to the lowest Financial Proposal that is opened /evaluated and compared among those technical qualified candidates who have attained a minimum 70 points score in the technical evaluation.
• Other Financial Proposals will receive points in inverse proportion to the lowest price.
• The Contract shall be awarded to candidate obtaining the highest combined technical and financial scores, subject to the satisfactory result of the verification interview.

The applicants should provide medical insurance covering medical evacuation for the whole duration of the assignment -as part of the financial proposal submission.

Please find attached the TOR here: TOR Multisectoral review Multisectoral arrangement nutrition for TMS VA.pdf

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

View our competency framework at 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:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.