Individual national Consultant -National Technical Assistance – Nutrition Knowledge, Advocacy and Partnerships(Open for Nepali nationals only)

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, nutrition.

The Nutrition Section in the UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia is seeking a national individual contractor to provide technical assistance to regional partnerships (regional platforms, development partners, academia/research) and UNICEF CO nutrition programmes in evidence generation, data analysis and use, knowledge management including leadership in evidence-based advocacy, as well as contribute to other technical aspects of policy and programme planning, design, implementation and evaluation to support improvements in access to nutritious, safe, affordable, and sustainable diets for children in South Asia region.

How can you make a difference?

Under the supervision of the Regional Nutrition Adviser, the national contractor will support the following tasks:

1. Evidence generation, data analysis and use, knowledge management

• Provide technical and analytical support to UNICEF CO and regional partners to identify gaps in current data, generate evidence on topics related to sustainable diets for children, their determinants, and drivers.
• Keep abreast, research, benchmark, and implement best and cutting-edge practices in knowledge management. Assess, institutionalize, and share best practices and knowledge learned to strengthen UNICEF ROSA knowledge leadership on maternal and child nutrition.
• Apply and introduce innovative approaches and good practices in evidence generation and knowledge management to build the capacity of UNICEF COs, regional partners and stakeholders, and to support the implementation and delivery of results in improving access to nutritious, safe, affordable, and sustainable diets for children.

2. Technical support to UNICEF COs and regional partners

• Provide technical guidance and operational support to COs and regional partners on strategic engagement with policies, resources, and actors of three systems: food, health and social protection - in complementary actions to improve children’s foods, food environments and practices.
• Participate in discussions with regional partners, and stakeholders to promote a systems approach to improving nutrition outcomes and strategic engagement with food systems, social protection, while sustaining nutrition- and planet- responsive development for all children.
• Produce quality knowledge products of various types – policy papers, briefs, peer reviewed articles, reports, advocacy pieces, multi-media materials, presentations and support their dissemination and use.
• Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, programme reviews with regional partners and UNICEF CO to assess progress and to determine required action and interventions to drive progress in strategic engagement with food systems, social protection systems to support nutritious, safe, affordable, and sustainable diets for children.

3. Networking, advocacy, and partnership building

• Support development and sustenance of effective close working partnerships with regional platforms, nutrition networks e.g Network for Improved Nutrition in South Asia (NINSA Nutrition) to enhance communication, coordination, and collaboration amongst regional partners in the pursuit of improving nutrition outcomes in the region.
• Support establishment of regional partnerships with research institutions to enhance collaboration on evidence generation on children’s foods, food environments and practices and overall systems approach to improving nutrition outcomes.
• Provide technical support for evidence-based advocacy and prepare communication and information materials to promote awareness and enhance UNICEF ROSA influence on regional partnerships, policies, and decisions that impact maternal and child nutrition.
• Support Regional Advisor, Nutrition with technical review/quality assurance of documents and briefing notes to support high-level outreach and engagement with strategic partners.

B) Key function/day-to-day activities (for contractor only):

1. Technical and analytical support for evidence generation, data analysis and use, knowledge management.

2. Technical support to UNICEF COs and regional partners to enhance strategic engagement with policies, resources, and actors of three systems: food, health, and social protection - in in complementary actions to improve: children’s foods, food environments and practices.

3. Networking, advocacy, partnership building and sustenance of effective close working partnerships with regional platforms, nutrition networks, academic and research institutions.

4. Provide technical support for evidence-based advocacy and prepare communication and information materials to promote awareness and enhance UNICEF ROSA influence on regional partnerships, policies, and decisions that impact sustainable diets for children.

5. Support Regional Advisor, Nutrition with technical review/quality assurance of documents and briefing notes to support high-level engagement with strategic partners.

Duration of Contract: January 2022- December 2022 (11.5 months) – Full time

Minimum Qualifications Required

1. Education:

An advanced university degree in public health nutrition, nutritional epidemiology, food policy, public health, global/international health and nutrition, health/nutrition research, policy and/or management or other public health related science field is required. Research experience, including a Ph.D. is desirable

2. Work Experience:

A minimum of five years of professional experience in low- and middle-income countries in one or more of the following areas is required: nutrition, public health, nutrition planning and management, or maternal, infant and child health/nutrition care, food policy and food systems research. Strategic knowledge and partnerships management and evidence-based advocacy in the field of Public Health Nutrition is desirable. Experience in working in nutrition and conducting empirical research in South Asian countries is an asset.

3. Competencies:

Excellent analytical skills

Excellent writing skills of publication standard for a range of audiences (technical, academic, research and non-technical)

Statistical analysis skills and proficiency using STATA is an asset

Research skills is an asset (i.e. qualitative and quantitative research methods)

Strong interpersonal skills to facilitate productive collaboration with colleagues and partners.

4. Language Proficiency:

Fluency in English (oral and written)

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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.

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.