Individual National Consultant: Technical Support, SUPER II Project, Lumbini Province

Consultant Crisis & Emergency Response

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, safety.

Disaster, climate change and environmental degradation pose significant threats to children's well-being globally, potentially reversing advancements in child survival and development. Over one billion children are at severe risk from environmental hazards such as earthquakes, landslides, floods, and inundation. UNICEF, alongside its partners, spearheads efforts to advocate for and implement child-centered disaster risk reduction (CCDRR) actions in climate change, environment, energy, and disaster risk reduction (CEED). These initiatives support the targeted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and leverage UNICEF's unique position to mitigate impacts on children, youth and women while empowering them as change agents.

A consortium of three UN agencies (UNDP, UNICEF, and UN Women) led by UNDP has been implementing, Strengthening Urban Preparedness, Earthquake Preparedness, and Response in the Western Region of Nepal (SUPER) since August 2022 and extended for institutionalization of SUPER (I-SUPER) since August 2023, programme aims to enhance disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) in Lumbini Province. UNICEF is leading the implementation in Lumbini province. This initiative focuses on strengthening the institutional and legislative capacities of the provincial ministries of Lumbini Province, and Nepalgunj Sub-metropolitan city. By creating strategic linkages between disaster risk management (DRM) and development sectors, SUPER promotes improved cluster coordination mechanism in province, community-based DRM, earthquake preparedness, and emergency response. These interventions collectively aim to reinforce Nepal's disaster risk management system.

European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) has prioritized its support to the newly formed Local and Provincial Governments of Nepal to build their capacities for disaster risk reduction and emergency response to urban and earthquake risks. ECHO has identified the need for improved coordination among state and non-state stakeholders, humanitarian actors including humanitarian cluster leads and co-leads and private sectors critically important for enhancing municipal and provincial preparedness for urban and earthquake risks. Under HIP 2024 ECHO has agreed to fund Strengthening Urban Preparedness, Earthquake Preparedness and Response in Western Region of Nepal (SUPER-II) project for implementation by UNDP led consortium (other consortium partners are UNICEF, UN Women and Handicap International). The project will be implemented for a period of 24 months (1 August 2024-31 July 2026) in 3 provinces of Western Nepal, i.e., Lumbini, Karnali and Sudurpaschim encompassing the core urban municipalities of Nepalgunj (Banke), Dhangadi (Kailali), and Birendranagar (Surkhet). The project aims to institutionalize operational urban and earthquake preparedness and response in targeted provinces and municipalities and link it with federal mechanism. With inclusion at the heart of the action, addressing specific needs of vulnerable groups especially women, children, and persons with disabilities, it also intends to upscale interventions in project area and beyond.

How can you make a difference?

Goal / Objective - Programme Group Result/Intermediate Result (PCR/IR) relevance

The project interventions, focuses on i) Institutionalization of Government-led operational system for urban and earthquake preparedness at provincial and local level for effective response ii) Strengthening coordination and information management at provincial and municipal levels, aligned with national framework, for disaster risk governance; iii) Enhanced policy engagement for scalability of disaster preparedness and response mechanism at federal, provincial, and local levels.

Project implementation envisions strong engagement with multiple stakeholders at provincial and local levels such as the community, private sector, international institutions, UN agencies, non-government organizations, experts, policy makers, and humanitarian cluster leads and co-leads. The project will be implemented in 3 municipalities and 3 provinces under a consortium led by UNDP through a dedicated project team based in Kathmandu, led by the National Project Coordinator, under whom the project field teams, located in 3 provinces and 3 municipalities, will operate.

Technical Officer will support the Provincial Coordinator (PC) in coordination and overall implementation of project activities as well as in providing technical inputs in the development of DRRM plans/guidelines in province and municipality and support the development of technical sessions in workshops/simulations as well at provincial and local levels. S/he will work in close coordination with the UNICEF field offices, Bhairahawa (Planning and DRR Officer); Country Office, Climate Resilience, DRR and Environment Sustainability section, and PC under the overall supervision of Planning and DRR Officer, Bhairahawa FO and the National Project Coordinator of SUPER-II

Scope of Work:

Support Provincial coordinator for effective management of project for timely delivery of quality outputs:

• Support the provincial coordinator in planning, implementation, management, and coordination of the project at provincial/ municipal level.
• Carry out field supervision and monitoring to support quality delivery of outputs and activities.
• Support in planning and day-to-day management of the project, including coordination with the local partners, based on project work plan.
• Prepare project work plan, implementation plan with schedule of activities and ensure timely delivery as per plan.
• Support to synchronize project’s field level activities under different components of the project with the actions of different actors working on urban and earthquake risk management issues.
• Document learning and disseminate information to wider DRR community at provincial/ municipal levels.

Provide technical support to the project team to achieve project outputs:

• Support to organize training, meetings/ discussion at provinces and municipalities to support, implementation of DRR related activities including preparation of plans, technical designs, standards, and guidelines.
• Provide technical and facilitation support, where necessary to Technical Working Groups while preparing DRRM plans.
• Ensure quality and consistency of various guidelines, frameworks and key documents produced.
• Provide technical support to Provincial and Municipal Disaster Management Committee led updating of Emergency Preparedness and Response plans, Disaster management plans, Business Continuity Plans at the provincial and municipal levels.
• Support the usage of emergency operation centers (EOCs) and its institutionalization and linkage and communication among EOCs at municipalities, districts, sectoral, and provinces.
• Support the provinces and municipalities in information management and system strengthening ensuring linkage with federal system developed by National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Authority (NDRRMA).
• Facilitate urban and issue-based simulation exercises to test the coordination, and agility of the response system.
• Support the creation of mechanism for resource sharing to capacity building and mobilization of community emergency response team (CERT) volunteers with municipalities.
• Support to strengthen provincial and municipal cluster (sector) mechanism for increased ownership by sectoral ministries, the cluster leads, and its linkage at the federal level.
• Support to create mechanism for the Inter-Provincial and inter-Municipal resource-sharing to facilitate disaster preparedness and response.
• Facilitate advocacy for allocating resources by provincial and local governments for disaster risk reduction and preparedness to ensure sustainability of approach supported by the project and formulate necessary policies by provincial government to enhance preparedness for effective response.
• Provide support for strengthening disaster preparedness and response through policy and budgetary interventions by engaging parliamentarians.
• Provide inputs to demonstrate mechanisms for linkage between metropolitan/sub-metropolitan city and urban and rural municipalities for coordinated preparedness and response and create a platform for knowledge sharing.

Support the Monitoring, Preparation of Reports and Documents, Communication/ Knowledge Management and Gender Equality Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI):

• Contribute to timely preparation and quality control of technical and progress reports, briefs, and other required documents.
• Support in ensuring project data/information is maintained in line with project M&E framework in a disaggregated fashion.
• Support in ensuring that project approaches, monitoring system and reporting mainstreams the aspects of adequate GEDSI sensitive data collection and tailored support.
• Support for documentation of project results and achievements and their dissemination in coordination with provincial coordinator.
• Work closely with information and database officer and Communication officer at UNDP to collect and comply, reports, data, news, events, human stories, challenges, and lessons learnt to publish in periodic reports.
• Support in integration of GEDSI aspects in all stages of the project in coordination with GEDSI Focal Person of UNDP/SUPER-II project and UNWOMEN.
• Create a safe working environment by developing respectful and safe organizational culture and supporting practices.
• Collaborate with team members, programme partners, and sub-grantees to ensure safe implementation of programmes at the community level applying Do No Harm approach.

TASK

• Stakeholder Coordination
• Tabletop simulation and disaster drills in municipality level
• Workshop with Municipal Assembly Members on DRRM
• Revision/updates of municipal disaster preparedness plan
• Standardization and Integration of EOC Communication and Information Management
• Capacity building on inventory management Cluster/inter-cluster review meeting
• Enhancement of Humanitarian Cluster System at municipal level
• Institutionalization of Inter-municipality Resource Sharing Mechanism

DELIVERABLES:

First Deliverable

• Developed municipality level annual Work Plan (AWP) and multi-year work plan for implementation of SUPER II in consultation with LDMC at Nepalgunj sub-metropolitan city.
• Organized SUPER II inception/induction workshop at Nepalgunj sub-metropolitan Supported in disaster preparedness and response (if required in monsoon related disaster)

Second Deliverable

• Five clusters’ (Education, Protection, WASH, Health and Nutrition, and shelter) and inter-cluster coordination meetings (1 meeting of each cluster) conducted at Nepalgunj sub-metropolitan (as an after-action review of monsoon preparedness and response).

Third Deliverable

• Conducted issue-based one tabletop simulation exercises (GEDSI, relief distribution, damage data/information management) in Nepalgunj sub-metropolitan level.

Fourth Deliverable

• Conducted at least one disaster drill in each of the 15 schools engaging LDMC/WDMC, municipal police, CERT volunteers, and school management committee in Nepalgunj sub-metropolitan

Fifth Deliverable

• Organized one workshop to educate Nepalgunj sub-metropolitan assembly members on the importance of Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM), including policy and budgetary support needs, with a focus on Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) at Nepalgunj sub-metropolitan city.

Sixth Deliverable

• Organized five clusters’ (Education, Protection, WASH, Health and Nutrition, and shelter) and inter-cluster coordination meetings of Nepalgunj sub-metropolitan to update municipal emergency preparedness and response plan EPRP (in view of up-coming monsoon preparedness and response)

Seventh Deliverable

• Provided DIMS training for Emergency Operations Center (EOC) personnel on disaster data and incident reporting, gender and inclusive data management, risk information sharing with municipalities and provinces, and volunteer database management (including the Volunteer Management System (VMS) of NPJ sub metropolitan

Eight Deliverable

• One training of municipality level stakeholders on inventory management system GODAM application in Nepalgunj sub-metropolitan city conducted

Ninth Deliverable

• Five clusters’ (Education, Protection, WASH, Health and Nutrition, and shelter) and inter-cluster coordination meetings (1 meeting of each cluster) as an after-action review of monsoon preparedness and response. conducted in NPJ municipality

Tenth Deliverable

• # Orientation program for municipal stakeholders, particularly sectoral committees on the humanitarian cluster system and approach conducted and report shared

Eleventh Deliverable

• At least three regular meetings of LDMC organized and handed over to the municipality and report shared

Twelfth Deliverable

• One cross learning visit for the DRRM knowledge exchange among municipalities including District Disaster Management Committees (DDMC) and District Coordination Committees (DCC) within the SUPER II project area organized

Final Deliverable

• Organized a workshop to equip municipality key decision makers with the knowledge and skills need to effectively navigate and implement inter-municipality resource-sharing mechanisms (IMRS)
• SUPER II project wrapped-up at municipality level and submitted a final report of municipality level interventions and achievements with handover notes and actions

Duration: The duration of the consultancy is for 12 months expected to start from September 2024

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

Minimum Qualifications required:

Master’s degree of Engineering, Disaster Management, Planning, housing, and any related social science fields

Knowledge/Expertise/Skill required.

• Minimum five years progressively professional experience in local level project planning, management, implementation, and reporting with minimum of two years’ work experience OR bachelor’s degree in engineering with five years of relevant experience in implementation, monitoring and evaluation of projects related to building construction, land use planning or related field.
• Experience of working with or exposure to provincial and local level planning process.
• Demonstrated technical skills in safer construction and disaster risk management/ preparedness.
• Demonstrated social skill of coordinating with different stakeholders and facilitating discussions,
• Excellent skills on preparing quality reports and other knowledge products.
• Experience in usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, GIS, Etc.).
• Work experience in the focus provinces and urban cities as mentioned in the background above, will be an asset.

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:

Candidates are requested to submit their financial quotation as per the deliverable indicated in the vacancy.

Female candidates and candidates from the under-represented ethnic groups are strongly encouraged to apply.

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 health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract.

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Added 2 hours ago - Updated 2 hours ago - Source: unicef.org