International Consultancy: Rural WASH Proposal Development Consultant, Maseru, Lesotho, 30 working days (Remote) Open to non Basotho nationals

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, Sanitation

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BACKGROUND

UNICEF Child Survival and Development/WASH in Lesotho is currently developing a proposal to be submitted to the European Union (EU) Delegation as part of the EU and Kingdom of Lesotho long-standing cooperation in the 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework. The cooperation objectives are agreed in the Multi-annual Indicative Programme (MIP).

UNICEF aims to propose a four-year programme to support the Government of Lesotho to improve the access to water supply, sanitation and hygiene in communities, schools and in healthcare facilities in rural areas across the ten districts.

UNICEF has gathered various databases that are available at government institutions, such as the Department of Rural Water Supply (DRWS), Education Management Information System (EMIS) at the Ministry of Education and Training, WASHFIT and DHIS2 at the Ministry of Health, as well as other key documents and reports from WASH country stakeholders. These databases are not comprehensive (some are not updated, not digitalized/geo-referenced, and only available in excel format). Having a comprehensive database is critical to inform situation analysis and the content of the proposal, including the selection criteria for project sites, relevant interventions and implementation strategies, as well as costing of operations.

A zero draft of the Description of the Action for this proposal has been prepared; however, it needs further refinement as to priority interventions and strategies, selection of the project sites etc. This will entail the triangulation of different databases, consultation with all key relevant stakeholders and identification of potential key implementing partners etc.

For this purpose, UNICEF is seeking a suitable consultant to complete the proposal development process, who will facilitate consultations with key country stakeholders, triangulate the database and further develop the theory of change, expand on the outputs outlined on the EU action document and develop strategies for the programme implementation, including selection criteria of project sites, activities, M&E framework and budget of the proposal document. This assignment refers to Annual Work Plan Output 1.2: parents and care givers have increased capacity to practice and demand quality MNCH, Infant and Young child feeding and hygiene interventions For every child, lives in a well-protected, safe, and clean environment.

PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

Under the direct guidance and supervision of the Chief Child Survival and Development, the consultant will develop the technical narrative and budget of a high-quality proposal in line with the expected outcomes of the EUs Action Document for rural WASH interventions in Lesotho. The consultant will undertake the following specific tasks: • Collect and analyse data and conduct consultations with key WASH country stakeholders to inform draft of an outline of the proposal, including a theory of change, strategies and interventions, costing as well as a M&E framework. • Write project proposal and related documents. SCOPE OF WORK This assignment links to the AWP output 1.2 mentioned above, in as much as it will contribute to rural WASH systems across the 10 districts of Lesotho. The consultant will undertake the following tasks: a) Collect and analyse data and conduct consultations with key WASH country stakeholders to inform draft of an outline of the proposal, including a theory of change, strategies and interventions, costing as well as a M&E framework. • Collect necessary data (primary and secondary), policies and strategies at national, subnational levels to analyze the existing gaps and identify intervention’s priorities. This should conclude an evidence-based context analysis, gap analysis, and pre-selection of project sites. • Review existing relevant documents, such as legal frameworks on the ongoing decentralized process in the country, the new revised Water and Sanitation Policy and Water and Sanitation Bill, WASH sector assessments and studies, EU Action Document (if available) and UNICEF and other WASH partners documents and reports. • Identify lessons learned and proposed implementation approaches and strategies and data gaps to feed into the proposal development. • Triangulate various databases that are available from local government (department of Rural Water Supply), the Ministry of Education and Training (EMIS: Education Management Information System), the Ministry of Health (WASHFIT and DHIS2) and other key documents from the national assessments. Identify what are the information and data gaps that need further consultation and validation. Develop dataset with geo-reference covering of WASH systems in community, schools and healthcare facilities to inform the selection of project sites and proposal document outline. • Facilitate consultative workshops with WASH stakeholders, including the Ministry of Natural Resources, Department of Rural Water Supply, Rural Water Supply District Focal Points from all the 10 districts, Water Commission, the Ministry of Local Government, the Ministry of Education and Training (Department of Statistics), the Ministry of Health (Department of Environmental Health and department of statistics), UNICEF and CSOs in the WASH sector to validate data analysis and proposal outline as per EU action document guidance.

b) Write proposal document and related documents. • Building on the zero draft of the proposal document, complete data analysis, incorporating the outcome of the country stakeholders’ consultations, constructing a theory of change, designing strategies/approaches for the implementation of the project, including stakeholders mapping, M&E framework, and further developing costed activities (budget) for the outputs aligned with the potential funding windows of EU stated in the Action Document. • Share the revised draft (draft 1) with relevant country stakeholders and amend the proposal according to their feedback, as applicable, and to EU requirements. • Coordinate and consult with UNICEF to address all the comments of the draft 1 from UNICEF East and Southern Africa Regional Office (ESARO) and European Union and submit the draft 2 to UNICEF. • Coordinate and consult with UNICEF to address all the comments of the draft 2 from UNICEF Regional Office and European Union including consultation with key country stakeholders for their additional inputs or clarification. • Finalize the draft and submit the final draft to UNICEF as per agreed timeline and organize a validation workshop to validate the final proposal to be submitted to the EU delegation with all relevant stakeholders.

WORK ASSIGNMENT OVERVIEW

Tasks

Deliverable/output

Timeline/deadline

Estimated budget

Collect and analyse data and conduct consultations with key WASH country stakeholders to inform draft of an outline of the proposal, including a theory of change, strategies and interventions, costing as well as a M&E framework.

• Situation analysis report/background and rationale
• Database triangulation report and recommendations to inform selection criteria of project sites

5 working days – By 27 October

20%

Organize a consultation workshop for DRWS, MoET, MoH, Ministry of Local Government, CSOs and Private Sector (water suppliers), community councils to validate situation analysis and proposal outline (priorities, project sites, strategies etc.)

• Notes on bilateral consultations with partners
• Draft proposal outline

10 working days – By 10 November

30%

WASH partners consultation report

Draft proposal document

1st draft

By 17 November

50%

2nd draft

By 12 January

Organize meeting to validate final draft

Final draft validated by all relevant country stakeholders

By 26 January

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

At least a master's degree in environmental health, water and sanitation engineering, civil engineering, public health, development studies or other relevant fields

Relevant work experience required (in years):

Minimum of 5 years’ professional experience in data management and monitoring or related areas in WASH sector.

Specialised skills and/or training if needed:

• Minimum of 5 years’ relevant work experience in Lesotho • Knowledge and good understanding of the WASH sector in Lesotho including WASH in communities, schools and healthcare facilities. • Proficiency in data processing and analytics including advanced use of MS excel. Knowledge on GIS mapping is an added advantage.

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 individual consultantswith 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 individual consultancy 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. Consultants 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.