International Consultant - designing an Action Plan for Maternal Nutrition in Somalia - Home based

This opening expired 3 years ago. Do not try to apply for this job.

UNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund

Open positions at UNICEF
Logo of UNICEF
SO Home-based; Mogadishu (Somalia)

Application deadline 3 years ago: Wednesday 11 Nov 2020 at 20:55 UTC

Open application form

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

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, health

www.unicef.org/somalia

How can you make a difference?

The assignment requires a senior international consultant to:

  1. Conduct a desk review of research, strategies and other recent documents pertaining to maternal nutrition in Somalia and identify maternal nutrition priorities emerging from the current evidence base
  2. Develop a consultancy workplan and consultation materials for workshop(s) or interviews with line ministries, UN agencies, national and international Civil Society Organization (CSO) partners and the donor community in Somalia in relation to identified maternal nutrition priorities
  3. Conduct virtual/online consultation workshop(s) and/or individual interviews with key stakeholders, documenting findings and triangulating information to identify priorities for the Maternal Nutrition Action Plan
  4. Create a draft Maternal Nutrition Action Plan based on the desk review and consultation workshops and interviews with key stakeholders
  5. Share the draft Maternal Nutrition Action Plan with the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Somalia Nutrition Cluster Assessments and Information Management Working Group (AIMWG) for review and comment
  6. Address comments received and share final draft with Federal Ministry of Health for validation and finalization
  7. Support the virtual dissemination of the Maternal Nutrition Action Plan

Objectives

Somalia has, for the first time, multiple sources of up-to-date information on maternal nutrition available. The objective of this consultancy is to translate this information and evidence into a prioritized Maternal Nutrition Action Plan in collaboration with key stakeholders.

The Action Plan should identify specific issues to be addressed during the programme cycle, based on criticality, scale and impact. It will also require due consideration of gender and communications for development (C4D) as well as applying a specific focus on first pregnancies, where possible.

The specific objectives include the following:

  1. To conduct a desk review to map out the existing maternal nutrition evidence and priorities from research, reports, policies and strategies
  2. To carry out one or more consultative workshops and individual interviews with key stakeholders in nutrition with support of the State MOH Nutrition teams, Federal Government, across UN agencies, national and international CSO partners and among the donor community in Somalia
  3. To create a prioritized Maternal Nutrition Action Plan for validation by the Federal Ministry of Health

Methodology and Technical Approach

UNICEF is requesting proposals from a consultant with experience in maternal nutrition, and experience in developing strategies, policies and plans in fragile countries.

The consultant will need excellent communication and organization skills to engage with key stakeholders on maternal nutrition through in-depth interviews and consultative workshops. The methodologies applied must be in line with existing best-practice and allow for clear understanding and comprehensive analysis of findings and support an evidence-based, informed Maternal Nutrition Action Plan with due consideration of gender and C4D.

As this is a home-based consultancy, interviews, workshops and consultations will necessarily take place via online methods (WhatsApp, Zoom, Skype) and should be recorded.

The Maternal Nutrition Action Plan should serve to complement the results of existing information on maternal nutrition in Somalia (listed in the background), the National Health Sector Strategic Plan (HSSP II), the UNICEF Somalia Country Programme Document and the UNICEF Nutrition Programme Strategy Note.

Expected Deliverables and Timeline

No

Task

Product/

Deliverable

Time frame (days)

Payment installment

1

Conduct and submit a desk review to map out the existing maternal nutrition evidence and priorities from research, reports, policies and strategies and identify gaps and specific themes to be addressed during the in-depth interviews phase

Inception Report;

Desk Review in electronic copy shared with UNICEF and MOH

5

25%

2

Develop a workplan and consultation materials for interviews with key stakeholders and submit to UNICEF for approval

Workplan and consultation material in electronic copy shared with UNICEF and MOH

5

3

Conduct virtual/online workshop(s) and interviews with key stakeholders, documenting findings and triangulating information to identify priorities for the Maternal Nutrition Action Plan

Meeting minutes,

Interview notes and recordings shared with UNICEF

15

25%

4

Create a draft Maternal Nutrition Action Plan based on the desk review, workshop(s) and interviews with key stakeholders and submit to UNICEF and MOH-FGS for review

Draft Action Plan shared with UNICEF for review

10

25%

5

Address comments arising from online consultation with stakeholders and share a revised draft with the Somalia Nutrition Cluster Assessments and Information Management Working Group (AIMWG) for review and comment

Revised Action Plan shared with UNICEF for review

1

6

Address comments received from AIMWG and share final draft with UNICEF and the Federal Ministry of Health for validation and finalization

Final Action Plan shared with UNICEF//MOH-FGS for review

0.5

25%

7

Present the Maternal Nutrition Action Plan virtually to the Federal Ministry of Health and partners for validation

Final Action Plan shared with MOH for validation

0.5

TOTAL

37

100.00%

Supervisor/Overall Responsibility

The consultant will report to the Chief of Nutrition but day to day work and planning needs will be supported by the Nutrition Specialist and Nutrition Officer. The consultant will also work closely with the Federal Ministry of Health (Head of Nutrition, Head of Reproductive Health and the Director of Public Health).

Exit and penalty provision

The consultant and UNICEF may agree to reschedule deadlines if unforeseen circumstances arise. In the event that such rescheduling has not been agreed in advance by exchange of letters, and submission of scheduled drafts should not occur within the deadlines indicated within these ToR and the implementation framework, a fine of two percent of the total value of the contract may be deducted. In the event UNICEF is unhappy with the work produced by the organization, it may opt to terminate the contract on mutually agreeable terms. Likewise, if the organization is unhappy with new conditions given by its client it may opt to withdraw on mutually agreeable terms.

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

  • An advanced degree (Master’s or PhD) in Nutrition, Public Health, Behavior Change, Sociology, Health Economics, Gender Studies, Anthropology or related field (Essential)
  • At least ten years previous relevant and proven experience in program review and evaluation (Essential)
  • At least ten years previous experience in maternal nutrition, nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive programming (Essential)
  • Previous and proven experience in qualitative research methods and in-depth interviews (Essential)
  • Excellent interviewing and facilitation skills, particularly via remote methods with regard to gender considerations, including experience in discussing sensitive topics such as female genital mutilation and gender-based violence (Essential)
  • Ability to produce technically sound, well-written reports in English (Essential)
  • Experience with Somali populations (Advantageous)
  • Prior experience with UN and other international organizations and exposure to UNICEF’s work (Advantageous)
  • Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

Core Values:

  • Care
  • Respect
  • Integrity
  • Trust
  • Accountability

Core competencies:

  • Communication - Level III
  • Working with People - Level III
  • Drive for Results - Level III

Functional competencies:

  • Formulating strategies and concepts (I)
  • Analyzing (II)
  • Applying technical expertise ((II)
  • Learning and researching (II)
  • Planning and organizing (II)
  • works collaboratively with others (II)
  • Thinks and acts strategically (II) (Essential)

View our competency framework at:

http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

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.

Added 3 years ago - Updated 2 years ago - Source: unicef.org