International Consultant- Emergency Coordinator Specialist, Accra-Ghana (Open to Non-Ghanaian 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.

In Ghana, UNICEF cooperates with the Government and other partners to defend the rights of children and help them fulfill their potential. With offices in Accra and Tamale, the UNICEF team seeks to achieve results in strategic programme areas. The overall goal is for every child to survive and thrive, to live in a safe and clean environment, to learn, to be protected from violence and exploitation, and to have an equitable chance in life. The current Country Programme of cooperation is aligned with the Government priorities, the UN Sustainable Development Partnership (UNSDP) and Key Results for Children (KRCs) in the West and Central African Region (immunization, nutrition, learning outcomes, ending child marriage and ending open defecation). UNICEF main strategies include evidence-based advocacy, system strengthening, integrated programming across sectors, emergency preparedness and response, and innovation

And we never give up.

For every child,

As a result of the deteriorating security in Central Sahel, the number of internally displaced people had increased from 70,000 in 2018 to 1.2 million in November 2019, out of which 840,000 were from Burkina Faso. This marked increase in incidences of armed violence across Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger (Central Sahel) is having a devastating impact on children’s survival, education, protection and development. According to the UNICEF WCAR L2 Sahel 2020 snapshot - 5.3 million children need humanitarian assistance in the three countries. Most countries in the Sahel are among those with the lowest development indicators globally and the current trend in the Sahel seems to predict that the armed conflict threat could be headed southward towards the coastal West African countries and civilians getting increasingly targeted (especially schools, health facilities and churches) or engaged (recruitment of children and young people into the militia).

In 2020 and 2021 the coastal and central Sahel countries will hold their legislative and presidential elections. These elections could contribute to political tensions and even inter-community violence that non-state armed groups could use to gain ground. The risk of spill-over into the northern zones of the countries bordering the conflicts is all the greater as the borders between these countries are porous, the vulnerability of the populations living there remains high, and there are not enough State representatives and structures, including basic social services, or humanitarian and development partners. These remote and poorly monitored areas are therefore fertile ground for the intrusion of external armed groups and the development of endogenous armed groups. The crisis in the Central Sahel, and in particular in recent months in Burkina Faso, has demonstrated the great difficulties of the humanitarian community in coping with the acceleration of its progress in areas where State structures, humanitarian and development partners and community networks are insufficiently represented or even absent.

There is therefore an urgent need to put in place mitigation measures in the Coastal West Africa Countries with common borders with Central Sahel to ensure that any likely spill-over of the crisis would not worsen the already existing vulnerabilities of the communities in northern zones of those countries. The L2 emergency level for the Central Sahel region was activated on 1 August 2019 and re-extended in May 2020 for a period of 6 months. The particularity of this activation is the inclusion of five Coastal West Africa Countries, Benin, Togo, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire and Guinea in its humanitarian emergency preparedness dimension.

How can you make a difference?

Under the general supervision of the UNICEF Deputy Representative, Ghana CO, and in close collaboration with the Emergency Focal points and Tamale Chief of Field Office, initiate and undertake risk and capacity analysis in respect of humanitarian emergencies in Ghana, Benin and Togo Country Offices in both emergency preparedness planning and the design and implementation of capacity building of our regular programs, with particular focus on the risk of Burkina Faso spill over. In addition, provide support to the Ghana CO in relation to emergency coordination, implementation and monitoring, as well as humanitarian appeals and reporting.

Specific Tasks/responsibilities

The position is expected to contribute to the following deliverables on a continuous basis, from October 2020 onwards:

• In close collaboration with the Regional Office, prepare a detailed situation and risk analysis on the risk of Burkina-Faso spill-over to support the "L2 Coastal countries" coordination, providing advice and recommendations for preparedness and preventive action to the Ghana, Togo and Benin country offices, as well as inputs to Regional Situation Analysis.
• In close collaboration with the Regional Office, assist Ghana, Togo and Benin Country Offices and Emergency Coordinators in the incorporation and strengthening of emergency preparedness, prevention, mitigation and rehabilitation programmes, projects, activities and related operational provisions in preparedness of the risk of spill-over and among other hazards in the GCO EPRP ( floods, earthquakes and epidemics).
• Strengthen multi-sectoral coordination of implementing partners by organizing capacity building workshops at national and decentralised level in northern Ghana.
• Support country offices in identifying funds to support spill-over emergency preparedness and response intervention and develop proposals for national level funds.
• Support the Ghana CO with emergency coordination, implementation, monitoring, information management, as well as humanitarian appeals and reporting.

Deliverables and time frame for submission

1. Early Warning System (deliverable at the end of the consultancy)

- Mapping of the existing community networks;

- Set-up and test an early warning mechanism capable of monitoring the humanitarian and security contexts

2. Mapping (deliverable 3 months after the beginning of the consultancy)

- Mapping and identification of implementing partners with strong community base;

- Identification of gaps in current activities and design of planning for their strengthening to be included in the 2021 sectoral workplans

3. Coordination (deliverable during the consultancy)

- Technical support and supervision of NOC consultants based in Togo and Benin; Strengthened coordination mechanisms established at the national level and in Northern Ghana

- Sharing of experience and lessons learned with the Emergency Focal Points in other countries (e.g. Côte d'Ivoire and Guinea)

4. Technical support / Emergency Capacity Building – (deliverable during the consultancy)

- Participation to the office meetings and contribution to planning meetings;

- Facilitate capacity building workshop with the UN Interagency Working group, implementing partners and / NADMO and line Ministries / Services in Ghana to strengthen their coordination and leadership role.

- As per need, support the Ghana office with the organisation and coordination of multisectoral assessment missions

- Support the Ghana office with emergency functions, coordination, monitoring of the response (e.g. COVID-19, floods) review of appeals, Sitreps and donor reports.

- Support the development of a risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) plan for Ghana Strengthened coordination mechanisms established at the national level and in Northern Ghana

- Sharing of experience and lessons learned with the Emergency Focal Points in other countries (e.g. Côte d'Ivoire and Guinea)

4. Technical support / Emergency Capacity Building – (deliverable during the consultancy)

- Participation to the office meetings and contribution to planning meetings;

- Facilitate capacity building workshop with the UN Interagency Working group, implementing partners and / NADMO and line Ministries / Services in Ghana to strengthen their coordination and leadership role.

- As per need, support the Ghana office with the organisation and coordination of multisectoral assessment missions

- Support the Ghana office with emergency functions, coordination, monitoring of the response (e.g. COVID-19, floods) review of appeals, Sitreps and donor reports.

- Support the development of a risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) plan for Ghana

Please refer to attached TOR for details. Rep - ToR Emergency Coordinator - Capacity Strengthening in context of L2 Central Sahel.pdf

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in one of the following fields: social sciences, public administration, law, public health, nutrition, international relations, business administration or other related disciplines. Preferably a combination of management, administration, and relevant technical fields.

  *A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.

• A minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience with progressively greater management and / or advisory responsibilities in emergency coordination, social planning, research and rehabilitation programmes at national and international levels. A C4D experience in Africa is an asset.
• Relevant and direct field experience in emergency programme planning, management, monitoring and/or evaluation is required.
• Experience in working with relevant UN or International NGOs with significant emphasis on analysis and advice on the needs of children and women affected by conflict is an asset.
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
• Fluency in English, and good knowledge of French are required. Knowledge of another official UN language or local language of the duty station is considered as an asset.

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.

The functional competencies required for this post are...

• Leading and supervising (I)
• Formulating strategies/concepts (II)
• Analysing(III)
• Relating and networking (II)
• Deciding and initiating action (II)
• Applying Technical Expertise (III)with people (II)
• Drive for results (II)

View our competency framework at

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

Application Procedure:

Interested candidates should apply on-line to the link provided indicate their monthly professional fees for the services to be provided in USD. The proposed amount should cover only professional fees.

In addition to the CV/Resume, candidates should attach a two-page note on how he/she intends to effectively accomplish this assignment within time frame. Two examples of previous work done should be attached (e.g. strategic documents, photos, edited work, videos etc.)

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.