International Consultant to review the UNICEF Botswana Programme and Staffing structure, Gaborone, Botswana (26 days) Remote and In Country

Contract

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Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

Background and justification

The UNICEF Botswana Country Office is planning to conduct a programme review of the current Country Programme (CPD) (2022-2026) that will inform the development of a Programme Budget Review submission which will be submitted in September 2023. The ongoing country programme was developed over the course of 2021, starting with a situation analysis, development of strategy notes and a results structure and subsequently the development of the country programme management plan (CPMP) which outlines the staffing structure required to deliver on the country programme. The programme is fully aligned with Botswana’s 11th National Development Plan (NDP), Botswana Vision 2036 and the draft UNICEF Strategic Plan (2022–2025). The programme is aligned with and derives from the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2022-2026 (UNSDCF), particularly the outcomes focusing on gender equality (outcome 1), quality social services and social protection (outcome 2) and transparency and access to justice (outcome 5). The 2022-2026 country programme is anchored in an integrated approach around the first and second decades of a child’s life with an additional pillar focusing on social policy which cuts across both decades: • By 2026, young children (0–9 years), particularly the most vulnerable, have improved access to quality health, HIV, nutrition, sanitation, education, child protection services and family care. • By 2026, adolescents and young people (10–24 years), particularly the most vulnerable, are more empowered and engaged to access quality and gender-responsive HIV, health, nutrition, education and child protection services. • By 2026, children and adolescents, particularly the most vulnerable, benefit from an expanded, inclusive and shock-responsive social protection system guided by evidence-based planning and adequate public spending and live free from poverty. The planned programme review will take place against the background of a recent affordability analysis which took note of the increase in Other Resources (OR) mobilized over the past 2 years, but also highlighted that these funds are heavily earmarked for specific interventions, only covering limited or no staffing costs. A large proportion of the OR consists of emergency funding with relatively short expiry dates that has been mobilized as part of the COVID-19 response. It is unlikely that this funding will remain available and accessible to the Botswana Country Office (BCO) in subsequent years and even if it is, it will remain highly earmarked and not so available to fund Fixed Term (FT) staff costs. Furthermore, the proportion of Regular Resources/RR (i.e., core resources transferred annually by UNICEF HQ) that is dedicated to covering salaries was found to be too high at currently 88 per cent. This leaves very little flexible funding available to cover emerging programmatic needs; response to programmatic issues that may be critical for children but not prioritized by donors and to respond to emergencies. Furthermore, at a global level, donors who fund the RR envelope are increasingly demanding reporting on how their allocation has directly contributed to programmatic results (rather than an indirect contribution to results through staff salaries). Considering the limited long-term funding pipeline due to Botswana’s status as an upper middle-income country and decreasing thematic funding, the findings of the February 2023 affordability analysis were that the current staffing structure is not affordable and cannot be sustained beyond 2023. Concurrently there is an ongoing interim local salary survey which is likely to result in an increment in local salaries further contributing to the unaffordability of the staffing structure. The recommendations from the affordability analysis were therefore to a) revisit and refine the program to sharpen its focus and b) subsequently review the office structure and adjust to an affordable and lighter fixed term structure with the possibility to expand with temporary capacity when needed.

OBJECTIVE OF THE ASSIGNMENT The consultant is required to provide facilitation and support in the following two processes: a) Programme review: Review of interventions, approaches and strategies under the ongoing 2022-2026 country programme towards stronger alignment in line with Botswana’s socio-economic status as an” upper middle- income country,” based on analysis of programming context, resulting in recommendations on prioritized and refined set of interventions/strategies considering UNICEF’s comparative advantage to sharpen the focus of the country programme. b) Staffing structure review: Using appropriate organizational design tools and practices, apply a structured review methodology on the staffing structure to identify the required skills and competencies to deliver on the sharpened programmatic focus, resulting in recommendations on a structure that is fit for purpose, comprising of the required skillset whilst also remaining affordable for the medium-term future.

Scope of Work: The consultant will act as advisors to the senior management team in the change management process, focusing on the programme and the staffing structure review. The assignment will comprise of the following activities: - Desk review to digest key programmatic and management documents (Evaluative Review, Situation Analysis, CPD, CPMP, Theories of Change (ToC) for the first and second decade, Multiple Overlapping Deprivation Analysis, etc.) and guidance on UNICEF programming in High and/or Upper Middle-Income Country (UMIC) contexts. - Desk review of UNDP’s and UNFPA’s presence in Botswana in terms of programme interventions and strategies; their funding modalities and staffing structures; desk review of UNICEF offices in other UMIC countries. - Light validation of the overall outcome level results structure. - Map key ongoing activities and strategies supported by UNICEF for all pillars of the country programme across technical assistance for systems strengthening, evidence generation and knowledge management; advocacy for legislative, policy and systems change; communications and partnerships. - Facilitating discussions with staff around review of existing programming in the first decade, second decade and social policy in order to clearly define critical change strategies in the context of Botswana as an upper-middle-income country; and to sharpen the focus of programming. - Facilitating discussions with staff around defining the skillset and competencies required in the Programme team, the Operations team and Office of the Representative (including Communications) to deliver on the sharpened country programme and conducting a skills gap analysis. - Propose new ways of working (including through the use of different contractual modalities) that would result in efficiency gains. - Proposing, consulting on and finalizing recommendations on a sharpened programmatic focus. - Defining the skills gap that can be filled through targeted internal staff capacity development; skills that need to be recruited on a priority basis through alternative (non-FT) staffing modalities and general skills to be developed within existing staff. - Advise and support the Deputy Representative Programmes and Operations Manager to identify potential risks and suggested mitigation strategies. - Present findings to all BCO staff in a logical and easy-to-understand manner.

Deliverables

Tasks/milestone****Deliverable/Output****Estimated date of delivery****Payment schedule****Programme review Desk review of key programmatic and management documents (Evaluative review, Situation analysis, Programme Strategy Notes, CPD, CPMP, theories of change for the first and second decade, Multiple Overlapping Deprivation Analysis, etc.) and guidance on UNICEF programming in H/UMIC contexts Consultations with Senior Management Team (SMT), programme, operations and communications teams to inform mapping of ongoing interventions and strategies. Map funding allocations, expenditures and funding allocations against ongoing interventions/strategies.

Mapping of ongoing in first and second decade as well as social policy, including funding allocations and expenditures4 working days (remote)

2 working days (on site)

2 working days (on site)

40%Facilitate consultative process across all office colleagues around sharpening the focus of the UNICEF Botswana programme and formulate recommendations on sharpened focus, including on adjustments required to the ToC and work plans and Operations

Programme Review Report and PowerPoint presentation, including progress, bottlenecks and an action plan for recommended adjustments/strategic shifts in programme implementation5 working days (on site)

2 working days (on site)

N/AStaffing structure review Defining required skills for sharpened programme: a) Identifying the skillset and competencies required to deliver on the sharpened country programme. b) Propose a core staffing structure with the essential skill mix to deliver the revised CPD results as well as skills that can be recruited on a needs basis (non FT).

Available skills analysis - Matching available skills to required skillset through review of JDs and consultations with SMT and all staff - Define the skills gap that can be filled through targeted internal staff capacity development and general skills to be developed within existing staff;

Presentation of consultation outcomes, including staffing structure scenarios to BCO management and RO

Skill matrix

Report and PowerPoint presentation including analysis of a minimum of two staffing structure scenarios

Learning and development plan to address skills gaps

Possible staffing structure options analyzed and assessed

Internal summary report of the scenario analysis submitted

5 working days (on site)

3 working days

20%Draft final report including key findings of programme and staffing structure review with recommendations on the way forward

Final report and PowerPoint presentation2 working days (remote) To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Social Science, Sociology, Development Studies, Business Administration or similar
• At least 10 years in supporting organisational change processes, organizational design, skill mapping and workforce planning; relevant experience within UNICEF will be considered an asset;
• At least 8 years of experience in leading strategic planning processes, including demonstrated experience in leading UNICEF planning processes (e.g. CPD development); good understanding of strategic prioritization, theory of change and results-based management;
• Knowledge and skills: - Excellent communication skills – both written and verbal. - Excellent active listening and facilitation skills. - Problem-solving and root cause identification skills. - Strong analytic and decision-making abilities. - Must be a team player and able to work with and through others.

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 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:

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.

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.