National Consultancy: Education Cluster Coordinator (Open to Malawian Nationals Only)

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, Education...

On 13 March 2023, the President of Malawi declared a State of Disaster in 15 districts; Balaka, Blantyre (City and Rural), Chikwawa, Chiradzulu, Machinga, Mangochi, Mulanje, Mwanza, Neno, Nsanje, Phalombe, Thyolo, and Zomba (City and Rural) that were severely affected by the Tropical Cyclone (TC) Freddy. The Government, through the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DODMA) reported that as of 20 March 2023, 114,637 households had been displaced, translating to approximately 508,244 people, 499 people had died, 427 were missing, and 841 had sustained various injuries. Public infrastructure such as schools, health facilities, and district and main roads had been damaged in all affected districts.

Regarding the impact of TC Freddy on the Education sector in southern Malawi, the data received as of 22 March 2023 indicates that 484 primary and 63 secondary schools had been affected in 15 districts affecting the education of 237,388 learners (142,408 girls). At least 390 schools are currently being used as camps for Internally Displaced Persons using 762 classrooms.

The Malawi Government, through DODMA, is coordinating and leading all humanitarian actors in assessing disaster impact and needs and providing relief assistance to the affected people. An Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) has been set up at the World Food Programme (WFP) offices in Limbe, Blantyre, for effective and efficient coordination during the emergency response. UNICEF has supported the Ministry of Education (MoE) to station a small team of officials in Blantyre representing the Education Cluster at the EOC and participate in the rapid needs assessment led by DODMA.

DODMA initially activated all national clusters, including the Education Cluster, in December 2022 due to the cholera pandemic emergency. Because of TC Freddy's impact, DODMA has activated district emergency clusters. The Education Cluster is led by the MoE and co-chaired by Save the Children and UNICEF.

Given the scale of the emergency, the MoE has requested UNICEF for support in the response, including strengthening the coordination and operations of the Education Cluster. It is important to note that the flood emergency has come amid an ongoing cholera pandemic emergency, which may spread further rapidly. Hence, it is crucial to respond quickly to both emergencies.

How can you make a difference?

The Education Cluster Coordinator has joint responsibility with the MoE (Education Cluster Lead Agency), co-leads, resourcing partners and all cluster members for the efficient management and functioning of the Education Cluster coordination encompassing the following:

Cluster functions,

Key activities

Supporting service delivery/outputs

• Support the Education Cluster coordination team (MoE, UNICEF and Save the Children) in organizing regular Education Cluster coordination meetings for enhanced participation and information sharing to ensure appropriate coordination between all Education Cluster partners.
• Support the Education Cluster Secretariat (MoE) in preparing for meetings, drafting meeting minutes with clear actions and due dates, and circulating the meeting presentations and minutes
• Regularly update and maintain a contact list of all Education Cluster partners and working groups at the national and district levels.
• Support the cluster in developing the Education Cluster Flood response and recovery plan.
• Work with Education Cluster partners to identify national and sub-national-level information gaps and propose ways to bridge information gaps.
• Ensure PSEA is mainstreamed and monitored per Inter-Agency Standing Committee guidelines and procedures.
• Support the MoE and Education Cluster co-leads in conducting the mapping of all current and potential actors– government, national and international humanitarian organizations as well as national institutions, and the private sector through the provision of regular inputs/updates on the Clusters 5 W’s (Who, What, Where, When and for Whom) matrix, cluster priority response matrix and other tools
• Support UNICEF Education and Adolescents team in UNICEF internal emergency planning and reporting requirements.
• Support the development of education in emergency supply plans.

Informing strategic decision-making of the HC/HCT for the humanitarian response

• Support the UNICEF Emergency team and participate in internal cluster coordinators meetings/emergency meetings.
• Interact and coordinate with other clusters and UNICEF cluster coordinators from other clusters through inter-cluster coordination for a and regular one-on-one meetings.
• Provide substantial support to cluster working groups as required and facilitate exchange on cross-cutting issues.
• Monitor the performance of the core cluster functions’ performance and support the MoE and co-leads where necessary.

Advocacy

• Support advocacy initiatives on issues impacting humanitarian needs and response efforts by collecting information and human interest stories in liaison with humanitarian partners, government officials, the media, etc.
• Draft and provide inputs to the humanitarian situation report emphasizing Education Cluster achievements by providing relevant and up-to-date information.
• Draft high-quality and regular district and sub-district emergency education situation updates
• Compile regular inputs on the emergency-affected areas for the national and sub-national Education Clusters with the expected outputs.

Monitoring and reporting the implementation of the Cluster strategy and results

• Provide daily updates to the Chief of EADP and the Blantyre Based Emergency Specialist in charge of Field Operations. Support documentation of UNICEF and Education Cluster response reporting sex and age disaggregated data that should inform the analysis.

• Support the Education Cluster in developing a framework for monitoring and evaluating the Cluster response and recovery plan and support the development of indicators that the cluster needs to monitor, linked to the response plan.

• Undertake regular monitoring visits to schools to progress in the achievement of results, lessons learned and challenges

• Contribute to drafting and preparing regular situation reports highlighting relevant operational factors affecting the humanitarian situation and response efforts.
• Follow up on proof of delivery and utilization of education in emergency supplies, including end-user monitoring.

Build National Capacity Building for Preparedness and Contingency Planning

• Promote and provide training and capacity building activities of the MoE and other Education Cluster partners, especially District Education Cluster members.
• Support the Education Cluster coordination team and cluster partners in preparedness and contingency planning by consolidation the inputs by partners for the Education Response Plan,

Accountability to Affected Population

• Support the Education Cluster coordination team and cluster partners in setting up and maintaining an Education Cluster complaint and feedback mechanism based on the inputs/guidance provided and feedback regularly to the Cluster partners.

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

Academic qualification:

• An advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in education, social science, development studies is required. Formal training in cluster coordination an advantage.

Work experience:

• A minimum of five years of experience in humanitarian affairs, emergency preparedness, crisis/emergency relief management, rehabilitation, development, with UN and/or NGO, including programme management and/or coordination in the first phase of a major emergency response relevant to the cluster or other related area is required.
• Three years of experience in emergency situations (complex emergency or natural disaster) in Malawi is required.
• Experience in training government and partners on Education in Emergencies is desired.
• Experience in the UN Common System is desirable.

Knowledge, technical skills and competencies:

• Knowledge and programming experience in Education in Emergencies
• Drive for results.
• Ability to work effectively under stress and in emergency settings.
• Ability to work effectively in a diverse and multi-cultural team to achieve goals.
• Ability to develop new and nurture existing internal and external networks, partnerships and relationships which deliver results.
• Ability to communicate confidently and persuasively, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to analyze information, solve problems and make decisions in various contexts
• Strategic thinking.
• The highest levels of personal integrity and commitment to adhering to required standards of conduct.

Language Proficiency

Excellent written and spoken skills in English is required.

Please refer to the attached full Terms of Reference Terms of Reference_Education Cluster Coordinator.pdf for more details on the consultancy and requirements.

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.

HOW TO APPLY...

Interested Individual Consultant should provide the following:

1. Curriculum Vitae
2. Academic certificates
3. Brief technical proposal (no longer than five pages) demonstrating the Individual Consultant's understanding of the assignment and approach/methodology to the assignment
4. Financial proposal including a breakdown of their all-inclusive fees (including professional fees, stationery, communication, and other miscellaneous costs). Financial Proposal for Consultancy.xlsx Complete the attached form.
5. References details

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.