National Consultant for the provision of technical support on Better Care in Volyn Oblast, (duty station Lutsk, Ukraine)

Consultant Programme & Policy

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, hope

Background:

Better Care will support safe and nurturing families for all Ukrainian children. This includes ensuring that every child at risk of or experiencing loss of care undergoes a thorough assessment and planning process that helps them access material support and other services that meet their needs. Better Care will support the Government of Ukraine to advance the following three objectives: (1) strengthen families and keep them together by investing in social services; (2) support family-based alternative care (e.g. foster care, guardianship, and adoption) for children without adequate parental care; and (3) safely reintegrate children in institutions into family care while transforming institutions to provide community services that will support families based on their needs.

To develop a Better Care model that best works considering local factors, UNICEF invests in the development of Better Care demonstration Oblasts. UNICEF will evaluate the process and impact of Better Care Oblasts development, learn lessons, recalibrate its approaches as needed, and scale up cooperation with partners to gradually cover new Oblasts. Volyn Oblast was chosen as the first demonstration Oblast.

How can you make a difference?

Purpose of assignment:

The consultant will work closely with UNICEF’s implementing partners, provide technical support to the Child Protection Section, and work under the direct management of the Lviv Field Office Program Specialist to deliver the following products:

Development of detailed Action Plans within Hromadas

One of the key goals of the Better Care Oblast program is to ensure the availability of a “Minimal Package of Services and Benefits” within Hromadas. The consultant will work closely with pilot Hromadas, Oblast-level administration (through an established Taskforce), and UNICEF team to develop and gradually update Hromada-level Action Plans, which will aim to create/improve human and institutional capabilities locally to deliver services that are included in the “Minimal Package”.

Strengthening the Better Care Oblast-level Care Taskforce

The purpose of the Oblast Better Care Task Force is to bring together all major stakeholders, including people with lived experiences (at least one caregiver and one care leaver), to move forward the Better Care agenda. The Taskforce is expected to meet monthly while it develops its agenda, and then on a quarterly basis. The role of a consultant is to work with the Secretary and members of the Taskforce and continuously sensitize them on the Better Care Model (as it evolves) and help them with collecting and analyzing data, which would then be translated into Better Care enabling policies. The consultant should also support the Taskforce in developing draft decisions; standard procedures; concepts; and briefs for taking administrative decisions for the development of Better Care in the Volyn region.

Conducting periodic needs assessment

Consultant will be expected to conduct periodic (quarterly) assessment of needs, as UNICEF’s interventions evolve at Oblast level and in Hromadas. UNICEF developed Hromada profiles, which the consultant will be asked to update on a quarterly basis as well. The consultant will be required to work with the project and periodically visit Hromadas to obtain feedback about interventions and identify challenges and opportunities related to the implementation of the Better Care Model. The Assessment Report should provide UNICEF and its implementing g partner(s) actionable information so that interventions are well planned/calibrated.

Piloting service procurement from private parties

Services will be developed/remodeled/expanded after a careful examination of (a) local needs; (b) existing human and intuitional capabilities at the self-governance unit/outside; (c) the ability of the Better Care project to deliver high-quality intervention; and (d) sustainability plan. Ensuring a continuum of services is key. While Hromadas and Oblast will pilot procuring services from the open market of services, a special focus will be suggested on those services, that are not easily available/accessible on the territory of a given Hromada and/or at the Oblast level. The consultant will work with the Hromadas and UNICEF’s Better Care Oblast Programme to help plan out and implement the procurement of services from the open market of services.

Training plan for professionals

The Better Care Oblast Program aims to support Hromadas to expand the workforce mandated to work with children. Existing and new professionals should be trained to understand the needs, deliver services in-person, and refer the child/parent/caregiver to other professionals. It is probable that training needs will change once remodeling of services and integration of new services starts. The Consultant will be expected to identify gaps in knowledge and skills and to suggest training themes for future consideration. Special attention should be paid to multi-sectoral cooperation and deepening the knowledge and skills of professionals across sectors. Conducting joint/group trainings (education, health, social protection, legal, etc.) should be considered.

Periodic experience-sharing thematic meetings

The consultant, in cooperation with UNICEF’s partner(s) should facilitate at least two thematic meetings for/between childcare specialists from across Hromadas. Themes should vary and be selected from among the most pressing priorities. The goal of those meetings would be to discuss existing factors, challenges and opportunities, interesting cases, and innovative solutions. Minutes of those meetings could be used in the process of constructing/upgrading services, developing the normative base, as well as for the introduction of new methods of work.

Gatekeeping

The consultant will review the available practices/mechanisms in each pilot municipality (11 in total) and will provide regular updates to UNICEF Lviv Field Office/ UNICEF Better Care team.

Coordination of implementing partners at regional level

The consultant will keep regular communication with partners in the field and update UNICEF team and direct supervisor on the overall progress of programme implementation, achievements, and constraints.

Monitoring and reporting

Consultant will provide regular updates on Better Care programme progress in Volyn Oblast and will be in charge for collecting data and regular reporting, including inputs in donor reports; MoSP and National Better care briefs; briefing notes of different types.

Gradual integration of new Hromadas

The number of participating Hromadas can and should increase overtime in the process of project implementation. Onboarding of new Hromadas should be made with due consideration of the following factors, such as point in annual project cycle which ensures proper planning of integration; readiness and motivation of Hromada; and ability of the project to accommodate such an integration. The Consultant should advise UNICEF about a strategy to gradually integrate more/new Hromadas.

The consultant will work closely with and under the supervision of the UNICEF Team.

Work assignment overview:

Deliverables in Ukrainian language

# of w/days

1. Inception Report.

Approved Inception Report including a Methodology and Workplan, an approved Outline, as well as lists of Key Graphs, Tables, Indicators and Sources of Information.

10

2. Development of detailed Action Plans within Hromadas

A total of ten Action Plans to be developed based on pre-approved format

25

3. Strengthening the Better Care Oblast-level Taskforce

At least three reports (quarterly) with minutes of Taskforce meetings, insights, and a forward-looking plan on strengthening the quality of the Taskforce operation, as well as on using Taskforce to advance the Better Care agenda.

20

4. Conducting periodic needs assessment

At least three thematic needs assessment reports, capturing pre-agreed themes, including existing gatekeeping practices/mechanisms in pilot municipalities and updated Hromada profiles (provided as an Annex)

20

5. P****iloting service procurement from private parties

A Concept note capturing steps and procedure to be undertaken for procurement of services from private parties, including both at Oblast level and Hromada level (pilot Hromadas).

15

6. Training plan for professionals

A Report identifying gaps in knowledge and skills, and suggesting training themes for future consideration, with additional focus of cross-sectoral training.

15

7. Periodic experience-sharing thematic meetings

A Report (a) suggested plan (themes, format and timing) of experience-sharing thematic meetings across Hromadas; and (b) highlighting implementation of at least two meetings (minutes and insights).

20

8. Gradual integration of new Hromadas

A Strategy Note on the scale-up of Better Care in Volyn, highlighting suggested criteria for integrating additional Hromadas and possible interventions (same or different from Action Plans in the first wave of the pilot)

20

9. Final Report

Final Report highlighting (a) work implemented and (b) status of Better Care in Volyn Oblast.

20

Total:

165

Please provide an all-inclusive financial proposal to carry out the deliverables listed above.

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

Education: Master's degree of higher in social sciences – social work, psychology, or any other related technical field.

Professional experience:

• At least eight years of progressive professional experience in social services delivery, policy analysis, training and project management at national and/or municipal level;
• Knowledge of the Ukrainian social policy-related legislation;
• Experience in analysis and public expenditures tracking at state and/or sub-national levels;
• Experience providing consultancy services to UNICEF and other UN agencies is desirable, but not decisive.

Languages:

• Ukrainian: Advanced [C1];
• English: Beginner/Elementary [A1].

Skills and competencies:

• Good analytical skills;
• Good communication skills.

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.

Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

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.

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Added 9 months ago - Updated 8 months ago - Source: unicef.org