National Consultant: Sanitation Technical Capacity Building consultant (Only Ghanaian Nationals are eligible to apply)

Contract

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For every child,

Ghana has been implementing the Rural Sanitation Model and Strategy (RSMS) since 2012 with a lot of emphasis on stimulating demand for toilets and engaging communities to end open defecation. Data from national surveys indicate open defecation rates have dropped marginally over the years but with remarkable reductions in the northern regions that have the highest open defecation rates in the country. Over 2,600 communities have attained open defecation free (ODF) status with over 70,000 toilets built by households from their own resources. This is a trend that must be encouraged and sustained. However, the sustainability of the gains is challenged. A sustainability study commissioned by UNICEF Ghana in 2019 as part of the Rural Sanitation Operational Research estimated that about 40% of households experienced toilet collapse after construction. The study also found that communities that had sustained their ODF status and had high latrine coverage had three key success factors: technical support for latrine construction, strong community leadership and social norms. The study recommended stronger technical support to households as a key factor for reducing toilet collapse and ensuring the sustainability of Community ODF status.

This recommendation supports various technical support initiatives being undertaken under the Government of Ghana (GoG) - UNICEF WASH programme in collaboration with the College of Engineering of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and Training, Research and Networking for Development (TREND). These initiatives have included the development of guidelines to facilitate the construction of durable household toilets in communities, through the establishment and use of technical support structures and systems at the community level and a strong and efficient quality assurance system for toilet construction within communities. These technical guidelines need to be tested and outcomes documented to facilitate scaling up. To effectively implement the guidelines and integrate them into existing sanitation activities, a structured capacity building programme for district engineers and environmental health staff is required.

How can you make a difference?

the purpose of the assignment is to build the capacity of selected Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to implement technical guidelines for constructing sustainable household toilets.

Tasks to be completed

The following tasks will be undertaken under the assignment in all 10 selected MMDAs.

1. Undertake a desk review of relevant reports and hold discussions with key stakeholders as input into the development of the methodology and work plan for the assignment

• Review technical reports and guidelines
• Hold meetings with stakeholders at national, regional and district levels

2. Support districts to implement the district facilitators guide to providing technology support to CLTS communities
   • Train District Engineers (DEs), Environmental health officers (EHOs) and Community Development Officers (CDOs) on the guide
   • Assist staff to develop an implementation plan that integrates the new approaches into existing CLTS activities
   • Develop framework and templates for district heads of Engineering, Environmental health, and community development to undertake supportive supervision and adapt the implementation plan based on lessons from the field

3. Support districts to develop and implement a community-led technology support initiative to ensure technical sustainability of toilets

   • Assist districts to review the implementation of the Community Technical Volunteer system and plan for full operationalization at the Electoral Area level
   • Assist districts to test the Community Construction Teams Concept and develop locally appropriate approaches for implementation
   • Support districts to establish, train and monitor Community Construction Teams (CCTs) in CLTS communities
   4. Support operationalization of the Latrine Quality Assurance Protocol at the district level

• Assist districts to assess their level of compliance to quality assurance using the established protocol and establish a plan of action for improvement
• Conduct refresher training for districts on QA
• Assist district heads of engineering and environmental health to regularly assess reports on Quality Assurance and monitor implementation of their action plan
• Support districts to address challenges in implementation

5. Assist districts to improve monitoring and evaluation of technical support activities

• Develop a supportive monitoring and supervisory framework with templates for all district technical support activities
• Train district teams on the use of paper-based and electronic data collection instruments in the Basic Sanitation Information System (BaSIS)
• Provide monthly updates of artisan and CTV databases including data on toilets constructed

6. Monitor implementation of interventions by programme districts and provide continuous technical support to ensure that technology support activities are being implemented effectively and according to guidelines

• Address challenges encountered in implementing technology support activities
• Provide monthly updates on the status of implementation of technical support activities

7. Document approaches used at the district level as input into the development of National Level technical support guidelines for the RSMS

• Provide updates for the review of the district facilitators guide to providing technology support to communities
• Document district-specific approaches to operationalizing Community Construction Teams
• Provide updates for the review of the Latrine Quality Assurance Protocol
• Provide updates for the review of Monitoring and Evaluation Systems
• Develop a step-by-step guide for field facilitators that integrates technical support for toilets construction into the implementation of behaviour and social change interventions

8. Undertake assignment wrap up meetings with districts and document district-specific lessons and inputs for improving sanitation technical support provision

• Meet with stakeholders at national, regional and district levels and present final outcomes

Expected Deliverables

1. Inception report

2. Progress report submitted including

• Training report including the number of districts received training and list of trained staff in each district.
• District specific implementation plans
• Monitoring templates for tracking Implementation

3. Progress report submitted including

• District specific operational plans for implementing CTV and CCT concepts
• List of trained CTVs per electoral area per programme district
• List of trained CCTs and their communities per programme district

4. Progress report submitted including

• District quality assurance compliance checklist
• District specific action plans for implementing QA
• QA training report per programme district
• QA implementation monitoring templates
• District specific QA implementation progress reports

5. Progress report submitted including

• Comprehensive monitoring framework with templates for all technical support activities
• Data collection forms for toilets constructed within programme districts
• Training reports per programme district
• Updated databases for artisans, CTVs and CCTs and toilets constructed for all programme districts

6. Progress report detailing implementation status for technical support activities, challenges encountered, and technical support provided per programme district per month.

7. Facilitators step-by-step guide for integrating technical support and software activities

• Technical briefing notes documenting district-specific lessons and adaptations from the implementation of the following technical support elements
  • District facilitators guide to providing technology support to communities
  • CTV and CCT system
  • Quality assurance protocols
  • Monitoring and evaluation systems for technology support

8. Presentation on key assignment outcomes. Final assignment report

Refer to the attached TOR for details of the assignment. TOR_Sanitation Technical Capacity Building Consultant .pdf

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

• An Advanced University Degree or its equivalent in Civil or Environmental Engineering, Building Technology, or another relevant field.
• Minimum of 5 years relevant experience in supporting delivery of sanitation and hygiene interventions at district and community levels
• Demonstrated experience in technical/ engineering aspects of household toilet design and construction supervision and quality assurance.
• Experience in the development of guidelines and strategies is an advantage
• Experience in delivering and facilitating trainings
• Experience with working with the staff members of decentralized institutions at sub-national levels will be an advantage
• Excellent coordination skills
• Strong interpersonal skills and team skills

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.

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

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.