National Junior Consultant to support the Council on the Rights of the Child of Montenegro

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

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, deliver

UNICEF Montenegro seeks an individual national junior consultant to support the newly established Council on the Rights of the Child and its Secretariat in their day-to-day activities. The purpose of this assignment is in line with the recommendation 9(c) of the Committee on the Rights of the Child related to providing the Council with the human, technical and financial resources necessary for its effective operation. In 2022, the Government of Montenegro, established the Council on the Rights of the Child under the Prime Minister Office, in line with recommendation 9(a) of the CRC concluding observations on the combined second and third periodic reports to Montenegro (2018) to strengthen the role of the Council as the principal institutional coordinating mechanism at the inter-ministerial level, thus strengthening its authority to ensure coordination of various Ministries in the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child as well as strategic and legal framework aligned with it.

How can you make a difference?

The consultant is planned to support the general activities of the Council and Secretariat such as:

- To support the CRC Secretariat to provide effective support to Council on Child rights in cooperation with the competent ministries to better monitor the implementation of the assumed obligations of Montenegro arising from the Convention on the Rights of the Child, other international human rights treaties related to the protection of the rights of the child. - To support the CRC Secretariat to provide effective support to Council on Child rights in cooperation with the competent ministries, other institutions, academia and CSOs to effectively implement an Action Plan for work of the Council for Child Rights for period 2022-2023. - To support the CRC Secretariat in monitoring the application of policies and legislation relevant for the protection of the rights of the child and providing initiatives/recommendations for its improvements. - To support the CRC Secretariat in monitoring the implementation of strategic documents related to the exercise of rights of the child and other strategies relevant to the realization of the rights of the child. - To support the CRC Secretariat in submitting to the Government initiatives, proposals, opinions and analyses, policy and economic briefs, related to exercising the rights of the child in Montenegro. - To support the CRC Secretariat in coordinating the protection and promotion of the rights of the child in the fields of social and child protection, health care, upbringing, education and in other areas of importance for protection of the rights and interests of the child, especially in the period of early development and adolescence. - To support the CRC Secretariat in promoting interdepartmental and multidisciplinary approach in promotion, prevention and protection of the rights of the child. - To support the CRC Secretariat in promoting cooperation between non-governmental organizations, state administration bodies, academia and local self-government in the process of implementation and protection of children's rights. - To support the CRC Secretariat in informing the public about the rights of the child and informs about the state of the rights of the child in Montenegro and in organizing urgent Ad hoc sessions on the occasions of important days and/or flagrant violation of children`s rights. - To support the CRC Secretariat in cooperating with international organizations, private sector and scientific institutions, professional and other associations dealing with the protection of the rights of the child and in the process of the establishment of an Expert body to support the work of the Council on the Rights of the Child.

Under the overall guidance and direct supervision of the Secretariat members and UNICEF, the consultant will perform the following specific day-to-day activities:

- Establish and implement accountability framework, ensure and monitor regular participation of respective ministries in the work of the Council and submit Council`s recommendations/decisions for Government adoption. - Ensure Council sessions are implemented in a timely and quality manner and an Action Plan for work of the Council for 2022-2023 implemented in a timely and quality manner. - Arrange appointments and maintain the Secretariat’s calendar; receive visitors, place and screen telephone calls and answer enquiries; organize meetings including finalization of the meeting agenda, invitations, development and distribution of documentation, and preparation of minutes of meetings; distribute meeting reports and information and ensure follows-up on required actions.

- Collect and prepare briefing materials for the Council members; Manage registration of in-coming and out-going material; classify and code material relating to a number of subject matter areas and maintain general Council files; prepare correspondence for signature and informal written and oral translations as required; draft correspondence, mails and reports from oral instructions, previous correspondence or other available information sources in accordance with standard office procedures.

- Support the Secretariat in various procedural, administrative, and operational tasks to ensure smooth coordination of activities of the Council and monitoring of follow up.

- Maintain contact lists of all partners, Government officials and members of the international community and assist in knowledge management activities to ensure that all interested parties have access to well-structured and easily accessible data and information.

- Support the Council and CRC Secretariat in the establishment of an Expert body to support the work of the Council on the Rights of the Child.

- Provide Monthly progress Report

A detailed work plan with a time frame will be developed and agreed with the supervisor, including regular meetings and reporting.

The consultant will be responsible for below tasks:

- Supports the Secretariat in various procedural, administrative, and operational tasks to ensure smooth coordination of activities of the Council and monitoring of follow up; Output: Programme activities of the Council realized and confirmed by the Secretary of the Council, due date: 1st November 2022 to 15th October 2023

- 2022 Final report on the activities and results achieved; Output: Final report submitted to UNICEF, due date: by 15th October 2023

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

The Consultant is expected to have the following qualifications to complete the task:

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, international relations or other relevant discipline
• An advanced university degree or equivalent in social sciences, international relations or other relevant discipline would be considered as an advantage.

Experience:

• A minimum of 2 years of relevant administrative work experience is required.
• Experience in projects coordination will be considered an asset.
• Excellent computer skills.
• Good organizational, planing, and prioritizing skills and abilities.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines.
• Familiarity with UNICEF’s mandate and goals is desirable;
• Familiarity with CRC and child rights relevant national strategic framework.

Other:

• Excellent command of both English and local language (verbal and written).

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.

Mandatory e-learning:

Upon conducting the recruitment process and prior to the signing of the contract, the consultant will be required to complete the following online courses. All certificates should be presented as part of the contract. 1. Ethics and Integrity at UNICEF 2. Prevention of Sexual Harassment and Abuse of Authority (PSEAA) 3. Sexual Exploitation Abuse (PSEA)

Consultants and Individual Contractors must complete the following course before commencement of any travel on behalf of UNICEF. • BSAFE security training

Any consultant or individual contractor who is issued a UNICEF email address must complete the following courses no later than 30 days after signature of contract: • Fraud Awareness • Information Awareness Security Course (only for consultants/individual contractors with a UNICEF email address) The above courses can be found on Agora through the following link: AGORA (unicef.org) .

Course completion certificates should be shared and retained with the human resources unit of the hiring country office.

Selection methodology: All applicants will be screened against qualifications and requirements set above. Candidates fully meeting all the requirements will be further evaluated based on the criteria below. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Persons with disabilities, particularly women with disabilities, are strongly encouraged to apply.

The below selection criteria will be used for desk review of the qualified applications:

A) Technical criteria – Technical evaluation process / Maximum points: 70 1. Technical Criteria – 70 % of total evaluation– max. 70 points • Education: 15 points • Previous experience: 25 points • Technical questions at the interview: 25 points • Other: 5 points

Only candidates who obtained at least 70% of points from the technical part (who will score at least 49 points) will be qualified for considering for financial proposal evaluation

B) Financial criteria – evaluation of financial proposal - Maximum points: 30 The applicants are requested to submit their financial proposal consisting of a professional fee only for the services to be provided. • Financial scores will be calculated using the formula [lowest offer / financial offer of the candidate x 30].

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.