Regional Emergency Preparedness Consultant (Western Balkans) based in Zagreb, Croatia - 258 working days between 01 November 2023 and 30 October 2024 - Europe and Central Asia Regional Off

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, an advocate

Purpose of Activity/Assignment

1. Assess the preparedness capacities of UNICEF offices in the Western Balkans, identify opportunities, challenges and provide recommendations to strengthen emergency preparedness including implementing preparedness activities

2. Liaise with regional and country teams to support preparedness measures and provision of Technical Assistance support to UNICEF Country Offices (COs) in the Western Balkans in accordance with the Emergency Preparedness Procedures

3. Support UNICEF regional work on leveraging opportunities for scaling up emergency preparedness and response work in the region

Scope of work

The countries in Western Balkans are prone to multiple risks including conflict, and earthquakes and the climate projections show increased risks of floods, drought, heatwaves in the years to come. These countries are also migrant routes to Europe, with thousands of children (accompanied, unaccompanied and separated) making their ways to Europe.

UNICEF’s engagement in these countries focuses on technical support to strengthen local and national systems and services to provide immediate response to children and families, in line with global humanitarian standards.

The overall objective of the consultancy is to support Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo* , Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia to strengthen the emergency preparedness capacity of UNICEF and partners in line with the Emergency Preparedness Procedure thus enabling UNICEF offices in Western Balkans to be ready to respond during emergencies.

UNICEF is seeking an experienced emergency preparedness and response expert to support UNICEF country offices in the Western Balkans to enhance emergency preparedness and response capacities to ensure effective and timely response during emergencies. The successful candidate will be based in the UNICEF country office in Croatia and is expected to travel to support six UNICEF country offices

Activity:

1. Support UNICEF Offices in the Western Balkans to strengthen emergency preparedness capacity

• Liaise with seven UNICEF country offices in the Western Balkans and provide technical assistance in accordance with specific needs
• Monitor the imminent risk in the countries, liaise with respective countries and regional offices, support the development of contingency plans for high-risk scenarios and recommend early warning actions
• Support in-country preparedness and response training and simulations for high-risk scenarios
• Assess the existing emergency preparedness plans of the country offices, identify gaps and recommend minimum preparedness actions in line with the organizational emergency procedure
• Review existing UN coordination structures/role and responsibilities vis a vis emergency preparedness and provide recommendations to UNICEF team to enhance coordination
• Support to implement preparedness actions in coordination with the programme and operations team in the country offices in coordination with and leveraging regional technical/sectoral expertise (i.e. Humanitarian Cash Transfers, Accountability to Affected Population etc.) to meet the minimum preparedness benchmarks and beyond for each country office as relevant to the context
• Work with country offices to conduct market research on the available cash transfer options on the local market and potential Financial Service Providers (FSPs), and work with country office operations teams, with support from regional Social Policy and Operations Focal Points, to identify 1-2 options and advance preparedness with those FSPs, whilst documenting best practices
• In coordination with the country offices, assess the capacity of partners, identify training needs, expand the scope of existing partners, and coordinate with the Regional Emergency section to facilitate trainings and resources
• Engage with relevant national and subnational partners to seek entry points to advance child sensitive emergency preparedness and response agenda
• Support fundraising for scaling up preparedness within programme proposals in consultation with country offices
• In close coordination with Regional Supply team and country offices support assist in developing risk-specific supply and logistic strategy and supply plans
• Identify prospects and modalities for sub-regional response coordination focused on avoiding duplication of efforts and maximizing the available resources of each country, focusing on the most marginalized, including in cross-border areas
• Explore opportunities and engagement with “EU Union Civil Protection Mechanism” as well as other sub-regional avenues such as “the Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Initiative for South-Eastern Europe (DPPI SEE)” to enhance child sensitive and cross-border disaster preparedness, response, and prevention agenda.

2. Support the development and implementation of humanitarian capacity building initiatives

• Develop context specific training materials for humanitarian learning initiatives to UNICEF Country Offices and partners on emergency preparedness and response
• Support the facilitation of trainings and other capacity building initiatives with regional office emergency section

3. Support to enhance humanitarian action-oriented knowledge generation and dissemination in the Western Balkans

• Organizing monthly sub-regional meetings with Emergency and Preparedness Focal Points to exchange knowledge, lessons-learned, practices.
• Support the documentation of case studies on emergency preparedness and response actions
• Develop a common repository of practical documents/tools needed for 24/48/72 hours upon emergency (guidelines, templates, ToRs etc)

Deliverables

Tasks/MilestonesDeliverables/OutputsDelivery deadline1. Assess preparedness capacity of seven country offices in the Western Balkans in line with UNICEF’s procedures and develop recommendationsOne desk review report highlighting : - Key preparedness gaps in Cos - Recommendations to strengthen in-country and sub-regional preparedness20 working days

By November 2023

2. Assess in-country coordination structures and capacity of partners on emergency preparedness and response; develop training materials for external partners and support capacity building exerciseContext specific training materials on Emergency Preparedness and Response available and at least 5 trainings facilitated to partners30 working days

By 30 June 2024

3. Provide support to 7 country teams in assessing the risk, apply emergency preparedness procedures and develop contingency plans for high-risk scenarioContingency plans developed for high-risk scenario based on the risk anlaysis35 working days

By 28 February 2024

4. Support 7 country teams on the implementation of preparedness actionsUpdated preparedness products for all MPS and implementation status available for 7 COs based on the scenario. This entails :

- Updated internal coordination structures and roles and responsibilities defined during emergencies - External partners mapped - HR Surge plan available - Supply Plan is available and Supply and Logistic strategy available - List of implementing partners available and contingency PD available - List of potential donors, media available The delivery may change subject to the update of Minimum Preparedness Benchmark in Emergency Procedure90 working days

By 31 August 2024

5. Support the identification of Financial Service Providers (FSP) for establishing a LTA or a stand by agreement for HCTsCoordinate at least 14 calls with CO and RO teams, documentation on the identification of FSP, and documentation of best practices for future application35 working days

By 30 June 2024

6. Support to document good practices on emergency preparedness actions from country officesDeveloped at least 14 case studies on emergency preparedness and response and return on investment20 working days

By 30 September 2024

7. Support engagement with regional/sub-regional partners/ avenues and develop strategies of engagementPartnerships established with signed agreements/MoU with regional/sub-regional partners to enhance child sensitive and cross border disaster preparedness, response and prevention agenda28 working days

By 31 October 2024

Estimated Duration of the Contract

258 working days from 01 November 2023 to 30 October 2024

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

Consultancy based in Zagreb, Croatia with regular travel as part of this assignment and these will be reimbursed as and when they take place.

Estimated Cost of the Consultancy & Payment Schedule

Please provide a lumpsum professional fee equivalent to 258 working days over a 12 month period. 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.

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

• An advanced university degree (Master) in international development or environment climate change or another relevant field.

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required

• An Advanced University Degree in Disaster Management, Social Sciences
• A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in emergency management, including in the EU context
• Knowledge of global humanitarian issues, especially relating to children and women is an asset
• Knowledge of UN humanitarian reform principles, international humanitarian law, international refugee law
• Knowledge of the latest developments and trends in emergency preparedness and response management is an asset
• Experience in designing and delivering trainings on emergency preparedness and response is an asset
• Strong teamwork and interpersonal communication skills
• Fluency in English (written & verbal) is required.
• Experience with UNICEF and knowledge of the UN and UNICEF’s system's policies and procedures is an asset.
• Proficiency in a Western Balkan language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS), and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

View our competency framework at http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

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, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

Remarks:

Please include a full CV, and a Financial Proposal in your application by indicating your availability and a lumpsum based on 258 working days to undertake the terms of reference above. Applications submitted without a professional fee will not be considered. 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. Consulants 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.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants 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.