UNICEF Zimbabwe is inviting applications for an individual consultant with Technical expertise for support to emergency nutrition activities (Open to Zimbabwe Nationals only)

Contract

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UNICEF Zimbabwe is inviting applications for an individual consultant with Technical expertise for support to emergency nutrition activities. The purpose of this assignment is to implement key activities for nutrition emergency programming as per the rolling workplan for 2023 and to contribute to an efficient coordination of the nutrition sector.

PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

The purpose of this assignment is to implement key activities for nutrition emergency programming as per the rolling workplan for 2023 and to contribute to an efficient coordination of the nutrition sector.

BACKGROUND:

According to the Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment of 2022, child malnutrition has been steadily increasing since pre-Covid-19 with a global wasting prevalence above 5% this year for the first time since 2005, illustrating a precarious nutrition situation for women, children and adolescents. There are many compounding underlying factors that are accumulating on top of an already fragile nutrition situation characterized by low exclusive breastfeeding rates (just 42%), low child diet diversity (only 1 in 5 children receive the recommended minimum diet diversity), high levels of micronutrient deficiencies, high rates of low birthweight (which perpetuates the inter-generational cycle of malnutrition) and high numbers of teenage pregnancies. Other key underlying factors include:

• The long-lasting secondary effects of the Covid-19 pandemic that are now being exacerbated by the current global rise in food prices and the economic situation in Zimbabwe.
• A drop in public health services following the pandemic resulting in a measles outbreak in 2022. Measles and malnutrition have a synergistic relationship, where children who contract measles are at risk of becoming malnourished and children who are malnourished are more prone to measles infection.
• A drop in Vitamin A supplementation coverage during the pandemic, leaving children who contract measles more at risk of complications and blindness.
• On top of this, food insecurity has increased in 2022 following a below average agricultural season, and the nutrition sector is preparing for a potential increase in cases of wasting over the rest of 2022 and into 2023 over the hunger gap period (Dec-Mar).

Seven district level nutrition surveys are currently underway in the districts with the highest levels of wasting according to the ZimVAC, to better assess the nutrition situation and verify the results of the ZimVAC.

As the nutrition cluster lead, UNICEF supports the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) to implement a multi-sectoral approach to prevent all forms of malnutrition, through the national Care Group platform. Support is targeted to pregnant women and mothers of children less than 2 years old aiming to improve infant and young child feeding practices for prevention of all forms of malnutrition, responsive care-giving and nurturing care, identify and treat cases of wasting early (through Family MUAC), improve hygiene and sanitation practices, and provide linkages with agricultural support and interventions. In addition, UNICEF supports MoHCC to carry out active MUAC screening to monitor the nutrition situation and identify and refer children in need of treatment for wasting and to ensure availability of treatment for wasting in all health facilities across the country. Family MUAC is also being scaled up across the country to ensure no child is missed. In 2022-23, 38 high-priority districts have been identified for emergency preparedness based on the levels of wasting as per the ZimVAC 2022.

ASSIGNMENTS:

• Support Nutrition Sector coordination:
  • Support nutrition sector coordination and technical working group (TWG) meetings
  • Update nutrition sector/TWG email lists and 5Ws
  • With support of the nutrition manager, update the sector and TWG terms of reference
  • Complete cluster coordination performance monitoring (CCPM) report with agreed actions for improvement
  • Contribute to emergency planning and reporting including for sitreps
• Operationalize MUAC screening using the CDC-UNICEF guidelines in 35 emergency-prone districts:
  • Refresher training / supportive supervision for the screening at district level as needed
  • Liaise with UNICEF-ICT to determine and initiate the most effective means for screening data collection (Rapid-Pro / ONA etc)
  • Establish a data-flow system for collection and analysis of the screening data
  • Produce screening coverage and results maps showing proxy-GAM/SAM by district and establish a feedback mechanism to districts
  • Monitor and supervise MUAC screening activities at sub-district level
• Support quality improvement of emergency nutrition actions:
  • Coordinate and monitor Vitamin A Supplementation (VAS) activities, working with health section colleagues to further integrate VAS into routine PHC delivery platforms
  • Carry out monitoring and on-job training for quality improvement of IMAM programming including stock monitoring at facility level, monitoring of data and reporting through DHIS2, implementation of simplified approaches.
  • Monitor and document nutrition involvement in the Lean Season Assistance (LSA) for 2022-23.
  • In coordination with the nutrition specialist, support nutrition interventions through the Emergency Social Cash Transfer programme.
  • Monitor the Centers of Excellence for IMAM treatment in Harare (Sally Mugabe Hospital) and Bulawayo (Mpilo Hospital), ensuring inclusion of ECD
  • In the event of an IPC-AMN, assist to coordinate preparations and act as liaison between the IPC Global Support Unit and the FNC and the MoHCC. Participate in the IPC-AMN and support training and analysis as necessary.
  • Supply Chain management, in liaison with supply section ensure effective management of all nutrition supplies and commodities, including redistribution and pre-positioning where necessary.
  • Support the inclusion and integration of disability through interaction with Disability working group and rehabilitation services
• Prepare data inputs for country and regional reports including NutriDash 3.0, regional RIASCO meeting inputs, sit-reps etc

Other tasks as required by the Nutrition Section.

Major tasks and deliverables:

Tasks/Milestone:

Deliverables/Outputs:

Timeline & Payment schedule

Support nutrition sector coordination

• Up-dated sector and TWG email list.
• Updated 5Ws mapping of nutrition partners
• Final CCPM report

28 Feb 2023 (18 days)

Payment 20%

Operationalize MUAC screening

• Screening coverage reports and data
• Proxy-GAM/SAM results maps

31 March 2023 (26 days)

Payment 30%

Support quality improvement of emergency nutrition actions

• Human interest story of nutrition integration in LSA and ESCT

30 April 2023 (20 days)

Payment 25%

Prepare data inputs for country and regional reports including NutriDash 3.0, regional RIASCO meeting inputs, sit-reps etc

• NutriDash 3.0 monthly report
• Monthly RIASCO / sit-rep updates produced
• Final consultancy report

31 May 2023 (20 days)

Payment 25%

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

• A Bachelors degree in Public health nutrition, nutrition, or related technical field
• Minimum five years of professional work experience in nutrition programming and/or nutrition emergency response
• Fluency in English required.
• Knowledge of cluster / sector coordination mechanisms
• Knowledge of nutrition programme data and reporting
• Experience of working within UNICEF or other UN entities is an asset.

The detailed consultancy terms of reference is downloadable via this link ToR_SSA_Emergency and MNs.pdf

If interested and available to undertake the individual consultancy, please submit your application online and attach the required documents including the technical proposal and an all-inclusive financial proposal incorporating an approximate travel days for field (local) travel.

Technical proposal: CV, Cover letter and proposal. The Technical Proposal should articulate an understanding of the TOR and include the proposed Tasks/Milestones, Deliverables/Outputs, Timeline and level of effort by deliverable. The similar table provided in the TOR is indicative. Applicants may use the indicative table as a guide or deviate as per the proposed approach. The proposal should also cost-effectively propose the international and/or local travel proposed by the applicant to undertake the assignment.

Financial proposal: To be submitted separately, the Financial Proposal should include the costs (providing a daily rate as justification) for each task, including consultant fee, proposed travel costs and perdiem, communications costs and any other proposed cost.

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.

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.