New Consultancy – Facilitator for Regional Consultative meeting on improving Young Children’s Diets in WCA

Job Number: 527949 | Vacancy Link

Locations: Africa: Senegal

Work Type : Consultancy

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

In West and Central African Region (WCAR) complementary feeding starts too early or too late, and feeds are mainly nutritionally and hygienically inadequate (UNICEF, 2005). In addition, most of infants (67%) are not exclusively breastfed during the first 6 months. Out of 67% of infants not exclusively breastfed, about 30% received water. Malnutrition has several consequences and is responsible, directly or indirectly, for 52% of millions annual deaths of children under five. Most of these deaths (about 60%), often associated with inappropriate feeding practices, occurring in first year of life (WHO / UNICEF, 2002). In addition, malnutrition has repercussions on psychomotor development, learning and working abilities of children.

UNICEF and its partners (PSU and IRD) are undertaking a landscape analysis to deep understand barriers and identify trends and predictors of young children’s diets and the potential of locally produced complementary foods in entire region with focus on 10 selected countries in UNICEF’s West and Central Africa Region (WCAR).

To facilitate implementation of actions to improve young children’s diets across regions and in countries, UNICEF HQ has developed Global action frameworks to improve young children’s diets. Based on the findings from ongoing landscape analysis in WCAR, the global action framework will be adapted to WCAR’s context using the platform of regional nutrition working group. Once the draft of the regional action framework is available, it will need to be shared with wider audience representing regional and country stakeholders for their feedback and validation together with guiding country level action.

The regional meeting on improving young children’s diets is being organized with this background to achieve the above stated objectives.

Regional consultative meeting on Improving young children’s Diets will bring together Regional stakeholders from across West and Central Africa, UNICEF and other Nutrition experts from global, regional and country levels. The meeting will provide an opportunity to understand the complementary feeding landscape in the region and identify actionable approaches for improving the diets of young children using systems approach.

How can you make a difference?

Objectives

The main objectives of meeting are:

Disseminate key findings of WCA regional Complementary Feeding Landscape analysis to highlight the status, drivers of and gaps around complementary foods and feeding practices

Build consensus on the key drivers, gaps and bottlenecks to good diets of young children in the regions

Share experiences and lessons on ‘what works’ and ‘how can it be scaled up’ across the different programming contexts in WCA

Share and validate the Regional Framework for Improving Young Children’s Diets for WCA region to agree on priority actions at regional level

Development of country roadmaps for participating countries based on country experiences and evidences

Recommendations to develop a business model of complementary foods based on local foods to accelerate progress in improving young children’s diets

Scope of work

The facilitator will: assist with strategic planning, facilitation and meeting report of the WCAR regional consultation on improving young children’s diets.

The facilitator will help to prepare, moderate and document the 4-days’ regional consultation to ensure desired deliverables are achieved. The specific assignments will include:

Contribute to the planning and preparation of the consultation

Moderate presentations and discussions as per the agreed agenda

Summarize key findings from group discussions

Lead participants through the process of validating the regional action frameworks on improving young children’s diets through active discussion and meaningful contributions

Deliverables and Schedules

The consultant during his/her contract will deliver the following:

•     Remote support to prepare group work, panel discussion and develop instructions for presenters and chairs (4 days)

•     Finalize meeting agenda and plan of facilitation (2 days)

•     Pre-meeting checks (2 days)

•     Facilitation of the sessions (4 days)

•     Report of contract of consultation (1 day)

–     Travel (3 days)

Timing

The 4-day meeting agenda (the 11, 12, 13, 14 February 2020) will be built around four majors axes, as follows:

Presentation of key findings of two regional landscape analysis (IRD, PSU)

Parallel deep dive sub-workshops on key findings of two regional landscape analysis

Expert meeting and recommendations of next steps (restricted meeting)

A detailed agenda will be developed by the consultant

Reporting Requirements

The consultant/e will prepare and submit key elements for final meeting report by the end of his/her contract. Key elements will be submitted electronically and in hard copy.

Administratives issues

The consultant/ will be under the supervision of Regional Nutrition Adviser and work in close collaboration with the Nutrition Specialist and Programme Associate

The consultant will use his/her own equipment (laptop, SIM card, specific software).

The duration of contract is 16 days (from January 15 to 20, February 2020).

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

Advanced degree in Public Health, Communication or related field plus at least 10 years of relevant experience in facilitating and coordinating events, including regional/global meetings / workshops, preferably in public health. First-level university degree with 12 years of relevant experience could be accepted in lieu of an Advanced degree.

Demonstrated ability to include all participants and ensure all views are heard.

Demonstrated analytical and concise writing and editing skills, including ability to convey detailed information in a clear manner to a diverse audience.

Flexible and able to respond to and accommodate change easily.

Administrative skills and self-motivated with the ability to set priorities and manage multiple tasks under minimal supervision in effective and efficient manner.

Ability to work under pressure and respond to deadlines without sacrificing quality.

Languages – Excellent writing and communication skills in English.

Software – Good knowledge of MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

For every Child, you demonstrate a fair chance

UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

The competencies required for this post are :

Functional competencies:

Planning and Organizing:  Sets clearly defined objectives; plans activities and projects well in advance and takes account of possible changing circumstances; identifies and organizes resources needed to accomplish tasks; manages time effectively; monitors performance against deadlines and milestones.

Communication: Ability to express complex technical concepts effectively, both verbally and in writing; effectively presenting thoughts and ideas in a clear, concise, and readily understood manner. Listen to and acknowledges others’ perspectives and views.

Working with People: Shows respect for the views and contributions of other team members; shows empathy; listens, supports and cares for others; consults others and shares information and expertise with them; builds team spirit and reconciles conflict; adapts to the team and fits in well.

Drive for Results: Sets high standards for quality of work; monitors and maintains quality of work; works in a systematic, methodical and orderly way; consistently achieves project goals; focuses on the needs and satisfaction of internal and external partners; accepts and tackles demanding goals with enthusiasm.

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:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Closing Date Sun Dec 22 2019 10:00:00 GMT+0100 (Afr. centrale Ouest)