UNICEF recruits 01 National and International Consultant Cluster Coordinators

BATCH RECRUITMENT: COVID-19 Emergency Response Malawi (National and International Consultant Cluster Coordinators), Lilongwe, Malawi

Job Number: 531330 | Vacancy Link

Locations: Africa: Malawi

Work Type : Consultancy

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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

Since late February 2020, UNICEF Malawi is working in supporting the Government of Malawi prepare for the arrival of the COVID-19. UNICEF provided technical support for the development of the COVID -19 response plans of the Health, Nutrition, Education, WASH and Protection sectors and closely cooperated with the national and UN emergency coordination structures. With support from DFID, UNICEF initiated at the beginning of March 2020 early preparedness action in nine critical point of entry districts as prioritized by the Government of Malawi. The USD 2.4 million grant is used for rehabilitation of emergency treatment centres, installation of WASH facilities, capacity building and risk communication to communities, while supporting as well the provision of procurement services to the government.

Malawi is implementing a formal cluster approach to emergencies with relevant Government Ministries leading the clusters and a UN agency acting as co-lead to the clusters. As follows:

Health Cluster – Lead: Ministry of Health; Co-Lead: WHO

Nutrition Cluster – Lead: Ministry of Health; Co-Lead: UNICEF

Education Cluster – Lead: Ministry of Education; Co-Lead: UNICEF

WASH Cluster – Lead: Ministry of Water; Co-Lead: UNICEF,

Protection Cluster – Lead: Ministry of Gender; Co-Lead: UNICEF

To manage the COVID-19 pandemic a Crisis Management Committee was established by the Government chaired by the Minister of Health.

In addition, overall coordination from government side is ensured by the Department of Disaster Management (DODMA) and from UN side – by the UN Resident Coordination Office. There is no OCHA presence in the country.

The clusters were activated in mid-March 2020 and function only at national level. All key clusters have developed relevant COVID-19 preparedness and response plans consolidated under a National COVID-19 response plan by DODMA. The cluster plans however need further improvements, including development. The Information Management around the COVID response requires strong support in developing relevant data management platforms, innovative tools for data collection and visualization of data.

UNICEF, as highlighted in their Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Action, is fully committed to interagency humanitarian reform and supports this through provision of leadership and participation in assigned clusters and sectors. UNICEF plays a crucial role in ensuring a strategic, coordinated and effective humanitarian response, as it is responsible for leading the Water and Sanitation (WASH) and Nutrition Clusters and the Area of Responsibility as well as for co-leading the Education Cluster with Save the Children. As of April 2017, UNICEF is no longer the Global co-lead of the Gender Based Violence (GBV) AoR. UNICEF will, however, continue to support the GBV AoR as an active member in global, national, and sub-national GBV coordination bodies to provide life-saving protection and care. Through the role as the lead of the global Child Protection AoR this will include promoting linkages between field level CP Working Groups and GBV Working Groups to improve access to services for all child survivors.

How can you make a difference?

The purpose of the assignments is to support the functioning of the Clusters in ensuring smooth coordination, information sharing and data collection amongst humanitarian stakeholders (cluster members and other humanitarian actors including of government at national and sub-national level and development partners’ community) and facilitation the processes that will ensure a well coordinated, strategic, adequate, coherent, and effective response by humanitarian COVID-19 responders.

RESPONSIBILITIES, COMPETENCIES AND REQUIREMENTS

Support to Cluster Coordination for:

NUTRITION CLUSTER COORDINATOR

EDUCATION CLUSTER COORDINATOR

WASH CLUSTER COORDINATOR

PROTECTION CLUSTER COORDINATOR

Responsibilities:

The consultant has joint responsibility with the Cluster Lead Agency, resourcing partners and all cluster participants for the efficient management and functioning of the Cluster Coordination encompassing the following:

Establish and maintain an appropriate humanitarian coordination mechanism;

Strengthen pre-existing sectoral coordination through increased predictability and accountability;

Build complementarity of partner actions: avoiding duplication and gaps;

Organizes interagency technical review meetings to support policy development work and decision-making on important issues;

Ensure adequate resources are mobilized and are equitably allocated for the effective functioning of the cluster and its response;

Manages the production of appeals for international assistance;

Effective and comprehensive integration of relevant cross-cutting issues, including age, disability, gender, communities, environment and HIV/AIDs;

Maintain flexibility within the cluster to respond to changes in the operating environment, evolving requirements, capacities and participation;

Effectively use and transfer information to, from and between cluster participants and other stakeholders;

Provides substantial support to sector / cluster working groups as required and facilitates exchange on cross cutting issues.

Interact with other clusters and other UNICEF cluster coordinators (including through inter-cluster coordination fora), humanitarian actors, government counterparts, and relevant authorities for operational planning, engagement and active contribution of operational partners;

Work in effective and regular way with the Emergency team in UNICEF and participate to internal cluster coordinators meetings

Be accountable to the affected population through effective and inclusive consultative and feedback mechanisms.

Ensures appropriate monitoring and reporting mechanisms;

Monitor performance of the core cluster functions;

Monitors, analyzes and reports on humanitarian developments;

Drafts and prepares regular situation papers/reports highlighting relevant operational factors affecting the humanitarian situation and response efforts;

Prepares or contributes to the preparation of various written reports, documents and communications, e.g. drafts sections of studies, background papers, policy guidelines, parliamentary documents, briefings, case studies, presentations, correspondence, etc.

Reviews and provides advice on policy issues related to safeguarding humanitarian principles and ensuring the effective delivery of humanitarian assistance;

Partners with other humanitarian agencies to plan and evaluate humanitarian and emergency assistance programmes and help ensure that latest findings, lessons learned, policy guidelines, etc. are incorporated into these activities, including gender-related considerations.

Establishes and maintains contacts with government officials, other UN agencies, non-governmental organizations, etc.

Supports advocacy initiatives on issues impacting humanitarian needs and response efforts through the collection of information, liaison with humanitarian partners, government officials, the media, etc.

Core cluster functions:

1. Supporting service delivery

1.1. Provide a platform to ensure that service delivery is driven by the agreed strategic priorities

1.2. Develop mechanisms to eliminate duplication of service delivery

2. Informing strategic decision-making of the HC/HCT for the humanitarian response

2.1. Needs assessment and gap analysis (across other sectors and within the sector)

2.2. Analysis to identify and address (emerging) gaps, obstacles, duplication, and cross-cutting issues.

2.3. Prioritization, grounded in response analysis

3. Planning and strategy development

3.1. Develop sectoral plans, objectives and indicators directly support realization of the HC/HCT strategic priorities

3.2. Application and adherence to existing standards and guidelines

3.3. Clarify funding requirements, prioritization, and cluster contributions to HC’s overall humanitarian funding considerations (Flash Appeal, CAP, ERF/CHF, CERF)

4. Advocacy

4.1. Identify advocacy concerns to contribute to HC and HCT messaging and action

4.2. Undertaking advocacy activities on behalf of cluster participants and the affected population

5. Monitoring and reporting the implementation of the cluster strategy and results; recommending corrective action where necessary

6. Contingency planning/preparedness for recurrent disasters whenever feasible and relevant.

7. Accountability to affected populations

INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST

Responsibilities:

Within delegated authority, the Information Management Specialist will be responsible for the following duties:

Coordination:

Establish and maintain an information management network in accordance with IASC guidance to facilitate humanitarian information exchange and the promotion of data and information standards;

Work with clusters, first responders and on-site operations and coordination centre to ensure a smooth transition of information tools and services;

Engage with cluster counterparts and humanitarian actors, including government to ensure that information activities are coordinated and consistent with national standards and practices;

Provide training and expertise on the use and development of information management tools and platforms to UNICEF staff and humanitarian partners;

Advocate for the use of data standards and common platforms, and for the open exchange of information.

Web Management:

Develop relevant web platforms for data management;

Manage content on relevant web platforms, provide overall quality control for the platform and ensure content is current, comprehensive and follows relevant metadata standards;

Works with external counterparts on related web platforms such as agency and cluster websites to facilitate cross-site search and interoperability.

Data Management:

Design, develop and manage databases, spreadsheets and other data tools;

Understand, document, and ensure the quality of high-value humanitarian data for accuracy, consistency and comparability;

Consolidate operational information on a regular schedule to support analysis;

Identifies and spearheads application of innovative methods and tool for data collection.

Data Analysis:

Organize, design and carry out the evaluation and analysis of location specific datasets through meaningful statistical techniques;

Participate in the development and revision of data standards (e.g. the Humanitarian Exchange Language) and advise on the application of these standards into local systems and processes;

Participate in the development, implementation and management of new indicators, together with its accompanying data, to be included in a Common Humanitarian Dataset;

Understand, document and ensure the quality of high-value humanitarian data for accuracy, consistency and comparability.

Assessment Analysis:

Support assessment and needs analysis activities, including humanitarian needs overviews, secondary data reviews, preliminary scenario definitions and multi-cluster initial rapid assessments;

Provide advice on assessment design to ensure data quality;

Manage platforms and tools that support data collection and analysis such as KoBo Toolbox and Open Data Kit (ODK).

Visualization:

Produce and update information products such as reports, charts and infographics by turning data into graphical products to convey messages and a storyline;

Supports development of advocacy materials including posters, presentations and other visual materials.

Performs other related duties, as required.

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

CLUSTER COORDINATORS

Qualifications

An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in a subject area relevant to the cluster thematic area (health, education, nutrition or in political science, social science, international studies, public administration, economics, engineering, earth sciences or a related field) is required. A first-level university degree in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Extensive work experience relevant to this post may be considered as a replacement for formal qualifications.

Formal training in cluster coordination an advantage

Experience

A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in humanitarian affairs, emergency preparedness, crisis/emergency relief management, rehabilitation, development, with UN and/or NGO, including programme management and/or coordination in the first phase of a major emergency response relevant to the cluster or other related area is required.

If International: Three (3) years of relevant experience at the international level is required.

Humanitarian experience in the field (actual setting where a mission and/or project is being implemented) in emergency situations (complex emergency or natural disaster) is desirable.

If National: Three (3) years of relevant experience is required.

Humanitarian experience in the field (actual setting where a mission and/or project is being implemented) in emergency situations (complex emergency or natural disaster) is desirable.

Experience in the UN Common System is desirable.

Experience in the region is desirable.

Specific for Protection Cluster Coordinator:

Knowledge of protection issues in humanitarian action, including child protection and GBV, as well as the humanitarian cluster approach, particularly the Protection Cluster, child protection and gender-based violence area of responsibility

Languages

Fluency in English is required.

CLUSTER COORDINATORS

Qualifications

An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in a subject area relevant to the cluster thematic area (health, education, nutrition or in political science, social science, international studies, public administration, economics, engineering, earth sciences or a related field) is required. A first-level university degree in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Extensive work experience relevant to this post may be considered as a replacement for formal qualifications.

Formal training in cluster coordination an advantage

Experience

A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in humanitarian affairs, emergency preparedness, crisis/emergency relief management, rehabilitation, development, with UN and/or NGO, including programme management and/or coordination in the first phase of a major emergency response relevant to the cluster or other related area is required.

If International: Three (3) years of relevant experience at the international level is required.

Humanitarian experience in the field (actual setting where a mission and/or project is being implemented) in emergency situations (complex emergency or natural disaster) is desirable.

If National: Three (3) years of relevant experience is required.

Humanitarian experience in the field (actual setting where a mission and/or project is being implemented) in emergency situations (complex emergency or natural disaster) is desirable.

Experience in the UN Common System is desirable.

Experience in the region is desirable.

Specific for Protection Cluster Coordinator:

Knowledge of protection issues in humanitarian action, including child protection and GBV, as well as the humanitarian cluster approach, particularly the Protection Cluster, child protection and gender-based violence area of responsibility

Languages

Fluency in English is required.

INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST

Qualifications

An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent degree) in information management, information systems, social science or related field is required.

A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience

A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in information management, information systems, web management, data management, geographic information systems & mapping, data visualization, or other related area is required.

Experience managing information in disaster response or complex emergencies is desirable.

Relevant experience within the UN system or an international organisation is desirable.

Experience in the region is desirable.

Languages

Fluency in English is required.

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.

The functional competencies required for this post are…

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 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.

For full details please click here TOR – Cluster Coordinators – Batch recruitment .pdf to access the full

Terms of Reference

HOW TO APPLY

Interested consultants should provide the following:

Cover letter:

Clearly indicating which technical consultancy assignment, the candidate is applying for (e.g. Health Cluster Coordination, Information Management specialist)

Describing the candidate’s relevant experience with similar type of assignments (max 300 words)

2. Updated Curriculum Vitae

 3. Two latest performance appraisals and/or recommendations letters from recent assignments including reference contact details (phone numbers and email addresses)

4. Include with your application:

Relevant samples from similar work (web links also can be provided)

A financial proposal including a breakdown of their all-inclusive fees (including professional fees, travel, living cost, visa and other cost).

Content of financial proposal

The applicant should fill in the Financial Offer Template (click here  Financial Proposal for Consultancy.xlsx)

and specify the consultancy fee per month requested for the accomplishment of the tasks described in the Terms of Reference in USD.

Other expenses directly related to the ToR assignments and deliverables such as: (printing, communications costs, local transportation etc.) may be included in the financial offer.

The final selection will be based on the principle of “best value for money” i.e. achieving desired outcome at lowest possible fee.

If not provided by the ToR, UNICEF will not reimburse costs not directly related to the assignment.

ASSESSMENT

The evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by a competency-based interview.

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.

Closing Date Thu Apr 30 2020 23:55:00 GMT+0200 (Paris, Madrid (heure d’été))