Consultant Full-time Job

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, Care…

Malawi was hit by Tropical Cyclone Freddy on 12 March 2023 with heavy rains and strong winds causing damage to infrastructure such as roads in over 10 districts in southern Malawi. The devastating impact of the floods affected hundreds of thousands of children and pregnant and lactating women. A total of 2,267,458 people have been affected, of which approximately 340,267 are children under-five, 181,098 pregnant and lactating women (PLW) and 2,385 chronically ill people have been affected. A total of 99,552 under-five children and about 52,742 PLW have been displaced from their homes and are living in camps, estimated based on the total displaced population of 659,278.

Tropical Cyclone Freddy (TCF) will accelerate undernutrition through several pathways, including disruption of household food security, child feeding practices, environmental health and access to health services. The floods hit when the country grapples with the worst cholera outbreak, affecting all 29 districts, over 55,000 people with more than 1600 deaths. In addition, the Integrated Phase Classification (IPC) analysis estimated 3.8 million people to be in Phase 3 (crisis) and are currently receiving humanitarian support between November 2022 and April 2023. Acute malnutrition trends among children are steadily rising, with admission trends for severe acute malnutrition in 2022 showing a 10% increase compared to 2021; the number is expected to rise even further owing to the increased vulnerability, with over 62,000 children under-five years projected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition in 2023.

How can you make a difference?

The key objective of the Nutrition Emergency consultancy is to strengthen UNICEF’s capacity to ensure an effective response, coordination, communication, and consultation with partners to meet the needs of children and women affected by emergencies. With the support of  UNICEF’s Nutrition Specialist responsible for Community-Based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) and emergencies, the Emergency Nutrition Consultant will ensure that UNICEF support is effectively provided to the Government and other implementing partners based on the Core Commitment for Children. The specific tasks will include, but are not limited to:

• Emergency preparedness and response strategies are mainstreamed in the country office’s workplans.
• Facilitate timely nutrition analysis and input to the situation analysis and its periodic update made for effective programme planning, development and management.
• UNICEF’s response plan is effectively executed in coordination with all other sectors (WASH, child protection, health, education).
• In collaboration with the supply and logistics officer, nutrition officers and field monitors, ensure effective management and distribution of nutrition supplies to flood-affected districts, ensuring a steady supply pipeline.
• Timely delivery of assistance and supplies is provided, urgent staffing requirements are identified, and the appropriate use of UNICEF resources is monitored for effective project delivery.
• Technical advice on emergencies and programme management related to implementing an emergency response plan is effectively provided which should include but not limited to early identification and treatment of acute malnutrition, maternal infant and young child nutrition (MIYCN), nutrition assessment using the SMART survey methodology, micronutrient supplementation programming such as Vitamin A Supplementation (VAS), deworming, Iron Folic Acid (IFA), Micronutrient Powder (MNPs)
• Timely nutrition contribution to contribute to the nutrition component of the weekly update.
• Ensure a consistent and coordinated flow of information relating to the humanitarian situation.
• Needs assessment is effectively conducted to determine priorities and an appropriate intervention by UNICEF based on the local emergency situation affecting children and women.
• Emergency appeals and project proposals are prepared, and concerted efforts are put forward to mobilize resources.
• Management is kept informed of humanitarian developments in relevant policies, situation developments, potential threats and opportunities/issues in the country.
• Plan, carry out, report and follow up action points for programmatic visits/field monitoring visits to Civile Society Organization CSO partners.
• Analyze monthly and quarterly reports from CSO partners and track achievement against approved Programme Document (PD) targets; ensuring that key bottlenecks are identified, discussed and resolved.
• Assess CSO partner’s capacity on programme monitoring and supervision and support capacity building CSO partners on programme monitoring and supervision.
• Support CSO partners to build the capacity of community health workers to provide maternal, MIYCN for groups and individual counselling, including cooking demonstrations.
• Participate in nutrition coordination meetings (such as national and district cluster meetings, monthly programme review meetings).
• Document any good practices developed as part of the implementation of nutrition projects including human interest stories (with accompanying photographs).
• Support in follow up of non-reporting partners for submission monthly reports in the nutrition information system (NIS).
• Emergency preparedness is effectively arranged together with establishment of country contingency plans and early warning mechanisms.

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

Academic qualification:

• Post graduate degree in human nutrition, public health, food science, agriculture.

Required work experience:

• At least five years of professional experience in nutrition, nutrition in emergency and/or public health nutrition.
• Experience in nutrition in emergency programming including but not limited to: screening of children for acute malnutrition, referral and treatment of acute malnutrition, MIYCN, micronutrient supplementation, and nutrition assessments
• More than 5 years work experience, experience in health systems strengthening and working with government of Malawi will be an added advantage.
• Experience and knowledge of micronutrient supplementation programmes including Vitamin A Supplementation (VAS), deworming, Iron and Folic Acid (IFA) Supplementation, Multiple micronutrients (MNPs) supplements.

Knowledge, technical skills and competencies:

• Knowledge and programming experience in nutrition information management/systems in a humanitarian context.
• Ability to work effectively under stress and in emergency settings.
• Ability to work effectively in a diverse and multi-cultural team to achieve goals.
• Ability to develop new and nurture existing internal and external networks, partnerships and relationships which deliver results.
• Ability to communicate confidently and persuasively, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to analyze information, solve problems and make decisions in various contexts
• Strategic thinking.
• The highest levels of personal integrity and commitment to adhering to required standards of conduct.

Language Proficiency

• Excellent written and spoken skills in English is required.

Please refer to the attached full Terms of Reference   Terms of Reference_Emergency Nutrition Consultant.pdf  for more details on the consultancy and requirements.

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.

HOW TO APPLY…

Interested Individual Consultant should provide the following:

1. Curriculum Vitae
2. Academic certificates
3. Brief technical proposal (no longer than five pages) demonstrating the Individual Consultant’s understanding of the assignment and approach/methodology to the assignment
4. Financial proposal including a breakdown of their all-inclusive fees (including professional fees, stationery, communication,  and other miscellaneous costs). Financial Proposal for Consultancy.xlsx Complete the attached form.
5. References details of  of at least 3 previous supervisors.

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.