Senior Programmes Consultant (Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar)

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you. For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you.

For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.

Purpose of the Assignment

UNICEF Gulf Area Office (GAO) supports Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar to advance the rights of children under the framework of an Area Programme that outlines expected results to be jointly achieved by 2017.

Currently, UNICEF GAO carries out minimal programme activities in Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain and does not have a dedicated presence in these countries. In preparation for the next Area Programme (2019-2023), UNICEF GAO is seeking to re-engage with authorities in these countries to assess the most pressing issues affecting the well-being of children and to determine opportunities for joint work with UNICEF to address these issues.  To support this effort, UNICEF GAO is seeking a senior programming specialist to work with the office in a short-term capacity and to Support a more informed Area Programme (2019-2023) with a dedicated review of opportunities in a number of countries in the Gulf sub-region.

Assignment Tasks

• Engage with relevant staff within UNICEF GAO to determine needs – both in terms of current levels of engagement by UNICEF in the identified countries and to determine what gaps remain.
• Develop working relationships with the appropriate authorities and institutions in each of the identified countries. 
• Facilitate opportunities for UNICEF GAO staff as well as the proposed consultant to pursue discussions on emerging issues including through planned country consultations to inform the next area programme;
• Begin to design and outline the possible areas for joint work with each of the identified countries, giving early indication of key issues and expected ‘theories of change’ that may be considered for the area programme.
• Provide timely and on-going feedback and input to the development of the next area programme.

Expected Deliverables

The consultant will be expected to provide a monthly narrative report outlining the level of effort carried out to engage with counterparts in each country. The report will outline the relevant contact information, the emerging opportunities and entry points for UNICEF and will annex all meetings held. In addition, the consultant will prepare meeting documents and reports as related specifically to country consultations held in preparation for the new Area Programme.

Education

Master’s degree in Social Sciences

Years of relevant experience

Over 15 years’ experience in relevant fields (social sciences), experiences and demonstrated knowledge of the Gulf region and/or Middle East if at all, experience working with the UN in different capacities would be an asset

Qualifications of Successful Candidate

• Fluent in English (written and spoken) and preferably Arabic
• Demonstrated experience in initiating and sustaining networks in support of development programmes. Demonstrated
• Experience in designing programmes responsive to a country context to be delivered at scale.

To view our competency framework, please click here. 

Please indicate your ability, availability and daily/monthly rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference above (including travel and daily subsistence allowance, if applicable).  Applications submitted without a daily/monthly rate will not be considered.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organization.