Consultancy: Consultant, Development of Technical note on Area-wide Approach to Sanitation Programme - WASH, PD, NYHQ - Req # 534456

The purpose of this consultancy is to document learnings from UNICEF and its partners on area-wide approaches to sanitation programming and based on this develop a technical note to be used along with other strategic documents to guide the sanitation related discussions with country offices, regional offices and HQs during the 2022-2025 Strategic Plan development processes.

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Consultancy Title: Development of Technical note on Area-wide Approach to Sanitation Programme consultant

Section/Division/Duty Station: PD/WASH/NYHQ (Remote)

Duration: 42 days

About UNICEF

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. UNICEF has over 12,000 staff in more than 145 countries.

BACKGROUND

Under the UNICEF Strategic Plan 2018-2021, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) is an integral part of Goal 4 ensuring that “every child lives in a safe and clean environment” with focus and efforts on contributing to the SDGs through increase sustainable access to safe drinking water, ending open defecation, improving access to adequate sanitation and promoting hand washing and good hygienic practices, including in schools and healthcare facilities and with particular attention to girls and to children with disabilities. As part of the mid-term review of the Strategic Plan and with success recorded in ending open defecation, there is a shift to approaches that will accelerate provision of safely managed sanitation services as part of the overall efforts of achieving SDG 6.2 outcomes leveraging on UNICEF’s experiences in both rural and urban areas.

Area-wide approach to sanitation programme has been identified as one of the approaches UNICEF can adopt to accelerate the achievement of SDG 6.2 within the concept of leaving no one behind in a geographical area (district/local government area/province etc.) with the aim of ensuring that everyone is using affordable, sustainable and inclusive safely managed sanitation services irrespective of where they live. The approach is to also to promote an urban-rural continuum of sanitation services and economies of scale to increase the financial viability and sustainability of sanitation delivery along the whole value chain.

The purpose of this consultancy is to document learnings from UNICEF and its partners on area-wide approaches to sanitation programming and based on this develop a technical note to be used along with other strategic documents  to guide the sanitation related discussions with country offices, regional offices and HQs during the 2022-2025 Strategic Plan development processes.

Terms of Reference / Deliverables

Under the supervision of the WASH specialist, the consultant will:

•           Conduct desk review of all relevant documents on UNICEF WASH programme strategy, approaches, guidelines, reports and case studies with focus on those related to sanitation and hygiene. The desk review should also include relevant documents on area-wide approaches to sanitation programming from UNICEF partners and other organizations.

•           Hold online consultations and meetings with all relevant UNICEF WASH staff at global, regional and country levels for better understanding of programme priority areas, approaches and strategies being adopted for WASH delivery in rural and urban settings.

•           Draft the outline of the technical note on area-wide approach to sanitation programme and share with UNICEF for review and comments.

•           Conduct mapping of countries implementing area-wide approach to sanitation programme for documentation of case studies, focusing on the multi-country grants and priority countries (such as End Open Defecation game plan countries, based on UNICEF’s framework for urban WASH typologies, etc.). 

•           Produce the first draft of the technical note on area-wide approach to sanitation programme and share with UNICEF for review and comments.

•           Prepare three country case studies on UNICEF’s experience on area-wide approach to sanitation programme.

•           Based on the inputs received from UNICEF and other partners, produce the final draft of the technical note on area-wide approach to sanitation programme

•           Present the technical note and case studies in a webinar to be organized by UNICEF for awareness creation on the approach and to solicit for final comments for finalization of the note

•           Based on the inputs from the webinar, finalize and submit the technical note on area-wide approach to sanitation programme to UNICEF.

Qualification

•           Advanced university degree in one of the disciplines relevant to the following areas: Public Health, Behavioral and other Social sciences; Engineering, or another field relevant to WASH. A first-level university degree with at least ten years of relevant professional experience could be accepted in lieu of an advanced degree

•           A minimum of 8 years of professional experience in WASH-related programmes covering both rural and urban areas. 

•           A good working knowledge of recent developments and approaches on WASH programme in both rural and urban settings.

•           Proven skills in analysis, synthesis and ability to communicate complex issues clearly and succinctly both orally and in writing.

•           Strong communication skills (written and oral) in English are required.

•           Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated experience working in a multicultural environment.

•           Passion and demonstrated commitment to UNICEF’s mission and core values

•           Background/familiarity with UNICEF’s WASH programme will be an asset.

Requirements:

-           Completed profile in UNICEF's e-Recruitment system and provide Personal History Form (P11) Upload copy of academic credentials

-           Financial proposal that will include:

-           your daily/monthly rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference (can be downloaded here: https://www.unicef.org/about/employ/index_consultancy_assignments.html 

o          travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR.

o          Any other estimated costs: visa, health insurance, and living costs as applicable.

o          Indicate your availability

-           Any emergent / unforeseen duty travel and related expenses will be covered by UNICEF.

-           At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.

-           Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

U.S. Visa information:

With the exception of the US Citizens, G4 Visa and Green Card holders, should the selected candidate and his/her household members reside in the United States under a different visa, the consultant and his/her household members are required to change their visa status to G4, and the consultant’s household members (spouse) will require an Employment Authorization Card (EAD) to be able to work, even if he/she was authorized to work under the visa held prior to switching to G4. 

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

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results. View our competency framework at: Here

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.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, race, sexual orientation, nationality, culture, appearance, socio-economic status, ability, age, religious and ethnic backgrounds to apply to become a part of the organization.