Consultancy: Consultant, Facilitating team reflection on diversity and inclusion in the workplace - Child Protection, PD, NYHQ/Home based - Req # 535027

In a series of subsequent discussions in Child Protection HQ, the section reviewed and reiterated its commitment to ensuring a work environment that is free of harassment and abuse, encourages mutual respect and collegial attitude, and appreciates diversity and respect of cross-cultural differences.

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.

Consultancy Title: Facilitating team reflection on diversity and inclusion in the workplace (Home based)

Section/Division/Duty Station: Child protection, Programme Division, NYHQ

Duration: Less than 3 months

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

Following a Child Protection (CP) HQ Section Retreat held in December 2017, a commitment was made to foster staff well-being and development, including identifying ways to work together more effectively. This was followed by a mini retreat in January 2019. These efforts drew on recommendations from the 2018  local Staff Survey calling for improved work/life balance, transparency on how management decisions are made, and preventing burnout.

The pertinence of these discussions in the CP HQ section was further underscored by the Independent Task Force report on Workplace Gender- Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, Harassment and Abuse of Authority released in May 2019 which found that “…despite good intentions, UNICEF is not living [the organization’s core values of care, respect, integrity, trust and accountability] when it comes to this most important resource”, i.e. its staff.

In a series of subsequent discussions in CP HQ, dubbed “Elephants in the Room”, the section reviewed and reiterated its commitment to ensuring a work environment that is free of harassment and abuse, encourages mutual respect and collegial attitude, and appreciates diversity and respect of cross-cultural differences. Staff felt that there had been uneven progress in the areas identified in the discussions. As such, the majority of staff agreed that a section “charter” (or “Golden Rules”) should be developed which could define collective ground rules for how staff work in the section work together.

The follow up “Charter / Golden Rules” discussion had been scheduled for early March but was put on hold with the advent of COVID-19 pandemic, which instituted ‘Work from Home’ arrangements precluding face-to-face discussions and ushered in a period of intense programmatic response to the pandemic. Early on, it was thought these discussions could be revisited when the pandemic subsided and staff returned to work. However, external events superseded this thinking. The killing of George Lloyd by police officers in the U.S. in May 2020 sparked massive protests domestically and globally, calling for an end to racial injustice and inequality of opportunities. With #BlackLivesMatter becoming one of, if not the largest activist movement in U.S. history, questions about racism and racial discrimination and injustice generated discussions worldwide, including at UNICEF in and out of the workplace.

Responding to this moment and the movement, a dedicated section meeting was held in early June titled “Let's talk about Race from a Black Lives Matter perspective” facilitated by an external consultant. CP HQ Staff were invited to a dialogue around racial and ethnic identity and manifestations of racism, racial discrimination and injustice in different settings. A key outcome of the meeting was the call for additional opportunities to further reflect on these issues as well as gender and diversity in the workplace.

Terms of Reference / Deliverables

In close collaboration and working with the Child Protection Senior Adviser, the incumbent will be responsible for:

1.         Preparing and facilitating a series of discussion/s related to intersectionality  and broadening the lens of inclusion in CP HQ to support reflection on gender, racial discrimination, diversity and power, and intersectionality more broadly, including how multiple dimensions of a person’s identity such as ethnicity and race*, gender, class, sexuality, and disability shape people’s experiences in the workplace.

a.         Developing a plan to hold facilitated discussions with CP HQ. This plan should clearly propose the methodology (how, who and why). The plan should include clear strategies to enable people who may be unwilling to share/participate publicly can still have their say and should also provide a confidential way of requesting and providing feedback.

b.         The facilitated discussion/s will involve the identification of ineffective/discriminatory dynamics that may exists or be perceived to exist among section colleagues in a confidential, tactful and respectful manner with the objective of translating those into concrete and actionable “golden rules”. 

2.         Preparing a final report documenting the facilitated discussion/s which should include results of the discussion, including issues that can be incorporated into the “golden rules”, and any agreed next steps and person(s) responsible. The report should be in English and no longer than longer 10 pages in total.

Due to the current limitations imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the assignment will be home-based with no travel. It is expected that the Consultant will design and conduct the facilitated discussion(s) using Zoom or similar meeting/conference software. It is expected that the consultant will have superior knowledge/expertise in respect of Zoom or selected meeting/conference software and be able to handle all online aspects of the event.

Qualifications

(1) Education

•           Master’s degree in Sociology, Psychology, Education, Business or a relevant field. 

(2) Work experience

•           A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience leading diversity programs, conducting diversity training with a preference for experience in multi-cultural/international organizational environments;

•           Demonstrated ability to work effectively with a culturally diverse workforce and experience leading organizational change management;

•           Strong organizational, information seeking, leading, analytical, decision making, project planning skills.

•           Superior communication skills, accommodating and competent cross culturally as to facilitate participation of individuals from diverse backgrounds;

•           Extensive experience organizing and delivering successful training sessions and making engaging presentations;

•           Understanding of and commitment to the principles and purposes of the United Nations, and appreciation of UNICEFs core values of care, respect, integrity, trust, accountability.

•           Fluent in English, with fluency in one of the other six UN languages highly desirable.

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          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.

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, race, sexual orientation, nationality, culture, appearance, socio-economic status, ability, age, religious and ethnic backgrounds 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.