Strategic Planning Consultant

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, We Thrive

 

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

 Support the development of UNICEF South Sudan Country Office (SSCO’s) 2023-2025 Country Programme Document (CPD) development, including the facilitation of key CPD related events i.e. Strategic Moment of Reflections and consultation exercises. 

Background:

The new country programme will be developed on the basis of updated 2018-2025 National Development Strategy (NDS), UNICEF Strategic Plan and the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF). The duration of the new country programme is aligned with the UNCT decision to have the UNSDCF running from January 2023 to 31 December 2025. The CP development process is aligned with the overall UNSCDF roadmap and ensures learnings from the evaluation report of the current UN Cooperation Framework (UNCF) 2019-2021 led by the Resident Coordination Office is incorporated. The new CP should also take into reference the initial report to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) Committee and its recommendations.

UNICEF South Sudan Country Office (SSCO) aims to submit the draft CPD 2023-2025 to the UNICEF Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office in April 2022 in order to make a submission to the September 2022 UNICEF Executive Board, as per the CPD roadmap (Annex).

As part of the CPD development process, between August 2021 and May 2022, SSCO will undertake a number of internal and external reflection exercises and develop strategic planning documents, such as Programme Strategy Notes.

UNICEF SSCO is, therefore, seeking support from a Strategic Planning Consultant to support the CPD 2023-2025 development process

 

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

 Conceptualize and Facilitate Internal/External Reflection and Consultation Exercises through process micro-planning and setting of parameters, requirements

• Finalize the CPD roadmap, alongside the UNSDCF roadmap; this should consider various stakeholder consultations with government, UN, CSO
• Prepare Micro-plan schedule/calendar based on UNSDCF and CPD roadmaps
• Prepare consultations plan and concept notes for SMR, PSN and CPD development and stakeholder engagement processes in consultation with appropriate focal points in UNICEF CO (e.g. CMT, PMT) and UN Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO) and relevant stakeholders
• Identify all planning requirements to ensure quality assurance through the process (i.e. pre-identification of specs, templates, etc. for CPD, strategy notes, consultations agendas, etc.)
• Participate (remotely) and co-facilitate, (if relevant) with UNICEF ESARO, in the SSCO Results Based Management (RBM) workshop in mid-September; and relevant gender programmatic reviews to feed into the SMR

 Quality assurance and finalization of Programme Strategy Notes which also articulates subnational perspectives and priorities

• Support the CO define and fine-tune broad contours of the Country Programme components, based the Situation Analysis that was completed in July 2021
• Participate (remotely) and co-facilitate, (if relevant) with UNICEF ESARO, in the SSCO Results Based Management (RBM) workshop in mid-September; and relevant gender programmatic reviews to feed into the SMR.
• Support Sections and Field Offices in the development (including consultation processes) of Programme Strategy Notes, ensuring that all Notes are in line with global guidelines and best practices, reflecting a common vision and priorities,  built on evidence, such as Situation Analysis, Thematic Briefs, lessons learned from the various Evaluations (e.g. UNCF evaluation, Global, Regional and CO-led evaluations during the current CPD period; a Country Programme (CP) evaluation is TBC.  
• Support Sections in the finalization of programme Theory of Change (ToC) diagrams/narratives, results frameworks (post-SMR), ensuring that products including results framework adhere to UNICEF requirements and reflect the overall CPD vision and priorities

Support to drafting of CPD:  Drafting and finalization of all documents related to CPD submission, incl. editing, quality assurance, formatting, etc.

• Lead the drafting of the CPD including results framework, budget elements, and costed evaluation plan based on global procedures and guidance and quality standards as outlined by HQ/RO guidance and past quality reviews and using desk review materials (e.g. UNICEF, UN) as well as products from the SMR and ToC sessions for PSNs.
• Assure quality of CPD (including editing, formatting) by use of a CPD quality checklist modelled after the global guidance/and CPD best practice reviews.
• Draft relevant accompanying documents such as What is at Stake.
• Participate in the CPD Taskforce/Steering Committee as appropriate (e.g. contribute to agenda, prepare updates on the progress against the CPD roadmap as appropriate)  
• Provide weekly updates to the CMT on the CPD process against milestones and key actions with recommendations to accelerate actions, take corrective actions and highlight key priorities for the coming one-month period.
• Provide (monthly) written updates on the CPD preparation process for all staff (e.g. newsletter with frequency discussed with Dep Rep Programme/Chief, SPPME) and present during the all staff meeting or key CPD related forums

 

Scope of Work:

 Under the supervision of the Deputy Representative and in close consultation with the Chief of SPPM&E and Planning Manager, SPPME the consultant will support the CPD development process, ensuring that the overall process is efficient and light, participatory and consultative and deeply grounded in evidence and ‘reality’ yet forward looking, strategic, ambitious and in line with UNICEF’s commitment to making a difference for the most vulnerable and left behind. In addition, the Consultant should ensure that the process builds on best practices and follows organizational guidelines and timelines. The consultant will work closely and receive support from SSCO’s CPD Taskforce (with representation of programmes, operations and Field Office), led by the Dep Rep/SPPM&E Chief. Given the closely correlated nature of planning for the next CPD and reviewing lessons from the current cycle, the consultant will also be expected to support different review and lessons learning exercises (e.g. strategic moment of reflection, etc.) and draft various analytical pieces to  contribute to  the formulation of the next CPD.  

Note: Estimated 95 days non-consecutive days during a 11-month period. During the contract period at least 4-5 weeks to be onsite in Juba to facilitate the SMR workshop and PSN development process through stakeholder engagements.

Qualified and interested candidates should submit a brief proposal with the proposed approach (clearly specifying availability for onsite engagement at least for 4-5 weeks in South Sudan) as well as a financial proposal that includes daily fees, living cost in Juba and international flight costs. Any potential in-country travel costs will be covered by UNICEF. 

Work Assignment Overview (Deliverables/Outputs)

Conceptualize and Facilitate Internal/External Reflection and Consultation Exercises through process micro-planning and setting of parameters, requirements

• Micro-plan schedule/calendar based on UNSDCF and CPD roadmaps
• Consultations plan and concept notes for SMR, PSN and CPD development and stakeholder engagement processes
• Identification of all planning requirements to ensure quality assurance through the process (i.e. pre-identification of specs, templates, etc. for CPD, strategy notes, consultations agendas, etc.)

Preparation and Facilitation of strategic moment of reflection (SMR) for next CPD

• SMR agenda, PowerPoint slides, onsite facilitation
• Key discussions and action points minuted and captured in a SMR report (15 pages) (TBC end Sept-October)

Quality assurance and finalization of Programme Strategy Notes which also articulates subnational perspectives and priorities

• First draft of Strategy Notes with field office/subnational perspectives including ToCs, budgets (for all sectors) following UNICEF’s PSN guidance.
• First draft of M&E/Results framework for next CPD
• Quality assurance of 2nd draft Strategy Notes (for all sectors)

Drafting and finalization of all documents (primary and secondary) related to CPD submission, incl. editing, quality assurance, formatting, etc

• First draft CPD including results framework, budget elements following closely the CPD procedure/guidance
• Second draft CPD documents
• Final draft CPD documents (CPD, what’s at stake document) 

Support tracking and reflecting of RO/HQ and Board member comments into the final draft CPD

• Matrix of comments and responses to RO/HQ in March to May and Executive Board comments in consultation with CO stakeholders expected by July
• Refinements of CPD and related documents to address comments

Minimum Qualifications required:

• Experience in leading strategic planning processes, including leading UNICEF CPD development processes
• Familiarity with UNSDCF/UNICEF Planning tools, UNICEF Strategic Plan, approaches and guidelines
• Excellent communication, facilitation and writing skills
• Previous experience in similar assignments with UNICEF, ideally within the Eastern and Southern African Region and/or in an emergency context.

Language Requirements-English

 

Duration: 11 months starting from 01 Sept 2021 – 31 July 2022

ALL applications must be submitted with detailed financial and technical proposal

 

Travel Clause 

• All UNICEF rules and regulations related to travel of Consultants/ Individual Contractors apply.
• All travels shall be undertaken only upon the prior written approval by UNICEF.
• The eligible maximum amount for travel is specified in the contract.
• The consultant is responsible for his/her travel arrangements. The most economic and direct route is authorized.
• Travel costs will be reimbursed after the completion of mission. UNICEF will pay the applicable DSA rate and other travel related expenses upon submission of the invoice together with the supporting documentation.

Nature of Penalty Clause in Contract

If the final reports and documents are not submitted according to the deliverables stated in this TOR, the payments will be withheld. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if work/outputs is incomplete, not delivered or for failure to meet deadlines (fees reduced due to late submission: 20 days – 10%; 1 month – 20%; 2 months -30%; more 2 months – payment withheld). All materials developed will remain the copyright of UNICEF and UNICEF will be free to adapt and modify them in the future.

Costs indicated are estimated. Final rate shall follow the “best value for money” principle, i.e., achieving the desired outcome at the lowest possible fee. Consultants will be asked to stipulate all-inclusive fees, including lump sum travel and subsistence costs, as applicable.

Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed 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

 

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 UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

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.

Remarks:

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.