AAP/Communication and Community Engagement consultant

Level:  Consultant (L3 level) 

Supervisor:  Deputy Rep. in HND – (reporting line).

Deputy Reps. in SAL and NIC Country Offices (matrix management)

LACRO C4D – (matrix management)

Duration:  6 months, extendible to 1 year

Post Location:  Tegucigalpa, HND; with frequent travels within the Central America sub-region. 

 

Summary: The AAP/CCE Specialist is responsible for providing technical and operational support in the management, coordination and implementation of Accountability to Affected Populations / Communication and Community Engagement (AAP/CCE) interventions ensuring views and priorities of affected people are incorporated into all stages of Country Offices programme cycle and effectively informs humanitarian response plans work plan in Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala and El Salvador. In addition, the specialist advocates for the integration of AAP/CCE approaches within humanitarian operations and facilitates the development of joint planning, fundraising and common advocacy. The specialist also provides supports to UNICEF country offices in Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala and El Salvador on AAP/CCE in support to Eta & Iota response, Migration, COVID-19, and any other emerging crises.

Reports to:  Line Management – Deputy Representatives (or Programme Coordinator), as determined by UNICEF Representative in each country office. 

Matrix Management – LACRO’s Emergency Manager / C4D Specialist. 

Engages with: AAP/CCE partners (e.g. National Officer C4D, AAP/CCE), clusters/sectors, ICCG, HCT, donors, and national, regional and global stakeholders, including    government and non-governmental partners. Collaborating closely with the protection cluster/sector, PSEA coordinator, gender and inclusion focal points.

 

Responsibilities 

Summary of key functions/accountabilities: 

1. Advisory and technical support for the design and implementation of strategies and action plans to scale up AAP/CCE interventions and processes.

2. Lead advocacy, networking and capacity building efforts.

3. Coordinate with relevant stakeholders

4. Facilitate evidence generation, innovation and knowledge management

Advisory and technical support for the design and implementation of strategies and action plans to scale up AAP/CCE interventions and processes.

➔ Facilitate the development of Country Offices strategies and plans of action for scaling up AAP/CCE that has clear deliverables, indicators and timeframes to enable timely marked improvement in AAP/CE performance, with a focus on:

• community-based monitoring of feedback mechanisms to ensure that they accurately reflect community preferences and the changing context.

• analysis of trends in community feedback and propose programme recommendations to resolve issues. 

➔ Support the integration of AAP in country offices annual work plans and processes ensuring each programme (and operation) section have specific AAP outputs, activity and budgets for effective implementation 

➔ Ensure coherence of AAP and PSEA agendas and country and regional levels 

➔ Convene a cross-sector group to share AAP/CE experiences, develop and use common tools and approaches, and agree internal referral pathways for community feedback and resolution protocols. 

➔ Facilitate development and use of harmonized tools and standards for staff and third-party monitoring and reporting of AAP/CE activities in accordance with agreed work plans ensuring corrective actions are taken as required 

➔ Conduct a desk review of AAP/CCE documentation relating to the response

➔ Disseminate tools, guidance and promote practice that ensures integration of AAP/CCE standards and principles in the humanitarian programme cycle. 

➔ Identify additional resources (human, financial, technical, etc.) needed to implement the AAP/CE plan and explore options to mobilise these 

Lead advocacy, networking and capacity building efforts.

➔ Conduct capacity building needs assessments in AAP across the designated COs.

➔ Design and implement a capacity building strategy, including materials, to build the knowledge of, and commitment to AAP/CE approaches for UNICEF and partner staff

➔ Lead/supervise the design, facilitation and coordination of AAP/CCE training for the 4 countries´ UNICEF colleagues (and their partners if required). 

Coordinate with relevant stakeholders

➔ Collaborate with partners to update, harmonize, and coordinate activities, tools and processes designed to enhance AAP/CCE in humanitarian response 

➔ Engagement and networking with stakeholder and strategic partners, including NGOs, local authorities, community and religious leaders and others to promote AAP

➔ Represent UNICEF at inter-agency Working Groups, clusters and other relevant fora in formulating and articulating AAP/CE plans and outcomes and in disseminating key results and lessons learnt

➔ Serve as the primary focal point for LAC-Regional Office on AAP/CE related issues in selected countries 

➔ Liaise with Emergency / C4D colleagues in LAC-Regional Office to ensure coherence and consistence in operationalizing UNICEF AAP strategy in the region.

Facilitate evidence generation, innovation and knowledge management

➔ Support COs (remotely or in the ground) in conducting needs assessment to understand community information needs, communications preferences, community dynamics, social norms, beliefs and other anthropological factors that could impact programmes.

➔ Support COs in ensuring systematic collection and analysis of key community feedback data through integration of core AAP questions in cluster assessments, surveys and other data collection tools and activities and their inclusion in IMEP.

➔ Support the analysis and dissemination of regular community perception surveys of UNICEF and quality of UNICEF programmes in the context of a humanitarian response

➔ Facilitate the implementation and documentation of innovative practices, approaches and latest technology on multiple media and social/digital platforms and networks that are appropriate/available for the humanitarian context and audience (e.g. U-Report).

➔ Institutionalize/share best practices and knowledge through the LAC compendium of AAP practices with partners and stakeholders for capacity building and dissemination.

Potential deliverables (to be contextualised and prioritized):

➔ A minimum of 4 Country Offices strategies and plans of action for scaling up AAP/CCE, with clear deliverables, indicators and timeframes.

➔ Experience sharing document, with (at least) n. 6 common tools and/or approaches developed and used for community feedback and resolution protocols. 

➔ A minimum of 5 harmonized tools and standards for staff and third-party monitoring and reporting of AAP/CE activities developed.

➔ Desk review of AAP/CCE documentation relating to the current AAP/CCE practice and response

➔ Stakeholder analysis for AAP/CCE partnerships and collaboration, including capacity building needs assessments in AAP developed across the designated COs.

➔ A capacity building strategy designed and implemented with UNICEF and partner staff.

➔ A minimum of 4 needs assessments realized to understand community information needs and communications dynamics.

➔ Systematization of key community feedback data and analysis.

➔ Documentation of innovative practices, approaches and latest technology on multiple media and social/digital platforms and networks implemented.

➔ Inputs for the LAC compendium of AAP practices with global/regional/national/local partners and stakeholders to build capacity of partners.

 

Recruitment qualifications 

Education:

➔ Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent degree) in political science, social science, international studies or a related field is required. A first-level university degree in political science, social science, international studies or a related field in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. 

Experience

➔ Five years of relevant experience in the humanitarian sector, with significant experience working on AAP/CCE 

➔ Coordination of multi-stakeholder working groups to achieve common goals in humanitarian settings, in particular in developing and implementing community engagement strategies.

➔ Building consensus and strengthening partnerships. Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team in a challenging and highly fluid environment, flexibility and the ability to handle constant change.

➔ To live and work in challenging physical conditions.

➔ Facilitating participatory approaches is highly desirable. 

➔ A good understanding of information management (including data flows, protection and analysis) is desired, as well as qualitative and quantitative data collection methods. 

Language:

➔ Fluency in oral and written Spanish is required.  

➔ Fluency in English or working knowledge of English is desirable and considered an asset.

UNICEF Core values: 

➔ Care

➔ Respect

➔ Integrity

➔ Trust

➔ Accountability

UNICEF Core Competencies 

Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (1)

Works collaboratively with others (1)

Builds and Maintains Partnerships (1)

Innovates and Embraces Change (1)

Thinks and Acts Strategically (1)

Drive to Achieve Impactful Results (1)

Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)