Full-time consultancy with up to 70% travel to countries (remaining 30% home-based): “Nutrition Cluster/ Sector Coordinator (Rapid Response Team)”

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

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:
The purpose of this consultancy is to support the Global Nutrition Cluster in effectively strengthening the capacity for country-level Cluster/Sectoral Coordination. The recruited candidate will be expected to travel up to 70% of the time to support cluster responsibilities for UNICEF. Each deployment will last up to 8 weeks. When not deployed the consultant will be working from home.
When deployed to countries, under the overall direction and guidance of the Representative, the Nutrition Cluster/ Sector Coordinator will provide leadership of the Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group. They will facilitate the processes that will ensure a well-coordinated, strategic, adequate, coherent, and effective response by participants in the Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group that is accountable to those who are affected by the emergency. In their effort to provide an efficient and effective response to the humanitarian crisis, the Nutrition Cluster/ Sector Coordinator is responsible for building relationships with stakeholders, for securing the overall coordination of sectoral responses and for ensuring inter-sectoral collaboration.

How can you make a difference?

Scope of Work:

While deployed to a country (up to 70%):

The consultant is responsible for providing predictable, timely and strategic leadership and representation for the Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group to ensure a timely and effective Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group response. The individual contractor is responsible for leading multiple stakeholders to work collectively towards the realization of a shared goal based on evidence in a complex humanitarian environment.  

The post holder’s main tasks and responsibilities will include but not be limited to:  

Coordination, representation and leadership 

• Ensure, establish and maintain a coordination mechanism that facilitates the effective achievement of the cluster functions (as outlined by the IASC Reference Module) and the requirements of the HPC (HNO, HRP and CCPM) and which builds on pre-existing coordination structures where appropriate and furthers the development of current or future national and subnational capacities, 
• Oversee the functioning of any sub-national or hub Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group where they exist, ensuring alignment of work and priorities, effective communication, reporting, engagement and coordination between the levels, 
• Guide the the Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group coordination team, 
• Ensure appropriate coordination and build partnerships with all relevant sector stakeholders including government counterparts and national authorities, local, national and international organizations, other AoRs/ Clusters/Sectors/ Working Groups, and affected populations, 
• Build complementarity of partner actions within the Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group, pro-actively negotiating with partners to avoid and resolve duplication and gaps, 
• Coordinate, collaborate and represent the Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group with stakeholders across all sectors, including through inter-cluster coordination fora, developing cross-sectoral relationships as appropriate. 

Needs assessment and analysis 

• Lead the planning and implementation of needs assessment and analysis, including representing the Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group in multi-sectoral needs assessments and joint analysis of need, at national and subnational levels, 
• Analyse needs assessment data and work collaboratively with the Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group partners to create analytical products, including an HNO based on evidence-based information. 

Strategic response planning 

• Lead and coordinate strategic planning, response prioritization and the development of the sectoral response plan that is based on the HNO and aligned with national priorities, policies and plans, 
• Ensure all programme delivery modalities (in-kind, cash, voucher and services) are given equal consideration in the strategic response planning and establish and implement systematic measures for supporting their consideration and use, 
• Provide technical expertise and advice to Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group partners to ensure activities are relevant, appropriate and in line with national priorities and communities’ needs, 
• Ensure that the Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group response plan is updated regularly according to evolving needs and that it establishes indicators by which performance of the cluster can be measured, 
• Engage with OCHA and other AoRs/ Clusters/ Sectors/ Working Groups to contribute to the development of the HRP, advocating for a response that reflects and addresses the concerns of the Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group. 

Resource mobilization and advocacy 

• Support and coordinate the mobilization of adequate resources to ensure the effective functioning of the Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group and its response and subsequent handing over and establishment of medium to long term capacities when the cluster approach is deactivated,  
• Monitor, analyse and communicate information about the Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group’s financial situation and resource mobilization and identify appropriate actions to address gaps or constraints, 
• Advocate for improved sectoral outcomes, by developing an advocacy strategy, networking with advocacy allies, influencing stakeholders’ decision-making. 

Implementation and monitoring 

• Monitor, evaluate and report on the coverage, equity, quality and progress of the response against the Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group strategy, priorities and agreed results, 
• Plan and support gap and coverage analysis to identify spatial and temporal gaps, overlaps and coverage of the Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group humanitarian response, 
• Monitor Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group adherence to IASC cluster approach principles, relevant humanitarian and sectoral agreements, standards, initiatives and guidelines and support partners to make improvements. 

Operational peer review and evaluation 

• Lead the annual cluster coordination performance monitoring (CCPM) exercise and annual review and contribute to other sectoral and humanitarian evaluations as appropriate. 

Accountability to affected populations 

• Be accountable to the affected population by establishing inclusive and consultative feedback mechanisms, creating meaningful opportunities for the involvement of the affected population in the response and encouraging partners to operate accountably, 
• Ensure the inclusion of cross cutting issues (age, child protection, disability, gender, gender-based violence (GBV) mitigation and response and HIV & AIDS) in Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group activities throughout the HPC, 
• Establish and implement systematic measures for supporting inclusive work practices and processes, 
• Adhere to child safeguarding and PSEA policies including procedures for challenging and reporting incidents and ensure other members of the coordination team comply. 
   

Strengthen national and local capacity 

• Encourage participation of local and national actors in Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group activities and strategic decision-making, removing barriers to access, 
• Lead the development of a capacity assessment and capacity strengthening strategy for Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group members and oversee implementation and harmonization of initiatives, 
• Lead early warning, contingency planning, and emergency preparedness efforts for the Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group, ensuring adequate cluster participation in inter-cluster early warning, contingency planning and emergency preparedness activities. 

 During non-deployment time (up tp 30%), the consultant will contribute to the Global Nutrition Cluster  operational support work which may include any/all of the following :

• Provide technical support to on-going responses and preparedness activities for National Nutrition Clusters/Sectors;
• Participation in training of Nutrition Cluster staff in countries;
• Contribute to a review, refinement and promotion of procedures, tools and approaches adopted by GNC Partners;
• Collaborating with the other RRT members within GNC and  other UNICEF-led Clusters to ensure a complementary and standardized approach and to share learning in order to enhance the effectiveness of the emergency deployments.
• Any other specific roles and tasks allocated by the GNC Operational Support Team Leader.

If situation allows, the consultant  is expected to spend an average of one week per quarter at the GNC in Geneva between deployments to enhance team building within the Cluster and to promote greater coherence of cluster approach. The individual contractor will have accumulating leave of 1.5 days per month.

Contract duration: 11,5 month from 1 January to 15 December 2022

Work Assignment Overview

Task/Milestone	Deliverables/Outputs	Timeline
Lead the cluster/sector coordination mechanism at country level during deployment	Up to 160 day in country support to country coordination mechanism	December 15, 2022
At least three deployments to countries with the tasks identified by the country office fulfilled	Improved or established sectorial coordination, as confirmed by deployment Performance Evaluation	December 15, 2022
Mentor less experienced and new NCCs	2 mentees	December 15, 2022
Support countries in the HNO/HRP process	10 countries supported	December 15, 2022
Remotely support country coordination mechanisms on sectoral coordination	90% of request for support responded within 48 hours	December 15, 2022

 

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: nutrition, public health, nutritional epidemiology, global/international health and nutrition, health/nutrition research, policy and/or management, health sciences, humanitarian assistance and development or another health-related science field

A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree

• A minimum of 8 years of professional experience in nutrition, public health, nutrition planning and management, or maternal, infant and child health/nutrition care is required with experience at international level preferred. Relevant experience in health/nutrition programme/project development and management in a UN system agency or organization is considered an asset.

• Direct, practical experience in the design, implementation and/ or coordination of nutrition interventions through community-based platforms, and effective intersectoral collaboration is strongly desired.

• A minimum of two years of experience of Nutrition Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group coordination is desirable.

• Prior experience in partnership development and management, including bilateral donors, foundations and civil society is strongly desired.

• Experience in effective management of human resources/teams in high stress/risk environments is desirable.

• Experience in humanitarian contexts is required with experience in development contexts an added advantage.

• Experience of demonstrating analytical and persuasive writing skills, editing skills, and the ability to convey complex information in a clear manner to a diverse audience is required.

• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of other French and/or Spanish is considered an asset.

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.

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:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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

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.