Consultancy (3 months): Participatory Review of the Planning Processes Related to Private Sector Engagement at UNICEF, Country Office Development and Support (CODAS), Division of Private Fundraising and Partnerships (PFP)

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

In a global context characterized by ever shrinking international development assistance, especially in countries passing the middle- and high-income threshold, UNICEF country offices have increasingly been relying on funding from the private sector to develop and sustain critical programmatic interventions for the most vulnerable children in their own countries. Moreover, business and other key private entities are increasingly becoming critical partners in addressing key child rights violations and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) more broadly.

Over the past decade, over twenty UNICEF country offices have established structured private sector fundraising (PSFR) operations as part of their country office model, allowing them to generate significant funding not only for their own country programme, but also for the rest of the organization.

Each UNICEF country office with structured PSFR operations is required to develop a Private Sector Plan (PSP) with clear fundraising projections and targets, similar to fundraising plans developed by UNICEF National Committees.

Since 2015, all country PSFR plans (for both country offices and National Committees) have been generated directly through PFP’s Impact platform. The latter is therefore serving as a one-stop-shop for planning, monitoring and reporting on private sector results across the organization.

While this centralized approach has allowed PFP to bring consistency into the planning, monitoring and reporting of PSFR across National Committees and country offices and produce global fundraising projections for the organization, country offices have been facing numerous challenges.

UNICEF is therefore looking at increasing synergies between planning processes related to private sector work and country programmes towards the gradual integration/streamlining of PSPs within regular planning, monitoring and reporting processes at country level. This will ultimately increase management efficiency, streamline processes and enhance synergies between fundraising operations, public advocacy and communications and programmes in UNICEF country offices.

How can you make a difference?

The purpose of the consultancy is two-fold. Firstly, it will take stock of private sector planning, monitoring and reporting processes in country offices, including in COs with structured PSFR operations and so-called frontier markets[1], to document promising practices and opportunities for improvement. Secondly, it will inform the way forward for integrating/streamlining private sector into broader country programme planning, monitoring and reporting processes and systems within UNICEF.

The primary focus of the review will be on private sector fundraising operations in UNICEF country offices, but will also include non-financial engagement with the private sector towards results for children (Business for Results and Child Rights and Business) in order to identify mutually reinforcing synergies between fundraising, communications/advocacy and programme work at country level.

[1] This refers to country offices that are currently building/developing their structured PSFR operation.

MAIN TASKS

In line with the purpose, the international consultant will be expected to:

1. Document how private sector work (income, marketing/brand, business for results) is being planned, monitored and reported in country offices with structured PSFR operations, as well as in frontier markets (COs already engaging with and raising funds from the private sector),  using institutional systems (VISION, Insight/RAM and the PFP Impact platform), and how information inputted from COs has been used by HQ and regional offices, to track results and develop regional/global strategies for income growth. This will be done through:
   1. Desk review of key documents related to the planning, monitoring and reporting of private sector work in country offices, including country private sector plans and other relevant country-level plans, UNICEF guidance and procedures, etc.
   2. Primary data collection from key stakeholders, including regional PFP and planning teams, country offices with structured PSFR operations and frontier markets, as well as UNICEF HQ Divisions (PFP, DAPM, DOC, PPD and PD). This will be done remotely via an online survey, key informant interviews and focus group discussions as relevant. The review will cover twenty-one countries where UNICEF country offices have structured PSFR operations, primarily in Latin America and East Asia and the Pacific, but also in Europe, the Middle East and East/South Africa, with up to six in-depth country analyses.[2] The review will also cover two to three frontier market country offices.
2. Identify promising practices and opportunities for further integration/streamlining of private sector planning, monitoring and reporting processes into broader country office planning processes to ensure fundraising, communications/advocacy and programme teams maximize the engagement of private sector to achieve CO priorities and results for children.
3. Provide recommendations for practical changes/adaptations of existing internal planning processes and procedures related to streamlining, simplifying and/or integrating private sector work into broader country office planning, monitoring and reporting processes and mechanisms, which  (i) align with the country programme cycle (CPD), (ii) benefit both country offices with structured PSFR operations and frontier markets, (iii) meet minimum PFP regional and HQ monitoring and reporting standards, and which (iv) ultimately help relieve extra burden on planning, monitoring and reporting from private sector teams in the field. Recommendations should ultimately also contribute to break siloed approaches between fundraising, communications/advocacy and programme teams at country level.

[2] Criteria for prioritization may include: 1) regional diversity; 2) size of private sector teams (big vs. small); and 3) country offices with an upcoming CPD

DELIVERABLES

Three documents are expected to be produced as part of the consultancy:

• Inception Report (5-10 pages). Content: the report will set out the scope, methods and tools to be used in the review.
• Review Report (15-20 pages). Content: the report should include inter alia an Executive Summary (2 pages max), an analysis of the current status quo, conclusions and recommendations for a more integrated planning approach at country level.
• Presentation (5-10 slides). Content: the presentation should focus on key findings, conclusions and recommendations.

Timeline:

The consultancy will last a total of 3 months (60 working days). Tentative start date: 23 November. The consultancy is divided in four phases:

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

• Advanced university degree in planning, monitoring and evaluation, management, business administration or other related fields is required. A first-level university degree, in combination with qualifying experience, may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree. 
• A minimum of five years of professional work experience in planning, monitoring and evaluation and/or private sector fundraising, preferably at country level.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Understanding of UN system and UNICEF’s mandate is desired.
• Fluency in English (spoken and written) and ability to synthesize and analyse complex information.
• Experience and demonstrable skills in report writing. 

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.

View our competency framework at

http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

Remarks: Please indicate your ability, availability and gross daily/monthly rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference above (including travel and daily subsistence allowance, if applicable).  Applications submitted without a daily/monthly rate will not be considered. Also, please mention the earliest date you can start. 

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. 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.

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.