Consultancy: Consultant to support UNICEF’s strategy on comprehensive, rights-based programming for adolescent and young key populations, HIV&AIDS, PG, NYHQ/Home based/Req. #544033

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Consultancy Title: Consultant to support UNICEF’s strategy on comprehensive, rights-based programming for adolescent and young key populations 

 Section/Division/Duty Station: HIV&AIDS /PD/ NYHQ

This is a home-based/remote consultancy. As such, the successful applicant can operate from his/her/their home country.

Duration: 4 months (September to December 2021)

 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

UNICEF is seeking an experienced consultant to support its strategy for advancing a synchronized prevention, care, and treatment response to the crisis of HIV and other vulnerabilities among adolescent and youth key populations globally, aligned to the new Global AIDS Strategy 2021 – 2025. The consultant will support UNICEF New York Headquarters with clarifying a vision and pathway for achieving a reversal in the epidemic trajectories in key geographic units and regions, drawing upon a rights-based approach.

 

Terms of Reference / Deliverables

 Scope of Work:

In line with the UNICEF Strategic Plan (2022-2025) and the new Global AIDS Strategy (2021 – 2025), the prevention to care continuum will be a central element of programming in the comprehensive service package of HIV and syphilis programmes for adolescents and young key populations 15 – 24. Under the new global AIDS Strategy, there is a clear opportunity to advance people-centered, trusted-access programme models to ensure the scale up of innovative approaches for HIV prevention services, including oral and/or long-acting formulations of PrEP, self-testing, digital programming, and differentiated service delivery, among others. These must be delivered with a distinct sensitivity to the unique, intersectional vulnerabilities and needs of younger populations in all contexts, but particularly in closed and hostile environments for young key populations, requiring a strategic approach that strikes the keen balance between being bold and being sensitive.  A further consideration relates to the unfolding saga of the global SARS-CoV2 epidemic underway. The global pandemic continues to disrupt routine public health programmes in each new wave, with national HIV programmesIV prHI reprioritizing ‘life-saving interventions’ only. While HIV care and treatment are sustained, prevention activities have been curtailed. The natural and extensive innovation that has ensued with COVID’s arrival on the scene, often led by young people, offers a rich base for reflection and learning. The selected consultant will:

1. Provide the strategic guidance for the roadmap development team in line with UNICEF SP and Global AIDS Strategy
2. Oversight for a Structured Review of existing programmatic, policy, partnerships, and system strengthening actions within priority countries that address the needs of adolescent and young key population
3. Coordinate technical assistance for customized result framework for aYKP
4. Support write-up the roadmap and edit all components, for clarity, readability and consistency of message, keeping in mind the reports’ audiences, and writing style. Editing may require suggesting rewriting and deletions, noting ambiguities and substantive errors, abridging and restructuring text for greater readability, better logical sequence, and elimination of repetitions.

 The expected deliverables with timeline are as follows.

1. Develop inception report and provide technical assistance for framing the roadmap and strategic guidance for content by 15 Sep 2021
2. Finalize the customized results framework and learning agenda for adolescent and young key pops (15 – 24) by 30 Sep 2021
3. Close coordination across UN agencies and youth networks for finalization of roadmap by 31^st Oct 2021
4. Internal series of seminars on the roadmap
5. Final report documenting outcomes and next steps by 15^th Dec 2021

Qualifications 

1.            Education:

Minimum of a master’s degree in public health, international affairs, Epidemiology, social science, political science, medicine/health, law, international development, or related

2.            Work Experience:

• At least eight years of relevant experience working in the areas of global health, HIV and /or adolescent programming.
• Comprehensive technical knowledge and skills for adolescent HIV programming, with focus on key populations is essential; understanding of and experience in digital programming is highly desirable
• Extensive publications history in evaluations and/or research on key populations programming

3.            Language Proficiency

• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English

• Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) will be an asset

4.         Competencies

• Proven ability to manage complex and high-visibility partnerships
• Strong ability to work in multisectoral and/or inter-agency context, and excellent coordination skills are essential.
• High level of initiative and ability to navigate conflicting views, and strong prioritization to complete tasks and deliverables in a timely manner is essential
• Strong interpersonal and presentation skills.

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
  • travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR.
  • Any other estimated costs: visa, health insurance, and living costs as applicable.
  • Indicate your availability (as early as possible)
• 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.

U.S. Visa information:

With the exception of the US Citizens, G4 Visa and Green Card holders, should the selected candidate and his/her household members reside in the United States under a different visa, the consultant and his/her household members are required to change their visa status to G4, and the consultant’s household members (spouse) will require an Employment Authorization Card (EAD) to be able to work, even if he/she was authorized to work under the visa held prior to switching to G4.  

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 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.