Consultancy: Youth consultancy to support the global launch, roll out, and implementation of a best-practices toolkit for adolescent and young key populations, HIV&AIDS ,PG,NYHQ/Home Based, Req# 543887

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Consultancy Title: Youth consultancy to support the global launch, roll out, and implementation of a best-practices toolkit for adolescent and young key populations

Section/Division/Duty Station: HIV&AIDS /PG/ 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 youth consultant to support roll out and implementation of a programmatic and operational toolkit for HIV programming  in partnership with the networks of key populations, specifically young males who have sex with males, young sex workers, young persons who inject drugs, transgender individuals, and young people incarcerated in prison or in closed settings. The young consultant will ensure cultivate champions from the broader youth network to disseminate the evidence-based practices encapsulated in the toolkit, and will work with a broad array of multi-lateral, academic, civil society, and youth networks to ensure effective scale.

Terms of Reference / Deliverables

 In 2019, UNICEF, UNDP, UNFPA, UNAIDS, and dozens of youth networks embarked on a collaboration to develop a toolkit for adolescent and young key population. There are eight modules with case studies, guidelines, and tools for designing, implementing, and monitoring cutting-edge programming. Subsequently, the COVID-19 global pandemic disrupted routine public health programmes, which reprioritized ‘life-saving interventions’ only. While care and treatment for all people living with HIV were predominantly sustained around the world, prevention activities were curtailed. The Pandemic has deepened inequities that key populations are facing. Despite being heavily impacted by the crisis, young people have taken initiative to support their peers and communities – there is strong need to champion these new leaders and learn from their practice. The extensive innovation that ensued with COVID-19’s arrival on the scene, often led by young people, offers a rich base for reflection and learning.

In this regard, there is a need for a revitalized effort to place young key populations at the forefront of innovation in developing programming that is responsive to their needs.  In an increasingly more hostile environment and challenging settings caused by multiple crises, we need to gain further understanding how we can support young key populations, so no one is left behind. The selected consultant will:

• Finalize the toolkit, incorporating tools, case studies and best practices from COVID-19 adaptations
• Cultivate youth champions, to serve as critical agents to translate evidence-based practice to scale
• Support soft-launch and planning for major global launch, led by the engaged networks
• Coordinate technical assistance, including peer-to-peer assistance and key monitor analytics to track roll-out
• Cultivate partnerships for resource mobilization and scale

Qualifications

1) Education

• University degree in Public Health, International Studies, Epidemiology, Social Sciences, or a relevant field.
• Hands on digital communication tools and platforms, including the graphic design instruments

2) Work experience

• More than three years of relevant professional work experience in HIV/AIDS field and preferably with adolescent and youth programming experience
• Experience working with multilateral or international entities
• Demonstrated links to key populations networks
• Familiarity with the approach in the Global AIDS Strategy
• Knowledge of youth civil society and challenges and barriers for their engagement and experience on meaningful youth-led participation

3) Competencies

• Young person ages 18 – 30 from the adolescent and young key populations (AYKP) network
• Superior digital literacy, including understanding the UX design process is preferred.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision and oversight
• Fluent in English with outstanding facilitation and communication 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
• 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.