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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. 

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Consultancy Title: Social Protection in Fragile and Humanitarian Contexts Consultant

Section/Division/Duty Station: Child Poverty and Social Protection Section, Programme Division, NYHQ

Duration: August 30, 2024 to February 28, 2025

Home/ Office Based: NYHQ - REMOTE 

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

Purpose of Activity/ Assignment:

In 2024, the global landscape is increasingly defined by frequent & severe conflicts, forced migration, displacement, rising natural disasters & climate shocks, often leading to prolonged & overlapping crises. Social protection is a recognised strategy for poverty reduction, as articulated in the Sustainable Development Goals with a proven role in supporting children and families. Post COVID-19, there is a greater recognition of social protection as an important measure to support populations affected by crises resulting from pandemics, economic downturn, climate action and other natural disasters, along with its relevance in contexts impacted by conflict and forced displacement.

Shock responsive social protection is a game changer strategy in UNICEF’s Strategic Plan 2022-25 to achieve Goal Area 5. The programme guidance on strengthening shock responsive social protection systems is central to this strategy. However, it was drafted in the pre-COVID era which does not factor in UNICEF’s accumulation of practice in a range of fragile & humanitarian contexts.

In light of the evolving  global landscape &availability of new lessons, evidence & experience from diverse contexts, UNICEF intends to update it’s Programme Guidance on Strengthening Shock-responsive Social Protection systems. To this end, UNICEF is inviting expressions of interest from individual consultants to:

         Conduct a light touch review of the existing guidance to identify gaps &assess its relevance in the current context, and

         Drawing on the experience from countries &emerging evidence on the subject, update the guidance document.

The updated guidance is expected to align with the global goals &commitments with a specific focus on building, maintaining &strengthening social protection systems in three broad contexts &their combinations ie i) conflict, fragility &violence, ii) migration &displacement &iii) climate change.  The updated document should serve as a practical resource for social protection practitioners in UNICEF &beyond, to respond more robustly to current &future crises.

Scope of Work:

1.   A review of the existing guidance by analysing existing material &speaking with key informants within &outside UNICEF.

2.   Co-lead a Learning Workshop on SP in fragile &humanitarian contexts: A learning workshop for UNICEF staff directly working on SP in fragile &humanitarian contexts is planned for October 2024 to support knowledge exchange, consolidate learning, contribute to the revision of the programme guidance &identifying actionable steps to advance the SPiHFC portfolio. As this workshop will play a central role in revising the programme guidance, the consultant is expected to participate in it as a co-lead. Some of the specific tasks for the workshop include, working with the extended SRSP team at the HQ to:

a.  Finalise the agenda &develop relevant materials for specific sessions at the workshop

b.  Facilitating specific sessions of the workshop with relevant focal points

c.  Capturing valuable insights &information from the workshop in the form of a light report

d.  Leverage the opportunity to seek suggestions from participants on the scope &the specific adjustments/revisions of the programme guidance

3.   Updating the Programme Guidance on Social Protection in Fragile &Humanitarian Contexts  with the following components:

• Introduction

Introduction outlining the concept of social protection in fragile &humanitarian contexts in relation to child poverty, the need for such an approach, &the recent developments in the field.

Rationale for UNICEF’s engagement in social protection within these contexts, including a focus on child rights &outcomes for children in fragile &humanitarian contexts.

• Conceptual Framework:

Results framework aligned with global goals &commitments, including the SDGs, UNICEF's Strategic Framework, &other relevant UNICEF policies such as the Social Protection Framework, CCCs, guidance on humanitarian cash transfers etc.

Commentary on common terminologies on the issue, &guidance on their use.

• Evidence &lessons learned from UNICEF &partners’ practice in countries
• Guidance for system building, maintaining &strengthening social protection system

Specific actions, resources &key tips for all components of the social protection system

Incorporation of gender &disability lens as well as mainstreaming of public finance as cross cutting topics into the guidance.  

Working with other stakeholders.

• Case Studies &Practical Examples: Inclusion of updated case studies demonstrating learnings from implementation of social protection in fragile &humanitarian contexts. Links to additional internal &external documents, tools, &resources to support practitioners.
• Annexes: Comprehensive annexes with relevant case studies, templates, checklists, &links to other critical documents &tools.

4.   Develop a slide deck on the updated guidance &support the Social Policy Specialist in presenting it to UNICEF staff in a webinar for consultation before finalising the guidance.

Terms of Reference / Key Deliverables: 

1. Inception plan including agreement on the outline of the guidance, submitted.           

• Final inception plan  - 30th September 2024

2. Learning workshop under co-facilitation of consultant, completed. Workshop report, submitted.      

• Workshop report - 30th October 2024

3. First draft of the guidance submitted     

• 1st Draft guidance - 30th November, 2024

4. Second draft of the guidance & initial slide deck submitted

Consultation with ROs &COs through 1-2  webinars conducted befpre finalisation          

• 2nd Draft guidance, 1st draft of slide deck &brief notes on the online consultation - 30th January 2025

5. Final guidance note &slide deck submitted       

• Final guidance note &slide deck       - 28th February 2025

Travel International (if applicable):

Travel to &from Learning Workshop in October, 2024, in Florence, Italy (lumpsum)

DSA (if applicable)    DSA for participation in Learning Workshop in Florence, Italy. (3 days workshop + 1 day travel)

Qualifications

Education:

• An advanced university degree (Master’s degree) in Development economics, public policy, disaster management or closely related field.
• Fluency in English, & another UN language preferred

Work experience:

(2) Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

•     Demonstrated knowledge &understanding of social protection system building, maintaining &strengthening in fragile &humanitarian contexts, 

•     Proven experience in generating &consolidating knowledge on social protection in fragile &humanitarian contexts.

•     Demonstrated experience of developing  organisational programme/policy guidance or similar knowledge products on social protection in fragile &humanitarian contexts.

•     A minimum of 10 years’  experience in evidence generation, provision of technical assistance, knowledge management on social protection, in fragile &humanitarian contexts . 

•     Exceptional analytical &communication skills.

•     Proven ability to work under tight deadlines &drive for results

•     Strong written &communication skills

Requirements: 

Completed profile in UNICEF's e-Recruitment system and

• Upload copy of academic credentials
• Financial proposal that will include/ reflect :
  • the costs per each deliverable and the total lump-sum for the whole assignment (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 at: Here

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

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. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy 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. Consultants 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. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.