International Consultant - Review of Field Presence (For Non - Bangladeshi Nationals only)
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Job no: 576110
Contract type: Consultant
Duty Station: Dhaka
Level: Consultancy
Location: Bangladesh
Categories: Operations
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, a champion.
UNICEF Bangladesh Country Office (BCO) signed a five-year Country Programme Document (CPD 2022-2026) to support the Government of Bangladesh in providing all children, adolescents, and women, with opportunities to fulfil their rights. The CPD is aligned with the Government's 8th Five Year Plan 2020-2025 with its focus on rapid recovery from COVID-19; inclusive growth that lowers poverty and improves economic and social equity; sustainable development resilient to disaster and climate change; successful management of urbanization; development of critical institutions; and reaching the Sustainable Development Goals. The country programme document is also aligned with the UNICEF Strategic Plan, 2022–2025 and interlinked plans to achieve the 2030 Agenda for the Sustainable Development Goals. The CPD priorities align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) outcomes and the Government of Bangladesh's national priorities in relevant sectoral policies.
In 2023-2024, UNICEF BCO completed a Fit-for-Purpose review that aimed at enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the BCO programmes and operations. The process resulted in programmatic and operational changes to the overall structure of UNICEF BCO. In this process, the need to align our field presence with the PBR outcome was recognized and recommended by the PBR to ensure that the field presence is efficient and effective in responding to the programmatic priorities.
How can you make a difference?
Objective
The Country Office plans to revisit and revise the current field presence in Bangladesh to create a more efficient and effective field presence structure that responds to development and humanitarian programming in a resource-constrained context. The revised field presence structure should support Bangladesh in achieving its development goals and ensure UNICEF is on the cutting edge of relevance with our programmatic intent, functions, and capacities. The review process will assess the programmatic and operational needs of field offices in line with the 2023-24 PBR results and aim at elaborating a realistic, efficient, effective, and sustainable structure that will ensure value for money. While determining the proposed field presence structure, innovative solutions need to be thought through in a participatory and consultative manner. The field presence review must assess whether the functions and skills relevant to UNICEF's mission in Bangladesh are adequately allocated and located.
In this regard, BCO seeks an experienced international consultant to facilitate the ' Field Presence Review' process. Under the Country Representative's overall oversight and the Deputy Representative Operations's direct supervision, and in coordination with the Deputy Representative Programme and the Chief of Field Services, the consultant will facilitate and provide guidance during the assignment and ensure a consultative and transparent process is maintained.
The following key questions will guide the review.
- Are the current field presence operational costs sustainable in the next 3-5 years?
- What are the critical costs for operations to sustain programming, and where can such costs be reduced?
- What are the innovative ideas for staff structure and staffing modalities (with implications on HR capacities, skills, and associated Job Descriptions) to support programme implementation at the field level? (Including the options suggested by TRT/PBR in Q1 2024).
Based on information gathered under points 1-3 above, propose a revised field presence structure. The proposed structure is expected to comply with the following parameters while meeting indicated considerations.
Parameters
- Value for money: Revised field presence to focus on a dd value for money, with a cost-effective, sustainable structure over 3-5 years, considering both staffing and establishment costs[1].
- The staffing structure and job responsibilities, potential staffing modalities including consultants, TAs, UNVs, etc., should be guided by optimal utilization of resources as proposed in the PBR 2023-2024 (e.g. double hatting, roving posts, surge support, review of the number of physical FO premises, one FO covering multiple locations etc. are to be considered)
- Identifying the critical operations costs for sustaining programming in the field is necessary, and the scope for reducing such costs must be explored.
- The process will be transparent and consultative with internal stakeholders—programme sections, operations, and field services, including the field staff, staff association, senior management, etc.
Considerations
- The field presence review aims to develop field-level support for programme staff for effective and efficient programme implementation through improved field coordination, and multi-sectoral support, contributing to evidence-based programme policy development and advocacy. The sectoral programmatic field presence was agreed upon and approved as part of the Fit for Purpose (F4P) review 2023-2024. Therefore, this review will not delve into sectoral programmatic field presence.
- While the review will consider different staffing modalities, staff roles that are most critical to sustaining the priority operations functions should be reviewed for their optimal deployment as per the actual need and, wherever possible, consideration for shared resources for multiple field offices/outposts like a "regional hub" should be considered.
- When looking into the consultant modality, the consultant’s role should be informed by chosen implementation modalities like CSO partnerships, DCTs to Govt, etc. to assess the extent to which consultancy modality is effective for achieving results.
- Emergency response is embedded within the respective programme RWPs. However, as part of this review, BCO’s Emergency programming approach needs to be further articulated to better inform the role of field presence structure in emergency programming with a link to recovery and resilience, strengthening the Development and Humanitarian nexus.
- Delve into a strengthened matrix management, with secondary reporting lines from field-based programme staff to the Country Office counterparts.
- The field presence structure of other UN agencies, particularly those with similar programming scale must be considered in the evaluation process. Additional aspects can be considered during the inception phase of this consultancy, should there be a need.
Indicative Process
- Activation of the Fit for Purpose Review working group, which includes both Deputy Reps; most Chief of sections; HR; the Staff Association, CFOs, and Chief FS, which will review and provide clearance on the approach/design of the exercise and the final review and clearance of the proposed field presence structure.
- Agreement on the overall design of the field presence review—At the Inception stage, the Consultant, in coordination with senior management, will review and agree on the overall objectives, scope, process, deliverables, and timeline. A list of relevant questions will also be drawn up specific to each relevant stakeholder group.
- Based on the review of 2022-24 operational costs of Field Offices, explore possibilities for reducing such costs.
- Consultations with relevant groups— Key stakeholders will provide inputs to potential field presence scenarios through a series of consultations/workshops and interviews facilitated by the Consultant.
- Consultations with other UN agencies—Reach out to other relevant UN agencies to understand the logic, structure, costs, and potential areas of collaboration as per their current and future field presence. Best practices and relevant examples from elsewhere could also be identified and used in development of the potential scenarios for field presence.
- Development of proposed field presence scenarios— Compile inputs from the various consultations/workshops/interviews, develop 2/3 scenarios of field presence, with costing elements and programmatic rationale, for consideration of the working group and senior management.
- Presentation of proposed field presence scenarios—The scenarios will be presented and discussed with all key internal stakeholders in a workshop facilitated by the Consultant.
- Finalisation of the most suitable field presence scenario— The scenarios, with pros and cons will be presented at the CMT for final recommendation to the Representative.
Key Tasks and Responsibilities
The specific tasks of this consultancy are:
Inception stage
- Finalise the overall objectives, scope, process and methodology, deliverables, timeline, and outcome of the field presence review including semi-structured questionnaires for different discussions/workshops, interviews, etc., in consultation with senior management and other key stakeholders.
Implementation stage
- Conduct consultation workshops with different internal stakeholders- Programme sections, Operations, field services including the field staff, Emergency team, and Sr management. to determine the field presence needs and possible cost-effective, innovative field presence options based on a semi-structured guiding questionnaire.
- Facilitate a workshop with the Field Services & Emergency team and Emergency focal point to articulate the UNICEF Emergency programming approach and role of field presence structure in emergencies.
- Review of operational cost of field presence over the last 3 years and develop potential recommendations for cost reduction.
- Conduct consultations with other UN agencies and large NGOs as possible.
- Develop 2/3 different costed field presence scenarios informed by the consultations during the workshops and meetings as per the key guiding questions and elaborate the strengths and weaknesses of each scenario.
Finalisation and reporting stage
- Facilitate a workshop for the final review of the different proposed scenarios (with the participation of internal stakeholders) to seek final inputs, feedback, suggestions, etc.
- Provide recommendations (based on the programmatic and operational considerations) to the Sr. management on two costed scenarios (with pros and cons) with a comprehensive report on the overall process.
Indicative methodology
Desk review of relevant documents and preparation of inception report - the consultant will analyse relevant literature and reports that will be shared with him/her and prepare the inception report.
- Conduct/facilitate consultative workshops and individual meetings with different stakeholders in groups or individually.
- Consolidate the inputs from workshops and interviews and develop at least 2 field presence scenarios.
- The final report, a key deliverable, will present at least two solid scenarios for BCO's revised field presence with a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis.
Proposed/Tentative Roadmap for the Review (assignment will take at least four months from the issuance of contract)
- Consultant onboarded (by 30 Oct 2024)
- Inception meetings and sharing of key reference documents with the consultant (Management, Field Services, Operations) (by 15 Nov)
- Consultant develops Inception report, shares, and incorporates the feedback (25 Nov)
- Consultant conducts workshops/meetings with Field Services, Programme sections, Emergency Team, Operations, Management, and other UN agencies with field presence) to discuss proposed scenarios. (Dec 2024- 15 Jan 2025)
- Based on the 2022-24 operational costs of Field presence, the consultant evaluates areas for additional savings (15-30 Jan 2025)
- Consultant develops and shares 2/3 costed scenarios for review and discussion, and elaborates a cost-benefit analysis for each (5-10 Feb 2025)
- Consultant conducts a workshop with relevant staff members across BCO to refine the scenarios. (15 Feb 2025)
- CMT, in consultation with Fit for Purpose WG, adopts the most efficient scenario as per the set parameters and recommends for approval by the Representative (28 Feb 2025)
Reporting requirements
- Submission of all reports as stated under deliverables with the prescribed quality requirements along with any necessary materials generated during the consultancy.
- The consultant is required to maintain all key documentation during the assignment.
- Regular progress meetings will be conducted with management, the Fit-for-Purpose WG, and other groups as required.
- The final report will be submitted at the end of the consultancy.
Please go through the following TOR for more details: 
Field Presence ToR_5 Oct 2024.pdf
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:
- Minimum five years of experience working at mid to -senior level with UNICEF/UN
- Experience in at least one of the following areas: Risk analysis and Change Management, Costing, Strategic Planning & Business Analytics, Policy & Procedure Development, Human Resources Management.
- Experience in facilitating consultative workshops is required.
- Ability to work in a multi-disciplinary team and to deliver on time as well as showing a high degree of flexibility as needed.
Language Requirements - Fluency in English is required.
For every Child, you demonstrate…
UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).
To view our competency framework, please visit here.
UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.
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.
Remarks:
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.
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.
Advertised: Bangladesh Standard Time
Deadline: Bangladesh Standard Time