UNICEF plays a fundamental role in promoting health and nutrition in the Amazon, with special attention to vulnerable communities impacted by drought emergencies and increased wildfires, which pose significant challenges to food and nutritional security and exacerbate health issues. In partnership with local governments, non-governmental organizations, community leaders, and the communities themselves, UNICEF supports the implementation of specific policies aimed at combating child malnutrition among Indigenous, riverside, and socially vulnerable populations. This work includes promoting healthy and adequate nutrition and ensuring timely care through the training of health professionals in community Nutritional Surveillance, addressing prevalent early childhood diseases, and combating waterborne and foodborne diseases.

The organization works to ensure equitable access to health services and healthy, adequate nutrition, strengthening local health systems and training professionals and community leaders to face the challenges posed by drought, increased wildfires, and resulting air pollution. The proposed consultancy will play a key role in providing technical support to UNICEF's emergency response to the drought that began in 2023 and continued in 2024. Over the past two years (2023 and 2024), all 62 municipalities in the state of Amazonas have faced an emergency situation due to drought, resulting in severe impacts on water availability and the food and nutritional security of communities.

The consultancy will cover the development and implementation of specific strategies to mitigate the impacts of drought and wildfires on the health and nutrition of riverside and Indigenous populations. This will include conducting detailed assessments of health and nutrition conditions, promoting healthy and adequate dietary practices, and implementing preventive measures against diseases related to water and food scarcity. Additionally, it will be essential to train local health professionals in nutritional surveillance to ensure continuous and effective monitoring of the nutritional conditions of affected populations.

The consultancy will be crucial to strengthening local response capacity, ensuring that affected communities receive the necessary support to face the challenges of drought in 2024 and 2025. This initiative will contribute to promoting climate resilience and the well-being of children and adolescents in the Amazon region. UNICEF will provide essential technical support to Special Indigenous Health Districts (DSEIs) and priority municipalities affected by drought, aiming to develop detailed health and nutrition assessments, as well as to create and implement climate-resilient food and nutrition security plans. These plans will be adapted to water scarcity conditions, taking into account their impacts on the food supply of local populations.

SCOPE OF WORK:

The purpose of this position is to provide technical support and specialized guidance for the implementation of emergency response strategies in the Amazon.

WORK ASSIGNMENTS OVERVIEW

1. ASSIGNMENT 1: Development of a Drought Impact Mitigation Plan for Child Health: Develop a detailed plan to mitigate the impacts of drought, tailored to the riverside and Indigenous communities of the Amazon, including resilience strategies, preventive actions, and response measures to minimize effects on health and nutrition, promoting sustainability and protecting local populations.
   1. Timeline: 2 months from the date of contract signing.
   2. Budget Estimate: 20.0%
   3. Deliverable: Technical support reports and materials used in the training sessions.
2. ASSIGNMENT 2: Support for the Training of Health Professionals: Provide technical support in planning, organizing and carrying out six face-to-face and six distance training sessions for health professionals, focusing on nutritional surveillance practices and emergency response in the context of climate change.
   1. Timeline: 4 months from the date of contract signing.
   2. Budget Estimate: 18.0%
   3. Deliverable: Technical support reports and materials used in the training sessions.
3. ASSIGNMENT 3: Validation of a Nutrition Guide: Conduct the review and validation of the Nutrition Guide for children under 2 years of age, ensuring that the guidelines are practical, effective, and adapted to the realities of riverside and Indigenous communities in the context of climate change.
   1. Timeline: 6 months from the date of contract signing.
   2. Budget Estimate: 17.0%
   3. Deliverable: Validated document with appropriate corrections and recommendations.
4. ASSIGNMENT 4: Health and Nutrition Surveillance Diagnosis for Children: Perform a comprehensive and detailed mapping of the health and nutrition status of children in priority communities, identifying critical points, gaps, and specific needs for targeted interventions.
   1. Timeline: 8 months from the date of contract signing.
   2. Budget Estimate: 15.0%
   3. Deliverable: Detailed analytical report containing the mapping results, relevant data, and strategic recommendations for future actions.
5. ASSIGNMENT 5: Validation of Care Pathways for Malnourished Children: Conduct the review and validation of care pathways for malnourished children, ensuring alignment with the specific needs of riverside and Indigenous communities, with a special focus on responding to drought impacts.
   1. Timeline: 10 months from the date of contract signing.
   2. Budget Estimate: 15.0% 
   3. Deliverable: Detailed report with the reviewed and validated care pathways, including recommendations for improvements and adaptations.
6. ASSIGNMENT 6: Final Consolidated Report: Develop a comprehensive final report that synthesizes all activities conducted during the consultancy, detailing the outcomes, lessons learned, and best practices identified. The document should include strategic recommendations for future actions to ensure continuity and enhance positive impacts.
   1. Timeline: 12 months from the date of contract signing.
   2. Budget Estimate: 15.0%
   3. Deliverable: Detailed and consolidated report, delivered in digital format.

LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY

Portuguese fluent.

TRAVEL PLAN

• There will be five 5-day trips to the south of the Amazon and the upper Solimões river, departing from Manaus. The travel plan may include 3-day boat trips to the municipalities in the interior of the Amazon, covering all associated costs, such as boat rental, hiring an operator, fuel, personal protective equipment, insurance and other related expenses. In addition, transportation to the territories and the Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA) will be taken into account.

Travel will be directly linked to the schedule of product deliveries, with all travel costs duly budgeted and   integrated into the activities of each delivery.

COMPETENCIES REQUIRED

• 1.       Proven experience in organizing, planning, and facilitating workshops and training sessions aimed at the capacity building of multidisciplinary teams.
• 2.       Ability to work in dynamic environments, maintaining a high standard of quality in deliverables and strictly meeting established deadlines.
• 3.       Capacity for critical analysis and formulation of evidence-based recommendations for improvements in health and nutrition programs.
• 4.       Solid experience in monitoring and evaluating health programs with a focus on measurable results and impact.
• 5.       Proven skill in preparing detailed technical reports and presentations for different audiences, including stakeholders and strategic partners.
• 6.       Comprehensive knowledge of national and international policies and guidelines related to child health, nutrition, and sustainable development.

Financial Proposal

• • A financial proposal including the fee for the assignment based on the deliverables and number of days must be submitted. Consultants are asked to stipulate all-inclusive fees, including lump sum, administrative cost, travel cost and subsistence costs, as applicable.

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

To view our competency framework, please visit  here. 

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

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.