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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. 

And we never give up. 

For every child, hope, health and love.

Solarizing healthcare centers offers a transformative approach to reaching children to receive primary healthcare, especially zero-dose children those who have not received any routine vaccinations or other primary health services.

Healthcare centers can ensure a reliable and sustainable power supply by harnessing solar energy, even in remote and underserved areas. Electricity is an important enabler and dramatically improves the quality, accessibility and reliability of healthcare services for children. There are positive correlations between electricity access and health outcomes. Healthcare centers with access to solar energy also support children and young people to receive primary healthcare and immunization services; enabling service continuity even during emergencies of lighting, heating, ventilation, clean water supply, sanitation, and hygiene services, especially in areas that are not connected to reliable electricity grids. In emergencies such as COVID- 19, electricity in healthcare centers is especially critical to treat patients, operate lifesaving medical devices, and to meet 24/7 cooling needs of the vaccine cold chain and other medicines.

Electricity access is crucial for quality healthcare but often overlooked. Solar energy offers a sustainable, low-carbon solution that benefits children and strengthens climate resilience. However, challenges remain due to limited data on energy demand, costs, delivery models, and long-term sustainability, particularly regarding operations and maintenance (O&M).

UNICEF's is committed to scaling up sustainable energy integration into program priority areas (e.g. Health, WASH, and Education sectors) to accomplish positive social and climate benefits for children. UNICEF will support the solar demand assessment of at least 800 primary health care centers in the region and elaborate an investment case to support children in remote and hard to reach areas to mprove access to primary healthcare services.  

How can you make a difference? 

The consultant will be leading technically UNICEF LACRO (Latin America and the Caribbean Regional Office ) efforts to conduct solarization assessments of over 800 facilities in 9 countries. The consultancy focuses on conducting solarization assessments in nine LAC countries, mapping stakeholders, and supporting country offices with technical guidance, training, and assessment tools. It involves consolidating and analyzing field data, contributing to country-specific solar energy reports, and developing a regional investment case. Additionally, the consultant will prepare an Operations and Maintenance (O&M) strategy to ensure the long-term sustainability of solar power systems in healthcare facilities.  

The incumbent will be under the supervision of UNICEF Senior Immunization Advisor and will work in close coordination with the PG Health, health and climate change teams and UNICEF country offices to undertake energy demand assessments and pertinent analysis. The consultant will support the immunization team in delivering on existing and any potential partnerships in a market-shaping exercise for the most appropriate and cost-effective energy service delivery models for healthcare and other types of centers. 

Key Activities/Tasks

-Develop a work plan to conduct the solarization assessments in at least 9 countries of the LAC (Latin America and the Caribbean) region.

-Stakeholders mapping in the countries that support or plan to support similar initiatives in the healthcare sector.

-Coordinate and support the solar energy demand assessments process, including adaptation of assessment templates for country context and /or scope, and provide technical support, training, and guidance to country office and implementing partners.

-Train the country providers, including consultants, governments and NGOs conducting the assessment to implement the tool (remotely and/or face to face training as required).

-Track, consolidate, process data, analyze, review, and file field solar energy demand assessment data of health centers (field data collected, drawings and budgets).

-Contribute to elaborate and review Solar Energy Demand Assessment for Healthcare centers reports.

-Elaborate a Regional Investment Case for Solarization for Healthcare including impact expected and targeted population.

-Prepare Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Strategy for each of the implementation countries, identifying the stakeholders, including government agencies, that can support long term operation of solar power systems.

NOTE: this consultancy could include a mission to one country to conduct in-person training if it is requested by a country.  

Deliverables / Output

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

• Advanced university degree in relevant areas such as engineering, renewable energy, climate change finance/economics, environmental sciences/management/economics.  
• A minimum of 7 years professional experience in renewable energy and finance (preferably in off grid energy access, solar sector) at global and/or regional levels required;
• Working experience in energy demand assessments and developing tools, data analysis, socioeconomic analysis, identifying innovative business models to leverage public and private sector engagement is preferred;
• Experience in off grid renewable energy access in UNICEF core priority sectors including Health, Education, WASH, Social Policy is an asset.
• Experience in coordination and planning of solarization assessments
• Experience in installation of solar energy for public service infrastructure, knowledge of solar equipment specifications and maintenance cycles.
• Experience in preparing investment cases and budgeting
• Working Languages Fluent in Spanish and English Knowledge and / or fluency in Portuguese and/or French will be considered and asset
• Ability to coordinate, convene stakeholders and report in a timely manner;
• Excellent organizational skill, service-mind, punctual, self-motivated, proactive, reliable and demonstrated ability to work in harmony with Government, private sector and staff members of different national backgrounds;
• Respect for the principles of UNICEF.
• Excellent report writing skills; and strong communication skills including and presentation skills; and, Proven capability to meet deadlines and work under pressure.
• Requirements: Completed profile in UNICEF's e-Recruitment system and Upload copy of academic credentials Financial proposal that will include: your daily/monthly rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference o travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR. o Any other estimated costs: visa, health insurance, and living costs as applicable. o Indicate your availability Any 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

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 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.

Administrative details

Workplace: The consultancy is home-based.

Duration: Estimated start date is July 02, 2025, until October 31, 2025

How to Apply: Application should be submitted online and should include: TMS application from duly completed, Cover Letter, Study certificates and financial proposal (Daily fee or deliverable fee).

Qualified candidates are requested to indicate an all-inclusive (lump sum) fees for the services to be including all associated administrative and travel costs. 

Consultants must have their own equipment, tools and materials needed to perform their services. They will use their own laptops/computers, any application or system needed to complete the assignment. They need to provide the full service without using UNICEF resources. The access to UNICEF email and system is restricted to UNICEF staff therefore consultants should not be granted access unless it is imperative to complete the assignment.

Travel

This consultancy could include a mission to one country to conduct in-person training if it is requested by a country.

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.