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For every child, the right to knowledge
In Ghana, UNICEF cooperates with the Government and other partners to defend the rights of children and help them fulfill their potential. With offices in Accra and Tamale, the UNICEF team seeks to achieve results in strategic programme areas. The overall goal is for every child to survive and thrive, to live in a safe and clean environment, to learn, to be protected from violence and exploitation, and to have an equitable chance in life. The current Country Programme of cooperation is aligned with the Government priorities, the UN Sustainable Development Partnership (UNSDP) and Key Results for Children (KRCs) in the West and Central African Region (immunization, nutrition, learning outcomes, ending child marriage and ending open defecation). UNICEF main strategies include evidence-based advocacy, system strengthening, integrated programming across sectors, emergency preparedness and response, and innovation.
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Background:
Sanitation programming is evolving at the global level with an increased focus on Area-Wide Climate Resilient Safely Managed Sanitation (AWCRSMS) services delivered through private sector partnerships and Government facilitation and regulation. From a focus on sanitation subsidies for toilets in the first International Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade (1981- 1990), the WASH sector shifted to Social and Behaviour Change mainly using the Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) approach during the Millennium Development Goal era (2000 to 2015). The lessons from these, and the new requirements of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), have fed into a comprehensive programming outlook for sustainable sanitation which covers Market-Based Sanitation (MBS), Sanitation Financing as well as Social and Behaviour Change (SBC). The SDGs require programming to shift from a focus on toilets alone to cover provision for safely managed services across the chain from capture and containment to disposal and re-use. In addition, new evidence on the impacts of climate change on sanitation and vice versa, call for programming that deals with resilience of sanitation systems with measures for both climate adaptation and mitigation.
In Ghana, sanitation programming received a boost with the development of the Rural Sanitation Model and Implementation Strategy (RSMS) in 2011 and the Urban Sanitation Strategy later in 2021. Whilst these two strategies provided a broad framework for programming, the operational tools and guidelines for implementation were not available. Sanitation programmes implemented at Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assembly (MMDA) level utilised guidelines and tools provided by Development Partners through donor funded projects. The projects supported by partners such as UNICEF, World Bank, SNV, WaterAid, Global Communities, Catholic Relief Services, IRC and World Vision varied in terms of the activities implemented, with the rationale for activities being largely determined by provisions made in project proposals at the time of development. Whilst some projects focused on subsidies, others focused on social and behaviour change with significant variations in the framework for service delivery and results. There was also duplication of efforts as documented in the Review of the Rural Sanitation Model and Strategy with examples covering the development of partner specific guidelines for training artisans and natural leaders and Information, Education and Communication Materials whilst gaps existed in other thematic areas of sanitation programming.
As part of the National ODF and SMS Plan, a comprehensive national programme will be launched to which all projects must align. This will require MMDAs to plan, budget and implement activities in a structured manner with standard operational tools and templates in line with the sector systems strengthening agenda. The operational tools and guidelines will also strengthen monitoring and evaluation and ultimate delivery of
results. The standard sector operational tools are to be developed based on a compilation of operational tools used by various sector stakeholders and subjected to sector review and validation.
Tools currently available from work done by different stakeholders cover Social and Behaviour Change;
Sanitation Technology Support; Market Based Sanitation and Sanitation Financing components of sanitation programming. In compiling tools used by different stakeholders at the MMDA level, UNICEF will be galvanizing stakeholder interest and supporting the sector to consolidate best practice tools to support decentralised service delivery. This will enhance realistic planning and budgeting for the attainment of district wide open defecation free and safely managed sanitation status. It will also enhance MMDA capacity for programming, enable objective costing of interventions and provide adequate justification for fund raising for sustainable programming. Most importantly the bottom-up approach to be adopted will build local ownership for the use of the tools.
Where gaps exist, in the tools available in country, as compared to requirements from the global programming outlook on CRSMS, the need for new operational tools will be identified and a plan prepared for development. Ultimately the tools will be packaged into a toolkit for Programme Activity Planning, Budgeting and Implementation Management (PAPBIM) with an accompanying handbook for districts to use. The handbook for decentralised service delivery will cover all the interventions required for comprehensive sustained coverage of services in the continuum of communities (rural, small towns, peri urban and urban) found in district assemblies in Ghana.
This assignment to develop the PAPBIM Toolkit is one of two interrelated consultancies to improve sanitation programming at district level with the other focusing on the development of monitoring tools for Climate Resilient Safely Managed Sanitation. Both consultants will receive support from an expert statistician to be recruited on a long-term basis to provide targeted support that will ensure that data produced from the use of the tools is statistically accurate and relevant for the sector’s needs.
As this assignment seeks to establish and integrate standard operational tools for sanitation programme activity planning, budgeting and implementation management in Ghana, the consultant will be expected to work with different stakeholders engaged in related interventions both within and outside the country. The assignment will include working with a multi-stakeholder team constituted to provide input into the toolkit and accompanying guidelines and who will subsequently monitor its use and participate in subsequent reviews based on feedback from implementation.
Scope of Work:
Phase I- Development and testing of tools for Planning and Budgeting
1. Develop a Standard Activity Planning and Budgeting (SAPB) tool for MMDAs) to use for sanitation interventions. The consultant is expected to compile information on all activities implemented by districts with their associated guidelines. Consultations are expected to be held with stakeholders who have supported MMDA interventions to ensure that relevant activities from their programmes are captured. Once compiled, all activities are expected to be categorized in thematic areas and coded for easy reference and tracking. Where gaps are identified, the consultant is expected to engage with sector stakeholders to outline activities and prepare a plan for development of guidelines. The SAPB tool is expected to be a comprehensive resource that enables all sector stakeholders particularly MMDAs to plan and execute the required set of activities for sustainable sanitation service delivery. The tool is expected to be automated with accompanying guidelines that make the use of the tool intuitive for all MMDAs. The final tool and accompanying guidelines should be in formats that make it easy for versioning with provision for updates by stakeholders.
2. Develop and test a micro planning tool for area-wide programming to support MMDAs in the planning and execution of sanitation interventions captured in the SABP on an area-wide basis to deliver total electoral area, zonal/area councilor district wide coverage for all settings and contexts. Activities include the development of the tool and testing in each of the three types of districts in the country. The testing phase will include training of MMDA staff and other stakeholders, collation of relevant information and technical support for the generation of micro-plans with accompanying budgets informed by the SAPB developed in task 1. The consultant is expected to utilize learning from the use of micro-plans for sanitation in Kenya and in other sectors in Ghana. Once tested the consultant is expected to revise the micro-planning tool and subject it to sector validation.
Phase II - Incorporation of Tools into RBF Frameworks and Software Applications
3. Review and update the Results Based Financing (RBF) framework for sanitation service delivery, developed to ensure value for money in MMDA interventions, aligning it with the standard activity planning and budgeting and micro-planning tools; and incorporate expenditure tracking mechanisms to facilitate assessment of cost effectiveness
4. Work in collaboration with ICT Systems Analysts engaged in the upgrade of the Basic Sanitation Information System to develop software applications that link the SAPB, Microplanning tool as well as the RBF framework into a comprehensive PAPBIM toolkit integrated into the sanitation information system.
Requirements for Application
In applying for this assignment, interested persons are to provide a detailed methodology and workplan clearly depicting the duration over which each task is expected to be completed. The applicant is also required to present a price quotation which clearly states the expected man-days for each task, his/her daily professional fee, DSA and kilometric transportation rates for road transport.
Kindly click on the link to access the template for the financial proposal: 
Financial Proposal- PIPBIM Consultancy.docx
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Minimum requirements:
Desirable:
- Knowledge of sanitation programming at MMDA level
For every Child, you demonstrate...
UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values
The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…
(1) Builds and maintains partnerships
(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
(3) Drive to achieve results for impact
(4) Innovates and embraces change
(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity
(6) Thinks and acts strategically
(7) Works collaboratively with others
Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.
UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.
UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.
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.
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Remarks:
As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.
UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable candidates are encouraged to apply.
Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.
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Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.
All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.
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