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UNICEF is a UN organization mandated by the UN General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children’s rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. In Lao PDR, UNICEF is working with its partners to support the Government to realize children’s rights on survival, development, protection and participation.

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, support

UNICEF in Vientiane, Lao PDR is looking for an International Consultant Nutrition Specific Interventions to provide technical support and guidance to the Ministry of Health for implementation of preventive and curative nutrition interventions. The duration of this assignment is 5.5 months starting as soon as possible and the consultant will be based at the UNICEF office in Vientiane, Lao PDR.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

• Technical guidance and support to the MOH and relevant department for the planning of nutrition intervention across contexts in alignment with RMNCAH / National Plan of Action on Nutrition (NPAN). Besides technical support the consultant will support for coordination meeting across department and potentially trainings to programme managers and planners to improve the understanding and appreciation of nutrition challenges, interventions and investments needed.
• To provide technical support to government counterparts in conducting consultations to review global guidelines on wasting treatment and adapt them to the Lao context.
• To support the continuous scaling up of the Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (IMAM) programme including data collection and reporting, supply chain management, monitoring and supportive supervision as well as development and revisions of training packages based on the global wasting guidance including of integration of e- learning course of wasting management.
• To provide technical support to leverage the expertise of breastfeeding specialists trained under the BFA cohorts to promote breastfeeding practices in health facilities and communities.
• Support in the development and roll out of technical guidance materials pertaining to multiple micronutrient supplementation programme to strengthen the capacity of Provincial/ District Health Officers and frontline workers.
• Support the implementation of the protocols developed for Nutrition in Emergency through the development of inter-agency contingency plans and the mechanism of actions for Nutrition Program should there be an emergency.
• Support in development of concept note and project proposals to explore opportunities for more funding for nutrition focuses interventions delivered through the health sector.
• Support in writing reports for donors, human interest stories, and other briefing notes as may be needed for the program.  This will also include supporting any donor visit to project sites.
• Support to strengthen networking and partnership building for nutrition interventions delivered through the health sector.
• Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building of government counterparts to adapt innovative approaches and good practices to scale up intervention for delivery of concrete and sustainable results for nutrition through heath sector.

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

Qualification and experience:

• Post- graduate degree in public health, nutrition, international development or other clearly related disciplines.
• At least 5 years of professional work experience in related areas.

Knowledge and skills:

• Proven knowledge and experience of working in health/nutrition programme/project development and management with government health system and a good understanding of preventive and curative nutrition interventions.  If within the UN system agency or organization is an asset, while experience with UNICEF is highly valued
• Excellent knowledge and understanding of training approaches, skills and expertise in leading trainings.
• Provision of nutrition technical assistance to Government based on global evidence and best practices.
• Proven ability to work with a range of stakeholders.
• Good analytical and report writing skills
• Excellent communication skills
• Fluency in English is required- both in oral and written communication.

Submission of applications:

Interested candidates are kindly requested to apply and upload the following documents:

• Letter of Interest (cover letter)
• CV or Resume
• Performance evaluation reports or references of similar consultancy assignments (if available)
• Financial proposal: All-inclusive lump-sum cost including medical insurance with medivac, travel and accommodation cost for this assignment as per work assignment

Assessment Criteria:

1. Technical Evaluation (minimum 50 and maximum 80 Points), 80 points   

Degree Education in: 10 points

 Post- graduate degree in public health, nutrition, international development or other clearly related disciplines,

Knowledge of: 20 points

• Development/utilization of information management systems
• DHIS2 and other relevant platforms databases for monitoring nutrition results
• Excellent communication skills
• Fluency in English is required- both in oral and written communication.

Experience in: 40 points

• At least 10 years professional work experience in related areas
• Experience in supporting countries develop and/or utilize information management systems
• Experience in working with DHIS2 and other databases/information management systems for monitoring nutrition results.
• Experience analysing nutrition data and writing reports

Quality of past work (e.g. understanding, methodology):  10 points

• Assessment of previous work including written and analytical skills
• Reference checks

B) Financial Proposal (maximum 20 and minimum 10 Points), 20 points

The maximum number of points shall be allotted to the lowest Financial Proposal that is opened /evaluated and compared among those technical qualified candidates who have attained a minimum 50 points score in the technical evaluation. Other Financial Proposals will receive points in inverse proportion to the lowest price.

The Contract shall be awarded to candidate obtaining the highest combined technical and financial scores, subject to the satisfactory result of the verification interview.

Please find attached the TOR here:   Terms of Reference - International Consultant Nutrition Specific Interventions, VA.pdf

Financial Template to be filled by the consultant:   Financial Proposal Template-updated Oct 2024.doc

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

View our competency framework at here

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

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.