Current vacancies

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, Good nutrition! 

How can you make a difference? 

The Consultant will support the Government of Ghana in planning, costing and conducting a national nutrition survey to inform policy and track progress on nutrition indicators.

Work Assignments:

1.  Inception and Planning:  Conduct an inception meeting with key stakeholders (e.g., Ghana Health Service, Ghana Statistical Services, UNICEF, and development partners); Review relevant documents, including past nutrition surveys (e.g., GDHS, MICS), protocols, and global guidance on micronutrient surveys; Compile and validate an inception report with a detailed work plan.

2.  Design of the National Nutrition Survey: Support the Government in designing the survey methodology, including sample design, data collection tools, and indicator selection in line with international standards.

3.  Development of a Micronutrient Survey Module:  Define the list of micronutrients and biomarkers to be included (e.g., iron, vitamin A, zinc, folate, B12, inflammation markers like CRP/AGP); Draft SOPs for sample collection, transportation, storage, and analysis; Ensure ethical considerations, including informed consent for blood collection.

4.  Review of National Capacity for Biomarker Analysis:  Review the in-country infrastructure, equipment, staffing, QA/QC systems (e.g. the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Vitamin A Laboratory – External Quality Assessment (VITAL-EQA) and Ensuring the Quality of Urinary Iodine Procedures (EQUIP) program), and accreditation status;  Identify gaps and propose options for in-country versus external laboratory analysis for nutrition and related biomarkers;  Provide short-term and long-term recommendations on strengthening lab systems for nutrition and related biomarker testing in Ghana.

5.  Survey Costing and Scenario Planning:  Develop a detailed budget for the full national nutrition survey, aligned with the survey design; Prepare a standalone costing for the micronutrient assessment component; Present multiple costing scenarios (e.g., using local vs. external labs, point-of-care vs. centralized testing, different biomarker packages); Highlight cost implications, risks, and feasibility of each scenario.

6.  Stakeholder Consultation and Validation:  Facilitate a technical consultation with key stakeholders to present the proposed design, lab capacity findings, and costing scenarios; Incorporate feedback into final deliverables.

7.  Survey Implementation Support:   Develop training materials and manuals; Develop monitoring checklists and tools; Lead and co-facilitate training on protocols and ethical standards for data collectors, supervisors, and other field staff; Ensure tools, equipment, and logistics are adequately planned and available at all levels; Troubleshoot field issues and provide technical backstopping.

8.  Data Management, Analysis, and Reporting:  Set up systems for real-time or near-real-time data quality checks; Review collected data for completeness, consistency, and reliability; Conduct statistical analysis of the survey data.

9.  Final Report and Dissemination:  Prepare and lead a validation workshop for key stakeholders in Ghana; Prepare a final report that includes background, methodology, results, limitations, conclusions, and recommendations; Prepare a presentation slide deck and summary briefs for advocacy.

Expected Deliverables:

• Develop a comprehensive nutrition survey methodology.
• Develop a micronutrient survey module to be incorporated in the national nutrition survey.
• Review national biomarker analysis capacity and develop a national nutrition survey planning and costing scenario.
• Conduct a national nutrition survey and submit the final report.
• Disseminate survey findings with key stakeholders  

Kindly submit your financial proposal as per the attached as part of your application Financial Proposal - Nutrition Survey.docx

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Public Health, Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Public Health Nutrition, Nutrition, Food Science and Nutrition, food technology, or a related field.   
• A minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience at the national or international levels with a focus on nutrition survey design and research
• Experience in the conduct of national-level nutrition surveys in low and middle-income countries, a strong asset
• Fluency in English 

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.

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.