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 a National Consultancy to support NIPN provinces for nutrition data reporting. The duration of this assignment is 12 months, starting as soon as possible. The consultant will be based in UNICEF Office in Vientiane.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

The consultant shall be based in UNICEF office with frequent travel to provincial level. She/ he shall work closely with provincial offices (Department of Planning and Investment) and other sectoral departments to ensure smooth coordination for reporting on nutrition data. More specifically, in consultation with the UNICEF Nutrition Team, the consultant shall:

• Organize regular meetings with provincial teams and sectors like health, agriculture, and education to review progress and coordinate for reporting on nutrition data.
• Ensure data from relevant sectors especially health, agriculture, and education sectors is reported and shared consistently at both the provincial and central levels.
• Support NIPN provinces in standardizing excel templates for reporting nutrition data to DPI that are easy to use and consistent across all six provinces.
• Support provincial teams to improve the quality, completeness, and timeliness of the data using existing reporting systems..
• Provide training to provincial teams on how to compile, analyze and use data for planning and decision-making.
• Assist provinces in setting realistic nutrition targets using their local data and aligning with national goals.
• Ensure that provincial nutrition data reports are submitted to the central NIPN team on time every quarter.
• Help provincial authorities in identify and map nutrition indicators across all sectors and track regularly.
• Support provincial teams in developing activities for planning fand implementing NIPN.
• Support provinces to create simple dashboards or reports to track key nutrition indicators and progress on NIPN.
• Encourage collaboration between health, agriculture, and education sectors to improve reporting and data use in planning.
• Provide regular updates to UNICEF and the central NIPN team on the status of reporting in each province and suggest improvements where needed.

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

• Under- graduate degree in economics, public health, nutrition, or other clearly related disciplines
• At least 3 years professional work experience in related areas
• Proven knowledge of key nutrition data, indicators and their application in policy and planning
• Proficiency in using data analysis tools such as Excel or similar platforms for summarizing and interpreting data.
• Strong coordination and communication skills to facilitate collaboration between multi-sectoral teams.
• Strong Lao language skills
• Excellent written and spoken English, an advantage

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 travel, accommodation cost and insurance with Medevac for this assignment as per work assignment

Assessment Criteria:

1. Technical Evaluation (75 points) The passing mark of the technical evaluation 60points
2. Degree/ Education in ……… (15 points)
   1. Post- graduate degree in economics, public health, nutrition, or other clearly related disciplines
   2. Strong IT, data or statistics skills
3. Knowledge of...... (20 points)

Knowledge of nutrition data and indicators

1. 1. Knowledge of nutrition data and indicators
   2. In-depth understanding and knowledge of the government structures for nutrition at subnational levels.
   3. Strong Lao language skills
   4. Excellent written and spoken English, an advantage
2. Experience in..... (20 points)
   1. At least 3 years professional work experience in nutrition data or related areas
   2. Proven knowledge of key nutrition data, indicators and their application in policy and planning
   3. Proficiency in using data analysis tools such as Excel or similar platforms for summarizing and interpreting data.
   4. Strong coordination and communication skills to facilitate collaboration between multi-sectoral teams.
3. Quality of past work (e.g. understanding, methodology) (20 points)
   1. Assessment of previous work including good coordination skills including advocacy and   dialogue skills with the government officials at subnational or national levels

1. Financial Proposal (25 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 60 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. 

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 (_60 ) points score in the technical evaluation. Other Financial Proposals will receive points in inverse proportion to the lowest price.

Please find the TOR here:  ToR for National NIPN Consultant UNICEF for VA.pdf

Financial Proposal Template to be fill by candidate:  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.