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For every child, the right to results. 

How can you make a difference? 

Background:

Indonesia has achieved significant socioeconomic progress and is now classified as an upper-middle-income country. However, the country continues to face the triple burden of malnutrition, affecting millions of children and women. According to the latest national survey (SSGI 2024), 19.8 % of children under five are stunted (approximately 4.7 million children), 7.4% (around 1.6 million) are wasted, and 4.2% are overweight or obese. In addition, 25% of pregnant women and 23% of children under five suffer from anemia.

The Government of Indonesia has demonstrated strong commitment to addressing malnutrition through progressive policies and multisectoral strategies.  These efforts have contributed to notable progress: between 2013 and 2024, stunting declined from 37.6% to 21.5%, wasting from 12.1% to 8.5%, and overweight/obesity from 11.9% to 4.2%.

To sustain and accelerate these gains, nutrition indicators are embedded in the National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN) 2025–2029 and the Long-Term Development Plan (RPJPN) 2025–2045. In support of the Government of Indonesia’s efforts to address the triple burden of malnutrition, the UNICEF Country Programme 2026–2030 will continue to strengthen systems, promote equity, and support the transition from targeted interventions to nationwide coverage of evidence-based nutrition services across the life cycle.

Within this context, UNICEF seeks to engage two national consultants to support the transition to nationwide coverage in Zones 2 and 3 in strengthening  the quality, coverage, and sustainability of nutrition programmes nationwide, accelerate progress in improving nutrition outcomes for mothers and children, and reinforce UNICEF’s role as a trusted partner in advancing equity-focused nutrition services in Indonesia. The assignment aims to the transition from targeted nutrition support to a nationwide coverage approach under the Country Programme 2026–2030, with a strong focus on quality, equity, and results

Purpose of Consultancy

The consultants will provide technical and operational support across the full programme cycle at national and subnational levels, including policy dialogue, coordination, and implementation support. Working closely with Nutrition Specialist-IMAM  and government counterparts, they will contribute to the development and alignment of evidence-based nutrition policies and programmes with global recommendations and the national health transformation agenda, while supporting provincial and district governments—through zonal assignments—to scale quality nutrition interventions, strengthen systems, and accelerate implementation using Child Nutrition Fund (CNF) and partner resources, thereby contributing to improved access to and utilization of quality nutrition services for children and mothers, particularly those in vulnerable situations.

Scope of Work:

The National Consultants will provide technical, and operational support across the full programme cycle— from strategic planning to implementation, monitoring, and results delivery—at both national and subnational levels. Their work will contribute to the Nutrition Outcome that, by 2030, children and mothers, particularly those in vulnerable situations, have improved access to and utilization of quality nutrition services.

National-Level Support

At the national level, the Consultants will work closely with Nutrition Specialist-IMAM and government counterparts to support technical advocacy, policy dialogue, coordination, and programme alignment. This includes contributing to the development, refinement, and dissemination of national nutrition policies, strategies, guidelines, and implementation approaches, ensuring alignment with global recommendations, the nationwide coverage agenda, and the broader health transformation framework. They will also support evidence-informed planning, results-based management, and coordination with partners and donors. 

Subnational-Level Support (Zonal Deployment)

At the subnational level, each Consultant will be strategically assigned to a defined geographic zone or cluster of provinces to support provincial and district governments in implementing, coordinating, and scaling a comprehensive package of evidence-based nutrition interventions addressing the triple burden of malnutrition. This includes system strengthening, multisectoral coordination, and quality service delivery through existing health, education, and community platforms. The zonal deployment model enables close engagement with local authorities, accelerates operational rollout under the Child Nutrition Fund (CNF) and partner grants, and supports effective integration and scale-up of high-impact nutrition interventions in line with national coverage goals. 

Applicants are required to indicate their preferred zone at the time of application:

1)           Zone 2: Kalimantan and Sulawesi

2)           Zone 3: Yogyakarta, Banten, Bali, and West Nusa Tenggara (NTB)

Key Functions and Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the Nutrition Specialist-IMAM, the Consultant will be responsible for the following:

1. Programme Development and Planning: Support national and subnational nutrition situation analyses and contributes to the design of evidence-based strategies, results frameworks, workplans, and monitoring systems, ensuring alignment with UNICEF standards and procedures.
2. Programme Implementation, Monitoring, and Results Delivery: Provide day-to-day technical and operational support to subnational governments to ensure timely implementation of nutrition programmes, while strengthening routine monitoring, data use, and identification of bottlenecks, risks, and capacity gaps.
3. Technical Support to Nutrition Interventions: Support improved coverage, quality, and continuity of evidence-based nutrition interventions—including maternal nutrition, IYCF, IMAM/SAM, and nutrition in emergencies—by facilitating application of national guidelines and strengthening service readiness and supply linkages.
4. Advocacy, Coordination, and Partnerships: Support advocacy and multisectoral coordination to strengthen prioritization and financing for nutrition at subnational levels and engage local partners to enhance implementation effectiveness and sustainability.
5. Knowledge Management, Innovation, and Capacity Building: Strengthen capacities of government and partners through training, mentoring, and on-the-job support, while documenting and promoting good practices, lessons learned, and data-driven innovations to improve nutrition programme performance.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:  TOR Strengthening Nutrition Coverage and Quality at National and subnational_TMS.pdf

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

Minimum requirements:

• A postgraduate qualification in a relevant discipline (including but not limited to Nutrition, Global/Public Health, Epidemiology, Health Promotion, and Health Research)
• At least five years of relevant professional experience leading and coordinating the Nutrition programme involving multi-stakeholders (including UN agencies, development agencies and private sectors) in Indonesia, including child wasting, Nutrition in Emergency and maternal nutrition. 
• Solid advocacy and coordination skills at national and sub-national, including with high-level officers for better investment in nutrition.
• Experience in synthesizing nutrition data including secondary analyses of surveillance data.
• Experience in developing nutrition program-related strategies.
• Able to work effectively with people internal and external parties.
• Communicates clearly and concisely.
• Excellent analytical and conceptual skills.
• Proven ability to work independently under difficult conditions.
• Fluency in English is an asset

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.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

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 [Insert candidates from targeted underrepresented groups] 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. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

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.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.