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Vacancy Announcement: Consultant

Consultancy Title: Early Warning Systems Consultant

Section/Division/Duty Station: WASH/ CEED Section – PG - NYHQ

Duration: 22 July 2024 – 30 June 2025

Home/ office Based: REMOTE

About UNICEF

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you. For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection, and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations, and governments. UNICEF has over 12,000 staff in more than 145 countries.

BACKGROUND

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

In alignment with our commitment to protect children and young people worldwide, UNICEF is launching its Sustainability and Climate Change Action Plan (SCAP) 2023 - 2030. The SCAP prioritises urgent climate action through systematic change in partnership with public and private sectors to prioritise children’s and young people’s needs and build their resilience to the climate threats at hand. The SCAP strives to mainstream sustainability and climate action both internally and externally, through protecting the lives, health and well-being of children and their communities; empowering children with developmental opportunities and skills; and reducing emissions and the environmental footprint within UNICEF.

The proposed assignment aims to advance more effective early warning systems (EWS) for children and the services they rely upon. This will contribute to the Secretary General’s Early Warning for All Initiative and also UNICEF’s commitments / targets under the SCAP and Strategic Plan.

Scope of Work:

Under the supervision of the Global Lead on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and working with multiple divisions and offices across UNICEF, the Early Warning Systems Consultant will support the advancement of more effective early warning systems (EWS) for children through: 1) Developing a technical guidance and practical checklist for practitiioners on child-responsive EWS and enhance uptake; 2) Contributing to UNICEF’s internal coordination and leveraging of capacities on EWS; 3) Monitoring and documenting UNICEF’s results on EWS connected to preparedness systems and wider DRR/resilience and contributions to the EW4All Initiative; 4) Drafting / compiling quality inputs for resource mobilization.

Specific responsibilities will include:   

1. Developing a technical guidance and practical checklist for practitiioners on child-responsive EWS and enhance uptake;

• Develop a child responsive early warning system guidelines and checklist to support UNICEF internally (COs/ROs/HQ) and externally (Interagency level/CSO/other partners) in making the EW programming child focused and child responsive. Collaborate with various UNICEF staff in HQ, country/regional offices to develop the guidance note for how to make the early warning system child responsive, including practical checklists for each of the 4 early warning pillars (i) disaster risk knowledge, (ii) detection/monitoring/observation & forecasting, (iii) warning dissemination & communication, and (iv) preparedness & response capabilities.  
• Identify country offices to conduct field-testing of the EWS child-responsive guideline and checklist in country, including engagement with national partners.   
• Integrate child responsive early warning guidance into the EW4All Pillar workplans and national rollout process.  For the countries that have been selected as part of the initial pilot 30 countries (Antigua, Barbuda and Barbados), support is provided in identifying gaps and facilitating completion of the implementation plan. 

2. Contributing to UNICEF’s internal coordination and leveraging of capacities on EWS

• Develop a training module on making early warning systems effective for children and the services they rely upon
• Deliver a global webinar on child-responsive EWS
• Deliver/ participate in the training to ROs/ COs
• Back-stop ROs/COs with technical inputs into EWS support to Governments (review documents, provide guidance)

3. Monitoring and documenting UNICEF’s results on EWS connected to preparedness systems and wider DRR/resilience and contributions to the EW4All Initiative
   • Support with internal reporting on child responsive early warning for UNICEF’s Strategic Plan (Goal Area 4, Results Area 3) and the Sustainability and Climate Action Plan.
   • Take stock of existing capacities, systems within UNICEF and identify gaps and solutions to fulfilling targets in the SCAP, Strategic Plan
   • Tracking the global and national roll out of EW4All initiatives, identifying key entry points and taking stock of UNICEF’s engagement in the national EW4All implementation process e.g. stakeholder workshops and in-country contributions  
   • Participate in, contribute to technical inputs to interagency working group meetings related to early warning including EW4All, and Risk Informed Early Action Partnership.  
4. Drafting / compiling quality inputs for resource mobilization.

• Create a chart of indicative activities for child-responsive EWS (cross-sectoral, sector-specific) and associated cost estimate ranges—at national, subnational levels
• Contribute to climate information services, preparedness, and EWS project ideas / Concept Notes / proposals (e.g. including for the Green Climate Fund)
• Liaise with colleagues across divisions / offices to get inputs as needed into proposals

Terms of Reference / Key Deliverables:

• Deliverable 1: Inception report / scoping document developed for the child responsive early warning system guidelines, including practical checklists for each of the 4 early warning pillars (i) disaster risk knowledge, (ii) detection/monitoring/observation & forecasting, (iii) warning dissemination & communication, and (iv) preparedness & response capabilities. By August 2, 2024.
• Deliverable 2: First draft of guidelines and checklist with short presentation to gather inputs from colleagues. By August 30, 2024.
• Deliverable 3: Final draft of guidelines and checklist with inputs incorporated. By Sept 20, 2024.
• Deliverable 4: List of country offices to conduct field-testing of the EWS child-responsive guideline and checklist in country based on consultations and set criteria. By September 20, 2024.
• Deliverable 5: Child responsive early warning key messages and guidance incorporated into the four EW4All Pillar workplans and national rollout process. By Dec 31, 2024.
• Deliverable 6: Training module developed on making early warning systems effective for children and the services they rely upon. By Oct 31, 2024.
• Deliverable 7:  global webinar on child responsive EWS conducted. By Nov 29, 2024.
• Deliverable 8: At least 6 training sessions held (across regions, CO specific, project specific) –travel may be necessary for some, but not all. By May 9, 2025.
• Deliverable 9: Technical inputs provided into at least 5 EWS support to Governments (review documents, provide guidance). By June 30, 2025.
• Deliverable 10: Two (2) Internal reports on child responsive early warning for UNICEF’s Strategic Plan (Goal Area 4, Results Area 3) and the Sustainability and Climate Action Plan. By Jan 31, 2025.
• Deliverable 11: Entry points for UNICEF in EW4All and Solutions roadmap drafted for UNICEF to fulfil targets in the SCAP, Strategic Plan. By Sept 16, 2024.
• Deliverable 12: Chart of indicative activities for child-responsive EWS (cross-sectoral, sector-specific) and associated cost estimate ranges—at national, subnational levels. By Sept 27, 2024.
• Deliverable 13: Contributions to at least five (5) project ideas / Concept Notes / proposals. By June 30, 2025

Qualifications

Education:

At least a master’s degree.

Disciplines: Advanced Degree in Disaster Risk Reduction, Climate and Environmental Studies, International Affairs, Public Policy, or a closely related field.

Experience:

• At least 5 years of experience in DRR, climate, environment, energy, or related topics.
• Proven experience in communication and project management
• Familiarity with Climate, Energy, Environment, and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) topics.
• Prior experience with a UN agency is a distinct advantage.

Competencies/Knowledge:

• Strong organisational, planning and prioritising skills and abilities.
• Ability to work effectively with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.

Requirements:

Completed profile in UNICEF's e-Recruitment system and

• Upload copy of academic credentials
• Financial proposal that will include/ reflect:
  • the costs per each deliverable and the total lump-sum for the whole assignment (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference.
  • travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR.
  • Any other estimated costs: visa, health insurance, and living costs as applicable.
  • Indicate your availability.
• Any emergent / unforeseen duty travel and related expenses will be covered by UNICEF.
• At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.
• Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

U.S. Visa information:

With the exception of the US Citizens, G4 Visa and Green Card holders, should the selected candidate and his/her household members reside in the United States under a different visa, the consultant and his/her household members are required to change their visa status to G4, and the consultant’s household members (spouse) will require an Employment Authorization Card (EAD) to be able to work, even if he/she was authorized to work under the visa held prior to switching to G4.  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results. View our competency framework at: Here

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

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:  

Individuals engaged under a consultancy 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. Consultants 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.