National Consultant at the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF)

United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (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.

We are recruiting to fill the position of:

Job Title: National Consultant for WASH in Emergency Sector Technical Working Group

Job No: 545875
Location: Abuja
Contract Type: Consultancy
Categories: WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene), Programme Management

Job Overview
For Every Child, Water:

• Following the unprecedented flood disaster of 2012 which ravaged the lives and property of over 2.1 million people, the national Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in Emergencies Sector Technical Working Group (TWG) was formed by Federal Ministry of Water Resources (FMWR) in collaboration with National Task Group on Sanitation (NTGS) and WASH development partners to coordinate lifesaving WASH response to the disaster.
• Since then, the need for the WASH in Emergencies (WiE) TWG to effectively coordinate human, material and financial resources and WASH interventions to reach vulnerable Nigerians in need have been made more apparent as the incidence of emergencies and disasters has increased country wide.
• The conflict between non-state armed groups and the government in the Northeast is in its 11th year and about 2.9 million conflict-affected persons have been identified to be in need of critical lifesaving WASH services.
• The ongoing multidimensional crisis in the Northwest and parts of the middle belt caused by farmer-herder clashes, ethnic/linguistic conflicts, banditry, kidnapping and grand larceny have displaced more than 600,000 persons in eight states depriving them of access to basic WASH services. Sporadic humanitarian events mainly caused by drought, heavy rainfalls coupled with disease outbreaks, such as the cholera outbreaks and COVID-19 pandemic around the country have deepened the deprivations of vulnerable persons and debilitated the WASH situation in affected areas, putting millions of people at risk of WASH-related emergencies.
• The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) supported by humanitarian partners are providing emergency response in WASH to meet the needs of affected persons, vulnerable internally displaced persons (IDPs) and Nigerian host communities alike.

Overall Purpose

• The overall purpose of the national WASH in Emergencies TWG is to bring together key stakeholders providing WASH-related interventions in humanitarian situations to enhance the preparedness, response and access to WASH services for emergency-affected and vulnerable populations.
• The objective of the state-levelWiE preparedness and response coordination mechanism is to achieve a more strategic WASH response through better prioritization of available resources, better articulation of needs, clarification of the division of labor among relevant government MDAs and WASH agencies/partners, and a better definition of roles and responsibilities of humanitarian organizations in each state.
• The key tasks of the WiE technical working group are:
  • Preparedness, early warning and contingency planning
  • Prevention and controle  (desinfection, chlorination of water sources, water quality monitoring,  water safety plan, rehabilitation/construction of WASH infrastructures etc.) 
  • Coordinate WASH in Emergency Response
  • Develop relevant humanitarian response plans
  • Inform strategic decision making. The WiE TWG in Nigeria covers the following components: Hygiene Promotion, Water Supply, Sanitation, Excreta Disposal, Vector control, Solid Waste Management and Drainage.
• UNICEF as the lead agency for the IASC Water, Sanitation and Hygiene cluster globally in support to  the Federal and State Government , aims to ensure a well-coordinated, strategic, adequate, coherent, and effective response of WASH partners in Emergency.

How Can You Make a Difference?

• The purpose of this assignment is to provide administrative, logistical, secretarial, technical and coordination support to the Federal Ministry of Water Resources (FMWR) to ensure the functionality of the WASH in Emergency Technical Working Group (TWG) and through wider consultation improve cross sectoral collaboration (with Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Health for better preparedness, prevention and response to WASH emergencies across the country.

Scope of Work

• The position will be based at the Water Quality Control and Sanitation Division of the FMWR in Abuja and will work closely with UNICEF colleagues, development partners and government partners especially the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Health/ National Center for Disease  Control, (NCDC)  in the course of carrying out the assignment to lead the coordination and technical delivery of the WiETWG. The tasks will require travel to select states.
• Under the overall supervision of the Emergency WASH Manager in the UNICEF Country of Office, the consultant’s principal task is to support the Deputy Director, WASH Emergency Response WQC&S FMWR in coordination efforts aimed at promoting effective WASH aid/interventions coordination and harmonization at the country level.
• The individual consultant will work closely with the Federal and State Ministries of Water Resources, Environment and Health, WASH Development Partners Group, Private Sector, National and International NGOs, CSO representatives and other key stakeholders in the WASH sector to:
  • Boost participation in and contributions to the National WiE Technical Working Group, regularly liaise with the, Government partners, NGOs, private sector, media and other parties as required and serve as a focal point among WiE TWG members where coordination issues are concerned.
  • Support the smooth functionality of the National WASH in Emergency Coordination Mechanism, including enhancing existing TWG data collection, information gathering and monitoring tools.
  • Establish communications and working modalities among WASH in Emergency/WASH Coordination units between the Federal and State levels and across different relevant sectors to strengthen collaboration and multisectoral coordination for WASH in Emergency.
  • Support the government’s efforts in carrying out Needs Assessment, Analysis and Strategy Development for WASH emergencies.
  • Support the Resource Mobilization and Advocacy efforts of the National WiE by designing high-level advocacy tools to enhance national awareness of emergency issues.
  • Support planning and budgeting exercises as may be required; specifically, in the development of Annual 2022 Work Plan for the WIE TWG and update of the WASH in Emergency Preparedness, Prevention and Response Plan with focus on cholera.
  • Support the government’s efforts in carrying out Needs Assessment, Analysis and Strategy Development for WASH emergencies.
  • Support the Resource Mobilization and Advocacy efforts of the National WiE by designing high-level advocacy tools to enhance national awareness of emergency issues.

Work Assignments
Tasks / Milestone:

1.) Support the Functionality of the WASH in Emergency Coordination Mechanism including cross sectoral collaboration:

• Build and strengthen strategic partnerships with government counterparts, UN agencies, donor agencies, WASH institutions, NGOs, research institutes and the private sector to stimulate coordination and collaboration.
• Support Federal Ministry of Water Resources to ensure coordination mechanisms between all WASH humanitarian partners including cross-sectoral collaboration with Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Health.
• Update and build on the existing WiE TWG Terms of Reference to establish operational mechanisms and working modalities for the WiE TWG focusing on coordination of meetings, communications and information management, coordination of WASH partners and interventions mapping and annual work planning.
• Establish a database of WASH actors and repository of WASH in Emergency activities and data from partners
• Support the FMWR and TWG in all matters relating to organizing the monthly WiE TWG meetings – meeting minutes, reports, agenda setting, action point tracking including collaboration with NCDC on the current cholera response.

Deliverables / Outputs:

• Relevant WiE stakeholders are involved in discussion and decision making and Coordination links and Systematic feedback established with all WiE partners.
• Six WiE TWG monthly meetings  successfully carried out , meeting reports shared in a timely manner with adequate follow up of agreed action points and recommendations.
• Database of all WASH Actors in the WASH sector – Donors, NNGOs, INGOs, CSOs, private sector is available and up-to-date.
• Comprehensive, timely and high quality WASH inputs for weekly/monthly National EOC Cholera Situation Report
• Endorsed WASH in Emergency TWG TOR
• Data collection and monitoring tools for TWG established.

Timeline:

• 6 months.

2.) Sector Planning and Strategy Development:

• Support the WiE TWG in developing the 2022 WiE TWG Annual Plan
• Monitor, track, and report on progress on implementing the TWG Annual Workplan and assist inidentifying gaps or issues, to all stakeholders
• Support the FMWR in leading the review of the National Cholera Preparedness, Prevention and Response Plan and support the FMWR in stepping down to state levels.

Deliverables / Outputs:

• 2022 WASH in Emergency TWG Annual Costed Workplan is available 
• The National Cholera Preparedness, Prevention and Response Plan is reviewed and updated.
• Step down strategy to state levels developed.

3.) Ensure Efficient and Timely Reporting, Monitoring and Evaluation and Information Management Mechanisms within the TWG:

• Create appropriate tools for timely Reporting, Monitoring and Evaluation and Information Management Mechanisms within the TWG
• Ensure adequate monitoring mechanisms are in place to review  WiE interventions  and progress against strategies and action plans.
• Coordinate with the national and field government partners and all WASH partners to regularly and systematically provide inputs, activities updates and consolidate for reporting at the national level and feeding into situational analysis and other relevant reports
• Identify focal points across each MDA and partners at Federal and State levels for data/information collection.

Deliverables / Outputs:

• Partners Interventions mapping tool (e.g. 4Ws excel matrix, GIS map) created, updated on a monthly basis and disseminated among TWG members
• Reporting and data collection tools created for the national and state-level partners
• Links and efficient mechanisms for regular data/information collection with relevant MDAs at the national level (MoEnv, MoEdu, MoH, etc.), state-level government partners (SMWR, RUWASSA) established.

4.) Resource Mobilization and Advocacy for the WiE TWG:

• Support the advocacy and resource mobilization efforts of the WASH in Emergency Working Group and the FMWR
• Identify core WASH bottlenecks and challenges and advocate including resource requirements and key messages to broader advocacy initiatives of humanitarian stakeholders.
• Create advocacy tools, briefing notes, policy briefs, and other communications tools to support the FMWR resource mobilization activities.

Deliverables / Outputs:

• Advocacy documents developed on core WASH in Emergency challenges.

5.) Capacity and Knowledge Building and mangement for Sustainability:

• On-the-job training on all monitoring, communications, data collection and monitoring tools developed as well as WASH in Emergency TWG operational mechanism.
• Document all processes and activities/deliverables of the consultancy.

Deliverables / Outputs:

• The key focal points at the FMWR are able to seamlessly lead and operate the WiE TWG without the support of the consultant.
• Inception report submitted 20 working days after the beginning of the consultancy.
• Quaterly progress repport submitted no later than 15 working days after the reporting period.
• Final report including all documents developed during the consultancy submitted no later than 20 working days after the end of the consultancy.

Requirements
To Qualify as an Advocate for every Child You will Have:

• Master's Degree in Institutional Development, Public Policy, Disaster Management, Development Studies, Communication Analysis and Planning, Public Administration, International Relations, Water, Sanitation and Environmental Engineering or any other related field of study
• At least 5 years of experience in WASH in Emergency coordination at national and/or international level.
• At least 3 years of proven experience in developing programme proposals, policies, procedures, plans or analytical documents relating to WASH including in advocacy, campaign, strategic management, programme design, WASH systems development and capacity transfer
• Understands issues for the WASH in Emergency (WiE) Working Group sufficiently well enough to be able to: engage with WiE Working Group participants; make full use of their experience and knowledge; guide strategy and plans; communicate and advocate on important issues.
• Familiarity with Nigerian WASH landscape is required
• Strong interpersonal skills and experience working with a range of stakeholders including government and UNICEF will be an asset.
• Demonstrates ability to work harmoniously in a multi-cultural environment and establishes harmonious & effective working relationship both within and outside an organization
• Communicates, works and networks effectively with a wide range of people to reach broad consensus on a well-coordinated response, and demonstrates leadership where required.

Other Competencies:

• Good facilitation, presentation, communication, strategic, analytical and documentation/report writing skills is required
• Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment and with government partners
• High level written and spoken fluency in English.

For every Child, you Demonstrate
UNICEF's core values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA), and Core Competencies:

• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (3)
• Works Collaboratively with others (3)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (3)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (3)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (3)
• Drives to achieve impactful results (3)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (3)
• Functional Competencies
• Analyzing (2)
• Applying Technical Expertise.

Application Closing Date
9th November, 2021.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

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.