National Consultancy for Institutional Capacity Assessment of Existing LGA WASH Units at 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 below:

Job Title: National Consultancy for Institutional Capacity Assessment of Existing LGA WASH Units

Job ID: 582604
Location: Benue
Contract type: Consultant
Level: Consultancy
Duty Station: Abuja
Categories: WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene)

Specific Objectives

• To map the current organizational structure, staffing, and functional responsibilities of each LGA WASH Unit.
• To assess the human resource capacity of each LGA WASH Unit, including qualifications, skills, and training needs of personnel.
• To evaluate the financial management systems and resource allocation for WASH activities at the LGA level.
• To assess the technical capacity of the LGA WASH Units in key areas such as WASH planning, project implementation, water quality monitoring, sanitation promotion, hygiene education, and data management.
• To review the existing operational procedures, tools, and equipment available to the LGA WASH Units.
• To identify the inter-sectoral coordination mechanisms and partnerships of the LGA WASH Units with relevant stakeholders (e.g., Ministry of Water Resources, RUWASSA, Water Board/Corporation, health departments, community-based organizations, CSOs, private sector).
• To conduct a comparative analysis btw ODF LGAs and those not ODF, for evaluating potential institutional factors contributing to ODF success and inform targeted capacity-building strategies for non-ODF LGAs.
• To identify key challenges, gaps, and opportunities for strengthening the institutional capacity of the LGA WASH Units.
• To provide actionable recommendations for capacity building interventions, institutional reforms, and resource mobilization strategies to enhance the performance of the LGA WASH Units.

Work Assignment Overview
Task/Milestone:

• Initial consultation/engagement with stakeholders, UNICEF and inception meetings with the stakeholders at the state level and to clarify the requirements of the consultancy.

Deliverables/ Outputs:

•  Detailed workplan and Inception report submitted.

Task/Milestone:

• Produce and share the workplan that clearly outlines the objectives, key activities, and timeline for the consultancy and initiate the process.

Deliverables/ Outputs:

• Detailed workplan and Inception report submitted

Task/Milestone:

• Conduct a desk review of all relevant documents, surveys, reports; prepare the process and tools; and produce a synthesis of the background information and context for LGA WASH Units in Benue.
• This will include review of policies, plans, protocols, strategies, stakeholder (roles and responsibilities) and related documents, markets to proffer appropriate strategies institutional strengthening in Benue state.

Deliverables/ Outputs:

• Summary synthesis of the available background information of Benue

Task/Milestone:
Conduct Situational Assessment on the existing situation in 6 ODF LGAs and 6 non-ODF LGAs:

• This will include research and other analysis such as stakeholder, institutional analysis.
• Surveys, key informants’ interview (KII), Focus Group Discussions and consultative studies can be used to collect and document information at the state, LGAs and communities.

Deliverables/ Outputs:

• Sample of tools used for the survey, KII and data collection Draft outline of assessment report (for review by UNICEF team) Summary of the findings of the assessment.

Task/Milestone:

• Conduct a review Workshop with relevant stakeholders to validate the assessment report.

Deliverables/ Outputs:

• Report of the stakeholders’ workshop

Task/Milestone:

• Finalize assessment report, including pictures of key activities, lessons learnt, and results of consultancy.

Deliverables/ Outputs:

• Final assessment report.

Requirements
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have:

• An Advanced degree in Sanitation, Development Studies, Public Health, Community Health, Public Administration, WASH Engineering, Social and Behavior Change Communication and any other related field with at least 5years of experience.
• A university degree in public health, social sciences, social and behavior change communication, sanitation and water supply engineering, M&E for WASH or other specialist field related to WASH is required with at least 10years of experience.
• Institutional capacity assessments, organizational development, or similar evaluations, preferably in the WASH sector in Nigeria or West Africa.
• Strong understanding of the WASH sector in Nigeria, particularly at the state and local government levels.
• Expertise in qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, data collection, and analysis.
• Proven experience in developing and applying capacity assessment tools.
• Familiarity with governance structures and public administration at the LGA level in Nigeria.
• Excellent analytical, report writing, and presentation skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team, and to deliver high-quality outputs within agreed timelines.
• Experience in stakeholder engagement and facilitation of workshops.
• S/he should also have a solid writing skill in English language, with experience in producing written analysis of WASH issues and evidence of having done similar kind of work at the sub-national level in the focus region.

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.

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are:

• Builds and maintains partnerships
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
• Drive to achieve results for impact
• Innovates and embraces change
• Manages ambiguity and complexity
• Thinks and acts strategically
• Works collaboratively with others.

Application Closing Date
11th August, 2025.