Job no: 562374
Contract type: Consultant
Duty Station: Geneva
Level: Consultancy
Location: Switzerland
Categories: WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene), Partnerships
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, CLEAN WATER
Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) is a global partnership of over 350 partners, including governments, private sector and civil society organizations, external support agencies, research and learning institutions, utilities and regulators working together to catalyze political leadership and action, improve accountability and use scarce resources more effectively. Partners work towards a common vision of sanitation, hygiene and water for all, always and everywhere.
The Secretariat of the SWA global partnership is hosted by UNICEF at its Headquarters in New York and Geneva. The SWA Secretariat, as the operational arm of the Partnership and of the Steering Committee, is responsible for supporting the implementation of the partnership’s strategy 2020 to 2030 that focuses on three objectives:
- Build and sustain the political will to eliminate inequalities in water, sanitation and hygiene.
- Champion multi-stakeholder approaches towards achieving universal access to services.
- Rally stakeholders to strengthen system performance and attract new investments.
How can you make a difference?
Purpose of Assignment:
The consultants will coordinate the mobilization and engagement of SWA’s partners in 21 anglophone African countries , develop and implement strategic partnerships, and provide the Secretariat’s support to 9 priority countries as per the below breakdown:
- Objective 1: Ghana, Liberia, Uganda and Zimbabwe,
- Objective 2: Lesotho and Sierra Leone,
- Objective 3: Ethiopia, Kenya and Nigeria.
Expected Results
The consultant(s) are expected to deliver the following results:
- Mobilize and support SWA’s anglophone Africa partner countries to prepare for the series of Ministers Meetings on Finance and Governance,
- Strengthen government-led multistakeholder processes in 2 priority countries – Lesotho and Sierra Leone.
- Coordinate outreach and mobilization of political decision-makers to increase priority accorded to water, sanitation and hygiene at Head of State/Government level in 4 priority countries – Ghana, Liberia, Uganda and Zimbabwe.
- Support the implementation of the Mutual Accountability Mechanism in anglophone Africa countries.
- Documentation and communication of country engagement.
| Work Assignments Overview | Deliverables | Outputs Timeline |
| I. SWA Objective 1: Build and sustain the political will to eliminate inequalities in water, sanitation and hygiene.Mobilize SWA government partners to advocate for sustained political will and prioritization of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH, especially for those left behind;b. Support SWA government partners in the preparation and participation of SWA high-level convenings, including regional and national political events, so that evidence and thought-provoking contributions can mobilize action from high-level leaders (Presidents, Ministers, and Parliamentarians) | Head of State engagement Draft 1 action plan outlining 3-5 activities for countries to enhance their engagement with Heads of State/Government in Ghana, Liberia, Uganda and Zimbabwe and ensure the timely implementation of the plan.Draft 1 action plan for the engagement with partners in Ghana to ensure a successful leadership visit by SWA’s CEO and ensure the timely implementation of the plan. Ministerial Meeting on Finance Draft 1 action plan for supporting up to 10 relevant SWA partner governments with their preparations for the Ministerial Meeting on Finance and ensure the timely implementation of the plan, ensuring the following:sub-regional exchange between governments by way of calls and webinars,sub-regional thematic exchange on finance by way of webinars,Identification of and support to ministers who are willing to commit to specific post-meeting actionsAfricaSan Create and implement one online learning session for SWA partners jointly with African Ministers Council on Water (AMCOW) on the Africa Sanitation Policy Guidelines ahead of AfricaSan.Communication Contribute to identification and preparation of at least 2 stories on objective 1 for the SWA website and other communication outlets. | 20 days, Jun-Dec 10 days, Jun-Oct 25 days, Jun-Oct 7 days, Jun-Oct 2 days, Jun-Dec |
| II. SWA Objective 2 – Champion multi-stakeholder approaches towards achieving universal access to services.a. Develop or strengthen multi-stakeholder, government-led platforms to catalyze planning, implementation, accountability, review and follow-up to the national SDG6 targets; b. Ensure partners from different constituencies actively participate and make resourceful contributions within multi-stakeholder platforms; c. Support partners to develop and strengthen the culture of mutually accounting to each other through a government-led process for identifying commitments which are aligned to national plans d. Ensure partners develop, table and follow-up on their own commitments, which are also aligned with the national government commitments. | Action plans for multi-stakeholder platforms (MSPs) Draft 1 plan to support Lesotho and Sierra Leone with the development of action plans for their MSPs and ensure the timely implementation of the plan, ensuring the following:• close consultation with the countries in the process, • involvement and participation of Ministries of Finance in MSPs.Outreach and support plan Create an outreach and support plan for existing non-priority partner countries and ensure the timely implementation of the plan, ensuring the following:• Mobilise non-priority countries to join 2 SWA webinars focused on objective 2, • Support 1 country to conduct a country self-assessment, • Contribute to identification and preparation of at least 2 stories on MSPs for the SWA website and other communications outlets. | 23 days, Jun-Dec 20 days, Jun-Dec |
| III. SWA Objective 3 – Rally stakeholders to strengthen system performance and attract new investmentsa. Ensure partners in the external support agencies, private sector, utilities and regulators and research and learning constituencies work with and support governments to have a finance strategy, which is implemented; b. Ensure partners at country level support national plans through resource mobilization approaches, including budget advocacy, innovative finance and using existing resources more effectively; c. Regularly identify sector bottlenecks to systems and finance and sector efficiency gaps and ensure partners in SWA work together to address them; d. Build and reinforce capacities within partners at country level for engaging on systems change, finance and holding each other accountable for financial allocations to the sector and targeting people who are left behind; e. Ensure country partners engage at national, regional, and international level on systems change and WASH finance. | Support plan on systems and financeCreate and execute a support plan on systems and finance for Ethiopia, Kenya and Nigeria, ensuring the following:• governments are supported to implement WASH Financing strategies, • governments are supported to identify bottlenecks and ways to address them, • governments are supported to present their experiences at SWAs Systems and Finance Working Group.Technical assistance grantsCreate and implement capacity building on technical assistance grants on WASH Financing, ensuring the following:• awareness in countries on the existence of technical assistance grants, • availability of support in the implementation of actions funded through the grants, • oversight and implementation support for countries that have received a grant.CommunicationContribute to identification and preparation of at least 2 stories on objective 3 for the SWA website and other communication outlets. | 30 days, Jun-Dec 15 days, Jun-Dec 2 days, Jun-Dec |
| IV. Reinforce cross-cutting global themes aligned with SWA’s vision and mission and ensure visibility and presence of SWA | Engagement of non-priority governmentsCreate a plan to mobilise SWA partner countries to participate in the development of SWA’s global strategy on gender and SWA’s initiative on the humanitarian-development nexus and execute it, ensuring the following:• Relevant information is available to SWA partner countries, and their active participation encouraged, • Countries’ input is collated so it can be integrated into the development process.Selection of new priority countriesCreate and distribute a call for expressions of interest open to all countries for the selection of 2023 priority countries for SWA’s three strategic objectives, ensuring distribution to all countries, receipt of expressions and facilitation of the Secretariat’s selection process.Create briefings to support up to 2 governments to engage in SWA’s structures, such as sub-committees, working groups and task teams. | 15 days, Jun-Dec 6 days, Aug-Dec 2 days, Jun-Dec |
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
- An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Development studies, public policy/administration, law, economy or in another relevant area.
- A minimum of ten years of relevant professional experience in the region working with government agencies on sustainable development in general.
- An in depth understanding of water, sanitation and hygiene in the region.
- An understanding of social and institutional issues relating to global development, inequalities, development effectiveness in low and middle-income countries, both in rural, peri-urban and urban areas.
- A successful track record of influencing key-decision makers including government leaders at a political level.
- Knowledge of how regional agencies and key stakeholders operate in the region.
- A good knowledge of the social, political, policy and institutional environments of countries and the region.
- An excellent approach to partnering and leveraging unique skills and resources of multiple partners.
- Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
- Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.
For every Child, you demonstrate…
UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).
To view our competency framework, please visit here.
UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.
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:
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.
The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.
Advertised: 25 May 2023 W. Europe Daylight Time
Deadline: 08 Jun 2023 W. Europe Daylight Time
