Requesting Section:WASH

Date/Updated date: 28 March 2017

Programme Area and Specific Project involved: Kiribati

Output: 2.2

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Background:

UNICEF works with governments and partners to achieve the water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) goal of universal and sustainable water and sanitation services with a progressive reduction of inequalities, especially for the most vulnerable children, in times of both stability and crisis. “Business as usual” will not achieve the WASH SDGs.

Pacific Island Countries are exposed to a wide range of natural hazards, including earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, landslides, floods, drought, and cyclones, and are threatened by the impacts of climate change, including sea level rise, increased saltwater intrusion and coastal erosion, reduced freshwater availability, etc. Environmental sustainability challenges that put entire countries in the region at risk of having to be abandoned if not urgently addressed. These mounting pressures are placed on top of daily challenges that also must be addressed for sustainable development to be possible, such as rapid and unplanned urbanisation, lack of access to education, as well as inadequate infrastructure and services, such as a lack of access to improved water supply and sanitation.

A strong sector coordination mechanism is necessary to support governments in managing, responding and sustaining WASH services in ordinary and in emergency times. UNICEF is the global lead agency for the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector under The Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) cluster approach. National governments have successfully received support through capacity building and technical assistance in developing contingency plans,establishing and enhancing existing coordination and emergency response and ultimately leveraging sectoral partners in expanded partnerships for non-emergency programme collaboration.

In Kiribati, the absence of an enhanced sector leadership and coordination undermine the benefits of WASH interventions. Planning, development and delivery of WASH activities are often not well coordinated to avoid duplicity, best practices are not shared to allow for improvements in approaches, and interventions are not informed by risk assessment. The government of Kiribati lacks the human resources and technical capacity to leverage partnerships for a coordination mechanism; but has acknowledged this critical need and shown commitment to address by developing a Terms of Reference for a sector coordinator.

To support the Government of Kiribati in its commitments which aligns with UNICEF priority areas on creating enabling environment for sustainable and equitable WASH services, UNICEF is recruiting a consultant to fulfill activities linked to providing leadership and facilitating the processes that will ensure a well-coordinated, coherent, strategic, and effective WASH interventions for both emergency and non-emergency times.

Purpose of Assignment:

The consultant shall support the establishment, implementation, facilitation, monitoring and evaluation of the national sector coordination to deliver equitable and sustainable WASH services.

Scope of Work/ Work Assignments:

The consultant will carry out the following activities in support of these areas of work:

  1. Sector Coordination. Ensure the set-up and facilitation of appropriate and fully inclusive sectorial coordination mechanism, including steering committees at the national and local level if necessary that meets the Inter Cluster Coordination Agency standards and other government national priorities.
  2. Develop the capacity of Government to Manage the coordination at national and sub-national levels between all relevant humanitarian and development partners including national and international stakeholders, and local structures from WASH, Education, Health, Nutrition, Child Protection, Social Policy and Communications;
  3. Develop mechanisms to eliminate duplication of service delivery and identification of gaps;
  4. Support government/and other partners in the development of strategies, methodologies and identification of new approaches for improving programme delivery in the emergency and in non-emergency areas;
  5. Facilitate UNICEF’s inputs into the development of the national and/or local level policies;
  6. Consult with government partners at national and local level and with local structures to ensure complimentary and coordination of approaches to WASH interventions;
  7. Ensure that the priorities of WASH sector are represented with the Humanitarian Country Team / or relevant bodies on WASH priorities (including SDGs targets) and advocacy;
  8. Conduct desk review on capacity assessment of government and local partners; and
  9. Organize and facilitate regular sector coordination meetings and share widely meeting minutes/action items.
  1. Data and Knowledge Management. Consultant will provide technical advice on development and implementation of baseline studies, technical assessments for WASH and monitoring tools and indicators for measuringinterventions and sector performance.
  2. Assist governments and local partners in developing WASH sector plans, objectives and indicators that support the realization of national WASH priorities including SDGs;and
  3. Assist government and/or partners in collecting and analyzing water and sanitation data across available WASH, education and health and nutrition databases to inform planning, programs, or projects, and in preparing report and maps using the data; and
  4. Develop a comprehensive report template for presenting data findings in an accessible, clear, professional and visuallyappealing way, including a set of specific recommendations for replication targeting government, donors, civil society and other stakeholders, as well as findings and recommendations-based information brief.
  1. Emergency Preparedness and Response. Consultant will work on increasing sector capacity to manage, mitigate and recover from emergencies through
  2. Assist in the development of WASH Cluster/WASH Sector Coordination preparedness documents, including contingency plans, 4W matrix, maps, assessment forms, standards, stocklist and partner mapping;
  3. Conduct field progress monitoring;
  4. Support cluster partners to provide timely WASH response during emergencies; and
  5. Provide an up-to-date, precise and informative report of needs and coverage of response activities.
  1. WASH Sector Best Practices and Learning. Consultant will support the development of work on methodology for baseline studies, monitoring tools, technical assessments for WASH infrastructure and hygiene practices at the community level.
  2. Assist partners with reporting and documentation (such as writing human interest stories, and other advocacy materials).
  3. Assist on documenting sector best practices and experiences ensuring that lessons learned feeds into policy and strategy development for the sector.
  4. Develop a template to document good practices based on developed and agreed upon framework and agreed criteria that are country specific;
  5. Collect and document good practices of WASH interventions and emergency responses in a compendium or toolkit; and
  6. Develop a fact-sheet and a poster with info-graphics on relevant areas including gender, disability, climate change and resilience.
  1. Cross-sectoral engagement between WASH, Health, Nutrition. Consultant will support the UNICEF WASH team in Kiribati ensuring coherence between WASH in Schools, WASH in health facilities and WASH in communities.

5.1 Assist colleagues with reporting and documentation (such as writing human interest stories, and other advocacy materials);

5.2 Support monitoring of UNICEF WASH programs including on sight inspection with approval from CFO; and

5.3 Support UNICEF WASH Team in the roll out of Akvo and U report.

3

3.1

Work Schedule:

The duration of the contract is from May 1 to December 31 2017. The consultant is expected to work on a full-time basis.

Payment Schedule

Payments will be done in accordance with submission of deliverables, certified by the supervisor.

Deliverables/End Products

Deliverables shall be submitted electronically in English to the UNICEF Pacific Multi-Country Office.

Deliverable / Expected duration / Payment
WASH Sector Coordination / 40%
  • Manage the coordination at national and sub-national levels between all relevant humanitarian and development partners including national and international stakeholders, and local structures from WASH, Education, Health, Nutrition, Child Protection, Social Policy and Communications;
  • Consult with government partners at national and local level and with local structures to ensure complimentary and coordination of approaches to WASH interventions;
  • Develop mechanisms to eliminate duplication of service delivery and identification of gaps;
  • Support government/and other partners in the development of strategies, methodologies and identification of new approaches for improving programme delivery in the emergency and in non-emergency areas;
  • Facilitate UNICEF’s inputs into the development of the national and/or local level policies;
  • Ensure that the priorities of WASH cluster are represented with the Humanitarian Country Team / or relevant bodies on WASH priorities (including SDGs targets) and advocacy;
  • Conduct desk review on capacity assessment of government and local partners; and
  • Organize and facilitate regular sector coordination meetings and share widely minutes action items.

WASH Data and Knowledge Management / 20%
  • Assist governments and local partners in developing WASH sector plans, objectives and indicators that support the realization of national WASH priorities including SDGs;
  • Assist government and/or partners in collecting and analyzing water and sanitation data across available WASH, education and health and nutrition databases to inform planning, programs, or projects, and in preparing report and maps using the data; and;
  • Develop a comprehensive report template for presenting data findings in an accessible, clear, professional and visuallyappealing way, including a set of specific recommendations for replication targeting government, donors, civil society and other stakeholders, as well as findings and recommendations-based information brief.

Emergency Preparedness and Response / 25%
  • Assist in the development of WASH Cluster/WASH Sector Coordination preparedness documents, including contingency plans, 4W matrix, maps, assessment forms, standards, stocklist and partner mapping;
  • Conduct field progress monitoring;
  • Support cluster partners to provide timely WASH response during emergencies;
  • Conduct desk review on capacity assessment of government and local partners; and;
  • Provide an up-to-date, precise and informative report of needs and coverage of response activities.

Best Practices and Learning / 10%
  • Provide an up-to-date, precise and informative report of needs and coverage of response activities Assist partners with reporting and documentation (such as writing human interest stories, and other advocacy materials);
  • Assist on documenting sector best practices and experiences ensuring that lessons learned feeds into policy and strategy development for the sector;
  • Develop a template to document good practices based on developed and agreed upon framework and agreed criteria that are country specific;
  • Collect and document good practices of WASH interventions and emergency responses in a compendium or toolkit; and
  • Develop a fact-sheet and a poster with info-graphics on relevant areas including gender, disability, climate change and resilience.

Cross-sectoral engagement between WASH, Health, Nutrition / 5%
  • Assist colleagues with reporting and documentation (such as writing human interest stories, and other advocacy materials)
  • Support monitoring of UNICEF WASH programs including on sight inspection with approval from CFO.
  • Support UNICEF WASH Team in the roll out of Akvo and U report.

Supervisor Name and Type of Supervision that will be provided:

The consultant will be under the direct supervision of the Chief of Field Office based in Kiribati.

Consultant’s Work Plan and Official Travel Involved:

The consultant is required to make his/her own return travel arrangements from Place of recruitment-Duty Station-Place of recruitment on the most direct route and economical class. Travel costs will be reimbursed to the consultant upon submission of invoice and travel documents.

All related (internal/external) official travel of the consultancy will be organized by the consultant and costs reimbursed accordingly.

The consultant is also required to organize his own visa to the duty station – UNICEF will provide a support letter to assist with visa approval.

Consultant’s Work Place:

The consultant will have a flexible work arrangement where at times s/he works out of the UNICEF Kiribati office other times, s/he can work remotely where s/he has access to good internet connectivity.

Qualifications or Specialized Knowledge/Experience Required:

Qualifications

  • Advanced Degree in one of the disciplines relevant to the following areas: Environmental Law, Environmental Policy, Climate Policy, Natural Resources Management or Water, Sanitation and Hygiene.

Experience

  • Minimum 8 years' experience in water supply, sanitation and hygiene enabling environment with specific skills in wash policy, coordination, financing and monitoring
  • Experience working with UN, Government, regional organizations and NGO partners.
  • Familiarity with national and regional policy frameworks for environment, water and sanitation as well as disaster risk reduction and climate change.
  • Experience in coordination and management of projects
  • Knowledge of UNICEF and its work programme for water, sanitation and hygiene and emergency preparedness and response is considered a strong asset.

Languages

  • Fluency in English
  • Knowledge of local language is an asset

Competencies

  • Communication
  • Drive for results
  • Applying technical expertise
  • Analysing
  • Learning and Researching
  • Planning and Organizing

General Conditionsof Contracts for the Services of Consultants / Individual Contractors

1. Legal Status

The individual engaged by UNICEF under this contract as a consultant or individual contractors (the “Contractor”) is engaged in a personal capacity and not as representatives of a Government or of any other entity external to the United Nations. The Contractor is neither a "staff member" under the Staff Regulations of the United Nations and UNICEF policies and procedures nor an "official" for the purpose of the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, 1946. The Contractor may, however, be afforded the status of "Experts on Mission" in the sense of Section 22 of Article VI of the Convention and the Contractor is required by UNICEF to travel in order to fulfill the requirements of this contract, the Contractor may be issued a United Nations Certificate in accordance with Section 26 of Article VII of the Convention.

2. Obligations

The Contractor shall complete the assignment set out in the Terms of Reference for this contract with due diligence, efficiency and economy, in accordance with generally accepted professional techniques and practices.

The Contractor must respect the impartiality and independence of UNICEF and the United Nations and in connection with this contract must neither seek nor accept instructions from anyone other than UNICEF. During the term of this contract the Contractor must refrain from any conduct that would adversely reflect on UNICEF or the United Nations and must not engage in any activity that is incompatible with the administrative instructions and policies and procedures of UNICEF. The Contractor must exercise the utmost discretion in all matters relating to this contract.

In particular, but without limiting the foregoing, the Contractor (a) will conduct him- or herself in a manner consistent with the Standards of Conduct in the International Civil Service; and (b) will comply with the administrative instructions and policies and procedures of UNICE relating to fraud and corruption; information disclosure; use of electronic communication assets; harassment, sexual harassment and abuse of authority; and the requirements set forth in the Secretary General's Bulletin on Special Measures for Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse.

Unless otherwise authorized by the appropriate official in the office concerned, the Contractor must not communicate at any time to the media or to any institution, person, Government or other entity external to UNICEF any information that has not been made public and which has become known to the Contractor by reason of his or her association with UNICEF or the United Nations. The Contractor may not use such information without the written authorization of UNICEF, and shall under no circumstances use such information for his or her private advantage or that of others. These obligations do not lapse upon termination of this contact.

3. Title rights

UNICEF shall be entitled to all property rights, including but not limited to patents, copyrights and trademarks, with regard to material created by the Contractor which bears a direct relation to, or is made in order to perform, this contract. At the request of UNICEF, the Contractor shall assist in securing such property rights and transferring them to UNICEF in compliance with the requirements of the law governing such rights.

4. Travel

If UNICEF determines that the Contractor needs to travel in order to perform this contract, that travel shall be specified in the contract and the Contractor’s travel costs shall be set out in the contract, on the following basis:

(a)UNICEF will pay for travel in economy class via the most direct and economical route; provided however that in exceptional circumstances, such as for medical reasons, travel in business class may be approved by UNICEF on a case-by-case basis.

(b)UNICEF will reimburse the Contractor for out-of-pocket expenses associated with such travel by paying an amount equivalent to the daily subsistence allowance that would be paid to staff members undertaking similar travel for official purposes.

5. Statement of good health

Before commencing work, the Contractor must deliver to UNICEF a certified self-statement of good health and to take full responsibility for the accuracy of that statement. In addition, the Contractor must include in this statement of good health (a) confirmation that he or she has been informed regarding inoculations required for him or her to receive, at his or her own cost and from his or her own medical practitioner or other party, for travel to the country or countries to which travel is authorized; and (b) a statement he or she is covered by medical/health insurance and that, if required to travel beyond commuting distance from his or her usual place or residence to UNICEF (other than to duty station(s) with hardship ratings “H” and “A”, a list of which has been provided to the Contractor) the Contractor’s medical/health insurance covers medical evacuations. The Contractor will be responsible for assuming all costs that may be occurred in relation to the statement of good health.