Climate Change Consultant, Abuja, Nigeria (Remote – 6 months)

The WASH team is seeking to hire a consultant who will be the key expert responsible for providing strategic guidance to UNICEF teams in Abuja and Field Offices across Nigeria in the design and implementation of climate change interventions including solarization of
WASH, health and school facilities, green rising initiative, climate resilient programmes among others. Under the strategic guidance of the Chief/Manager of Climate Change/WASH section, the consultant will provide close guidance and strategic inputs on all key aspects of climate change programme planning and implementation.

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In Nigeria, UNICEF works in a complex humanitarian and development setting to fulfill and protect children’s rights in partnership with government, civil society, children, and families.  UNICEF Nigeria is one of the largest UNICEF Country Offices globally – click the link to learn more about UNICEF in Nigeria: https://www.unicef.org/nigeria/.

Organizational Context and Purpose for the job

Nigeria is one of the top ten most climate change vulnerable countries in the world. UNICEF Nigeria has been implementing several climate change initiatives, including Green Rising, WASH sector climate risk and vulnerability analysis, climate resilient infrastructure for basic services (water, sanitation, healthcare, and education), climate change adaptation programmes for healthcare facilities among others. UNICEF has also developed a Climate Landscape Analysis for Children in Nigeria (CLAC) and is working with the Federal Ministry of Environment, and the National Council on Climate Change Secretariat to amplify voices of the children and young people on national climate change policy processes such as Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and National Adaptation Planning (NAP) framework. We are therefore seeking a Climate Change Consultant with a strong background/training and experience on climate change and environmental policy and programming. Building on the CLAC report, by closely assessing the nature of the impact of climate change on different sectoral aspects of our programming – health, nutrition, WASH, education and child protection, the Consultant will strengthen UNICEF’s partnerships, programming, and capacity to prioritize children’s needs in climate action and support integration of climate action into UNICEF’s areas of work. This would further strengthen the planning, implementation and documentation of Climate Change mitigation and adaptation interventions implemented by UNICEF and engage children and young people on climate change interventions in a strategic manner.

Whilst the Consultant will report to the Chief of WASH/Climate Change section in Abuja, his/her work would cover all programme sectors implemented by UNICEF in Nigeria. The work will include field visits to states as necessary to build evidence and corroborate findings. The Consultant will further accelerate the implementation of CLAC Action Plan of UNICEF Nigeria.

Key responsibilities:

This Consultancy TOR is designed to strengthen ongoing climate change programme implemented by UNICEF in Nigeria.

UNICEF is seeking services of an international consultant to achieve the following deliverables:

• Climate change programmes implemented by various sections within UNICEF Nigeria are coordinated and
• strategic guidance is provided on the programme design and implementation. • UNICEF’s multi-sectoral contribution to national policy processes such as NDC and NAP are well coordinated
• and UNICEF’s inputs to those processes are delivered on time. • Key approaches and lessons learned by UNICEF in implementation of Climate Change programmes and projects (e.g. Green Rising, Solarization, Community level resilience building activities etc.) implemented by UNICEF across Nigeria are documented.
• At least one national workshop/meeting with internal and external stakeholders’ key conclusions and action
• points agreed in the workshop documented.
• Improved analysis and evidence on climate impact and multi-dimensional poverty indicators across various regions in Nigeria.
• At least a concept notes and draft proposal developed for submission to Green Climate Fund (GCF) on behalf.
• of UNICEF Nigeria.
• Climate-related activities of UNICEF in Nigeria supported as per need.

Scope of work

The consultant will be the key expert responsible for providing strategic guidance to UNICEF teams in Abuja and Field Offices across Nigeria in the design and implementation of climate change interventions including solarization of WASH, health and school facilities, green rising initiative, climate resilient programmes among others. Under the strategic guidance of the Chief/Manager of Climate Change/WASH section, the consultant will provide close guidance and strategic inputs on all key aspects of climate change programme planning and implementation.

The consultancy is expected to undertake the following activities among others:

1. Coordinate climate change programmes and interventions implemented by various sections within UNICEF Nigeria and provide strategic guidance on the programme design and implementation.
2. Strengthen cross-sectoral planning and collaboration among teams from WASH, Education, Health, Nutrition, Child Protection, GenU within UNICEF Nigeria, and subsequently strengthen cross-sectoral collaboration and ensure that UNICEF’s contribution to national policy processes such as NDC and NAP are well coordinated and UNICEF’s inputs to those processes are delivered on time.
3. Take lead in documenting key approaches and lessons learned by UNICEF in the planning and implementation of Climate Change programmes and projects (e.g. Green Rising, Solarization, Community level resilience building activities etc. implemented by UNICEF across Nigeria.
4. Lead the design and facilitation of climate change debates, workshops and meetings with internal and external stakeholders and document the conclusions and action points agreed in those meetings/workshops.
5. Lead the analysis and evidence generation on climate and multi-dimensional poverty indicators across various regions in Nigeria and strengthen system for evidence-based climate change programming.
6. Take lead in developing concept notes and proposals for submission to Green Climate Fund (GCF) on behalf of UNICEF Nigeria.
7. Support other climate-related activities of UNICEF in Nigeria as necessary eg advocacy events, youth mobilization activities etc.

Deliverables/Outputs

• Summary of climate change programmes implemented by various sections within UNICEF Nigeria and methodology to provide strategic guidance to cross-sectoral teams.
• Key lessons learned by UNICEF in implementation of Climate Change programmes and projects (e.g. Green Rising, Solarization, Community level resilience building activities etc. implemented by UNICEF across Nigeria are documented.
• UNICEF’s multi-sectoral contribution to national policy processes such as NDC and NAP are documented and delivered on time.
• At least one national workshop/meeting with internal and external stakeholders organized and reports documented.
• Improved analysis and evidence on climate impact and multi-dimensional poverty indicators across various regions in Nigeria.
• At least a concept notes and draft proposal developed for submission to Green Climate Fund (GCF) on behalf of UNICEF Nigeria.
• Climate-related activities of UNICEF in Nigeria supported as per need.

Education:

Advanced Degree in Climate Change, Environment, Development Studies, Economics, Public Health, Community Health, Public Administration, Engineering, and any other related field.

PhD in Climate Change related field is highly desired.

Experience:

The consultant shall have a minimum of 8 years’ experience in national and sub-national work in the field of climate change, environmental programme development and management. S/he should also have a demonstrated analytical and writing skills in English language, with evidence of having done similar kinds of work at the national and sub-national level. Samples of written work could be asked for, if needed.

Language Requirements:

Fluency in English (verbal and written) is required.

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 for ensuring 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. 

Please submit your all-inclusive financial and technical proposal along with the application. Application without these will not be entertained.