Consultancy Title: Professional consultancy to support the development of the MENARO 2026-2029 Regional Office Management Plan

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, Hope

How can you make a difference? 

UNICEF MENARO’s Regional Office Management Plan (ROMP) 2022-2025 enters its final year where a new ROMP preparation takes place. The new ROMP 2026-2029 will be set against a rich programmatic and operational experience and lessons learned from the current programming cycle, overall lessons and key shifts agreed at the Mid Term Review of the current ROMP.

Since the formulation of the ROMP 2022-2025, the situation in the region as well as globally has been changing. Despite progress made towards many social indicators in recent decades, inequalities between and within countries remain substantial. A wide range of country typologies (low-income, middle income and high-income countries) are represented in MENA, as are differing stages of demographic transition and complex political economies presenting diverse humanitarian challenges.

In 2023/2024, the MENA region experienced complex humanitarian crises that took a terrible toll on the lives of children and families. There were devastating earthquakes in Syria and Morocco, floods in Libya, the large-scale conflict across all of Sudan (creating the world’s largest child internal displacement crisis), and the ongoing tragic situation in Israel and the State of Palestine, and the latest events in Lebanon. The scope of such crises has inevitably impacted UNICEF’s work and the region’s progress toward child-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The region’s progress towards child-related SDGs has been impacted by the scope and persistence of humanitarian crises, which in turn have taken a toll on the progress of children and adolescents.

Given the diversity of programmes, and ongoing conflicts in the region, MENARO conducted a mid-term review of the 2022-2025 regional office management plan in consultation with all staff and the Staff Association in March 2024. Overall, the MTR confirmed the relevance of the current ROMP, with the recommendation to further expand/strengthen some thematic and cross-cutting areas.

Globally, UNICEF has started the preparation of the new Strategic Plan (2026-2029) with the aim of endorsement of the new SP by the executive board in September 2025. The on-going new UNICEF Strategic Plan (SP) 2026-2029 preparations at the global level also anchors the preparation of the ROMP. Given this, MENARO will embark on developing the 2026-2029 Regional Office Management Plan during the last quarter of 2024 and early 2025 building on the recommendations of the recently concluded MTR and evolving situation. The development of the ROMP process will be conducted through a transparent and participatory process with the Staff Association and all MENARO staff. MENA countries (Reps/Dep reps) will also be consulted in moments of the ROMP process.

The UNICEF Middle East and North Africa Regional Office (MENARO) is responsible for providing guidance, support, technical assistance, oversight (including quality assurance), and coordination to country offices within the region. This mandate is outlined in the Regional Office Management Plan (ROMP), a four-year strategy that directs the efforts of the Regional Office and its support to the Country offices.

Purpose:

This consultancy assignment aims at supporting the UNICEF MENARO undertake the preparation of the ROMP 2026-2029 and the related submission to global PBR in/around March 2025. This will broadly involve identifying the Regional Office’ new and/or continued set of priorities and results and adjusting its management structure and budget to match the newly identified or pursued priorities and results. The assignment will be delivered while keeping to the principle of full transparency to and participation of all MENARO staff. 

This involves close collaboration with relevant Regional Advisors, Deputy Regional Directors (DRD) for Programmes, and DRD for Operations and other key staff. The consultant will ensure that the Regional Office (RO) fulfills its accountabilities by providing expert advice, facilitating coordination, and ensuring that all aspects of the ROMP are meticulously planned and executed.

Scope of Work:

UNICEF MENARO is looking for a dedicated professional to assist the preparation and development of the ROMP 2026-2029 ROMP while providing critical advice and expertise on MENARO’s role and accountabilities. This role involves supporting the preparation process as outlined in the ROMP 2026-2029 Concept Note and Road Map as well as drafting of the ROMP documents and related annexes.

The new ROMP will be informed by the following:

• Key results and lessons learned from the current ROMP cycle: this includes the evidence drawn from documentations from the 2024 Mid-Term Review (MTR), key regional evaluations, the 2024 annual review including progress report, socio-economic analysis, the RO humanitarian lessons learned retreat and the emergency simulation etc…
• Prioritized thematic and cross-cutting areas: based on the review of the current ROMP cycle above and consultations with MENARO.
• Key trends and priorities of the new SP: as much as possible from the ongoing preparations.
• Consultations and participatory process: The development of the ROMP process will be conducted through a transparent and participatory process with the Staff Association and all MENARO staff. MENA countries (Rep/dep Reps) will also be consulted in key phases of the development as relevant.
• UNICEF Strategic Plan 2022-2025, MTR and the Evaluation of the current Strategic Plan.
• UNICEF’s global organizational improvement initiatives in relation to RO functions and their implications on modalities of delivering technical assistance.
• Projected financial resources of UNICEF to ensure that the Regional Office set up is affordable and fit-for-purpose.
• UN Reform in relation to support required by the country offices and UNICEF’s role at the regional level.

The ROMP development process is divided into four phases, and the incumbent is expected to support throughout all of them.

Phase 1: Situation analysis/analytics 

• Assist in the creation of detailed project plans and schedules.
• Support the gathering of relevant data and information.
• Analyze data to identify key trends and insights that will inform the ROMP.
• Collaborate with regional advisors to discuss way forward on the regional accelerators (small working groups).

Phase 2: Engagement Phase

• Draft an analysis to be presented to all staff which includes the results of the current evaluation, engagement with regional advisors and guidelines on the new ROMP including guidance on changes in strategic intent, structure, budget.

Phase 3: Strategic Intent & Visioning of the 2026-2029 ROMP

• Consolidate the strategic Intent proposals by Programmatic results area, change strategy and enabler for the new ROMP.
• Facilitate Annual review meeting following the review of all PPTs ( by accelerator result area ) by sections.
• Facilitate ROMP Consultative meeting – following the consolidation of the final strategic intent and vision. The consolidation will incorporate all feedback and inputs from previous stages, before presenting to all staff including staff association and ROMP Reference Group for final feedback and reflections. The final results framework will guide the ROMP development.
• Consolidate the proposed way-forward with the new ROMP by each section (with the aim of simplification).
• Coordinate and finalize the Sections’ Strategic intent proposals based on feedback from the ROMP Consultative Meeting.

Phase 4: Drafting, consolidation & submission of the narrative/strategic intent of the new ROMP (2026-2029)

• Develop the draft ROMP.
• Prepare the way-forward for presenting at the ROMT meeting for endorsement.
• Develop the final draft 2026-2029 Regional Office Management Plan.

The new ROMP, including its results elements (Outcomes and Outputs), in addition to the narrative and any other key documents should be in results and rights-based language and in line with UNICEF Style Book.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• Education:
• University Bachelors Degree or Masters on Social Science, Political Science, International Relations, Management, Leadership, Business Administration, Human Resources or related fields.
• Experience:
• At least ten years in the relevant field of strategic planning, change management etc.
• Strong and up-to-date knowledge of results-based management principles and practice (mandatory)
• Proven skills in facilitation and communication, particularly in multi-cultural settings.
• Strong track record in supporting the elaboration (drafting) of strategic frameworks, workplans and programmes.
• Sound and up to date knowledge and expertise in human rights-based approach to programming, gender-responsive and equity-based programming, and risk-informed programming.
• Sound and up to date knowledge of UN and UNICEF policies and practices in programme design, implementation and monitoring and reporting is an asset.
• Experience working with UNICEF and/or the United Nations system is an asset.
• Strong English verbal and written communication skills (mandatory).
• Proven ability to exercise analytical and conceptual thinking (mandatory).
• Computer skills, including internet navigation, and various office applications (mandatory).
• Language: Oral and written proficiency in English is required. Knowledge of Arabic 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. 

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