Individual Consultant: Emergency and WASH Sustainability, 6 months, Abuja

The consultant is required to support the WASH team in emergency programme (esp. flood and /or cholera response) implementation and coordination at the states as well as national level based on the emerging needs.
Similarly, the consultant is required to provide high level support to State and LGA authorities and school/PHC management teams in CRIBS focus LGAs of Kano and Jigawa States and establish working mechanism for sustainable O&M of WASH facilities in those institutions. Similarly, the consultant will visit existing PPCP models in IWASH states and facilitate development of mutually accountable contractual models for upscaling of PPCPs in those states. This will broadly encompass the facilitation of consultative meetings, participation in relevant UNICEF and stakeholders’ meetings, conduct of desk review of documents and analysis and synthesis of evidence to produce reports, design of tools and frameworks for data analysis, production of high-quality report and documents.
Therefore, to complete the assignment, the consultant will be expected to work collaboratively with UNICEF team, and other stakeholders from the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation at the national and sub-national levels, Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agencies (RUWASSAs) at the state level, WASH Units/Departments at the Local Government Area (LGA) level and various line Ministries, Directorates, Departments and Agencies as may be appropriate.

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. 

 

How can you make a difference? 

UNICEF Nigeria WASH Programme supports the government of Nigeria in providing equitable, sustainable, and climate-resilient water, sanitation, and hygiene to children and their families, through the design and implementation of projects at the national and sub-National levels.

The recent cholera outbreak has killed more than 100 persons in various states in Nigeria, with huge impact in Lagos State. UNICEF has mobilised a support mission to Lagos, and the WASH section is represented by a WASH Officer (NOB). The WASH Officer, who was engaged as the WASH Focal point for Cholera response is scheduled to start his paternal leave starting mid-August, and this would reduce WASH section’s capacity to response to cholera and potential flood related emergencies across the country, which traditionally peak in the third quarter of the year.

An innovative project, ‘Climate Resilient Infrastructure for Basic Services (CRIBS)’ has been developed by UNICEF in collaboration with the FCDO in Nigeria that aims to demonstrate a scalable model for assessing climate risks and vulnerabilities of primary healthcare facilities (PHCs) and primary schools and subsequently identifying and implementing interventions to make those facilities more resilient. UNICEF as the lead implementing partner is working with the Kano and Jigawa State Government partners on this project. A key component of the CRIBS is to establish a sustainable operation and maintenance (O&) mechanism for WASH in schools and PHCs supported by the CRIBS so that climate resilient WASH facilities continue to function and that, when break down occurs, the facilities are promptly fixed. Some of the reasons for poor functionality of WASH facilities in PHCs and schools are inadequate attention to operation and maintenance (O&M) of facilities, lack of access to spare parts, lack of funds for O&M, low level of O&M skills. State and LGAs authorities do not have a formal mechanism for monitoring the functionality of WASH facilities and to make the PHCs and schools accountable for O&M; accountability framework between the institutions, service providers (operators if any) and public authorities are yet to be developed.

Similarly, UNICEF with funding from the USAID has been implementing IWASH programme in three states of Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara. UNICEF has designed and demonstrated models for partnership between communities, private sector, and government authorities for WASH services delivery. The emerging public-private-community partnership (PPCP) model is contributing to the sustainability of water facilities in rural areas and small towns. However, these models lack a sound business plan and a mutually accountable contract to ensure long term sustainability of such models.

This Consultancy TOR is designed to provide continuity of WASH response to cholera/flood related situations in the country and support the State and LGA authorities and school/PHC management teams in CRIBS focus LGAs of Kano and Jigawa States and establish working mechanism for sustainable O&M of WASH facilities in those institutions. Similarly, the consultant will support developing a mutually accountable contract document for PPCP model in IWASH project states. The priority of the consultant will be to support cholera/ flood response, based on the need.

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

• Support cholera outbreak response activities implemented in affected communities and states, as per the instruction of the Supervisor, including attending WASH in Emergencies (WinE) TWGs as per need, and preparing the summary of state-wise status of WinE response preparedness for flood and cholera
• Develop a mechanism for sustainable O&M of WASH in PHCs and Schools supported by CRIBS programme through a consultative process, and support partners and UNICEF team in establishing such mechanisms in the selected 10 PHCs and 10 Schools in Kano and Jigawa state of Nigeria.
• Strengthen ongoing public-private-community partnership (PPCP) models for O&M of WASH facilities in rural areas and small towns in Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi states (under the IWASH programme).

The Consultant will work very closely with UNICEF WASH team in Abuja and relevant Field Offices, while leading all the technical processes on his/her own

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Development Studies, Public Health, Community Health, Public Administration, WASH Engineering, Social and Behaviour Change Communication and any other related field
• A minimum of 5 years’ experience in national and sub-national work in the WASH sector with particular skills in rural WASH
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
• S/he should also have a solid writing skill in English language, with evidence of having done similar kinds of work at the national and sub-national level.

If you would like to know more about the position. please review the Terms of Reference  ToR for Cholera and Sustainability of WASH without budget.pdf.

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.