International Consultant to support systematization of community feedback mechanism as part of advancement of WASH related behaviours in schools

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built. We offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture., coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, the right to visibility!

UNICEF, jointly with UNDP, and in partnership with the Ministry of Preschool and School Education (MoPSE) of Uzbekistan, is implementing an MPTF Project for Modelling climate resilience and WASH in 50 schools in Uzbekistan. Its key priorities are enhancing access of children and adolescents in the most affected schools to equitable, inclusive, and climate-resilient learning environments and enhance the education system to better plan, deliver, and maintain school environments.

This is expected to be operationalized through (i) improving access to inclusive, gender-responsive WASH services in pilot schools, addressing the needs of children and adolescents, particularly adolescent girls; (ii) providing institutional support to MoPSE and local agencies to govern school infrastructure in gender-sensitive and transparent ways in cooperation with local communities to ensure the sustainability of improvements; and, (iii) promoting essential WASH behaviours including around menstrual health among school children through knowledge and practice.

WASH facilities improvement and promotion of essential knowledge and behaviours among stakeholders is the foundation of this initiative. However, a sustainable positive effect of these improvements can only be achieved by introducing a solid feedback and response mechanism, which will ensure that the community’s views and concerns are reflected at all stages of introducing behavioural solutions for WASH.

To this end, UNICEF is planning to engage an international expert to support the development and implementation of a systemic community feedback model into governance of selected schools. The objective of this initiative is to create a sustainable communication system for receiving community feedback and to establish standard operating procedures for resolving feedback.

Scope of Work:
Under the overall guidance of the Communication Chief and daily collaboration with Social and Behavior Change officer, an international consultant will:

• Conduct desk review of international best practice with a particular emphasis on like-minded contexts, particularly South and Central Asian contexts of community feedback models in projects including school improvement programs,
• Conduct desk review of local evidence and map the existing mechanism:
  • Provide guidance to a local expert on field data collection among key stakeholders including parents and caregivers of school children, schoolteachers and school administrators, makhalla leaders, civil society organisations and other local leaders – such as structured interview guides and assist in the analysis of qualitative data by providing analytical frameworks.
  • Conduct desk review of national evidence to understand the existing community feedback mechanisms, regulatory framework and preferred channels by community.
  • Map the existing local mechanism in the context of international best practice.
• Design a community feedback mechanism for selected schools where WASH solutions are being
  proposed – based on the best international practice and local context.
• Support pre-testing and piloting of the proposed mechanism to refine the final model based on
  staff/community feedback.

Work Assignments – Deliverables/Outputs – Timeline

1. Conduct desk review of international best practice with a particular emphasis on like-minded contexts, particularly South and Central Asian contexts of community feedback models in projects including school improvement programs – Documented comprehensive review of international best practice of community feedback mechanisms in projects including school improvement programs – March-April 2026
(10 days)

2. Conduct desk review of local evidence:

• Provide guidance to a local expert on field data collection among key stakeholders including parents and caregivers of school children, schoolteachers and school administrators, makhalla leaders, civil society organisations and local leaders – such as structured interview guides, and assist in the analysis of qualitative data by providing analytical frameworks,
• Conduct desk review of national evidence to understand the existing community feedback mechanisms, regulatory framework and preferred channels by community.

A report based on primary research and desk review findings. The report must include regulatory framework, existing communication mechanisms, roles of key stakeholders, behavioural aspects, barriers, preferred communication channels by communities – April – June 2026 (5 days)

3. Map the existing local mechanism in the context of global best practice – A report with mapping of existing communication feedback mechanism in the context of international best practice – July 2026 (5 days)

4. Design a community feedback mechanism for selected schools where WASH solutions are being proposed – based on the best international practice and local context – A written document outlining the full mechanism, including roles and responsibilities, standard operating procedures for logging, investigating and resolving feedback, tools and training materials on how to operate the mechanism and to report back to the community – July-October 2026 (20 days)

5. Support pre-testing and piloting of the proposed mechanism to refine the final model based on staff/community feedback.
Documented proposals on refining the final model based on pre-testing results and staff/community feedback following piloting – January-June 2027 (8 days)

Total number of working days: 48

Travel is required: Two in-country visits

Final rate shall follow the “best value for money” principle, i.e., achieving the desired outcome at the lowest possible fee.

Please submit a professional fee (in USD) based on 48 working days to undertake this assignment, without travel fees as this will be reimbursed as and when they take place.

Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

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

Minimum requirements:

• Education: Advanced university degree (post-graduation, Masters or PhD) in social studies, health communication, or another relevant field.
• Work Experience:
  • Minimum of 10 years of experience in designing and implementing social and behaviour change interventions, including on community engagement and feedback mechanisms in social sectors like health, education, etc.
  • Work experience with UN agencies/UNICEF is an asset. 
  • Work experience in the Central Asia or in Uzbekistan is an asset.

• Language Requirements: English language is required.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others 

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility jobs-near-me.org UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:  

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. 

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.