DirecciónThis consultancy will work under the supervision of MHPSS specialist in Child Protection in Humanitarian Action overseeing the assignment, to produce key tools that have been identified, consolidate lessons learned and provide recommendations for improvements, support the use of tools needed in country and regional offices, and produce internal and external publications to highlight UNICEF’s work.
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Vacancy Announcement: Consultant
Consultancy Title: MHPSS Intervention Development and Evaluation Consultant
Station: Child Protection Section - Programme Group - NYHQ
Duration: 15 April 2024 - 15 April 2025
Home/ office Based: REMOTE
About UNICEF
If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you. For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. UNICEF has over 12,000 staff in more than 145 countries.
BACKGROUND
Purpose of Activity/Assignment:
Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) is an institutional priority for the UN, and for UNICEF. The UNICEF Strategic Plan 2022-2025 identifies MHPSS as a priority area, building upon existing programming through child protection, education and health. Feasible, scalable, and evidence-based psychological interventions for children and their caregivers are a significant gap highlighted in current humanitarian programming and research. This notable absence has been particularly underlined through COVID-19 and the Afghanistan and Ukraine responses. In MHPSS guidance globally, there is the common recommendation to refer to for additional services if children cannot be helped by basic MHPSS in the lower levels of the pyramid, however our understanding of what works for whom, and how to effectively implement such interventions in situations of adversity and with low resources is lacking.
Over recent years, UNICEF has developed several state of the art tools to support country offices in increasing quality MHPSS services to children and adolescents and their families. As these are rolled out, there is a need to develop additional tools to support country offices in quality implementation, and address remaining gaps and challenges. Additionally, there is a need to consolidate lessons learned so far from multi-site implementation experiences, to identify achievements, as well as areas for improvement.
Scope of Work:
This consultancy will work under the supervision of MHPSS specialist in Child Protection in Humanitarian Action overseeing the assignment, to produce key tools that have been identified, consolidate lessons learned and provide recommendations for improvements, support the use of tools needed in country and regional offices, and produce internal and external publications to highlight UNICEF’s work.
The team does not have funding to cover all planned activities that continue until 2025. Some deliverables are planned to be completed if additional resources become available.
Terms of Reference / Key Deliverables:
Deliverable 1:
-MHPSS strategy developed
-Draft of MHPSS content developed
By 30 April 2024
Deliverable 2:
-Presentations for “Bridging the Humanitarian, Peacebuilding, and “Development Nexus Symposium” on UNICEF’s implementation of MHPSS initiatives with inputs from MHPSS colleagues are developed
-Key take-away points from both conferences shared back with UNICEF MHPSS colleagues and other relevant colleagues
By 27 May 2024
Deliverable 3: Piloting plans for BLOOM are finalized in two locations that includes:
•At least 2 partners selected and at least 2 MOUs and contracts established
•A detailed research and implementation protocol; consent form; interview guide; outcome measures; and reporting procedures developed through 2 workshops, in collaboration with country and regional offices and partners for 2 sites
By 30 June 2024
Deliverable 4:
•Plan and content for regional training of trainers developed (region 1)
•Protocols for implementation, monitoring and Evaluation developed (region 1)
•Plan and content for regional training of trainers developed (region 2)
•Protocols for implementation, monitoring and Evaluation developed (region 2)
•Documentation and report of key achievements and lessons learned
By 31 July 2024
By 31 January 2025
Deliverable 5:
•Detailed protocol for Development and review process established including documentation of main outcomes, Development and review process, follow-up actions from participation in communication through emails, calls, and planning workshop with UNICEF lead, WHO, and other stakeholders.
By 30 August 2024
Deliverable 6:
•9 meetings coordinated, facilitated and documented including follow up with members in between and participation in workplan activities.
•Deck of slides and a final report for the annual MHPSS RG WG meeting are produced
By 31 December 2024
•3 meetings coordinated, facilitated and documented, with follow up with members in between and participation in workplan activities.
•Workplan for 2025 developed
By 15 April 2025
Deliverable 7:
•Technical review of Foundational Helping Skills conducted
•Overview of existing resources used within UNICEF developed
•Outline of modular frontline training package content developed in collaboration with UNICEF MHPSS sector leads. 3-5 modules are developed, including a process for determining the delivery of modules to specific audiences.
By 31 October 2024
Deliverable 8:
Adaptation process completed in two sites, including
•completion of literature and practice reviews for each site.
•Consultations conducted with relevant stakeholders, with the number of stakeholders agreed upon in consultations with partners.
•Adaptation process and needed adaptations documented
•Two adaptation workshops facilitated
•Translation processes for final materials facilitated
By 30 November 2024
Deliverable 9:
Context 1
•Participation in 4 in-country meetings with partners to discuss progress, challenges in project implementation.
•Collection and analysis of data related to training, supervision, and implementation processes, ensuring accuracy and completeness.
•Production of a comprehensive report on findings and piloting experience, highlighting key insights, lessons learned, and recommendations for future implementation strategies.
By 28 February 2025
Context 2
• Participation in 4 in-country meetings with partners to discuss progress, challenges in project implementation.
• Collection and analysis of data related to training, supervision, and implementation processes, ensuring accuracy and completeness.
• Production of a comprehensive report on findings and piloting experience, highlighting key insights, lessons learned, and recommendations for future implementation strategies.
By 31 March 2025
Qualifications
Education:
- PhD in Clinical Psychology, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support, Child Protection or related fields
Work experience:
- Minimum 9 years experience developing MHPSS interventions for children and families in humanitarian settings
- Demonstrated experience testing or researching psychological interventions for children and families
- Excellent experience leading multi-stakeholder projects, including the management of budgets and contracts
- Previous work experience in humanitarian and emergency settings
Competencies/Knowledge:
- Demonstrated organizational skills, including ability to work independently and productively with multiple stakeholders in fast-paced environment across time zones.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills; the ability to effectively liaise with people in a wide range of functions in a multi-cultural environment.
Requirements:
Completed profile in UNICEF's e-Recruitment system and
- Upload copy of academic credentials
- Financial proposal that will include/ reflect:
- the costs per each deliverable and the total lump-sum for the whole assignment (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference.
- travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR
- Any other estimated costs: visa, health insurance, and living costs as applicable.
- Indicate your availability
- Any emergent / unforeseen duty travel and related expenses will be covered by UNICEF
- At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage
- Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory 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.
U.S. Visa information:
With the exception of the US Citizens, G4 Visa and Green Card holders, should the selected candidate and his/her household members reside in the United States under a different visa, the consultant and his/her household members are required to change their visa status to G4, and the consultant’s household members (spouse) will require an Employment Authorization Card (EAD) to be able to work, even if he/she was authorized to work under the visa held prior to switching to G4
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process
For every Child, you demonstrate…
UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results. View our competency framework at Here
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: Individuals engaged under a consultancy 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. Consultants 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.
