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Background
UNICEF West and Central Africa Regional Office (WCARO) provides support to 24 UNICEF country offices. The Social Policy team coordinates and provides technical support to the Sahel Social Protection Joint Project (Sahel SP-JP, or Joint Project), a regional joint programme with WFP which includes Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger. This Project began in 2020 and is now in Phase II of implementation (2025-2028). The Project outcomes include:
As the Project is jointly implemented and reported on across two agencies, and five countries, the Project requires dedicated capacity to support reporting obligations, development of proposals and project documents for complimentary or top-up funding (at regional and country level), and for the development of communications, advocacy and knowledge products.
Objective of the consultation
The purpose of this consultancy is to support the UNICEF WCAR regional and country office Social Policy teams with drafting and quality assurance of donor reporting, support to proposal development, and support to writing/editing communication materials, advocacy briefs, and technical notes, in particular as it relates to the German-funded Sahel Social Protection Joint Project.
How can you make a difference?ย
Scope of Work:
cope of work
Under the supervision of the Social Policy Specialist (Social Protection), the individual contractor is expected to provide support to the German Cooperation-funded Sahel Social Protection Joint Project (Phase 1 Part IV, and Phase 2) through the following tasks:
In close collaboration with relevant WFP regional staff and UNICEF Country Office staff in programme countries, the consultant will ensure quality and results-based donor reporting by:
- Coordinating country and regional inputs into reports and identifying relevant supporting materials.
- Drafting, copy-editing and fact-checking reports.
- Ensuring that reports are in line with donor conditions, templates and proposals.
- Following up in case of donor feedback on the reports sent. Resource Mobilization
Support regional and country initiatives to produce concept notes and eventual updates of the programme documents in case of top-up funds for top-up funding for the Joint Project, or additional funding proposals:
- Drafting, editing, lay-out and quality assurance of Joint Project materials.
- Drafting, editing, lay-out and quality assurance of funding proposals for donors. Communication, advocacy, and knowledge products
Support WCAR regional and country Social Policy teams to develop communication and advocacy materials, notably in relation to the German-funded Sahel Social Protection Joint Project by:
- Providing quality assurance and copy-editing of project summaries, case studies, technical notes, guidance materials, audiovisual materials, and other knowledge products.
Timing, Level of Effort and Duration
This assignment is a home-based, remote consultancy. Should travel be required, this will be discussed and approved on a case-by-case basis. The work will be carried out over 115 working days between 18 August 2025 and 31 December 2026. The main deliverables are as follows:
* High standard reports meeting donor requirements are submitted on time
Semi-Annual and annual reports for Phase 1 (SC200554) and Phase 2 (SC240861) of the Sahel SP JP (75 days total: August-Oct 2025 (Phase 1 annual & Phase 2 semi-annual reports), January-March 2026 (Phase 1 semi-annual and Phase 2 annual reports), and August-Oct 2026 (Phase 1 Annual & Phase 2 semi-annual reports). Fund Mobilization
* High standard proposals meet donor requirements and are submitted on time
- On demand proposals for project top-ups or complementary funding (20 days: Throughout the assignment - 10 days WCARO and 10 days Burkina Country Office). Communication, advocacy, and knowledge products
* Communication materials, policy/advocacy briefs, and knowledge products meet quality standards
- On demand visibility, advocacy, and knowledge products (20 days: Throughout the assignment). Deliverable Deadline Estimated Effort Sahel SP JP โ Phase 1 Annual & Phase 2 Semi-annual reports August to October 2025, report due 31 October 2025 25 days Sahel SP JP โ Phase 1 Semi Annual & Phase 2 Annual reports January to March 2026, report due 31 March 2026 25 days Sahel SP JP โ Phase 1 Annual & Phase 2 Semi-annual reports August to October 2026, report due October 2026 25 days Updated project documents, concept notes, and funding proposals Throughout โ on demand 20 days Communication, advocacy, and knowledge products Throughout โ on demand 20 days
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will haveโฆย
Other Requirements
Completed profile in UNICEF's e-Recruitment system /Resume Academic credentials/certificates Consultancy proposal Financial proposal that will include: Costs for each deliverable and total all-inclusive (lump sum) fees for the whole assignment 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 Previously relevant consultancy products & final evaluations (if available) Indicate your availability 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.For every Child, you demonstrateโฆย
UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).ย
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UNICEF is here to serve the worldโs 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.ย
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.ย
Remarks:ย ย
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.ย
Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered โstaff membersโ under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEFโs 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.ย
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.ย