Vacancy Announcement

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Bangladesh is seeking applications from Non-Bangladeshi citizens for an international consultancy position at P-3 level available for twelve weeks in the Communication, Advocacy & Partnerships Section of its Dhaka office.

Background:

The ‘Understanding the Perception of UNICEF Partners in Bangladesh’ (working title) study will be a key source of information for the country office in planning its next Country Programme. It will look at UNICEF’s position with its partners and the perspectives that they hold regarding the work that UNICEF does in Bangladesh. Globally, partnerships are increasingly considered central to making development effective and mobilizing resources.

Through a consultative process, the study is meant to guide the organization’s strategic engagement in future collaborative relationships and partnerships. It is also meant to address the rapidly evolving external landscape toward positioning UNICEF as a partner of choice to deliver results for children. The guiding principles in the development of the strategy will be:

·  Ensuring that collaborations and partnerships, individually and collectively, are making the maximum possible contribution to achieving outcomes for children;

·  Ensuring that children are consistently at the centre of the national and international socio-economic policy and development agendas; and

·  Supporting UNICEF efforts to scale up interventions and leverage resources for children.

Purpose of Assignment: To conduct a study that will map current UNICEF collaborative relationships and partnerships and provide recommendations to improve future work with partners. The study should highlight issues related to partnership management, so as to guide work with partners in the next country programme. It will be useful to understand how partners perceive UNICEF in the following areas: the strength of UNICEF to advocate (influence public policy and resource allocation); the important expertise that UNICEF provides (in terms of designing and implementing programmes in Bangladesh) and UNICEF processes (administrative procedures that support the implementation of the country programme).

Scope of the Assignment:

The assignment will include the following tasks:

·  Mapping of current UNICEF collaborative relationships and partnerships landscape, including gaps, to bring focus, clarity and priorities to UNICEF’s work in the area of collaborations and partnerships.

·  Outlining the strength of the organization’s ability to advocate for child rights. Is there recognition of the UNICEF brand in Bangladesh?

·  Identifying guiding principles, goals, strategic directions and implementation approaches for UNICEF’s collaboration with partners, focusing, in particular, on partnerships in which institutional investment is needed.

·  Assessing organizational implications of existing and future models of working with partners. For example, are the processes that UNICEF has in place to manage partnerships adequate? Are we at risk of having administrative processes that are too cumbersome?

·  Assessing the overall international trends in partnerships for development outcomes as well as emerging evidence on good practices.

·  Mapping mechanisms for partnership management and evaluation.

Methodology: The study will involve a series of in-depth interviews (can be a combination of phone and in-person) with partners by a consultant. These will be transcribed, analysed and used to inform the report. The consultant will also do a desk review of BCO’s current partnership agreements. Furthermore, the consultant will be expected to conduct an in-depth review of UNICEF’s partnership and programmatic documents.

Description of assignment: (provide detail and in quantitative terms, add pages if required)

A consultant will be required to draft and finalise a report titled, the ‘Understanding the Perception of UNICEF Partners in Bangladesh’ (working title). As part of this process, the consultant will conduct a desk review; develop a survey tool; conduct a survey and map UNICEF’s partners. .

Major duties and responsibilities:

Tasks / End Product/deliverables / Time frame
Desk review of current partnership agreements. Development of the survey tool in the inception report. / An inception report with details of the methodology to be followed, including the survey tool. / Two weeks (starting from the contract being awarded).
Weeks 1 to 2
Draft and conduct a survey of current UNICEF partners including, donors, government, NGOs, academics and corporate partners. / Questionnaire drafted and a survey conducted through phone and face-to-face meetings. / Six weeks - weeks 2 to 7
Map of UNICEF collaborative relationships and partnerships. / The findings and assessment to be included in the final study. / One week - weeks 8 to 9
Map mechanisms for partnership management and evaluation.
Outline of various approaches to utilize UNICEF’s convening and leveraging roles.
Identify guiding principles, goals, strategic directions and implementation approaches for UNICEF’s work on collaborations and partnerships.
Assess existing and future models of working with partners.
Finalize and present the study. / The study titled ‘Understanding the Perception of UNICEF Partners in Bangladesh’ finalized and presented. / Three weeks – weeks 9 to 12

Qualifications and experience required for the assignment:

Skills:

·  At least eight years of practical professional work experience with progressively increasing responsibilities in writing communication material, including surveys and studies.

·  Excellent English language writing and editing skills

·  Proven skills in conducting surveys and studies.

·  Ability to draft clearly and concisely ideas and concepts in written and oral form.

·  Proven ability to work as part of a team.

·  Knowledge of computer systems and applications

·  Familiarity with UNICEF programmes and development issues.

·  Work experience with UNICEF (country office or National Committee) or other UN agency is an asset

Qualifications:

Degree in Communications, Social Science and/or Journalism or English.

How to apply: Only Non-Bangladeshis interested candidates who fully meet the requirements of the consultancy position should address their application to Chief, Human Resources, UNICEF-Dhaka and forward their updated P-11 and CVs at with a copy to by 16 June 2015 for review. Only short listed candidates will be contacted.