Vacancy Ref No: UNSOM/2012/056 Title: Senior Lead Technical Consultant, UNICEF Somalia Level: SSA contract Reporting to: UNICEF Senior Nutrition Manager – with close collaboration to WHO Health Policy Advisor, Health Planning Advisors and the zonal Health Sector Strategic Planning teams. Duration/start date: 3 months (to start ASAP) Location: Nairobi (with some in country support in Somalia) Closing Date: 01 October 2012 Over the period 2009 - 2011, the nutrition sector developed a number of sector strategies namely; the 2011-2013 Somali Nutrition Strategy and the 2012-2016 Infant and Young Child Feeding Strategy and Plan of Action. The Somali Nutrition Strategy seeks to focus nutrition interventions in achieving 6 priority outcome areas; i) improved provision of quality services for the management of acute malnutrition; ii) sustained quality nutritional surveillance and analysis of nutrition information to inform appropriate and rapid responses; iii) improved knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding infant, young child and maternal nutrition; iv) improved availability, accessibility and coverage of micronutrients and de-worming; v) increased redress of underlying negative practices through awareness and commitment to effective action across other sectors and finally vi) improved capacity and means in country to make effective nutrition responses. These strategies have provided the much needed joint framework for action by Government authorities, donors, UN agencies, NGOs and civil society to improve the nutritional status of the Somali population. Even though the nutrition strategies and plans have contributed significantly to realignment of actions and strengthened advocacy for increased investments within the sector; there are still gaps in prioritisation and costing of actions that would inform planning, programming, budgeting forecasts, resource allocation and impact analysis processes for the sector. The purpose the consultancy is to lead the development of costed nutrition plans of action as part of the JHNP health sector strategic planning processes in Somaliland, Puntland and Somalia Specific objectives are: • To lead a review of available nutrition strategic documents and other related essential nutrition information and overall health system context to inform what can be realistically achieved for nutrition in the medium term with a realistic level of ambition • To ensure multi-stakeholder involvement led by health authorities in engaging in a transparent and consensual process to agree on planning scenarios for nutrition and prioritization of an appropriate mix of evidence based interventions and activities suitable for rapid scale-up and proven to have impact within two to five year time horizons. • To contribute to the health sector strategic planning process and lead drafting of a costed plan of action around three scenarios of financial resource envelopes e.g low case, middle case, high case scenarios that are linked to results and systems outputs and outcomes connected to the overall health sector strategic plans • To ensure gender, resilience and equity perspectives are integrated into the planning process • To strengthen Ministry of Health’s capacity in strategic and operational planning, management and coordination of nutrition interventions The Senior Lead Consultant help lead the consultative process and will work closely and guide the 2 Technical Consultants who will be based in-country. The time frame for the Consultancy Services will cover design of a plan for development process for the nutrition plans of action; leading review of strategic sectoral documents and nutrition information; development of costing and planning tools; drafting of costed plan of action and preparation of draft and final consultancy reports. This is expected to take a maximum of 3 months Note: In undertaking the outlined tasks, the consultant should fully involve all the relevant stakeholders including close coordination with UNICEF, WFP, WHO, and relevant Somali ministries and working groups. The methodology applied should be participatory and interactive as much as possible. The successful consultant shall meet the following minimum criteria: • Advanced university degree in Nutrition, Public Health, Health Systems Financing, Economics or related technical field. • At least 8-10 years of relevant professional work experience, with specialization in nutrition or health programme planning and policy analysis. • A good track record and verifiable demonstration of knowledge and skills in leading programme planning, costing of nutrition or health strategic plans of action, public sector mid-term expenditures, and experience with costing tools relevant to nutrition programmes e.g MBB, REACH , Unified Health costing models • Technical knowledge and understanding of nutrition programming including experience with health/nutrition systems strengthening, community-based programming in resource poor settings, and in settings of high levels of acute malnutrition. Experience with Somali populations is desirable. • Strong coordination, communication and facilitation skills. • Ability to work independently with minimum supervision and to deliver within deadlines • Knowledge of Somalia operational context and readiness to travel to Somalia • Fluency in English, with excellent analytical and writing skills required. Interested and qualified candidates should send their applications with updated UN Personal History Form (P.11) form, updated Curriculum Vitae attaching copies of academic certificates to the email below. UN staff are requested to provide the last two Performance Evaluation Reports (PERs). Please quote the vacancy number and post title in the subject line of your application subject. Applications submitted without a duly completed and signed Personal History Form (P11) will not be considered. Email to: somaliahrvacancies@unicef.org Only short-listed applicants will be contacted