National Consultant to support Mainstreaming Climate-Smart Social Services in Timor-Leste

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. 

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

And we never give up. 

For every child, Commitment

Find out how UNICEF programmes drives change for children in Timor-Leste by visiting https://www.unicef.org/timorleste. 

How can you make a difference? 

Under supervision of the Climate Focal Person, facilitating efficient coordination of the programme preparation phase in Timor-Leste to contribute to the elaboration of the Climate-Smart Social Services Regional Programme with the support of Green Climate Fund (GCF). The ideal candidate will possess extensive experience and knowledge in project coordination and climate-related initiatives, ensuring the achievement of project preparation objectives within the stipulated timeframe.

The Consultant will ensure an effective liaison and coordination between the National Designated Authority (NDA), the designated line ministries and government agencies, the UNICEF country office, and the international consulting firm working at the regional level. The number of line Ministries and agencies to liaise will be decided along the way of consolations and proposal development. The Consultant will be based at the NDA or at the UNICEF Country Office with field missions in the country (as required) and virtual meetings.

WORK ASSIGNMENT:

1. Act as the primary point of contact between the NDA, the government agencies, key sector stakeholders, UNICEF country office, and the international consulting firm. This requires attending in-person meetings with the NDA, UNICEF, and other stakeholders.
2. Coordinate meetings, discussions, and workshops among all parties, ensuring that programme preparation objectives are met, and consensus is reached.
3. Maintain continuous communication with all stakeholders -including youth and children at critical steps, representatives from communities, women’s groups and organizations of persons with disabilities – to ensure coherence and avoid discrepancies. Address queries, concerns, and feedback from stakeholders promptly and effectively.
4. Facilitate the organization of in-country workshops and virtual meetings.
5. Monitor the progress of the Programme preparation against the planned milestones and deliverables.
6. Prepare monthly reports on the Programme’s preparation progress, challenges, and proposed solutions to the UNICEF country office and the NDA.
7. Prepare a back-to-office report (2 pages) after any field missions.
8. Ensure the timely submission of all deliverables by the international consulting firm to the UNICEF country office and to the NDA.
9. Manage the collection, analysis, and sharing of relevant data, information, and documents among stakeholders.
10. Ensure the confidentiality and security of all project-related information.
11. Develop and maintain a database on a spreadsheet of project documents, reports, and correspondences.
12. Financial Management: Assist in managing the project preparation budget in coordination with UNICEF country office; Monitor expenditures and ensure adherence to the allocated budget; and prepare financial reports as part of the monthly report and facilitate financial audits as required.
13. The consultant will be responsible for capacity building and quality assurance to:
    • Assist the NDA in enhancing its capacity to manage and implement Climate-Smart Social Services initiatives.
    • Facilitate knowledge transfer and skill development among the NDA’s staff involved in the Programme.
    • Ensure that all outputs and deliverables meet the quality standards and requirements set by UNICEF country office.
    • Facilitate the resolution of any issues related to the quality and relevance of the Programme outputs.
    • Review and verify the international consulting firm’s submissions for accuracy, completeness, and compliance with the terms of reference and the requirements of the NDA and the UNICEF country office, as agreed.

   14. Any other tasks as instructed by the UNICEF Country Office.

DELIVERABLES:

A monthly progress report summarizing the Programme Status; Reporting on Workshops, Key Meetings and Field Missions; Financial Report; and Work Plan for the next month, with:

a. Appendix 1. Financial Report for the month and cumulative

b. Appendix 2. Database or spreadsheet of information and documents

c. Appendix 3. Stakeholders Engagement Plan Status.

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

• A Bachelor’s Degree in Climate Studies, Environmental Science, Social Sciences, Project Management, or related fields.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience in project coordination or management, preferably in climate-related projects with international financing institutions .
• Proven experience in liaising with government bodies, financiers, and consulting firms
• Proven experience working in (one or more) social sectors (WASH, Education, Nutrition, Health, etc)
• Strong knowledge of project management tools.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and project management software.
• Fluency in English is required.

TOR

For every Child, you demonstrate UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).  

To view our competency framework, please visit  here. 

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s 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. 

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:  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract 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 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. 

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.