Consultancy: Adolescent Substance Use Consultant – Req. #574295

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, hope.  

Vacancy Announcement: Consultant

Consultancy Title: Adolescent Substance Use Consultant

Section/Division/Duty Station:, MNAH Unit, MNCAH Section, Health Programme Division / New York HQ

Duration: 15 August 2024 to 30 October 2025

Home/ Office Based: NYHQ/ Home-based

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 supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. 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: 

Under Goal Area 1, adolescent health and mental health are key results in UNICEF’s 2022-2025 Strategic Plan for which school is a key platform for program and service delivery. The Adolescent Substance Use Consultant will support the Maternal Newborn Adolescent Health Unit on advancing UNICEF’s school and adolescent health agenda under supervision of the MNAH Health Specialist (Adolescents, School, Mental Health) in accordance with the deliverables outlined below.

Scope of Work:

Under the supervision of the Health Specialist, the consultant will support on:

Mapping of Adolescent Substance Use Resources for counselors and non-specialist health providers

•   Map and review existing open-access tools and training resources on adolescent substance use for counselors and non-specialist health care providers. 

•   Analyze the mapped resources to identify gaps and needs for further development.

•   Summarizing findings and recommendations based on the mapping and analysis.

Consultation Workshop on the development of substance use counseling materials

•   Coordinate a consultation workshop with potential users and country stakeholders around format/content of substance use counseling materials

•   Summarize consultation findings and recommendations

Technical Brief Launch Webinar 

•   Collaborate with UNICEF leads to organize and facilitate a webinar for the launch of the technical brief on adolescent substance use.

•   Provide overview of the brief during the webinar presentation and Q&A session.

Support engagement in IASC substance use working group

•   Review and provide inputs to IASC substance use working group products

•   Participate in regular meetings, ensuring alignment with UNICEF’s priorities and contributing to relevant discussions and initiatives.

Inputs to UNCIEF-WHO School Mental Health and Adolescent mhGAP Resources:

•   Review UNICEF-WHO development plan related to school mental health and mhGAP CAMH resources from a substance use and addiction perspective.

•   Provide technical inputs and recommendations to ensure the inclusion of relevant content on substance use prevention and intervention in school mental health guide and new mhGAP CAMH resources.

Development of IEC Materials on vaping and cannabis use

•   Develop Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials aimed at adolescents and caregivers on vaping and cannabis use.

•   Ensure the materials are age-appropriate, culturally sensitive, and evidence-based.

•   Collaborate with relevant stakeholders for feedback and validation of the materials. 

Terms of Reference / Deliverables

1. Prepare a comprehensive report on the mapping and analysis of adolescent substance use resources, including detailed recommendations        

November 15, 2024

2. Organize and conduct a consultation workshop on substance use counseling materials, ensuring the compilation of feedback for further refinement

December 15, 2024

3. Organize and facilitate one technical brief launch webinar      

February 15, 2025

4. Participate and contribute to at least two IASC working group meetings or activities per quarter, with documented evidence including meeting reports and action plans      

October 30, 2025

5. Provide comprehensive technical inputs to at least four school mental health and mhGAP resources

July 15, 2025

6. Develop one IEC package on vaping and cannabis use

April 15, 2025

Qualifications

(1) Education

• Master’s degree in in public health, school health, global health, nursing, or medicine

(2) Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

Master’s degree in fields of public administration, public health, public policy, nursing or medicine

Proven experience in adolescent health, school health, mental health, substance use for more than 5 years in country, regional and international level.

Strong command English is required.

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. 

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.