National Consultant at the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF)

The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (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.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: National Consultant for the Review and Update of the Market-based Sanitation

Job no: 571108
Location: Abuja
Contract type: Consultant
Duty Station: Abuja
Level: Consultancy
Categories: WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene)

Purpose of Activity / Assignment

• The UNICEF market-based sanitation program will be rapidly reviewed through this consultancy. This includes programmes in Bauchi, Benue, Enugu, Jigawa, Katsina, Kano, Yobe, Zamfara, Kaduna, Adamawa, Oyo, Zamfara, Kebbi, Sokoto states and the FCT.
• Through a thorough collection of qualitative and quantitative data, this review will provide an update on the progress and results of MBS in the country – both those directly supported by UNICEF and indirectly supported. Some of the key questions to be answered include insights into the key strategies and business models used by profitable TBOs, MFIs and Adashes, factors for success, and key challenges to the viability and sustainability of the businesses and MFIs.
• Recommendations for strengthening and scaling up the MBS and sanitation financing programs will also be provided, and training/orientation tools will be updated or developed where appropriate. Based on this consultancy, UNICEF aims to improve the implementation of the MBS program and strengthen the monitoring of these approaches, with a view to strengthen the whole market system and catalyze change that will produce benefits beyond UNICEF’s directly supported programs.

Key Responsibilities

• The National Consultant will review the existing strategies for market-based sanitation and sanitation financing approaches and provide recommendations for improvement. They will also support the development or update of key tools that will be used to guide the program implementation moving forward.
• The National Consultant is expected to closely collaborate with State Ministries of Water Resources, Ministries of Environment, WASH institutional mechanisms, line ministries, departments and agencies, sanitation businesses, Adashes and MFIs, and other relevant stakeholders involved in MBS and sanitation finance program.
• They will report to the UNICEF WASH Manager.

With guidance from the WASH Manager and the WASH Specialist, in close collaboration with sector stakeholders, the following are the key assignments of the consultancy:

• Develop an inception report detailing the approach to the assignment, key deliverables, and associated timelines for completion (among others), in consultation with the supervisor and other WASH section staff.
• Review the existing market-based sanitation and sanitation finance initiatives by:
• providing updated data on the progress of the market-based sanitation and sanitation finance in the country, and their effect on sanitation uptake (both direct and indirect results), and the ability to accelerate sanitation coverage
• ascertaining the viability of sanitation businesses, including businesses under the public-private partnerships structure, and the MFIs, and the service delivery/institutional arrangements that govern this relationship (using the WASH accountability triangle of the policy maker, consumer, and service provider)
• determining the success factors and gaps to strengthen the mechanism and set it up for scale, and
• providing recommendations to improve the viability and ability to scale of both approaches.
• Update and/or develop guidance materials and tools for the approaches, including:
• monitoring tools for the UNICEF program and the sanitation market system,
• training and orientation materials related to the MBS and sanitation finance approaches,
• tools to be utilized by the sanitation businesses, MFIs and Adashes (e.g. business record keeping, consumer tracking, etc.).
• Test updated guidance materials, monitoring system and tools in the field with the sanitation businesses and MFIs,
• Develop four (4) knowledge products that result from the review and assignment (e.g., case studies, briefing notes, field notes, policy brief, sanitation business or MFI profiles; specific products to be determined in consultation with UNICEF).
• Given the UNICEF shift towards climate-resilient WASH services, the review, program recommendations and orientation/guidance materials must integrate mitigation and adaptation to climate change in all aspects of the work. The consultant is also expected to refer to the global UNICEF Guidance on Market-Based Sanitation as they conduct assignment, the Sanitation Enterprise Viability and Sustainability Toolkit, and other relevant, existing guidance for market-based sanitation and sanitation financing approaches.

Throughout the assignment, the National Consultant is expected to:

• Keep continuous contact, engage with, and provide language support to UNICEF field and country office staff managing/collaborating on the consultancy.
• Maintain communication and good working relations with stakeholders, serving as a liaison and facilitating consultations between the International Consultants and stakeholders.
• Organize briefings with the UNICEF WASH manager and WASH Specialist to provide status updates and reports.
• Consultant will be required to have and utilize their own IT and Communications equipment.
• To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Education

• Advanced degree in Business Administration, Public Health, Development Studies, Community Health, Public Administration, WASH, Social and Behaviour Change Communication and any other specialist field related to WASH is required.

Experience:

• The Consultant shall have a minimum of 8 years’ experience in the development sector, ideally with a focus on WASH or in market-based approaches/private sector engagement for development outcomes.

The following are also required qualifications:

• Previous experience in the WASH sector.
• Experience conducting quantitative and qualitative research, program reviews or assessments.
• Evidence of solid knowledge of stakeholders in the country, with a focus on the private sector for development outcomes.
• Experience with facilitation and consultations.
• Previous experience developing guidance materials and tools for development programs.
• Solid writing skills in the English language.

Desirable qualifications include:

• Experience with market-based approaches for WASH and financing approaches for consumers (microfinance and community savings and loans), ideally for sanitation.
• Knowledge and understanding of the national and state level policy, institutional, regulatory, and legal frameworks for sanitation.
• Understanding of climate-resilient sanitation services.
• Understanding of the Clean Nigeria Campaign and drive to eliminate open defecation.

Application Closing Date
26th April, 2024.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online