Gender Consultant, Polio Eradication at the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF)

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: Gender Consultant, Polio Eradication

Job no: 573561
Location: Abuja
Contract type: Fixed Term Appointment
Duration:11 Months
Level: Consultancy
Categories: Gender Development

How can you make a difference? 

• UNICEF adopted its Gender Action Plan (GAP) 2022-2025, an ambitious effort to catalyze field-level programming and results that advance gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls in key areas of UNICEF's work.
• The GAP prioritizes a gender-equitable approach to promoting gender equality.
• In alignment with the UNICEF Gender Policy 2021-2030, GAP 2022-2025, and Strategic Plan 2022-2025, the UNICEF Nigeria Country Programme 2023-2027 and accompanying country-level Gender Action Plan 2024-2027 emphasize structural and norms change to transform the underlying drivers of gender inequality and reflect an intersectional approach to the compounding social exclusion and marginalization.
• With this transformative approach, UNICEF is strengthening the mainstreaming of gender equality throughout its programming and systems, with immunization being a key area for action and gender being a critical change strategy in the UNICEF Immunization Roadmap 2022–2030.
• In Nigeria, UNICEF is supporting the country’s polio journey to zero, focusing on the circulating variance of the poliovirus type 2 (cVPV2) strain in 5 northern AIT states and other priority states.
• These states are reporting the most cases of polio and are also affected by low routine immunization, insecurity, inaccessibility, and internal displacement of the population.

Purpose of Activity / Assignment

• We seek a dedicated Gender Consultant to provide technical and programme support to deliver gender-related activities within the polio eradication programme, including those funded through the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI).
• The consultant will also support knowledge management, promote cross-learning across the Axis of Intractable Transmission (AIT) states, identify opportunities, develop programme tools, and ensure quality oversight for programme implementation, including effective and timely fund utilisation and reporting.

Scope of Work
Reporting to the Gender and Development Manager and working closely with the Senior Health Specialist / GPEI Outbreak Deputy Coordinator, the Gender Consultant will be responsible for the following tasks:

• Technical and coordination support for the efficient functioning of the National EOC Gender Group and state-level EOC gender groups/task forces.
• Expert technical support to AIT and other priority states in developing and implementing gender-responsive work plans and budgets.
• Coordination and implementation support for the GPEI gender grant activities with the UNICEF Country Office and Field Offices Health and SBC staff.

Task / Milestone
Technical and coordination support for the efficient functioning of the National EOC Gender Group and state-level EOC gender groups/task forces:

• Terms of Reference developed for the National EOC Gender Group
• Work plan developed for the National EOC Gender Group
• Support convening meetings for the National EOC Gender Group
• Participation in ACSM group meetings.

Coordination and implementation support for the GPEI gender grant activities with the UNICEF Country Office and Field Offices Health and SBC staff:

• Bi-monthly calls with CO and FO focal points on gender and polio activities
• Technical input provided for GPEI gender reporting and meetings
• Concept note/proposal for additional funding from GPEI/other donors

Documentation of gender and polio eradication programme activities, including through the development of communications and knowledge products and reports for external and internal stakeholders:

• At least two case studies/human interest stories developed on gender and polio programming
• Brief quarterly update on gender and polio programming, including key recommendation.

Requirements

• An advanced University Degree in Gender and Development, Public Health, Global/International Health and Nutrition, Policy and/or Management, Health Sciences, Nutritional Epidemiology, or another Health-related science field
• Minimum of eight years of experience in gender and development programming.
• A track record of achieving or contributing to tangible change in planning, designing, implementing, and delivering results-based programmes on gender and health programming, including behaviour change initiatives.
• Experience conducting or supporting gender analysis, including quantitative and qualitative research methodologies and applied gender measurement, monitoring, and evaluation.
• Exemplary written and verbal skills, with a solutions-oriented and proactive approach to assigned tasks.
• Experience working with UNICEF or other UN agencies is a strong asset.
• Experience in training and facilitation is an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of local languages is considered an asset.

Application Closing Date
16th July, 2024.

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

Click here to download the financial proposal form (Docx.)

Remarks

• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 
• Applicants must submit their financial and technical proposals along with this application. Applications without these will not be considered.
• 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.