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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, a fair chance

Uganda is one of the over 190 countries and territories around the world where we work to overcome the obstacles that poverty, violence, disease, and discrimination place in a child’s path. Together with the Government of Uganda and partners we work towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals, the objectives of the Uganda National Development Plan, and the planned outcomes of the United Nations Development Assistance Framework.

Visit this link for more information on Uganda Country Office https://www.unicef.org/uganda/

How can you make a difference?

Background and Context

In September 2020, Government of Uganda approved the 2^nd Uganda Nutrition Action Plan(UNAP II) 2020/21-2024/25. The Plan is purposed to guide the Country in delivering nutrition relevant aspirations articulated in the third National Development Plan (NDPIII) (2020/21 –2024/25), SDGs, National Resistance Movement (NRM) Party Manifesto (2021) as well as global nutrition agenda.  The UNAPII defines the strategic direction for the country and sets key objectives, strategies, priority actions and targets to achieve optimum nutrition for all Ugandans in a sustainable manner that is essential for a healthy and productive life. The goal of the UNAPII is to improve the nutrition status among children under 5 years, school age children, adolescents, pregnant and lactating women and other vulnerable groups by 2025. The goal will be pursued through three objectives that are fully aligned with six out of the 18 NDPIII programmes.

The UNAP II specifically aims to: i) Increase access to and utilization of nutrition specific services by children under 5 years of age, school-age children, adolescents, pregnant and lactating women and other vulnerable groups; ii) Increase access to and utilization of nutrition sensitive services by children under 5 years, school-age children, adolescents, pregnant and lactating women and other vulnerable groups;  iii) Strengthen the enabling environment for scaling up nutrition specific and nutrition sensitive services.

Recognizing the importance of nutrition governance in nutrition programming, UNAP II has dedicated six strategies to reinforce the enabling environment for scaling up nutrition specific and nutrition sensitive services.  These six strategies include: i) Strengthen nutrition coordination and partnerships at all levels; ii) Improve planning, resource mobilization, financing and tracking of nutrition investments; iii) Strengthen institutional and technical capacity for scaling up nutrition actions; iv) Strengthen nutrition advocacy, communication and social mobilization for nutrition; v) Strengthen coherent policy, legal and institutional frameworks for nutrition; vi) Strengthen and institutionalize nutrition evidence and knowledge management along with multi-sectoral nutrition information system for effective decision making,

The UNAP II, implementation and coordination framework at national level provide for:  i) Policy Coordination Committee; ii) Implementation Coordination Steering Committee; iii) Technical Implementation Coordination Committee; (iii) Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Technical Coordination Committee (iv) MDA Nutrition Coordination Committees including:

1. Ministry of Health (MoH),
2. Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES),
3. Ministry of Agriculture, Animal  Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF),
4. Ministry of Gender,Labour and social Development (MoGLSD)
5. Ministry of Local Government(MoLG),
6. Ministry of Water and Environment(MoWE),
7. Ministry of Trade Industry and Cooperatives (MoTIC),
8. Ministry of Finanance, Planning and Economic Development(MoFPED)
9. Ministry of Science and Technology (MoSTI),
10. Kampala City Council Authority (KCCA),
11. Uganda Bureau of Statistics ( UBOS) and
12. NPA(National Planning Authority).

These committees are supported technically through the UNAP Secretariat at Office of the Prime Minister (OPM).

The UNAP Secretariat performs the following functions on a day to day basis:

1. Coordinate partnerships  for Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Actions at all levels;
2.  Supporting Government MDAs multi-sectoral nutrition Planning, Resource Mobilization, Financing and Tracking of Nutrition Investments;
3. Support institutional and technical capacity for scaling up nutrition;
4. Nutrition Advocacy, Behaviour Change Communication and Social mobilization campaigns for nutrition;
5. Analysis of implementation of  Policy, Legal and institutional frameworks relevant to  nutrition; and
6. Nutrition evidence and knowledge management  through the UNAP MEAL framework.

UNICEF has over the last 4 years provided technical assistance to OPM/UNAP secretariat in terms of a National consultant working on a day to day basis. The consultant has been very critical in supporting functionality of the UNAP secretariat. This support will continue to be needed especially to support operationalization of the UNAP II.

To be able to deliver the coordination of implementation of the UNAPII at National and Local government  level. Office of the Prime Minister has requested UNICEF to support the office with a Senior Nutrition Advisor to be seconded  to the UNAP Secretariat to support the coordination of implementation of the UNAPII. It is based on this that this TOR is developed to engage an  individual consultant to support UNAPII implementation coordination.

PURPOSE

The purpose of the assignment is to support OPM to coordinate the implementation of UNAPII to enhance nutrition governance for scaling up nutrition specific and sensitive interventions.

SCOPE OF WORK:

The consultant will undertake the following key tasks:

(i) Support nutrition coordination and partnerships at all levels.

1. Conduct regular nutrition stakeholder and action mapping at MDA level;
2. Support establishment and functionality of Nutrition Coordination Committees at  National level;
3. Support establishment and functionality of Nutrition Coordination Committees  at   Subnational  level;
4. Support establishment and functionality of all SUN networks with focus on SUN Business Network, Academia and CSO networks;
5. Support establishment and functionality of  Nutrition Coordination Committees at MDA level;
6. Support organization and conducting of joint annual UNAP implementation coordination reviews; and
7. Support the process of conducting the joint country SUN assessments.

(ii) Improved planning, resource mobilization, financing and tracking of nutrition investments

1. Support OPM facilitate stakeholder consultation on implementation of key recommendations from the Nutrition Expenditure review report.
2. Support OPM facilitate stakeholder consultations and dissemination of the Uganda Nutrition Investment case
3. Work with Ministry of Local Government to support review of the PBB system to integrate nutrition indicators as well as track resources for Nutrition at DLG level
4. Work closely with UNAP implementing Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to develop Joint Annual Nutrition Work Plans aligned to UNAPII Implementation Matrix;
5. Work closely with UNAP implementing MDAs to undertake expenditure reviews for Nutrition; and
6. Work closely with UNAP implementing MDAs to develop and Implement resource mobilization and tracking plan for nutrition aligned to UNAP II.

(iii) Strengthened institutional and technical capacity for scaling up nutrition actions.

1. Support UNAP implementing MDAs to conduct Nutrition Capacity Assessments.
2. Provide technical assistance to develop and implement  Nutrition Capacity Development Framework for UNAP implementing MDAs;
3. Work closely with MoLG to support DLGs and Cities in conducting Nutrition Capacity Assessments.
4. Provide technical assistance to develop and implement Nutrition Capacity Development Framework for DLGs and Regional Cities; and
5. Strengthen capacity of MDAs for nutrition sensitive policies and programming, including the integration of nutrition into programme-based budgeting, HR and financial resources for nutrition at DLG level, monitoring and supervision.

(iv)  Strengthened nutrition advocacy, communication and social mobilization for nutrition.

1. Provide technical assistance in the implementation of  Nutrition Advocacy , Social Mobilization and Behaviour Change Communication Campaigns;
2. Work with UNAP implementing MDAs to mobilize high-level nutrition advocates to actively advance the nutrition agenda at national and sub national levels;
3. Support the development of  nutrition advocacy briefs and technical briefs for use at national and Sub National Levels;
4. Support UNAP MDAs to develop nutrition commitments scorecards for use at  at national and MDAs levels; and
5. Provide technical support in capacity building on  Nutrition Advocacy packages  for  the role of NACSII.

(v)  UNAPII Implementation Roadmap kept on  course

1. Support implementation of the Monitoring and Evaluation events in the UNAPII MEAL Plan; and
2. Support production of quarterly, bi-annual and annual UNAPII implementation progress reports.
3. Strengthening knowledge management for multi-sectoral nutrition actions, including capacity building on multi-sectoral nutrition data capture, analysis and use, documentation of good practices/lessons learnt; and

Support functionality of coordination structures on advocacy for social behaviour change on nutrition, including trainings on NACS II, development of district NAC II strategies.

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

8.  QUALIFICATIONS OR SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE/EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

The Senior Nutrition Advisor is expected to have the following qualifications, skills and experience

i. Education:

• Advanced degree in Human Nutrition, Food Security, Agriculture, public health or any other relevant subject. Additional qualification or certificate in  Project Planning and Management will be an added advantage.

ii.  Experience:

• At least 10 years of professional experience in the nutrition field, a good knowledge and understanding of multi-sector nutrition approach is an asset.
• Atleast 5 years of professional experience in planning and implementing national nutrition or other multi-sectoral programmes in Government or non-governmental organizations/development partners.
• Experience in guiding policy processes and advocacy at national /subnational level.
• Experience in facilitating multi-partner and multi-sector working groups in national settings; and
• Field experience at national and sub-national level work environments with good working knowledge of UNAP implementation at de-centralized and National Level being an added advantage.

iii.  Skills and abilities:

• Proven experience and skills in programme management and strategic planning.
• Proven ability to strengthen capacity of national and sub-national government counterparts and partners.
• Excellent communications and interpersonal skills; Ability to influence and inter-act with senior- level decision-makers across different organizations.
• Proven skills in strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Effective organizational skills; high drive for results.

iv. Desirable:

• Knowledge of the SUN movement and the UNAP
• Understanding of issues and challenges in the areas of nutrition and food security.
• Understanding of the Uganda policy environment, an added advantage

Language:

• Fluency in English.

Application Procedure/Call for Proposals

Interested candidates are required to submit a technical proposal on how they intend to approach the work. The proposal should include a timeline, and methodology, based on the Terms of Reference. The proposal must also include detailed CV of the consultant, as well as a financial proposal, clearly indicating daily rate for professional fees. The financial proposal must be all-inclusive of all costs (consultancy fees and where applicable air fares, airport transfers, daily living expenses).  This is an international level consultancy and competitive market rates should apply.

Evaluation of Candidate:

The consultant will be competitively selected from a list of applicants based on their past experience of doing similar work (extensive experience in writing donor reports, in compiling and editing annual reports for various UNICEF offices).

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.

The competencies required for this post are….

View our competency framework at

http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

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, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.