International or National Consultancy - Capacity Building on Climate Change, East and Southern Africa Regional Office, Nairobi

Under the supervision of the Programme Specialist (Climate) the consultant will support the East and Southern Africa Regional Office (ESARO) Human resources section and the ESARO Climate Hub in creating a comprehensive training package on climate change specifically tailored to the needs of UNICEF colleagues across sections and thematic areas at Country Office and Regional Office level. The consultant will design the training materials and methodology and facilitate the workshop in person for the regional office and staff based in Nairobi, as well as in an online manner for staff in ESAR Country Offices. The consultant is also responsible for documentation and handing over of materials to the Regional Office (RO).

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, a chance

Background and Justification

UNICEF has an essential role to play in closing this gap and protecting children’s rights in the climate crisis – as outlined in the first priority of the SCAP. In Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA), Climate Resilience has further been declared one of two regional flagships under the Regional Collaboration for Children (C4C) approach (2022–2025), which unites UNICEF ESAR country offices and the ESA Regional Office (ESARO) around shared priority areas of the global Strategic Plan. Building capacity on climate amongst the regional office and ESAR country offices therefore supports both the delivery of the SCAP and the achievement of the C4C.

In order to create a comprehensive, engaging and impactful learning package that builds on best practice learning methodologies and brings across relevant climate knowledge to staff members across ESAR COs and ESARO, the ESARO Climate Hub together with the ESARO Human Resources Development Committee (HRDC) is looking for a consultant with expertise in adult learning s well as climate change and environmental issues to develop adequate climate capacity course packages and learning materials in a modular manner which will increase the climate awareness of UNICEF staff in ESAR and enable staff across sections to accelerate sectoral climate action and mainstreaming of climate into sectoral programmes. The consultant will conduct online, in-person and hybrid climate training sessions with UNICEF staff.

Scope of Work

1. Goal and objective:

The objective of the training package is as follows:

• Staff members gain an understanding for climate fundamentals, including the basics of climate science and climate-related programming.
• Staff members have an increased awareness of climate-related impacts and climate change projections for ESAR / their country office.
• Staff members can describe why and in what ways children are disproportionately vulnerable to climate change.
• Staff members are able to clarify the role of UNICEF in the climate space and know of the most important climate-related frameworks at global, regional, and national level, such as the SCAP and the Climate Collaboration For Children (CC4C).
• Staff members can identify how climate change affects the work of their section and they are empowered to integrate climate resilience into their ongoing and future work.
• Staff members have a basic understanding about climate finance sources and are able to identify opportunities for their section and draft a climate narrative for their area of work.
• Staff will be provided with case studies and practical guidelines to incorporate climate considerations into different sectors (e.g., education, health, WASH). Tools and resources will also be provided to support staff in applying what they’ve learned.

The consultant will have to go through existing training and capacity building material to ensure synergies and avoid duplication, and to ensure that existing materials are synthesized in a manner which is digestible to the audience, where relevant. This includes existing courses on AGORA and material on the SCAP, available on UNICEF’s SharePoint intranet.

1. Activities and Tasks:

The consultant will carry out the flowing specific activities and tasks:

• Review relevant UNICEF documents and strategies related to climate change as well as current training materials on climate change to develop the draft outline of the ESARO climate training, including segmenting content into 4-8 different modules.
• Incorporate local case studies and examples, engaging local experts to provide insights on
•  regional climate issues. Incorporate modules that address common challenges faced by country offices across the region.
• Develop a training package for each of the modules. The package should include presentation slides, talking points for the speaker, discussion questions and participatory exercises.
• Design the training to include interactive and participatory methods, such as group discussions, role-playing, scenario analysis, polls, quizzes, and breakout sessions. Encourage participants to develop and present their own climate mainstreaming plans and ideas. 
• Implement pre- and post-training surveys to measure learning of participants and assess the effectiveness of the training, which should be included in the final report.
• Facilitate all modules of the climate training three times: One time in-person in Nairobi (with options to participate online), as well as two timeslots for country office participants or alternative participation. There should also be one recorded version of the training which may be converted (in parts) for an online training course such as on Agora.
• Provide a final report which summarizes the result and effectiveness of trainings, overall learnings, and recommendations, as well as recommendations to ensure long-term training impact and ongoing integration of climate awareness across sections.

1. Evaluation and assessment:

The consultant will measure the effectiveness of the training through pre- and post-training knowledge assessments and participant feedback surveys.

1.  Work relationships:

The consultant will work with UNICEF staff from Human Resources and the ESARO climate hub during the development of the training package and will be facilitating workshops for UNICEF staff. The consultant will furthermore engage with UNICEF colleagues in HQ to ensure synergies and proper use of existing training and capacity building material. There are no working relationships anticipated with other external partners.

1. Outputs/Deliverables and payment schedule 

The payment is subject to satisfactory completion of deliverables.

Desired competencies, technical background, and experience

1. Education:

Advanced university degree in adult education, continued education, adult learning, knowledge management systems or another relevant area, ideally in combination with education on climate change and the environment. A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.

1. Work experience and skills.

• Minimum of 5 years of demonstrated work experience and competency in the area of adult education and training.
• Demonstrated experience in designing professional training programmes for developing specific skills and capacities in organizational settings.
• Demonstrated experience as workshop host and facilitator.
• Knowledge and experience of working with environmental topics, climate change, energy and climate resilience is strongly preferred.
• Technical knowledge regarding child rights is welcomed.
• Familiarity with UNICEF structure, processes considered an asset.

1. Must exhibit the UNICEF Core Values of:

1. Care
2. Respect
3. Integrity
4. Trust
5. Accountability
6. Sustainability

1. Competencies:

• Builds and maintains partnerships.
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness.
• Drive to achieve results for impact.
• Innovates and embraces change.
• Manages ambiguity and complexity.
• Thinks and acts strategically.
• Works collaboratively with others

1. Languages

• Fluency in English is required, knowledge of French and Portuguese is considered an asset.

Administrative issues

The working arrangement for this consultancy is remote (home-based) with a visit to Nairobi to conduct an in-person workshop at the end of the assignment. All travel will be by most economical fare and reimbursement will be as per UNICEF policy.

The consultant is expected to have regular remote meetings with a frequency to be decided jointly with the supervisor. As most work will be done remotely, we expect an overlap of at least three hours with the working hours of Nairobi from 8:30 am to 5pm East African Time. This time can be decided with the supervisor at the start of the assignment.

The consultant is expected to use their own office equipment and must have high-speed internet connectivity for online meetings.

Conditions

• The consultant will use their own office equipment.
• All travel (in case of any) will be by most economical fare and reimbursement will be as per UNICEF policy.
• As per UNICEF DFAM policy, payment made against approved deliverables. No advance payment is allowed unless in exceptional circumstances against bank guarantee, subject to a maximum of 30 per cent of the total contract value in cases where advance purchases, for example for supplies or travel, may be necessary.
• 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.
• Individuals engaged under a consultancy 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 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.
• 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.
• Consultants are responsible for determining and meeting their tax or duty liabilities in accordance with local or other applicable laws. UNICEF does not issue statements of earnings to consultants.
• UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants 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.

Risks

The in-person workshop requires travel, and this might be impacted by COVID-19 restrictions or other risks related to the travel. Jointly with the supervisor, the consultant will explore alternative and feasible platforms to organize remote sessions, as needs be.

How to apply

Qualified candidates are requested to submit a cover letter, CV or P11 form and their technical proposals to the online recruitment portal (Talent Management System) or email provided.

Interested candidates to indicate their ability, availability, and rate (daily/monthly) expressed in US$ for international consultants or KES for national consultants to undertake the terms of reference. The fees should be inclusive of other costs incurred such as travel/return ticket, VISA and subsistence allowances for international consultants who will be based in Nairobi.

Applications submitted without a fee/ rate will not be considered.

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. 

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.