Consultancy for Technical Support for Medium Term Review (MTR) for Belize, 43 days (Remote/Work From Home with 1 Visit to Belize)

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.

• The need for acceleration of the SDG agenda and alignment with the newly emerged national commitments enshrined in the Medium-Term Strategic Plan 2022-2026 and the Statement of the Belize’s Prime Minister at the SDG Summit 2023, highlighting the Special Education Policy, investment in Early Childhood Development, a costed Social Protection Strategy, including the Social Protection Floor and accompanying institutional mechanisms, School Feeding Programme, National Digital Agenda, and National Strategy for Advancing Statistical Development.
• Ensuring alignment with the new UNICEF Strategic Priorities 2022-2025, Global and Regional Advocacy Priorities, such as EVAC, Mental Health and Climate and Water.
• Building on the solid evidence generated and strategies and roadmaps developed in the past 2 years, maximising UNICEF’s added value in Belize and focusing on integrated approaches in delivering the results for children and communities.
• Taking into consideration the new programmes for which BCO has mobilized resources and gained expectations from the Government, such WASH in the Communities, Climate Change and DRM, and strengthened shock responsiveness of social systems.
• BCO implemented several pilots and/or innovative initiatives (Cash transfer programmes using digital payments for migrant children and nutritional outcomes for children; upgrade of school WASH facilities based on the WASH assessments, an innovative partnership with Women’s Parliamentary Caucus, GIGA, Think Equal and GPE, innovative approaches in health such as Quality Improvement App, Vaccine Monitoring App, Remote Temperature Monitoring System for Cold-Chain Equipment, georeferenced mapping of Community Health Workers) which have progressively demonstrated their strategic potential and may need to be highlighted in a revised framework and potentially brought to scale. 
• Repositioning emergency programming to make it more systemic and resilient, factor increasing migration concerns and enhance UNICEF’s support in the post-amnesty era. 
• Building on the new partnership with the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management (MSDCCDRM) enhanced efforts of UNICEF that are needed to build resilience and mitigate the impact of climate change on children. 
• Internal adjustments: Since the implementation of the current country programme, UNICEF Belize has grown considerably both in terms of human resources and funds raised for programme implementation, the potential required changes in programme and operations structure.

The review process will be led in a participatory manner, including national/subnational government, civil society, private sector, IFIs, UN and other partners to agree on any adjustments that may be required to the country programme for the remaining period of the programme cycle. The MTR is therefore an opportunity to assess the results achieved in the first two years of the Country Programme, lessons learned, and propose programme adjustments, relating in particular to the outputs, strategies, resource allocation and office structure. The conclusions of the MTR, including the lessons learned, will be incorporated into the planning of the remaining period of the Country Programme and inform the planning of the next cycle.

How can you make a difference? 

1. Conduct a light assessment of the implementation of the country programme in the first two years (2022-2023) against its outcome/output indicators, change strategies and enablers and review the alignment against the GOB’s priorities and UNMSDCF (2022-2026).
   • Review progress against country programme results indicators 
   • Facilitate sectoral/inter-sectoral consultations with UNICEF Belize team on the use of programme strategies and enablers, its successes and challenges in the country context 
   • Identify critical emerging issues in the country programme context that need to be addressed 
   • Review the alignment of the country programme outcome/output result areas, targets and strategies against the UNMSDCF and the MTSP, and other major sector plans and priorities 
   • Identify specific and necessary areas of adjustments that need to be made in the 2022-2026 country programme results and strategies to be fully aligned with the GOB priorities, UNMSDCF including the ToC, results framework elements and strategies 
   • Facilitate, coordinate and document internal consultations with UNICEF Belize staff and undertake targeted consultations with GOB concerned authorities and in-country development partners, as defined by UNICEF Belize, to ensure a participatory and objective analytical process 
2. Support for preparation and facilitation of the MTR with partners
   • Facilitate the organization of Strategic Moment of Reflection (SMR) for staff
   • Conceptualize and prepare background materials for the MTR based on the light assessment, conversations with the UNICEF Belize Team and consultations with the GOB authorities 
   • Support preparation for and facilitate 2 days of MTR discussions
3. Analysis of the affordability and effectiveness of country programme implementation 
   • Conduct an analysis of the funding landscape and the affordability of the country programme implementation 
   • Review the outcome of the above-mentioned review/adjustment of programme results, strategies and delivery modality of the country programme vis-à-vis the affordability analysis of the country programme in the latter half of the programme cycle 
   • Identify specific and necessary areas for fit-for-purpose adjustments that need to be made in the programmatic implementation strategies, staffing structure and non-staff delivery mechanisms for the country programme to remain affordable, sustainable and effective and efficient 
   • Facilitate discussions with staff to identify skillsets and competencies required to deliver the adjusted country programme results and strategies. 
4. Preparation of Programme Budget Review (PBR) 
   • Prepare a 25–30-page MTR report 
   • Support the preparation of a PBR package per the requirement of UNICEF LACRO guidelines for the Technical Review Team and PBR regional committee.

 Consultant ToR _MTR VA.pdf

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in in the field of development planning and financing, social science, project management or other relevant field
• Relevant working experience in UNICEF/UN with focus on planning and programme coordination
• Demonstrated experience in organizing and facilitating MTRs or similar processes
• Demonstrated analytical, negotiating, advocacy, reporting and writing skills
• Proven track record on successful delivery of high-quality reports and recommendations
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset. 
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge in Spanish or a local language is an asset. 

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

To view our competency framework, please visit  here. 

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

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. 

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. 

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.