Terms of Reference
Title:
ACCOUNTABILITY TO AFFECTED POPULATIONS CONSULTANT
Contract Type: Consultancy contract
Duration:
Duty Station:
11 months, starting immediately
Geneva, Switzerland
1. Summary
UNICEF is seeking to hire a global-level Accountability to Affected Population (AAP) Advisor to
support a pilot project on Ensuring Quality Programming and Accountability to Affected Populations
with the objective that the UNICEF-led and co-led Clusters/AoRs, at global and country level
mainstream quality programming and accountability to affected populations in their strategies and
guidance.
2. Rationale
Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP), as an active commitment by humanitarian actors to
better assist affected populations, provides the framework of how the distinct needs of the population
should be analysed, responded to and their voices heard. AAP starts with effective information
sharing and communication channels to put affected communities in a position to understand and
shape decisions that impact their lives. People receiving support then participate in and influence all
steps of the programme cycle, including assessment, project design, beneficiary selection,
implementation, monitoring and evaluation. Accountability also hinges on establishing effective
feedback channels as well as complaints and response mechanisms.
Ultimately, by placing the distinct needs of people at the centre of humanitarian programming a more
accurate and nuanced picture of needs is established, gaps and priority are better analysed, enabling
the delivery of more efficient, effective, evidence-based and quality humanitarian programming, in
line with humanitarian objectives.
3. Objectives
The Project will be undertaken by UNICEF’s Office of Emergency Programmes (EMOPS) in Geneva,
under the supervision of the EMOPS Chief, Global Cluster Coordination Unit in Geneva. It will focus on
supporting the UNICEF-led clusters/AoRs in two countries. The countries will be identified by an
interagency steering group committee, created specifically to guide the strategic direction of the
project. A team of three advisers will be recruited by UNICEF; two country-level AAP advisors and a
third global-level AAP advisor will be placed in EMOPS, Geneva. Tasks include:
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Provide regular support to country advisors.
Provide training/ administrative support to the country advisers for the organization of events.
Document the strategy, report on selected actions and ensure that there is a consistency across
the regions being part of the pilot.
Coordinate an interagency steering group committee at HQ level, to keep them abreast of the
pilot’s development and help them build their support on the basis of the lessons learnt and good
practices from the pilot.
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Assess the needed institutional changes to support a more systematic mainstreaming of people
centred issues and make recommendations to the agency and to the clusters/AoRs.
Actively engage with the existing interagency AAP task team and ad hoc group on cross-cutting
issues to ensure that the lessons learnt, good practices and tools developed inform the interagency reflection and approach on AAP and cross-cutting issues.
Actively engage with country-level AAP advisors to ensure information on strategic decisions and
are understood and incorporated.
Exchange with other clusters, on the respective processes used to develop an integrated approach
to People Centred Humanitarian Approach (PCHA).
Liaise with the GenCap project to identify opportunities for country AAP advisers to collaborate
with country-based GenCap advisers.
Ensure that UNICEF’s teams in NY and Geneva are kept abreast of the project’s achievement and
that it informs the agency’s implementation of its AAP work.
Report to funding agencies on progress of the project.
4. Methodology
The pilot project will be conducted in close collaboration with the ad hoc group on crosscutting issues
and with the AAP Task Team, ensuring that findings are regularly shared with these groups. The
global/level AAP Advisor will ensure that progress, information and good practice and challenges are
regularly shared with cluster partners on the Cluster/AoR websites and through regular
newsletters/updates.
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Support UNICEF-led Clusters/ AoRs, in diagnosing what are the collective barriers and
opportunities to people centred programming. Using the agreed methodologies, help analyse,
identify and prioritize the specific affected groups and issues that require particular attention in
their sectorial response. To note, some of this work may already have been initiated at country
level, and there may be opportunities to replicate or build on existing initiatives.
Based on a more manageable and focused list of priority issues, analyse current programmatic
response gaps and opportunities, identify the strategic and operational actions that will allow
addressing prioritized needs & issues and will define objectives and milestones they will be
accountable to.
Translate identified priority issues into programmatic approaches & tools.
Provide hands on support to Cluster/AoR partners in implementing a tool / approach that
improves the quality and accountability to affected populations mechanisms within their
response.
Monitor progress of the planned operations, with possible corrective action, as advised by
Steering Committee.
From the experience in the first two countries, and possibly others, capture methodology used,
lessons learnt and good practices, and elaborate a system to design and implement a people
centred approach that helps demystify, simplify and operationalize AAP at all steps (identify
needs, analyse, prioritise, program operation, monitor).
5. Supervision
The Project will be undertaken by UNICEF’s Office of Emergency Programmes (EMOPS) in Geneva,
under the supervision of the EMOPS Chief, Global Cluster Coordination Unit in Geneva.
6. Duty Station
Geneva, Switzerland
7. Qualification or specialized knowledge / experience required
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At least 5 years of experience in humanitarian response, including operational experience.
Proven knowledge of the subject area and experience working on AAP in operational settings.
Masters degree, or equivalent experience in international relations, humanitarian law, social
anthropology or related fields.
Experience of partnership approaches and environments – governments, national and
international NGOs and UN is highly desirable
Ability to work on short time lines, under pressure, and managing multiple priorities
simultaneously with minimum supervision
Excellent writing, conceptual and analytical skills including the ability to present complex
processes and issues clearly to a heterogeneous audience and in an actionable manner.
Fluency in English is essential.
8. How to apply
Applicants are requested to send their submissions to mlolavarria@unicef.org with the
subject line “ACCOUNTABILITY TO AFFECTED POPULATIONS CONSULTANT”by COB 16
October 2015. Please indicate your ability, availability and monthly rate (in US$) to
undertake the terms of reference above. Applications submitted without a monthly rate
will not be considered.
Applications must include:
• Cover letter
• CV
• P-11 form (available at http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/P11.doc )
Please note that acknowledgement of application will be extended only to short-listed candidates.