Terms of Reference
Nutrition Cluster Coordination Consultant
Type of Contract (tick Consultant
Individual
Institutional TA
the appropriate box)
Contract
Contractor
Contract
Title
UNICEF Nutrition Cluster Coordinator for Ethiopia
(international)
Purpose
In light of the current developing emergency due to the poor
food security situation in Ethiopia, the purpose of the consultant
is to provide and facilitate the process that will ensure
coordinated, coherent and effective emergency nutrition
assessment and response on behalf of UNICEF, the UN nutrition
cluster lead in collaboration with respective government
institutions (DRMFSS/FMOH), UN OCHA, WFP and other
humanitarian actors.
Expected fee
HR determines the consultancy fee based on the complexity of
the assignment, educational qualifications and experience
required and the selected candidate’s profile.
Location
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, The Nutrition Cluster Coordinator will be
based in the ENCU within the Early Warning and Response
Directorate (EWRD).
Duration
6 months
Start Date
ASAP
Reporting to
Chief of the Nutrition and Food Security Section, UNICEF. Also,
the team leader will provide regular update of the progresses to
the Director of EWRD under the DRMFSS.
Budget Code/PBA No
Project and activity
codes
Background
According to recent joint Government and its development partners’ assessment findings,
the onset of the 2015 belg/gu/ganna/sugum rains was delayed and ceased earlier than
normal. The rains were erratic and inadequate in amount negatively affecting water and
pasture availability and reducing belg harvest. Unseasonal livestock migration and large
livestock deaths were reported in pastoral areas. Consequently, food insecurity deepened
and malnutrition rose in affected areas. Between February and May, the number of nutrition
hotspot Priority 1 Woredas doubled from 49 to 97, and ad hoc requests for relief food
assistance increased. According to the NMA, late belg rains in May and June replenished
surface water sources and rejuvenated pasture in receiving areas. However, inadequate
rainfall in the first two dekads of July, with the exception of north western Tigray, pocket
areas of western Amhara and parts of western Oromia where rainfall was adequate,
overturned these improvements. Drought conditions continued in parts of Afar, Amhara,
SNNP and Somali regions. An early retreat of the kiremt rains, unseasonal rains leading to
flooding in the last quarter and dry spells are expected as the El Niño phenomenon
strengthens. NMA therefore advises that particular attention is given to most of Tigray;
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eastern Amhara (North and South Wollo, Oromo, and North Shewa zones); most of Afar;
eastern Oromia (Arsi, Bale, East and West Hararghe); Dire Dawa, Hareri and central and
northern half of Somali regions to minimize the adverse impacts of the El Niño condition.
The mid-year review of the 2015 HRD took these developments into consideration.
The June/July 2015 biannual nutrition survey results in 18 woredas (in five regions – Afar,
Amhara, Oromyia, SNNPR & Tigray) indicated critical situation in Afdera Woreda (Afar
region); serious in nine woredas (3 in Amhara, 2 in Oromiya, 2 in SNNPR and 2 in Afar); poor
in four woredas (1 in Amhara, 1 in Tigray and 2 in SNNPR); and normal situation in the
remaining four woredas (2 in Oromiya and 2 in Tigray). This implies that in about 56% of
the surveyed woredas the level of nutrition status is serious to critical level. In those
concerned woredas, nutrition partners are mobilized with HRF funds to strengthen the
nutrition interventions. In three woredas in Somali region, the biannual nutrition survey is
being undertaken.
The severe acute malnutrition (SAM) admission data from the FMOH community
management of acute malnutrition (CMAM) programme indicates that about 111,076
children have been admitted for treatment for the period January to May. The current May
admissions rate of 26,045 is a 10% increase from April. This, however, does not portray the
regional and woreda level deterioration that is being seen, particularly in the Belg affected
areas. The June TFP report is not yet completed but the total SAM admissions so far reported
in Oromia (12,456), SNNPR (10,315) and Amhara (3,355). In the second half of year 2015,
admissions are expected to fluctuate but will remain high due to the negative impacts of the
2015 Belg season and other aggravating factors.
According to the government 2015 mid-year review analysis, the 264 515 SAM caseload
projected in 2015 is expected to increase slightly by 5.9 % to 280 337 SAM cases for 2015
i.e. about 138,644 cases are expected during July to Dec. 2015.
Specific Tasks
The overall role of the Nutrition Cluster Coordinator is to lead and facilitate the process
of ensuring a coherent and effective emergency nutrition response, by mobilising
Nutrition Cluster partners to respond in a strategic manner. The following are the major
specific tasks and responsibilities:
1. Leading and managing nutrition cluster coordination at national and sub-national
levels:
 Ensure appropriate coordination between all Nutrition humanitarian partners
(including national and international NGOs, and other international organisations
active in the sector) as well as national authorities.
 Strengthen and maintain the existing Multi-Agency Nutrition Task force (MANTF)
including the coordination at regional level.
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 Ensure full integration of the IACS’s agreed priority cross-cutting issues, namely
human rights, HIV/AIDS, age, gender and environment, utilisation participatory and
community-based approaches. In line with this, promote gender equality by ensuring
that the needs, contributions and capacities of women and girls as well as men and
boys are addressed
 Secure commitments from cluster participants in responding to needs and filling
gaps, ensuring an appropriate distribution of responsibilities within the cluster, with
clearly defined focal points for specific issues where necessary.
 Ensure that participants work collectively, ensuring the complementarities of the
various stake holder’s actions.
 Promote emergency response actions while at the same time considering the need for
early recovery planning as well as prevention and risk reduction concerns
 Ensure effective links with other clusters (with OCHA support), especially Health,
Agriculture and WASH.
 Represent the interests of the cluster in discussions with federal DRMFSS and MoH,
and regional DPPBs and RHBs on prioritization, resource mobilisation and advocacy
 Act as focal point for inquiries on the cluster’s response plans and operations
2. Facilitating development of a cluster strategy and response plan:
 Identification of gaps;
 Developing/updating agreed preparedness and contingency plans, and response
strategies and action plans for the cluster and ensuring that these are adequately
reflected in the overall country strategies, such as the humanitarian requirement
document/contingency plans;
 Drawing lessons learned from past activities and revising strategies and action plans
accordingly
3. Supporting the application of appropriate technical standards:
 Ensure that nutrition cluster partners in the region are aware of relevant policy
guidelines, technical standards and relevant commitments that the Government/
concerned authorities have undertaken under international human rights law;
 Ensure that responses are in line with existing policy guidance, technical standards,
and relevant Government human rights legal obligation.
4. Ensuring that the performance of the emergency nutrition information and
interventions is monitored and reported regularly:
 Specifically needs to include an analytical interpretation of best available information
in order to benchmark progress of the emergency response over time. That is monitoring indicators (quantity, quality, coverage, continuity and cost) of service
delivery which are derived from working towards meeting standards (mentioned in
point 3);
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 Ensure regular reporting against cluster indicators of service delivery (quantity,
quality, coverage, continuity and cost) supports analysis of cluster in closing gaps and
measuring impact of interventions;
 Support the timely collection and analysis of relevant reports from mobile health
teams and other relevant sources;
 Support partners on identification of the right time and geographic area that need
nutrition assessment;
 Provide technical support in the planning and implementation of nutrition related
assessments.
5. Building Technical Capacity:
 Promote and support training of humanitarian personnel and capacity building of
humanitarian partners, based on the mapping and understanding of available
capacity;
 Support the federal and regional ENCU staff capacity in undertaking the role of
nutrition cluster coordination, assessment, monitoring and reporting.
6. Advocating and ensuring mobilisation of adequate resources:
 Identify core advocacy concerns, including resource requirements, and contribute
key messages to broader advocacy initiatives of the UNICEF and OCHA, and other
humanitarian actors;
 Advocate for donors to fund nutrition partners and encourage nutrition partners to
mobilise resources for emergency nutrition interventions;
 Link with the federal DRMFSS management, UNICEF Nutrition Section Chief and
head of UN OCHA (Ethiopia) on nutrition related advocacy issues.
Methodology
The consultant will support the federal and regional ENCU team and build their capacity to
ensure the fulfillment of the nutrition cluster role and responsibility.
She/he will also be frequently travelling to the field to monitor the situation and quality of
the response in the drought affected regions and districts.
She/he will closely link with the UNICEF Addis Ababa Nutrition team to ensure correct and
comprehensive information sharing and coordination.
Expected Deliverables
By end of September 2015:
1. Cluster strategy and response plan developed for the drought related humanitarian
action.
By end of October:
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2. Standard guidelines, protocols, procedures in place and are used by all partners, as
shown by communication that documents have been shared or trainings been conducted.
3. Report summarizing needs assessment, gaps and priority actions identified and
recommendations for addressing these needs are presented
By end of December:
4. Contingency plan at national and regional levels prepared
5. Operational and technical capacities at national, regional and district levels built
By end of February:
6. Overall report on consultancy including an overview and handover note for all tasks
under this consultancy
Expected Background and Experience
Education
Advanced University degree in any of the following fields: Nutrition, Public Health or a
related technical field.
Work Experience
Minimum of five years with significant experience working in emergency nutrition contexts
preferably UN or NGO experience at programme management level.
Language Proficiency
Fluency in English (verbal and writing) and another UN language preferred.
Competency Profile
i) Foundational Competencies (Required)
Commitment [X] Drive for Result [X] Embracing Diversity [X] Integrity [X] Team
Work [X] Self-Awareness and Self-Regulation [X]
ii) Functional Competencies (Required)
Leading vision and change [ ] Networking [X] Strategic and Global Thinking [ ]
Planning, Setting Standards, and Monitoring Work [X] Managing Resources [ ]
Decisiveness [ ]
Communication [X] Team Leadership [X]
iii)
Technical Knowledge
a) Common Technical Requirements
• Knowledge of humanitarian reform principles, international humanitarian
law, inter-connectedness and reform pillars & reform updates
• Knowledge of the cluster approach guidelines and Terms of Reference (and
knowledge of how to apply them)
• Knowledge of cluster participants (their mandates, capacities, attitudes,
limitations) and how to integrate them into the cluster approach
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Ability to mitigate and mediate conflict and disagreements among cluster
partners
b) Function-Specific Technical Requirements
• Ability to use and adapt cluster coordination tools (e.g. stakeholder
mapping, NAF, CHAP, CERF, CAP, Flash Appeals, GAP ID, IM tools, NeedCapacity-Resource Mapping, Contingency planning etc.
•
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