TA for Child Survival and Development
UNICEF Terms of Reference for Technical Advisor, Child Survival and Development,
Kenya Country Office
Position Title: Technical Advisor, Child Survival and Development, L5
Location:
Nairobi
Duration:
4 months
Start Date:
Immediate
Date of Issue: 29 January 2014
Closing Date: 12 February 2014
Background and Justification
Kenya has successfully sustained declining trends in child mortality and started to show
consistent improvements in delivering priority disease control programs. Maternal and
newborn mortality however still remain stubbornly high, access to prompt and appropriate
treatment for childhood disease remain low, and the burden of non-communicable diseases is
increasing. Over the past decade, over a third of Kenyan children remain stunted which
seriously affects their future productivity and economic potential. Kenya’s new constitution
provides an overarching framework for more comprehensive rights based approach for health care.
The constitution devolves power and accountability to deliver essential services to 47 counties.
Kenya’s new constitution and devolution come with significant opportunities, but also profound
challenges. With 47 county governments, with widely varying capacities and baseline levels of
investment in institutions and human resources, the challenge to coordinate better is now much greater
than before both within UNICEF and in working with national level and other development partners.
The formation of a Child Survival and Development (CSD) cluster, bringing together Health,
Nutrition and WASH programmes was an innovation in the current Country Programme (CP)
to coordinate and better focus the work of UNICEF and facilitate evidence based integration
of key CSD interventions. CSD is an overarching goal of UNICEF, in line with its regional
and global focus. Young Child Survival and Development (YCSD) was a prominent focus of
UNICEF’s Medium Term Priorities. ESARO developed a Regional CSD Strategy and
monitored progress in that context.
Before the current CP (2009 -2013), the three sections were separate sections, with parallel
and similar lines of communication and supervision as other section chiefs for Education,
Protection, Communication for Development. It therefore took time to reorient section
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TA for Child Survival and Development
Chiefs, the section teams and the entire office to a concept of CSD cluster. From mid-2011,
the CSD cluster has made a concerted effort to coordinate its programme process and
approaches and to integrate programme delivery. The strategy for doing this i) supported the
maintenance and further strengthening of the three technical programmes in their areas of
expertise (vertical consistency), ii) did not consider integration as an end in itself, rather
identified areas where integration made sense and would lead to enhanced (thematic
integration in C4D, Community Health work and health system strengthening), iii) improved
cross-section consultations and information sharing, and iv) facilitated coordination within
the KCO and partners including the MoH. By the end of 2013, two child survival
programmes for nearly $50 million were approved for funding and will both be operational
from 2014 for the duration of the next CP. As well, UNICEF supports integrated Community
Case Management at scale. All these programmes will involve significant programmatic and
geographical convergence, requiring very active engagement of Health, Nutrition, WASH
and C4D, with support from other sections.
The current CP and UNDAF will end June 2014. In preparation for a new CP, a review of the
ongoing CP was undertaken which observed that overall, “The results structure is well
aligned to the 2009 Situation Analysis and national goals, but misses a convincing narrative
on what UNICEF in Kenya is about. Results were planned in isolation and consequently
present a parallel structure of technical silos rather than a coherent programme”. The office
has therefore decided that in the next CP, sections will work together towards identified
office results for children. In this regards, result teams will be formed to ensure resources and
efforts across sections are better coordinated and focused on specified results. The new
UNICEF Strategic Priorities (2014-2017) presents another imperative by defining 7 distinct
but related sectoral priorities (Health, Nutrition, WASH, Education, HIV/AIDS, Protection
and Social Inclusion) which need to work effectively within sectors and together across
sectors towards one overarching vision of “Children Survive and Thrive”. Whatever the
arrangements, ensuring the survival and development in early childhood will be a major
component of the new CP. The lessons, platforms and progress made in the current CSD
cluster will need to be applied in the next CP.
As well, Kenya has opted to be a Delivering as One country and the next UNDAF is being
developed as such. The UNDAF is properly aligned to Government of Kenya’s (GoK) vision
2030, the Medium Term Plan II (MTPII), and takes into account devolution which changes
the structure of government from one National Government to 47 autonomous Counties and 1
National government
In March 2013, Kenya reported a case of polio and has since been in a polio campaign mode.
There has been no case since July 2013, but the need to sustain high quality SIAs will remain
through most of 2014.
The KCO Chief CSD retires effective COB 31st January 2014. By then, the UNDAF and the
CPD for the new will have been finalised. The main outstanding issues will be; i)
consultation with other UN agencies to define UNICEF’s contribution to achieving the results
of the UNDAF – Lead/co-lead/active partner; ii) consultation within UNICEF on how the
CSD and other related programmes will work together for optimum results for the survival
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TA for Child Survival and Development
and development of children – WASH, Nutrition, Health, C4D and ECD; and defining result
teams within the CP structure in support of i) and ii).
Scope of Work
Working under the supervision of the Deputy Representative, the Technical Advisor, CSD,
will provide management and technical support to the CSD sections, and as relevant to the
general KCO office to design the structures for the new country programme that will build on
the gains and position UNICEF’s contribution to the fulfilment of the rights of children in
Kenya to survive and develop; and ii) provide high level inputs to KCO in its external
consultations especially with other UN agencies and in the context of the UNDAF.
Specifically the Technical Advisor CSD will;
 Sustain and further improve coordination and integration in the remaining 5 months of
the current country programme, and the initial 3 months of the new Country
Programme, building on the progress already made
 Participate in the office consultation and support the design of the overall office
structure that optimises the contribution of UNICEF to MNCH results; and convene
and lead discussions among the CSD sections result teams working together to
effectively and efficiently achieve CP results contributing to specific UNDAF results.
 Support UNICEF in i) external dialogue with other UN agencies in defining the role
and positioning UNICEF as Lead/Co-Lead/Active partner in the implementation of
the UNDAF; and ii) with other development partners to follow up on ongoing
collaboration, with particular reference to EU, DFID, World Bank, and AMREF.
 Provide technical and coordination support and guidance to the implementation of the
initiatives that will be prominent in the next CP – iCCM, DFID funded maternal and
newborn health programme, EU SHARE nutrition wellbeing through resilient county
and community systems, and the county health system strengthening through the
community health strategy and the Evidence Based Planning. Specifically support the
successful implementation of the inception phases of the DFID and EU SHARE
funded programmes with active involvement of all CSD sections and other implicated
sections
 Support the office to reposition the L5 Chief of CSD and assist in the recruitment of
the replacement
 Develop a resource mobilisation strategy to support the relevant sections of the new
CP
RWP areas covered
Cross Sectoral IR on coordination and management
Expected Deliverables
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TA for Child Survival and Development
1. Week One - based on the requirements of the ToR and relevant documents and initial
briefing and consultations, prepare an inception report with detailed
deliverables/outputs to the end of the CP, June, 2014, and for the first three months of
the new CP
2. UNICEF’s roles and contributions to the UNDAF clearly identified and agreed. An
approach paper prepared on how UNICEF will position itself as a CSD cluster and as
individual technical sections within the UNDAF and UN Delivering as One at the
national and sub-national levels.
3. A strategy for CSD cluster reflecting operational and management elements for
resource mobilisation, resource leveraging, risk management and monitoring,
partnership arrangements, technical assistance, research and evaluation, logistics and
performance management.
4. Coordinated structure of Health, Nutrition, WASH with a central focus on ECD,
Community based services and action and communication for development ; with
result teams defined in these areas to work towards specified CP and UNDAF results
5. Inception phases of the DFID funded and EU SHARE funded programmes
successfully completed and implementation underway.
6. A resource mobilisation strategy for relevant sections of the new CP prepared,
discussed and adopted by KCO
7. The JD and documentation completed for the recruitment of the repositioned ‘L5
Chief CSD’
8. Monthly reports listing specific areas of technical support and guidance provided in
consultation with the CSD sections and the Deputy Representative
9. End of mission report on progress, with highlights of strategic issues and
recommendations for the substantive replacement of the ‘L5 Chief CSD’.
Reporting
The Technical Advisor CSD L5, will report to the Deputy Representative.
Desired background and experience
EDUCATION: Advanced university degree in Health Sciences, Public Health and/or
Nutrition or related technical field
WORK EXPERIENCE: Ten years progressively responsible professional work experience
at the national and international levels in programme planning and management in health,
nutrition or related field, with emphasis on strategic planning. Previous UNICEF experience
as Chief of YCSD, or Health and Nutrition will be an advantage. Familiarity with UN
Delivering as One will be an additional advantage.
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TA for Child Survival and Development
Additional requirements include:
-
Current knowledge in public health, child health, nutrition, HIV and AIDS
Ability to conceptualize, plan and manage programmes as well as impart knowledge,
teach skills and guide teams
Excellent analytical, negotiation, communication and advocacy skills
Ability to develop/nurture partnerships and networks for the fulfilment of the rights of
children.
Fluency in English is a requirement
COMPETENCIES:
-
Communication [III]
Working with People [III]
Drive for Results [III]
Leading and Supervising [III]
Formulating Strategies and Concepts [III]
Analyzing [III]
Relating and Networking [III]
Deciding and Initiating Action [III
Persuading and Influencing [II]
Technical Knowledge
The contract will be a Temporary Appointment. Salaries and benefits will follow UNICEF
regulations for the International Professional Category.
The incumbent will be based in Nairobi, with some travel to the field.
Interested and suitable candidates should ensure that they forward their applications
along with their curricula vitae, and Personal History Form to;
The Human Resources Manager
UNICEF Kenya Country Office
Email address: kenyahrvacancies@unicef.org
Please indicate Reference No. “KCO/CSD/2014-007” in the email subject.
Interested candidates should also complete the Personal History (P11) form, which can
be downloaded from the UNICEF Kenya website (http://www.unicef.org/kenya).
“QUALIFIED FEMALE CANDIDATES ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY”
ZERO TOLERANCE FOR SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND ABUSE
UNICEF IS A SMOKE-FREE ENVIRONMENT
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