Contract Duration: 12 months

Working arrangement: Office-based

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built. We offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

Organizing of the Joint Nutrition Programme Steering Committee (SC) meetings
Delivery and monitoring of results
Technical and operational support during programme implementation
Advocacy, Networking and partnership building
Evidence generation and knowledge management

If you would like to know more about this consultancy, please review the complete Terms of Reference here: ToR TMC0003106.pdf

Minimum requirements:

Education:

An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in one of the following fields is required: economics, agriculture, food systems, food security, nutrition, climate change/adaptation, environmental science, sustainable development, international development, or related field.

Work Experience:

Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in program management of development or humanitarian programmes or projects.
At least 4–6 years of experience managing multi-stakeholder or multi-partner programmes or projects (UN agencies, government, NGOs, donors) in Sierra Leone.
Experience in nutrition and food security programming and familiarity with climate resilience/adaptation approaches (e.g., climate-smart agriculture, food systems, nutrition sensitive agriculture, social protection for food security).
Experience with donor-funded programmes (such as Embassy of Ireland, EU, multilateral donors or others), including proposal development, financial management, and reporting.
Demonstrated experience in monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL), indicators for nutrition, food security, food systems and climate resilience, and results-based management.

Language Requirements:

Must be fluent in English Language.

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills:

Strong knowledge of nutrition programming (nutrition specific interventions (IYCF, maternal/child nutrition) and nutrition-sensitive interventions in Sierra Leone; Food security systems and livelihoods analysis; WASH, climate change adaptation and resilience-building approaches relevant to food systems; Gender equality, equity, disability inclusion, and conflict-sensitive programming; Adolescent specific programming.
Practical understanding of sectoral linkages (health, agriculture, social protection, WASH) and multisectoral coordination mechanisms (e.g., UN Nutrition).
Familiarity with policy processes, national planning, budgeting, financing and mainstreaming nutrition/climate into development plans.

Desirables:

Management & leadership competencies: Proven project management skills: planning, budgeting, procurement oversight, risk management, compliance and partner/subgrant management.
Team leadership and; ability to coordinate technical specialists across agencies.
Strong stakeholder management — build partnerships with governments, UN agencies, civil society, research institutions and communities.
Proven ability to work under pressure, meet deadlines, and manage complex, multi-partner workplans.

Communication & representation:

Excellent interpersonal and coordination skills, written and oral communication skills; ability to prepare high-quality technical and donor reports, policy briefs and presentations.
Experience representing projects at national/regional meetings and donor forums.
Advocacy and capacity-building skills to support policy uptake and institutional strengthening.
Experience working with multiple stakeholders.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

This position has been assessed as an elevated risk role for Child Safeguarding purposes as it is either a role with direct contact with children, a role that works directly with identifiable children’s data, a safeguarding response role, or an assessed risk role. Additional vetting and assessment for elevated risk roles in child safeguarding (potentially including additional criminal background checks) apply.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

Qualified candidates are invited to submit the following documents via the online recruitment portal, TMS (Talent Management System):

An up-to-date TMS profile and curriculum vitae (CV)
Cover letter
A separate financial proposal (only acceptable in the format of the linked template) Financial proposal template TMC0003106.docx

Remarks:

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.

Project Coordinator, United Nations Joint Nutrition Programme (Sierra Leone), National Consultant, Office-based, #594400