Nutrition Consultant(Governance and Institutional Strengthening), Manila, Philippines, Remotely, 11.5 Months (Open Only For Nationals of Philippines) Req

************************************************************************************

Contract Duration:  11.5 Months

Working arrangement: HomeBased

************************************************************************************

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.

For every child, the right to healthcare.

How can you make a difference?

The overall purpose of the consultancy is to provide continuous technical, coordination, The overall purpose of the consultancy is to provide continuous technical, coordination, and institutional strengthening support to the National Nutrition Council (NNC) to advance nutrition governance and the implementation of priority activities under PPAN 2023–2028.

The consultancy forms part of UNICEF’s support to the NNC’s broader systems-strengthening efforts at the national and subnational levels to address malnutrition through improved nutrition governance, stronger institutional capacities, effective policy implementation, and sustained engagement of local government units (LGUs).

While the consultancy will support both national and subnational linkages, the primary focus will be at the national level, with particular attention to strengthening nutrition leadership and governance, institutional systems and capacities, and the effective implementation of nutrition programmes.

The consultant will primarily work with the NNC-NPPD and NNC-NIED to:

• Support the planning, coordination, implementation, and monitoring of priority activities under PPAN 2023–2028.

• Strengthen the integration of climate considerations and climate-resilient approaches into nutrition policies, plans, and programmes.

• Support LGU mobilization and provide technical assistance to strengthen local nutrition governance and programme implementation.

• Contribute to the sustainability and institutionalization of Nutrition Leadership and Governance initiatives.

• Facilitate effective coordination among NNC, UNICEF, national government agencies, LGUs, development partners, and other relevant stakeholders.

• Strengthen NNC’s institutional systems, tools, capacities, and processes to support sustained implementation beyond the consultancy period.

************************************************************************************

Scope of Work:

The consultant will work closely with UNICEF’s Nutrition Specialist and the designated focal points from NNC and relevant national and subnational stakeholders. The assignment will involve continuous technical and coordination support throughout the 11.5-month engagement with focus on the following detailed tasks:

Output 1. Support to the Implementation of PPAN 2023–2028 and Development of the Next Cycle

• Work closely with NNC-NPPD to plan, coordinate, implement, and monitor priority activities under PPAN 2023–2028.

• Provide technical and coordination support for PPAN-related consultations, workshops, technical meetings, policy dialogues, and other activities.

• Develop and/or refine planning, implementation, monitoring, and coordination tools to support PPAN priorities.

• Support in the development of the new PPAN.

• Facilitate coordination among NNC units, relevant national government agencies, LGUs, development partners, and other stakeholders.

• Track and follow up on agreed actions and commitments arising from PPAN-related activities.

• Document implementation progress, emerging issues, good practices, and lessons learned.

• Identify opportunities to strengthen institutional mechanisms and coordination arrangements for sustained PPAN implementation.

• Provide timely technical inputs to NNC in response to emerging PPAN implementation priorities.

Output 2. Climate-Nutrition Programming

• Support NNC in integrating climate change considerations and climate-resilient approaches into nutrition policies, plans, programmes, and implementation mechanisms.

• Work with NNC-NPPD and relevant partners to advance climate-nutrition activities under PPAN 2023–2028.

• Provide technical support for consultations, workshops, capacity-building activities, and policy dialogues on climate and nutrition.

• Develop and/or refine climate-nutrition tools, guidance, knowledge products, and technical materials, as needed.

• Facilitate coordination with relevant government agencies, development partners, and technical experts working on climate change and nutrition.

• Document lessons, promising practices, and opportunities to strengthen and scale climate-resilient nutrition programming at national and local levels.

• Provide recommendations to strengthen the institutional integration of climate-nutrition approaches within NNC systems and processes.

Output 3. LGU Mobilization and Technical Assistance

• Work closely with NNC-NIED to support strategies and activities for mobilizing LGUs to strengthen local nutrition action.

• Support the design and delivery of technical assistance to LGUs on nutrition governance, leadership, and PPAN implementation.

• Develop capacity-building approaches, tools, and resources that can be integrated into NNC’s existing systems.

• Support engagement with local nutrition committees, local chief executives, local nutrition action officers, and other relevant local stakeholders.

• Strengthen linkages between national policies and local nutrition planning, budgeting, implementation, and monitoring.

• Document effective LGU engagement and mobilization approaches for replication and scale-up.

• Identify emerging capacity and technical assistance needs of LGUs and recommend responsive support measures to NNC.

• Support sustainability mechanisms to maintain LGU mobilization and technical assistance approaches beyond the consultancy period.

Output 4. Nutrition Leadership and Governance

• Provide technical and coordination support to NNC-NIED and relevant NNC units to sustain Nutrition Leadership and Governance initiatives.

• Review and strengthen existing leadership and governance approaches, tools, and capacity-building initiatives.

• Contribute to strategies for institutionalizing nutrition leadership and governance within NNC and LGU systems.

• Support learning and knowledge-sharing activities among LGUs and nutrition stakeholders.

• Document good practices, lessons learned, and recommendations to strengthen the sustainability of Nutrition Leadership and Governance initiatives.

• Identify institutional mechanisms, resources, and partnerships that can support their longer-term sustainability.

Output 6. Coordination, Knowledge Management, and Partnership Development

• Maintain regular coordination with NNC focal points, UNICEF programme teams, government counterparts, development partners, and other relevant stakeholders.

• Participate in relevant technical working groups, consultations, workshops, and coordination meetings.

• Prepare meeting notes, action points, progress updates, presentations, and other required documentation.

• Track agreed actions and facilitate timely follow-up with relevant stakeholders.

• Identify opportunities for collaboration, resource mobilization, and technical assistance from UNICEF and other partners.

• Contribute to knowledge products, briefs, presentations, and other materials to support advocacy, decision-making, and programme implementation.

• Consolidate and document lessons learned, good practices, and emerging innovations across the consultancy areas.

• Support knowledge-sharing and learning activities to promote the replication and institutionalization of effective approaches.

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

************************************************************************************

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

Minimum requirements:

Education:

Nutrition, Public Health, Allied Health Sciences, Development Studies, Public Administration

Work Experience:

• At least 10 years of experience in nutrition, public health, governance, institutional strengthening, programme management, or related fields, including policy coordination and capacity development.

• Experience working with national government institutions in the Philippines on nutrition governance, policy, and programme coordination. Experience with the National Nutrition Council (NNC) is an advantage. Knowledge of the Philippine nutrition governance system and PPAN 2023–2028 is required.

• Experience working with LGUs, including local governance, LGU mobilization, or decentralized programme implementation, is an advantage. The assignment will primarily focus on the national level.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in written and spoken English is required. Proficiency in another official United Nations language is an asset.

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills:

• Ability to build effective relationships and coordinate with national government, development partners, and other stakeholders.

• Strong facilitation, interpersonal, and written and verbal communication skills.

• Strong analytical, writing, documentation, and presentation skills, with the ability to synthesize and communicate complex information clearly.

• Ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, and deliver high-quality outputs within agreed timelines.

Desirables:

• Experience in climate change and nutrition, particularly in developing or implementing climate-resilient nutrition programmes.

• Experience in nutrition leadership, governance, policy, or institutional strengthening.

• Experience in social and behavior change approaches, strategies, or programming.

************************************************************************************

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

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 TMC0007316.docx

Remarks: If the TOR or financial proposal documents are not downloadable on certain recruitment platforms, please visit our official page Vacancies | UNICEF Careers .

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 .