Purpose of consultancy:
UNFPA APRO requires a Regional Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA) Specialist Consultant to further expand and consolidate CVA work in the Asia Pacific region. This full-time consultancy will support regional CVA initiatives and the scale-up of CVA in UNFPA’s mandated areas in emergencies, which are SRH programming, and GBV prevention and response, including in anticipatory action and protracted contexts. The consultant will provide strategic, technical and capacity-building support on CVA in the region and continue to feed into global technical initiatives around CVA.
Background:
In 2020 UNFPA’s executive management endorsed its Commitments to Scaling Up CVA that is high-quality and cost-effective to maximise results for women, girls and youth during crises, as part of our commitment to leaving no one behind. UNFPA uses CVA to contribute to prevention and response to gender-based violence, self-reliance, access to sexual and reproductive health services, and social protection. All these areas support UNFPA’s Three Transformative Results of eliminating gender-based violence and harmful practices, preventable maternal mortality and unmet need for family planning.
The number of countries using this approach is growing globally, including 10 countries in the Asia Pacific region, along with the number of interventions and phases of response in which CVA is being used. Cash assistance is a tool that will be further strengthened and expanded as a part of UNFPA’s programming.
The internal Asia Pacific Regional CVA Community of Practice includes over 120 UNFPA personnel from a diverse set of countries, requiring ongoing technical expertise with a regional viewpoint. Representation is also required through the regional interagency Cash Working Group for Asia Pacific. The incumbent will also support global initiatives of the CVA team as relevant.
Scope of work:
The consultant will lead technical support and oversight on CVA in active and upcoming countries including advice to technical teams and senior management. The consultant will assist in laying a foundation in terms of sound programming, partnerships, capacity-building and knowledge management. Key responsibilities include:
- Support the strategic and coherent use of CVA in Asia Pacific countries as part of GBViE, SRHiE, access to dignity items, nexus programming and early recovery activities. Linkages with social protection should be considered where relevant and feasible.
- Expand the development of UN-to-UN, implementing partner and payment service provider agreements and related standard operating procedures and data sharing agreements at country level.
- Facilitate and build the capacity of technical specialists (GBV, SRH, Humanitarian, Operations) in CVA in countries and within APRO.
- Ensure sound monitoring and reporting and contribute to program development and communications on CVA in APRO.
- Systematically document good practices and lessons learned, including through developing case studies and conducting research to build the evidence base on using CVA in SRH and GBV programming.
- As a member of the global CVA team at UNFPA, feed into relevant global initiatives with ideas and learnings from APRO, including technical initiatives as well as Humanitarian Action Overview and donor reporting as appropriate.
Technical CVA support will include:
Strategic and scaled-up CVA programming
- Lead or support strategic regional partnerships with sister UN agencies and partners to build upon existing structures and reach appropriate scale.
- Support countries to work towards the inclusion of CVA in preparedness and response planning.
- Coordinate with Operations and Finance teams to ensure relevant agreements with implementing partners and/or financial service providers.
- Reach out to technical counterparts in APRO to ensure CVA is integrated into their strategies and operational plans as much as possible and find opportunities for collaboration.
Technical support and oversight
- Lead regular regional meetings, learning and knowledge sharing through the UNFPA Regional CVA Community of Practice and to regional Technical and Programme counterparts as appropriate.
- Provide technical support on assessments, planning and budgeting, technical choices, legal and regulatory aspects, implementation modalities and coordination in line with UNFPA’s CVA guidelines and associated policies and procedures.
- Represent UNFPA in inter-agency regional coordination mechanisms.
- Circulate and create relevant training opportunities and provide on-site capacity building, coaching, and training in CVA for UNFPA key personnel (GBV, SRH, Humanitarian, Operations/Finance, etc.).
Monitoring, reporting and program development
- Support the recruitment and onboarding of CVA personnel as relevant.
- Contribute to proposal development and resource mobilisation efforts, and advocate for appropriate funding of CVA.
- Roll out and build compliance with corporate CVA tools, guidance, systems, and policies in country offices. Roll out monitoring tools and support the adaptation of global tools based on country feedback.
- Support evidence-building and research initiatives.
- Support countries on CVA-related donor reporting requirements.
- Contribute to global knowledge management and coordinate regional products such as case studies.
In addition to the above, support to global and regional CVA may also include:
- Contribute to the global annual CVA workplan and planning.
- Contribute to cross-regional technical discussions and develop joint guidance aimed at ensuring global harmonisation for CVA programming.
- Identify skill and knowledge gaps and help country offices to address these through training, recruitments, etc.
- Undertake technical support missions across the region and be available for rapid deployment if needed.
As well as any other support activities as required by the APRO Regional Humanitarian Adviser and on an exceptional basis, cover for the global CVA Specialist, Humanitarian Response Division.
Duration and working schedule: 17 January 2024 - 16 December 2024
Place where services are to be delivered: Home-based in the Asia Pacific region.
Delivery dates and how work will be delivered (e.g. electronic, hard copy etc.):
Delivered electronically.
Monitoring and progress control, including reporting requirements, periodicity format and deadline:
- At the end of each month, the consultant has to submit the timesheet to the Regional Humanitarian Advisor for certification.
- Quarterly report on the CVA programme support, capacity-building and/or global activities supported. Deadline for completion of work is the end of the contract period. Regular updates should be provided to the APRO Regional Director and the HRD Director.
Supervisory arrangements:
The Regional CVA specialist reports to the APRO Regional Humanitarian Adviser, with a matrix management line to the CVA Specialist/Global CVA team lead in the Humanitarian Response Division.
Expected travel:
Travel to countries for strategic and technical support depending on identified needs and/or country offices requests for support missions.
Required education and expertise:
Education
Master’s degree, preferably in international relations, humanitarian affairs, economic development, or social sciences, and political science, or other related fields.
Expertise:
- Minimum seven (7) years of professional experience working on programming and technical support in the area of cash & voucher assistance (CVA/CBI/CBT) programming in humanitarian or early recovery settings.
- Proven knowledge and technical skills in set up, design, implementation, and monitoring of CVA from a multisectoral and/or protection perspective.
- Demonstrated experience in interagency coordination.
- Demonstrated experience in humanitarian program management in CVA or sectoral areas.
- Expertise on CVA in the fields of gender, protection/GBV and/or SRH/Health, and understanding of global issues/trends in this area, is an asset.
- Strong communications skills. Experience advocating for the use of CVA is an asset.
- Experience in building the capacity of technical teams, including personnel and partners.
- Experience in an advisory role to multiple countries or regions is an asset.
- Familiarity with UNFPA programming in humanitarian and/or early recovery contexts is an asset.
- Flexibility and adaptability and ability to manage multiple tasks concurrently.
- Ability to think and work logically and work precisely with attention to detail in a high paced and often stressful environment.
- Fluency in English is required, with excellent written and verbal English skills.
- A second UN language is an asset.
How to apply
Candidates should submit the following documents:
- CV (please provide information about education and work experience in details)
- Motivation Letter
All the above documents must be sent by e-mail to vac-robangkok@unfpa.org.
Please quote the Vacancy number JID 2323 UNFPA APRO. The deadline for application is 22 November 2023 at 17:00 hours Bangkok time.
UNFPA will only be able to respond to those applications in whom UNFPA has a further interest.
UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, teamwork, respect for diversity, integrity and a healthy balance of work and life. We are committed to maintaining our balances gender distribution and therefore encourage women to apply.
Notice: There is no application, processing or other fee at any stage of the application process. UNFPA does not solicit or screen for information in respect of HIV or AIDS and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status.