Consultancy - Humanitarian Development Peace Nexus Operational Framework

Duration: 20 business days (over a 45 day period)

Duty Station: Home-based (as to be mutually agreed between UNFPA and the consultant)

Background & Context

Progress on UNFPA’s Strategic Plan requires a strengthened humanitarian-development-peace nexus approach across the organization and all the work it undertakes at country, regional and global levels. UNFPA is committed to strengthening the coherence between humanitarian, development and peace efforts in its programme design and implementation, in advancing its Strategic Plan 2022-2025 and its cooperation with other stakeholders in humanitarian responses to respond to the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) Recommendation on the Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus (HDP nexus). 

To this end and to better institutionalize and systematize a nexus approach in UNFPA programming and to support UNFPA staff to access adequate corporate guidance for its operationalization, a corporate operational framework and guidance tool is necessary. A first draft of this  framework and guidance tool has been developed by a small writing team comprising UNFPA staff entitled, “Strategic Guidance Framework for Applying the Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus Approach”.

The overall objective of the framework is to ensure enhanced integration and synergy of the three response pillars (humanitarian, development, peace) in UNFPA’s work and position the nexus approach within the frameworks of the UNFPA Strategic Plan, the three transformative results and the Nairobi Commitments. It is structured around a set of factors to guide how UNFPA can influence and strengthen its operationalization of HDP nexus approaches in different contexts and a set of cross-cutting issues to consider. 

Consultations on the draft framework conducted across multi-disciplinary teams within UNFPA confirmed the need to improve the document to ensure usability and accessibility and that it is more operational in its format.

Purpose of Consultancy

The purpose of the consultancy is to:

1. Reshape the current draft of the framework for greater clarity and usability.
2. Undertake consultations with select Country Offices to ensure the proposed mechanisms and options outlined in the framework and guidelines will be readily adaptable and operationalized.
3. Identify concrete operational steps that need to be undertaken by UNFPA Country Offices to ensure the implementation of the HDP nexus  in different country contexts (including metrics and graphics).
4. Graphically present a menu of options pertinent to countries’ contexts and linked to relevant tools and mechanisms to improve coordination, programming and financing in applying nexus approaches.
5. Develop the “concepts” section of the original/draft framework as a companion piece for the operational guidelines.
6. Make recommendations on how the framework can serve as a support tool for implementation of the UNFPA Strategic Plan 2022-2025.

The consultancy work will be based upon the draft “UNFPA Strategic Guidance Framework for Applying the Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus Approach”.

Deliverables

Under the overall guidance of the Technical Division led by the Gender Human Rights Branch, and in collaboration with the Humanitarian Office Interagency Cooperation and Humanitarian Partnerships Office, the Consultant will undertake the following tasks:

1. Review and Analysis: Review the current draft and other available information and documents to determine how best to reframe the existing draft framework to meet the recommendation of the consultations (and as outlined above).
2. Consultations: Conduct interviews (semi-structured or as appropriate) with key staff in select Regional and Country Offices on their current practices related to HDP nexus, field capacities, communication gaps, coordination work with other field actors, (including government where applicable).
3. Working webinar: Present the framework and guidelines to a ‘pilot’ group of staff from a range of Offices in development, humanitarian and peace contexts, following their pre-review of the materials.
4. Finalization: Use the comments and suggestions from the consultations, including discussion with the writing team, to finalize the framework.

Required Expertise and Qualifications

Education:

• Postgraduate or equivalent in gender, international development, humanitarian action or conflict studies, or other social science fields. 

Knowledge and Experience:

• At least 10 years of experience in international development and in developing UN and/or UNFPA global tools, guidance or strategies using consultative approaches; experience in human centered design is an asset.
• Experience working with multiple international development and UN partners and agencies in national, regional or an international setting.
• Demonstrated experience in systems thinking and writing strategic tools and guideline documents preferably for UN entities.
• Analytic capacity and demonstrated ability to process, analyze and synthesize complex information.
• Excellent communication, advocacy and facilitation skills to engage in effective consultation at all levels and target audiences. 
• Strong drafting and writing skills

Languages:

• Fluency in English required; knowledge of other official UN languages, preferably French and/or Spanish, is an asset.

     How to Apply

Please send your application and a short letter of motivation with "HDP Nexus Operational Framework Consultant" in the subject line  to GHRB@unfpa.org by application deadline.

Disclaimer: UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Fraudulent notices, letters or offers may be submitted to the UNFPA fraud hotline http://www.unfpa.org/help/hotline.cfm UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, teamwork, Embracing diversity in all its forms, integrity and a healthy balance of work and life. We are committed to maintaining our balanced gender distribution and therefore encourage women to apply. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities for all including persons with disabilities.