Consultancy - Nutrition in emergencies Help Desk -Global nutrition cluster (GNC), GPD, CoE, 12 months, Nairobi, (Remote) #592636

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For every child, nutrition

Purpose of Assignment:

The purpose of this consultancy is to strengthen the effectiveness, coherence, and strategic value of programme technical assistance within the Global Nutrition Cluster (GNC), in line with UNICEF’s core commitments for children, and evolving humanitarian architecture. The consultant will support the operationalization of a coordinated, demand-driven NiE technical assistance function through the GNC Helpdesk, ensuring timely, quality-assured, and well-prioritized support to country coordination platforms and nutrition practitioners. Acting as a central link between country requests, GNC structures, and UNICEF, the role will enhance alignment across multiple technical assistance mechanisms, reduce fragmentation, and improve overall efficiency and value for money. (See TOR for details)

Scope of Work:

Under the overall supervision of the UNICEF Centre of Excellence (CoE) – Global Child Nutrition and Development Practice, the consultant will undertake the following tasks:

1. Provide timely NiE technical support to Nutrition cluster/ sector coordination teams and nutrition practitioners in priority countries

In close alignment with UNICEF, and GNC partners the consultant will

• Support coordinated, transparent, and quality-assured NiE technical assistance, directly or through vetted TA providers or TWG.
• Coordinate with the different pillars (programme leadership team and operations management group) of the GNC to ensure NiE related questions and discussions are linked and streamlined and NiE knowledge shared.
• Support development and refinement of standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the GNC related request intake, routing, quality assurance, and feedback loops.
• Prepare summaries of incoming requests, including context, urgency, and proposed response options and raise with UNICEF and GNC for timely action.
• Monitor and analyze trends in NiE technical assistance requests to inform planning and prioritization of support.
• Facilitate quarterly review meetings with Working group chairs and co-chairs on servicing NIE requests for feedback and quality improvement and to identify any support needs.
• Track implementation of agreed response actions and ensure feedback to the secretariat.
• Analyze trends in requests to inform strategic capacity strengthening priorities.

1. Co-lead NiE Capacity Strengthening Initiatives

• Support implementation and monitoring of the NiE capacity strengthening strategy, through the GNC Capacity Strengthening Working Group.

• Support the design and delivery of structured learning events (e.g., webinars, workshops, technical clinics) informed by TA trend analysis and country demand.

•Develop practical tools, guidance notes, and learning resources addressing recurrent technical gaps jointly with working groups.

1. Knowledge Management, coordination and management support for smooth functioning of the various GNC networks

•Develop annual plans and run regular workplan review meetings with key members of the technical working groups and the GNC leadership.

•Contribute to development and monitoring (on quarterly basis) of the GNC budget – Coordination and Programme team.

•Support planning and execution of GNC partner update calls including country partner update calls in close collaboration with the GNC Coordination Team.

•Develop monthly GNC Progress Updates.

•Contribute to briefing notes, presentations, and technical updates for GNC stakeholders.

•Contribute to the GNC Annual Report with provision of data and summaries from GNC trackers and dashboards.

•Support planning and administration of webinars.

•Provide updates for the GNC website maintenance.

•Ensure technical products and resources