National consultancy to support the co-design of the four-year (2026–2030) project workplan, MEAL plan, region-specific action plans, and project inception, Tanzania.

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For every child, the right to health

Tanzania is one of five countries included in Phase II (2026–2030) of the UNICEF–Ireland partnership to accelerate the Global Action Plan (GAP) on Child Wasting. Despite progress, child wasting, poor diets and maternal anaemia remain significant concerns. The Accelerating Prevention and Management of Child Wasting project will focus on six high-burden regions: Pwani, Tanga and Dar es Salaam on the Mainland, and Kaskazini Unguja, Kaskazini Pemba and Mjini Magharibi in Zanzibar. It is structured around four outcomes: strengthened nutrition-responsive social protection, including a cash-plus model within PSSN III; improved prevention, early detection and treatment of child wasting; improved maternal nutrition; and improved infant and young child feeding practices and children’s diets.

To translate the approved proposal into an operational plan, UNICEF seeks a national consultant to facilitate the co-design of the four-year (2026–2030) project workplan, MEAL plan and region-specific action plans for the six target regions, and to support project inception at national and regional levels with the Government and partners, strengthening government ownership and sustainability.

How can you make a difference?

Scope of work

• Review, consolidate and finalize the draft project workplan and MEAL plan co-developed by stakeholders, ensuring alignment with the project scope, the four outcomes, and the indicators and annual targets in the results framework.
• Support the six target regions and their councils to co-design region-specific action plans aligned with the project workplan and integrated into council plans and budgets.
• Facilitate validation of the project workplan, MEAL plan and regional action plans with key stakeholders, including MoH, PMO-RALG, TFNC, TASAF, the Zanzibar Ministry of Health, RHMTs and CHMTs.
• Support the planning and facilitation of national and regional project inception meetings, and document agreed actions and responsibilities.
• Document the workplan co-design and inception process in a case study and a two-page learning brief.

Key activities

• Inception and desk review: Review the UNICEF–Ireland proposal, results framework, draft workplan and MEAL plan, and relevant national guidelines and plans; hold consultations with UNICEF, MoH, PMO-RALG, TFNC, TASAF and the Zanzibar Ministry of Health to agree on approach, methodology and timelines.
• Workplan and MEAL plan finalization: Consolidate stakeholder inputs into a four-year costed workplan with annual milestones, responsibilities and timelines for the four outcomes; finalize the MEAL plan, including indicator definitions, baselines, data sources, reporting frequency and the learning agenda.
• Regional action planning: Facilitate planning sessions with RHMTs, CHMTs, regional and council nutrition officers and social welfare officers in Pwani, Tanga, Dar es Salaam, Kaskazini Unguja, Kaskazini Pemba and Mjini Magharibi; co-design region-specific action plans aligned with the project workplan and integrated into council plans and budgets.
• Stakeholder validation: Prepare presentations and validation materials; facilitate a stakeholder validation meeting; incorporate feedback and produce final versions of the workplan, MEAL plan and regional action plans.
• Project inception: Support UNICEF and Government to plan and facilitate national and regional inception meetings, prepare meeting materials, and document agreed actions, roles and responsibilities.
• Documentation and learning: Document the workplan co-design and inception process, including approach, stakeholder engagement, good practices, challenges and lessons learned, in a case study and a two-page learning brief.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: 20261104_Low Value Consultant ToR_Child Wasting.docx

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

Minimum requirements:

Education:

• Advanced university degree in health, nutrition, monitoring and evaluation, or a related field.

Work Experience:

• At least five years of relevant professional experience in nutrition or public health programme planning, monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning, and multi-stakeholder facilitation, preferably with UN agencies, government institutions, NGOs, or international organizations.

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills

• Demonstrated in nutrition or public health programme planning, monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning, including the development of multi-year workplans, results frameworks, indicators, annual targets, and MEAL plans.
• Demonstrated experience facilitating participatory planning with national and subnational government stakeholders to develop region- or council-specific action plans aligned with programme priorities, plans, and budgets.
• Demonstrated ability to review and consolidate technical and stakeholder inputs, interpret results frameworks and monitor data, define indicators and data sources, and produce clear, costed, and operational workplans and MEAL plans.
• Proven experience preparing and facilitating stakeholder validation and project inception meetings with government and development partners, and documenting agreed actions, roles, responsibilities, and timelines.
• Strong analytical and writing skills, with experience documenting participatory planning and inception processes and producing concise case studies, learning briefs and reports; familiarity with Tanzania’s nutrition policy, planning, programming and coordination context is desirable.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English and Kiswahili

Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.

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

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

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 a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation 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, discrimination, fraud, corruption and other forms of misconduct.

UNICEF is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference, safeguarding and background verification checks. These checks may include verification of academic credentials and employment history, screening against relevant United Nations misconduct databases, and requests for misconduct disclosures from current and former employers, professional associations, other relevant organizations and participating organizations under inter-agency safeguarding initiatives, including the Misconduct Disclosure Scheme (MDS), where applicable.
Appointment, selection and continued engagement are subject to the satisfactory completion of all required checks. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information and consent to enable UNICEF to undertake these checks.
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

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable female candidates are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

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.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

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