Child Protection and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) in Ebola preparedness and response National Consultant Kigali, Rwanda (office based) 6 months (595037)
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Job no: 595037
Contract type: Consultant
Duty Station: Kigali
Level: Consultancy
Location: Rwanda
Categories: Child Protection
Contract Duration: 6 months
Working arrangement: Office Based with mission travel
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.
The Rwanda Biomedical Centre, as the Government lead for public health emergency preparedness and response, retains overall leadership and decision-making authority within the national Ebola preparedness framework. This consultancy is designed to support UNICEF to effectively respond to Government-identified priorities within this framework. The additional technical capacity will specifically address internal UNICEF capacity gaps in delivering timely, high-quality technical support to Government counterparts, rather than substituting or duplicating existing Government functions.
Given these factors, UNICEF requires short-term, dedicated technical surge capacity to deliver concrete, time-bound outputs that strengthen national readiness and response systems for child protection and mental health and psychosocial support in the context of Ebola.
The objective of this consultancy is to deliver specific, measurable technical outputs that strengthen the capacity of UNICEF and Government partners to prevent, prepare for, and respond to Ebola-related risks affecting children and families.
If you would like to know more about this consultancy, please review the complete Terms of Reference here: 
ToR_ext_TMC0004279.pdf
QUALIFICATIONS / SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE / EXPERIENCE/ COMPETENCIES (CORE/TECHNICAL/FUNCTIONAL) / LANGUAGE SKILLS REQUIRED FOR THE ASSIGNMENT
Education:
- Minimum BA Public Health, Social Work, Psychology, Child Protection, Social Policy, or related fields
Work Experience:
- Minimum of 8 years of progressively responsible professional experience in child protection, mental health and psychosocial support, public health emergency response, or related fields
- Demonstrated experience in public health emergency preparedness and response, including Ebola or other infectious disease outbreaks is a strong asset
- Proven experience in developing technical tools, guidelines, standard operating procedures, or training packages for child protection or mental health and psychosocial support
- Experience supporting Government systems, particularly in social services, health, or emergency coordination structures
- Demonstrated experience working with Government institutions, United Nations agencies, or international non governmental organizations
- Strong experience in stakeholder coordination and facilitation of multi sectoral technical consultations
Language Requirements:
- English and Kinyarwanda
Knowledge/Expertise/Skills:
- Strong understanding of child protection systems, including case management, prevention of family separation, and alternative care
- Knowledge of mental health and psychosocial support approaches in humanitarian or public health emergency settings
- Ability to provide technical support to other UNICEF sections and areas of interventions on mental health and psychosocial support
- Familiarity with integrated response systems linking health, social services, and community structures
- Understanding of safeguarding and prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse in emergency contexts
- Strong analytical skills and ability to translate technical guidance into practical tools and operational frameworks
- Excellent skills in research, technical writing, and report preparation
- Strong facilitation and communication skills, with the ability to engage Government and partner stakeholders
- Ability to work independently and deliver high quality outputs within tight timelines
Desirables:
- Prior experience supporting Ebola or similar public health emergency preparedness and response in Rwanda
- Familiarity with Rwanda systems, including the Rwanda Biomedical Centre and the National Child Development Agency is a strong advantage
- Experience working within United Nations systems, particularly UNICEF
- Experience in capacity building, training delivery, and system strengthening
- Knowledge of community based child protection mechanisms and mental health and psychosocial support programming
- Experience working on donor funded programmes and results based planning frameworks
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):
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An up-to-date TMS profile and curriculum vitae (CV)
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Cover letter
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A separate financial proposal (only acceptable in the format of the linked template)
financial proposal template TMC0004279.xlsx
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A detailed technical proposal describing the proposed methodology, work plan, and understanding of the assignment objectives
Remarks:
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.
Advertised: South Africa Standard Time
Deadline: South Africa Standard Time