Strengthening Disaster Risk Financing Systems and Partnerships for Social Sectors and Children in the Pacific. Suva - Fiji. Homes Based with Travel.17 Months.#594196

Organizational Context

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.

Job Purpose

The purpose of this assignment is to strengthen disaster risk financing (DRF) systems for social sectors in selected Pacific Island Countries (Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu) by improving the capacity of governments and partners to mobilize and deliver financial resources effectively to protect children and essential services during shocks. The consultancy will support UNICEF Pacific Multi-Country Office (MCO) to enhance its role as a strategic partner in DRF by working closely with Ministries of Finance and line ministries responsible for education, health & nutrition, child protection, WASH, and social protection to strengthen the integration of social sectors within DRF frameworks. This includes assessing and improving shock-responsive delivery systems (“money-out”), identifying systemic bottlenecks, and providing targeted technical support and initial capacity-building to ensure that financial resources translate into timely and effective support for children. The assignment will further contribute to elevating the role of social sectors within national DRF approaches, ensuring that financing mechanisms explicitly account for the protection of essential services and the needs of children in disaster contexts.

Responsibilities

The consultant will support the UNICEF Pacific Multi-Country Office (MCO) in enhancing its strategic partnership role in Disaster Risk Financing (DRF). This involves close collaboration with Ministries of Finance and relevant line ministries (education, health & nutrition, child protection, WASH, social protection) to strengthen the integration of social sectors within national DRF frameworks. Key responsibilities include assessing and improving shock-responsive delivery systems, specifically focusing on the efficient disbursement of funds ('money-out') during crises. The consultant will identify systemic bottlenecks that hinder effective financial resource delivery and provide targeted technical support and initial capacity-building to ensure that financial resources translate into timely and effective support for children and essential services. Furthermore, the role entails facilitating engagement with critical regional and international partners such as PCRIC, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS). This engagement aims to align UNICEF’s DRF work with broader regional initiatives and foster coordinated, multi-sectoral approaches to disaster preparedness and response. Finally, the consultant will be instrumental in developing donor-ready proposals and a comprehensive UNICEF DRF roadmap, which will guide country-level engagement and continuous systems improvement for long-term resilience.

Work Experience

Not specified in the provided content.

Skills

DRF Systems Strengthening, Capacity Building, Financial Resource Mobilization, Shock-Responsive Delivery Systems, Partnership Management (Regional/International), Technical Assistance, Bottleneck Analysis, Proposal Development, Strategic Planning (DRF), Multi-sectoral Coordination, Government Engagement, Child-focused Emergency Response

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