Scope of work
Throughout the assignment, the consultant is expected to apply a participatory and capacity-building approach, ensuring active engagement of national and sub-national stakeholders and promoting ownership of the Environmental Health Policy and Strategic Plan. The process should facilitate knowledge transfer to government counterparts and strengthen institutional capacity for policy implementation and monitoring.
The consultant shall ensure strong multi-sectoral coordination, recognizing that environmental health outcomes are influenced by and also influence other sectors such as health, water, environment, agriculture, education, and local government. The policy and strategic plan should promote coherence and alignment across these sectors, ensuring that proposed interventions are complementary and mutually reinforcing.
In addition, the consultant will ensure that the policy and strategic plan are harmonized with existing national policies, strategies, and regulatory frameworks, including public health legislation, WASH-related strategies, and other relevant sectoral guidelines, to avoid duplication and strengthen overall system coherence.
The consultant is encouraged to propose practical and innovative approaches provided that these are feasible within the country context and aligned with the objectives of the assignment.
The scope of work includes the following key activities and deliverables:
Phase 1: Inception and Planning
Phase 2: Desk Review and Situational Analysis
Phase 3: Stakeholder Engagement and Consultations
Phase 4: Policy Review and Development
Phase 5: Development of Costed Strategic Plan
Phase 6: Monitoring, Evaluation, and Financing Framework
Phase 7: Validation and Finalization
Minimum requirements
Education:
• Advanced university degree in Environmental Health, Public Health, Health Policy or a related field.
Work Experience:
• At least 10 years of progressively relevant professional experience in environmental health, public health, health systems, or policy development.
• Demonstrated experience in drafting or supporting development of national policies, strategies, or action plans.
• Strong analytical skills, including desk review, policy analysis, and synthesis of technical evidence.
Language Requirements:
• Fluency in English
Knowledge/Expertise/Skills:
• Strong analytical skills, including desk review, policy analysis, and synthesis of technical evidence.
• Strong skills in stakeholder engagement, workshop facilitation, and participatory approaches are essential. The consultant must be able to work with a wide range of stakeholders – government officials, health workers, donors, community representatives – and facilitate meaningful input and consensus-building. Prior experience of coordinating multi-stakeholder working groups or task forces, especially in the context of developing national guidelines or plans, is highly desirable
• Good understanding of environmental health issues in Lesotho or comparable contexts.
• The consultant must be proficient in professional English writing, capable of producing clear, concise, and well-structured documents. Samples of previous written work (especially national-level reports or guidelines) should be provided. Additionally, strong verbal communication is needed for presentations and discussions. Experience working in Lesotho or Southern Africa will be an advantage, to facilitate communication with local stakeholders and understanding of context.
• Ability to manage the consultancy tasks effectively within the given timeframe. This includes good organizational skills, timely communication, and flexibility to adapt to stakeholder schedules.
For every Child, you demonstrate...
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 promoting 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 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.
- An up-to-date TMS profile and curriculum vitae (CV)
- Cover letter
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.