UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. 

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

And we never give up. 

For every child, Life!

How can you make a difference? 

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

Nutrition emergency response and Treatment of wasting is one of the key components of UNICEF’s nutrition program in Afghanistan. The lifesaving nutrition treatment services have significantly expanded in reach and scope over the past decade and are currently implemented in all 34 provinces. In the past years, the funding landscape for Nutrition has significantly changed. All the nutrition actors are exploring innovative ways to mitigate the funding shortfall and support continuous program delivery. For the period 2025- 2026, UNICEF will be supporting the roll out of the new Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (IMAM) protocol in Afghanistan. The massive number of health facilities running this program will require technical expertise in critical areas linked to the implementation of the IMAM protocol.

The National IMAM consultant – will be responsible to oversee the coordination implementation, monitoring, and quality assurance of the nutrition treatment program.

Scope of Work:

The National IMAM Consultant will provide technical support on IMAM programming, ensuring alignment with national guidelines and cluster priorities. Within the nutrition cluster, they will support coordination, capacity strengthening, and data-driven decision-making. Externally, they will engage stakeholders to enhance emergency nutrition response and scalability. The consultant will facilitate IMAM related events and technical working group meeting (IMAM Working Group (IMAM WG), bringing together donors, UN agencies, and major implementing partners.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Provide technical support to a wide range of partners on IMAM ensuring alignment with national guidelines and emergency priorities.
2. Review and prioritize IMAM/NiE activities (including annual plans, and emergency response) based on gaps and severity.
3. Provide technical support and leadership to IMAM technical working groups and national events (workshops, WGs, TF meetings) on behalf of UNICEF/Cluster.
4. Support revising IMAM protocols, tools, and guidelines in line with WHO standards and support fast-track implementation (from July 2025).
5. Monitor and analyze performance of BPHS/non-BPHS and HER/non-HER partners, providing feedback to the implementing partners for quality improvement.
6. Technical support in overseeing nutrition commodity needs, including annual estimation, quarterly verification, and rationalization of UN agency support.
7. Support facilitating the IMAM Working Group, ensuring coordination with the Nutrition Cluster and sectoral stakeholders.
8. Conduct field monitoring visits and supportive supervision to assess IMAM/NiE program quality and coverage.

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

• A bachelor university degree in Data science/statistics or computer science, Database development, SQL server
   
• A Minimum of 2 years of progressively responsible professional experience in the design, implementation, and coordination of nutrition programs in humanitarian or emergency settings, experience managing or coordinating IMAM services at national or sub-national levels is an advantage.
• Proven experience in coordinating nutrition, development and revision of protocols/guidelines, and implementation of nutrition in emergencies (NiE) programming, including IPC Acute Malnutrition (AMN) analysis.
• Strong background in program performance monitoring, data analysis, and supporting technical working groups or task forces.
• Solid understanding of WHO global guidelines on the prevention and management of wasting and ability to translate technical recommendations into national programmatic guidance.
• Demonstrated ability in coordinating platforms involving multiple stakeholders (UN agencies, donors, NGOs, government counterparts).
• Experience in designing, reviewing, and evaluating annual work plans, operational frameworks, and key performance indicators for nutrition service delivery

• Proficiency in nutrition supply estimation and planning, including quarterly forecasting and verification of commodities.

• Familiarity with BPHS and non-BPHS systems, and practical experience in oversight and quality assurance of implementers across different service models.

• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

Remarks:  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts. 

How to apply:

• Interested applicants are required to submit a financial proposal with an all-inclusive fee.  Please see the financial proposal template here:  Consultancy Financial Offer template.docx
• Applications without a financial proposal will not be considered.
• You may apply for the position through the provided link: https://jobs.unicef.org/en-us/job/581932/national-integrated-management-of-acute-malnutrition-imam-consultant