Consultant for Adolescent Nutrition Research

Job Posting Organization:
UNICEF, established in 1946, operates in over 190 countries and territories with a mission to save children's lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential. The organization is committed to promoting the rights of every child and offers diverse opportunities for professional and personal development. UNICEF employs a passionate workforce dedicated to serving children and communities worldwide, and it emphasizes a culture of inclusivity and growth.

Job Overview:
The Consultant for Adolescent Nutrition Research will play a crucial role in strengthening the evidence base on adolescent nutrition in Lebanon, an area that has been critically underexplored. The consultancy will initiate with a comprehensive situation analysis and desk review of existing data, literature, and policies. Following this, formative participatory research will be conducted with adolescents to explore their nutrition-related behaviors, challenges, and aspirations. The consultant will utilize UNICEF’s validated participatory adolescent nutrition research methodology, tailored to the Lebanese context, to inform strategies and programs aimed at improving adolescents’ nutritional status, with a strong emphasis on gender, equity, and cultural relevance. This role is pivotal in ensuring that the findings from the research will contribute to effective programming and policy-making that addresses the nutritional needs of adolescents in Lebanon.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The consultant will be responsible for several key deliverables throughout the consultancy period. These include: 1) Developing an inception and workplan, including a detailed research protocol and obtaining ethical approval; 2) Conducting a situation analysis and desk review report focusing on adolescent nutrition, particularly for adolescent girls; 3) Adapting UNICEF's participatory methodology for formative research, ensuring cultural and gender responsiveness; 4) Preparing and implementing formative research with adolescents, including training youth facilitators; 5) Analyzing data and writing comprehensive reports that synthesize findings; and 6) Developing nutrition sessions for the POWER4Girls life skills package based on insights from the research. Each deliverable has specific timelines and expected outcomes that the consultant must adhere to, ensuring a structured approach to the consultancy.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a post-graduate university degree in Nutrition and/or Public Health, with a PhD considered an asset. A minimum of 7 years of demonstrated experience leading complex public health or nutrition research projects, particularly focusing on adolescents, is required. Proven expertise in conducting formative research and situation analyses using qualitative and mixed methods approaches is essential. Experience in youth engagement, understanding of gender and cultural sensitivity, and familiarity with the Lebanese public health landscape are highly desirable. Additionally, candidates should have strong qualitative data analysis skills and proficiency in both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes a post-graduate degree in Nutrition and/or Public Health. A PhD is considered an asset, indicating a higher level of expertise and research capability in the field. This educational foundation is critical for understanding the complexities of adolescent nutrition and public health issues.

Experience:
Candidates should have a minimum of 7 years of relevant experience in leading public health or nutrition research projects. This experience should ideally include a focus on adolescents and involve working at national or regional levels. The ability to engage with multi-sectoral stakeholders and facilitate community-based consultations is also important, as is prior collaboration with UNICEF or similar organizations.

Languages:
Fluency in both oral and written Arabic and English is required for this position. This bilingual proficiency is essential for effective communication and engagement with diverse stakeholders and participants in the research process. Additional language skills may be considered an asset but are not mandatory.

Additional Notes:
This consultancy role is subject to specific conditions, including the requirement for selected candidates to confirm their fully vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a WHO-endorsed vaccine. This requirement is applicable unless the consultant will work remotely and will not interact directly with UNICEF premises or communities. The position does not offer staff member benefits, and consultants are responsible for their tax liabilities. UNICEF promotes a zero-tolerance policy on conduct incompatible with its objectives, including discrimination and abuse. The organization is committed to safeguarding children and ensuring a diverse workforce that reflects the communities it serves.