UNICEF Zimbabwe is inviting applications for a National Consultant to provide technical oversight, quality assurance, and end-to-end supervision of Borehole Drilling and mechanization of schools in very drought areas
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UNICEF has been operating in Zimbabwe since 1982. We are a team of passionate professionals committed to the protection and fulfillment of children’s rights.
Supporting the Government’s vision of a prosperous and empowered upper-middle-income society, the country programme is aimed at contributing to sustainable socioeconomic development that provides all children, including adolescents, with opportunities to fulfil their potential, lead a healthy life, access quality learning and protection and meaningfully participate in society.
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How can you make a difference?
UNICEF Zimbabwe is inviting applications for a National Consultant to provide technical oversight, quality assurance, and end-to-end supervision of Borehole Drilling and mechanization of schools in very drought areas
PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:
The purpose of this consultancy is to provide technical oversight, quality assurance, and end-to-end supervision inlcuding:
- Milestone supervision of mobilization and borehole construction including:
- Geophysical surveys
- Borehole drilling
- Test pumping
- Water quality sampling
- Wellhead construction
- Documentation and certification
- Regular meetings with World Vision for updates, feedback and capacity building
BACKGROUND
Zimbabwe continues to face significant challenges in rural water supply due to declining groundwater levels, climate-related variability, and poor performance of boreholes resulting from inadequate siting and construction quality. These challenges have also affected schools.
UNICEF supports Government of Zimbabwe (GoZ) for WASH in Schools (WinS) through several key ministries that include the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (MoPSE), Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development (MLAFWRD), Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA), Rural District Councils (RDCs) to expand equitable access to safe water for school children and communities. Through this support, UNICEF is helping to fullfil children’s rights to health, education and participation and directly contributing to SDGs 4a, 6.1, 6.2 and other health indicators. Research shows that focusing on WinS: increases academic performance by 25% in both boys and girls (UN Water, 2008), girls enrolment can increase by up to 30% when there is adequate sanitation in schools (UNICEF, 2012 Raising Clean Hands), handwashing with soap at pre-primary and primary levels reduced diarrhoea cases by 30% (Ejemot-Nwadiaro, et al., 2009)
In 2023 (EMIS ), it was estimated that 600 schools had no access to water, while approximately 930 schools lacked their own water sources. This number has since increased due to both the rise in the number of schools and the breakdown of existing water supply systems.
UNICEF has a programme which focuses on the provision of piped water to schools by contractors, either through drilling a borehole and piping the water or connecting schools to existing water systems managed by other organisations, companies, farms, rural authorities, or individuals. The intervention is guided by a wet-hole policy, meaning that contractors are only paid for borehole drilling upon successful borehole that yield specified agreed minimum quantities of water flow. In instances where water cannot be accessed on-site, connection to an existing water source, where available, will be considered, in line with the eligibility criteria to be set by UNICEF in consultation with the Education Coordination Group (ECG).
World Vision partnered with UNICEF to implement this intervention and was expected to complete 30 schools . However, progress has been slow, with only 11 schools having completed drilling and mechanization works over the past year, resulting in significant delays. More is needed thorough monitoring to ensure successful achievement of agreed indicators. The target districts include Mudzi, Mbire, Muzarabani, Lupane, Beitbridge, Gokwe North, Buhera, Gwand, Wedza and Matobo These are characterized by fragile hydrogeological conditions, high rates of borehole failure, and limited oversight of groundwater development works. Attached is the list of the 30 schools concerned with their status of completion to date.
ASSIGNMENTS:
The work to be undertaken includes all necessary inputs to ensure quality assurance of completion of the drilling and construction of all 19 outstanding boreholes and for the development of the same to allow reticulation of the water. The following assignments are expected as part of implementation of this project:
- Activity 1: Milestone supervision of mobilization and borehole construction
- Activity 2: Test pumping
- Activity 3: Water quality sampling
- Activity 4: Well head construction
- Activity 5: Documentation and certification
- Activity 6: Regular meetings with World Vision for feedback and updates
Major tasks and deliverables:
|
Tasks/Milestone: |
Deliverables/Outputs: |
Timeline, % invoice |
|
Desk review to understand the task requirements |
Inception report with workplan |
7 days, 10% |
|
Supervision of geophysical surveys for all drilling sites |
Reviewed geophysical survey reports for all sites |
21 days, 20% |
|
Quality assurance for all drilling processes |
|
27 days, 30% |
|
Quality assurance of pump testing for each site |
Comprehensive technical report detailing the borehole's hydraulic performance and recommendations for its sustainable operation for each site |
10 days, 15% |
|
Recommendations for each site in terms of water use and requirements to ensure water quality remains intact |
10 days, 5% |
|
Provide technical oversight and capacity building to World Vision |
|
5 days, 10% |
|
Overview of the assignment and opportunities for learning/ improvement |
Final Technical Completion Report – all boreholes including unsuccessful boreholes and the reasons for their rejection |
5 days, 10% |
|
Total |
85 days |
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Minimum requirements:
Education:
MSc in Hydrogeology, Water Engineering, Geology, or related field.
Work Experience:
- At least 5 years of experience in groundwater development.
- Proven track record in supervising drilling operations in Zimbabwe.
- Strong knowledge of geophysical survey methods and interpretation.
- Experience with rural WASH and humanitarian water supply preferred.
Skills:
- Ability to validate drilling logs, test pumping, and aquifer performance.
- Conversant with Zimbabwe groundwater regulations and ZINWA protocols.
- Strong reporting, GIS/GPS mapping, and data management skills.
Language Requirements:
English, Shona and Ndebele
Desirables:
- Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.
- Experience in using a down-the-hole camera for borehole inspection is a strong added advantage.
- Excellent communication skills and experience in working with senior government officials
- Experience in issues related to WASH regulation, upstream work and policy advocacy
- Familiarity with equity and gender issues.
- Experience in working with UN or similar agencies
The detailed consultancy terms of reference is downloadable via this link
TOR.pdf
Technical proposal: The Technical Proposal should articulate an understanding of the TOR and include the proposed Tasks/Milestones, Deliverables/Outputs, Timeline and level of effort by deliverable. The similar table provided in the TOR is indicative. Applicants may use the indicative table as a guide or deviate as per the proposed approach. The proposal should also cost-effectively propose the local travel proposed by the applicant to undertake the assignment.
Financial proposal: The Financial Proposal should include the costs (providing a daily rate as justification) for each task, including consultant fee, proposed travel costs and perdiem, communications costs and any other proposed cost.
For every Child, you demonstrate…
UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).
To view our competency framework, please visit here.
UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.
UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.
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. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. 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.
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.