UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN’S FUND

Office in Serbia is seeking qualified

Individual Contractor – Interior designer – architect

for interior design of the developmental counselling units in the primary health care centres

VN: 27-2015

Purpose of the assignment is to 1) deliver recommendations and detailed plans for interior design of the space in 9 DCUs (Zemun, Novi Sad, Nis, Kragujevac, Pancevo, Pirot, Pozarevac, Vranje, Leskovac) and 2) list and monitor procurement and installation of furniture, as well as additional related supplies in PHCs. Consultant will ensure that all interior design work will meet qualitative standards and will be done in timely manner.  Duration of the assignment is from 28 September 2015 to 28 February 2015, total number of 35 working days.

The closing date for applications is 10 September 2015. Detailed Terms of Reference can be found on http://www.unicef.rs/oglasi-za-posao.html under Vacancies. Qualified candidates are requested to send their application by 10 September 2015, ref. VN-27 Consultant – Interior designer – architect to deliver recommendations and detailed plans for interior design of the spaces, following:

• P11 (P11 form can be downloaded from http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/P11.doc)
• CV
• Reference: 0qfOpO3GcW1BRffBwKrg3UbvdBntYNDqKOGlN53Ds0k.

Financial offer

•  Daily rate in RSD
•  Daily allowance cost for travel within Serbia in RSD, price per 1 trip - maximum     20 travels required
•  Transportation costs within Serbia in RSD, price per 1 trip for various places (regardless of the place and distance) - maximum 20 travels required

Important note: Incomplete applications will not be taken into consideration.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. UNICEF is a non-smoking environment. UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities to apply.

Background:

The early childhood period is considered to be the most important developmental phase in an individual’s lifespan. The first three years of life are critical for physical, sensory, cognitive and emotional development of a child and children who do not have required responsive inputs during these sensitive periods are less likely to develop to their full potential. Early negative events such as extensive stress caused by violence or other forms of maltreatment leave long-lasting effects to child development. This time of extensive brain development is in the same time the opportunity for many children who express any developmental difficulties (caused by biological or environmental factors) as timely early interventions could improve/recover some of the developmental delays and deviations that are caused by risk factors encountered from conception to birth and early years of the child.   

The number of children who’s development is affected by various risk factors is unknown however it is estimated that as many as 20% of children worldwide leave with some form of moderate or severe disability. Thanks to technological developments in the medical field more and more pre-mature born children survive while in the same time there is increasing prevalence of children who express some form of autistic spectrum disorders. Aside to biological risk factors, lives and development of many children are affected by poverty and other family and environmental problems. Roma children in Serbia, for example, are three times more stunted than general population and as many as 64% of poorest children in Serbia have less than 3 children books at home.

To support children that are exposed to developmental risks and their families, Ministry of Health of Serbia has already in the 70’ started establishment of developmental counselling units (DCUs) in the primary health care centers (PHCs). DCUs have in the next few decades developed as a model recognized by the WHO and replicated in number of European countries. Unfortunately, due to wars, sanctions, economic crises and the different orientation of the reform process in the health care, since beginning of 2000 no investment has been made in regard to professional and organizational development of DCUs to the extent that some of them had to be closed. This situation has left many parents of children with developmental difficulties without appropriate support while many developmental risks were not timely identified. In addition the work of the remaining DCUs could not follow the pace of the evidence based science.

To overcome this gap and respond to the needs of the most vulnerable children and their families, particularly socially deprived Roma children and children with developmental difficulties and disability, Ministry of Health and the UNICEF Country Office, together with Paediatric Association of Serbia, The Belgrade City Institute of Public Health, Institute for Mental Health and Institute for Mother and Child Health Care initiated in the mid 2014 a program aimed at strengthening the health-care system to support early childhood development. One of the components of this program includes development of new national standards for DCUs in the PHCs and professional and organisational capacity building of DCUs to support children with developmental risks and their families.

In the past year the investment has been made in the capacity building of professionals while there is a need also to refurbish the DCUs so to become child-friendly spaces with appropriate equipment of assessing and stimulating child development and this way enable more effective and efficient work with children and their families in reaching developmental objectives.

Purpose of the assignment:

Under the leadership of UNICEF and Ministry of Health and in close consultation with health professionals from partner organizations the consultant should deliver recommendations and detailed plans for interior design of the space in 9 DCUs (Zemun, Novi Sad, Nis, Kragujevac, Pancevo, Pirot, Pozarevac, Vranje, Leskovac) and list and monitor procurement and installation of furniture, as well as additional related supplies in PHCs. Space provided for developmental counselling units by PHCs is different in 9 locations with the average of 3 rooms of  20 sqm and the waiting room, but in some PHCs additional consultations for space provision/adaptation is needed. Consultant will ensure that all interior design work will meet qualitative standards and will be done in timely manner. 

Duration of the assignment:

Start date of the assignment 28 September 2015, end date 28 February 2016. First contract will be issued up to 31 December 2015. Extension of the contract by 28 February 2016 is subject of approval of new UNICEF CPD. Up to 35 days in a duration of contract.

Work Assignment Overview

Tasks

Review the way interior and equipment design is done in the similar services in Serbia (private and public) and countries in the region and in consultation with MoH and UNICEF team/partners define the optimal interior design model.

Travel Required:  

• Estimated number of days of travel: Approximately 20 days during the contract.
• Location of travel:  Local travel, exact locations will be defined in monthly work plans, in average 250 km away from Belgrade in one direction.
• DSA and travel costs will be included into the overall cost of the contract. Should there be a need for unexpected additional travel to the field, travel costs will be reimbursed as per the actual rendered costs, not to exceed the established UN rate.

Workplace of Consultant:

Primary health care centres and home
Will the consultant need IT access, email?
Yes.

Qualifications required, specialised knowledge, specialised skills and work experience required for this assignment:

• University degree in architecture or interior design
• License 300  - Responsible Designer for Architectural projects, Site plan projects, Interior plumbing and sewer projects
• Minimum 3 years of experience in interior design
• Proficiency in the graphic software relevant for architecture design
• Experience in designing child-friendly spaces (preferably health care, kindergartens etc.) will be an asset
• Familiarity with standards for space and equipment in health care/pre-school facilities will be an asset
• Knowledge on administrative procedures for adaptation and supply processes
• Knowledge on universal design and/or other principles related to accessibility of health institutions/public buildings
• Work experience with World Bank and/or other international organizations would be considered as an advantage
• Knowledge of written and spoken English will be an asset
• Driving license