Consultant – Strengthen technical work on networks of care

Purpose of consultancy

To strengthen technical work on networks of care as an innovative approach to improve maternal and newborn outcomes.

Background

The Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and Ageing (MCA) Department at WHO HQ aligns with the goals and targets related to maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health as set out in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health to support the achievement of WHO’s 13th General Programme of Work. The Department works closely with other technical units in HQ, WHO regional and country offices and partners to:

1. Generate and synthesize evidence and define norms and standards for maternal, new-born, child and adolescent health.
2. Support the adoption of evidence-based policies and multisectoral strategies for better health, through strengthening health systems and delivery of high-quality services towards universal access to people-centred health care.
3. Monitor and evaluate progress towards implementation of evidence-based policies and strategies for ‘survive, thrive and transform’.
4. Strengthen capacity for all the above functions across WHO, countries and partners.

Each year, almost 300,000 women die during pregnancy and childbirth, 2 million babies are stillborn, and 2.4 million babies die in the first month of life. WHO/MCA has a maternal health unit which is committed to strengthening generation of evidence, development of guidelines and tools, supporting country adaptation and implementation, and monitoring and measurement for country level impact.

As we approach 2020, a critical milestone in the SDG era, there is a need to re-assess strategies and approaches to improve maternal health and well-being, building on existing evidence and lessons learned. WHO has conducted a landscape analysis on the concept on networks of care. The landscaping review synthesised the existing literature, examined country specific examples, finalized a working definition on Networks of Care, and assessed the feasibility for operationalisation of Networks of Care at sub-national level. The Networks of Care concept was tested in virtual country level stakeholder exercises with Ministries of Health and stakeholders in Cameroon and Nepal to understand how a Networks of Care approach could be operationalised at sub-national level. It enabled country stakeholders to begin reflecting on and identifying concrete actions for implementing Networks of Care in their context. Following this initial work, a two-day virtual technical consultation on Networks of Care was held with over 70 global and country stakeholders to further disseminate the results of the landscape review, share diverse country experiences, and discuss how best to further advance this approach. An in-person meeting was held in December 2022 to further refine the networks of care concept, including an operational framework, and a learning agenda.

Deliverables

• Task 1: Facilitate the finalization of operational framework for networks of care.

  • Deliverable 1.1: Organize calls, take notes, and develop meeting reports/meeting notes. Expected by August 2023
  • Deliverable 1.2: Develop operational framework for networks of care based on inputs from December 2022 technical consultation. Expected by February 2024

• Task 2: Contribute to learning agenda on networks of care.

  • Deliverable 2.1: Coordinate and co-facilitate a technical panel for International Maternal and Newborn Health Conference. Expected by May 2023
  • Deliverable 2.2: Develop a learning agenda on networks of care based on inputs from December 2022 technical consultation. Expected by December 2023
  • Deliverable 2.3: Document similarities/differences on networks of care with other global initiatives. Expected by March 2024

Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational Qualifications:

Essential:

• First level university degree in Public Health, Epidemiology, International Health, or a public health science related field.

Experience

Essential:

• A minimum of five years of relevant experience working in public health with focus on health systems innovations for improving maternal and newborn health within primary health care preferably with a focus on networks.
• Experience in literature reviews and evidence synthesis.
• Experience working with colleagues from various cultural backgrounds.
• At least 5 peer-reviewed publications.

Desirable:

• Experience living and working in low- and middle-income countries.

Skills/Knowledge:

Essential:

• Ability to coordinate expert groups.
• Ability to conceptualize and write about complex health topics.

Languages required:

Essential:

• Expert knowledge of English.

Desirable:

• Intermediate knowledge of French.

Location

Off-site – Home based.

Travel

The consultant is expected to travel.

Remuneration and budget (travel costs are excluded):

Remuneration:

Band level B - USD 350 - 499 per day.

Living expenses (A living expense is payable to on-site consultants who are internationally recruited):

N/A

Expected duration of contract:

11 months – (7 days per month).

Additional Information

• This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates for other similar consultancies at the same level.
• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
• A written test may be used as a form of screening.
• If your candidature is retained for interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.
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