Health T4D National Consultant, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, 364 days, Deliverable-based

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

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, health

Digital technologies and improved data capacity are important catalysts for accelerating achievement of the 2030 SDG3 targets. While most countries now have some levels of digitalization of their health system functions, countries struggle with the implementation of many pilots which often are not designed for scale, using systems architecture that lacks interoperability, sometimes use non-validated solutions. Some of the solutions are not user friendly. These solutions often do not have a sustainable financial or technical support model to allow for scale-up. This has resulted in highly fragmented and uncoordinated implementation of small-scale pilots with many types of tools and software solutions, not feeding data into existed health management information systems (HMIS) and not addressing the system problems or Ministry of Health needs1. These problems are common in Mongolia as well.

Mongolia’s overall score for Global Digital Health Index (GDHI) indicators is 3 (out of 5)2. The Digital Nation agenda is high on the Action Plan of the Government of Mongolia for 2020-20243. Accordingly, a dedicated ministry, Ministry of Digital Development was created in 2022. With introduction of XYP electronic data sharing platform, and a single sign-on system – eMongolia online portal and mobile app in 2020, 973 public services including vaccination certificates, are offered via digital means. A national health information exchange platform (HiEP) is expected, along with adoption of the relevant international standards, all of which provides opportunities for integration of existing systems.

How can you make a difference?

The purpose of this role is to support demand for Technology for Development (T4D) programmatic support. UNICEF Programmes increasingly leverage digital means for effective programme delivery, system strengthening and its’ monitoring. The T4D role will assist programme teams in the identification, assessment and integration of ICTs and digital innovation into UNICEF programming; applying reusable and replicable technical buildings blocks; and maximizing potential for the scale-up and sustainability of technology and digital innovation for UNICEF programming.

The Health T4D Consultant will work in close collaboration with the regional coordinator for the GoJ initiatives that is focused on investments supporting digital health and immunization. The role will provide technical support to the country office to conduct a landscape scoping assessment on digital technologies and solutions for the GOJ project.

The T4D Consultant is directly supervised by the Health Officer but works closely with Programme staff and in close liaison with the East Asia Pacific Regional Office (EAPRO) ICT and Digital Innovation Unit, the central ICT Division and UNICEF Innovation where applicable.

Programme Area and Specific Project Involved

Within the delegated authority and under the given organizational set-up, the T4D consultant will be assigned the primary, shared, or contributory accountabilities for all or part of the following areas of major duties and key end-results. Summary of the key functions, accountabilities and related tasks include the following.

1. Enable technical and programmatic support on Digital Health and Technology for Development. Provide support and technical assistance to the Country Office in the identification, selection, concept design, deployment and sustainability of T4D interventions to address bottlenecks towards the achievement of programme results.
2. Deployment advice and support. Assist with implementation strategy of digital technology initiatives. Including technical oversight, troubleshooting and the documentation of challenges and resolutions.
3. Liaise with regional office to manage Business and Programme Relationship services to define high-level requirements; document and match requirements and guide the design, development and deployment of appropriate T4D solutions
4. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, countries must develop and deploy strategic action plans, which can benefit explicitly from digital health and digital engagement solutions. The consultant will also be asked to support Districts/Provinces to ensure that existing digital health solutions, where appropriate, are leveraged in a way that is consistent with UNICEF’s guidance, such as the digital health and digital engagement guidance for COVID-19 preparedness and response, to improve future emergency preparedness and response.

Within the delegated authority and under the given organizational set-up, the T4D consultant will be assigned the primary, shared, or contributory accountabilities for all or part of the following areas of major duties and key end-results. Summary of the key functions, accountabilities and related tasks include the following.

Beyond the tasks identified above, the role will also support:

1. Provide country technical assistance and advice in the selection and implementation of standard community health information system (CHIS) indicators, digital health public goods like DHIS2, OpenSRP, CommCare, and digital communication platforms for e.g CHW training, and to support interoperability between different platforms.
2. Monitor, report, document, and disseminate processes and lessons learned to develop digital health models and implementation plans.
3. Formulate and conduct capacity building strategies and activities to drive continuous policy and programme improvements through transfer of skills, training, webinars and facilitation of cross - fertilization or south-south learnings.

Contract duration: 364 days, July 2023 – July 2024

Type of engagement: Deliverable based

Work assignment expected deliverable and delivery schedule

The Consultant will work under the terms and conditions as provided by UNICEF’s regulations governing consultants. All materials and information collected will be the property of UNICEF and will not be used by the consultants for any other purposes without the express authority of UNICEF. Health insurance is mandatory, at the expense of the consultant.

As per UNICEF policy, payment is made against approved deliverables. Monthly payment will be made based on the submission of monthly progress report.

Assignment 1: Use of geospatial data and technologies in immunization microplanning

• Define and document the minimum requirements and specifications (including processes and functionalities to be supported) to which the IT solution should comply to in order to serve as common geo-registry for hosting, managing, regularly updating and sharing the master lists as well as associated hierarchies and geospatial data for the core geo-object types covered by the pilot project
• Identify the existing platforms (already used in country or available globally) that could potentially be used as common geo-registry
• Assess the existing platforms (already used in country or available globally) to identify which one(s) complies with the minimum common geo-registry requirements and specifications defined in the previous activity
• Support with the deployment of the selected solution and localization that has been selected to serve as common geo-registry including localisation in Mongolian language
• Pre-test the online common geo-registry platform and support adjustments if necessary
• Validate the synchronization by health programs using the selected information systems

Expected deliverable 1:

• Operational common geo-registry platform for the hosting, management, regular update and sharing of the master lists and associated hierarchies and geospatial data for the geographic object types core to public health
• Final report including synchronization of the selected health information systems hosting health statistics with the common geo-registry
• Review existing systems and technologies used for recording and storing MCH book and identify any challenges and limitations of the current process and systems

Deliverables

Date

HFs geo-registry platform and Master List

15 October 2023

Final report on Pilot project (2 soums and 2 districts)

15 December 2023

Assignment 2: Digitalization of the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Book

• Review existing systems and technologies used for recording and storing MCH book and identify any challenges and limitations of the current process and systems
• Develop ToRs of Supervisor and Implementor company that will be responsible for developing the MCH information system and associated software
• Detailed list of requirements and specifications for the creation of a versatile, modular, user- friendly, upgradeable and scalable (amongst others) information system for MCH book
• Evaluate and recommend the latest technology and standards to adopt for IT equipment and infrastructure of the MCH Information system to ensure reliability, interoperability, upgradability, scalability and sustainability of the system, amongst others, in the long term
• Submit a detailed list of requirements and specifications for the creation of a versatile, modular, user-friendly, upgradeable and scalable (amongst others) information system for MCH book
• Integration of database of School based child screening (6-15 yrs) information with digital MCH (0-5 yrs) system

Expected deliverable 2:

• Inception report including AS-IS analysis of the MCH book
• Final ToRs of Supervisor and Implementor Company Supervisor company proposal report, including a detailed implementation plan with the proposed solutions, timelines, budgets, and required resources
• Evaluation of the Contractor’s performance and Handover notes
• End user’s manual and Training plan, reports with ToT guidelines and Presentation for stakeholders

Deliverables

Date

Inception report including AS-IS analysis of the MCH book

15 September 2023

ToRs of Supervisor and Implementor Company

15 October 2023

ToT guidelines of Digital MCH book

15 February 2024

Training report

15 May 2024

Digital MCH book application (with end user manual) and handover notes

30 June 2024

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

1. Minimum qualifications required: Post Graduate qualifications or training in computer science, information technology, Health informatics, Medical Informatics, Digital health, complemented with qualifications or training in health-related fields
2. Relevant working experience:

Essential:

• A minimum of 3 years or equivalent in eHealth/digital health at national or global level. Experience in facilitating virtual and face-to-face consultations
• At least 3 years’ experience in the development and implementation of digital health or ICT systems and strategies including knowledge transfer, production and dissemination of tools in the health sector, private sector or academia

Desirable:

• Knowledge of or experience working with international organizations
• At least 2 years of relevant professional experience working in the government agency at national level.
• English language requirements: Read-Write-Speak at Expert-level

3. Knowledge/expertise/ skills required: Technical expertise and experience in digital health/eHealth; Professional level of writing and editorial skills; High level of responsibility, strong interpersonal and presentation skills

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.