International consultant to lead coverage assessment of the Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (IMAM) programme in Moyamba District

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, sustenance.

Please access UNICEF Sierra Leone information here and here

How can you make a difference?

Purpose and objectives:

The purpose of this consultancy is to help improve the IMAM coverage and effectiveness in Moyamba through conducting a semi-quantitative evaluation of access and coverage (SQUEAC) of the IMAM programme in Moyamba.

Specific objectives include: (1) provide a realistic picture of the district IMAM programme coverage; (2) identify and investigate on the contextual factors affecting the programme coverage and effectiveness; (3) identify and investigate on boosters and barriers to service access and uptake; and (4) develop recommendations and action plans

An international consultant with adequate experience will lead the SQUEAC exercise in Moyamba district to collect data and evidence needed to improve the IMAM programme in the district.

Scope of Work:

1. Develop a SQUEAC protocol based on globally accepted standards and techniques following a consultative process with key stakeholders at the national and district levels
2. Secure ethical clearance for the exercise
3. Coordinate with Directorate of Food and Nutrition, Moyamba District Health Management Team (DHMT), and other relevant stakeholders to select qualified enumerators
4. Develop a training protocol for enumerators
5. Train enumerators on the assessment protocol and primary (quantitative and qualitative) data collection tools
6. Supervise and monitor primary data collection, review, and verification
7. Review secondary data (routine programme data and other available data)
8. Lead mixed methods data analysis with triangulation by source, validation exercise, recommendation and action plan development, and report writing

Tasks/Milestone, Deliverables/Outputs

• Design research protocol (literature review, data collection methodology and tools). Deliverable #1: Final draft research protocol
• Submission of research protocol for ethical review and secure ethical clearance. Deliverable #2: Ethical clearance.
• Develop and finalize terms of reference for recruitment of enumerators (as part of training protocol) and coordinate with MoHS on the recruitment process. Develop and finalize training protocol. Deliverable #3: Final training protocol
• Train enumerators based on the training protocol. Lead and supervise data collection. Deliverable #4: Training and field report
• Data analysis (primary and secondary data), report writing, and validation meeting presentation. Validation meeting, including discussion on recommendations and action plan. Deliverable #5: PPT for validation meeting
• Finalization of report based on feedback from validation meeting. Deliverable #6: Final report

Please see attached ToR for detailed information.ToR Consultant - IMAM.pdf

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

• University Degree in Nutrition, Public Health, Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Social Sciences, Monitoring & Evaluation, or related discipline with the relevant technical knowledge in Survey Methodology, Research Methods etc
• Extensive experience (5 years or more) in coordinating and managing nutrition surveys and assessments (both quantitative and qualitative) is mandatory. Experience in having led a coverage assessment using mobile devices for data collection is a must;
• Knowledge in open-source digital toolkit for field data collection (e.g. Kobo Toolbox) is an asset;
• Candidate must have proven managerial/team lead experience, knowledge of working in pandemic and experience in managing nutrition surveys and assessments in fragile contexts will be considered a plus;
• Ability to effectively grasp and incorporate inputs/feedback from multiple contributors
• Previous UNICEF, UN and/or INGO experience in a similar role is desirable
• Fluency in English is required.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

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:

UNICEF 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 at http://www.whed.net/.Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

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.