International Consultant- West Africa Regional Landscape analysis of Nutritional & Health Management of Infants at risk of poor growth and development- Remote (160 days)

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, hope

Through a short-term consultancy, we aim to:

- conduct a landscape analysis of existing services and the referral pathways and availability of trained staff at each level of the health care system to deliver services to small, sick and/or nutritionally at risks infants. The landscape analysis will also map out MAMI care package being implemented in the various countries and challenges related to extension to other components and innovation actions that are under-way to improve nutritional and health management of this particular age group in the region

- provide technical support to countries to develop or update policies and strategies for scaling up nutrition services for infants and address gaps in delivery of current health and nutrition services for children under 6 months.

The purpose of this consultancy is to support countries in WCA region to strengthen health and nutrition services for Infants through incorporating elements of MAMI framework where they are weak or missing. The landscape analysis seeks to detail the health and nutrition services for children under 6 months in terms of screening, assessment, management, and discharge. An outline of what happens at each stage, who is involved, and where it takes place will be conducted. The scope and scale of any MAMI pilot or related intervention in the region will also be mapped.

How can you make a difference?

Work Assignment Overview:

- To examine the extent to which country policies and programme guidance include elements of WHO Guidelines for the management of infants under 6 months with severe wasting (2013 & 2023) and other existing guidelines (MAMI pathway/framework).

1. 1. Deliverables/Outputs: Inception paper and data collection tools

- To examine existing services (quality, availability of tools, compliance with recommended standards), the referral pathways and availability of trained staff including health worker support materials at each level of the health care system (community, primary health care and tertiary) for management of small, sick, and/or nutritionally at-risk infants under six months of age.

2. 2. Completed data sheets for at least 3 countries visited in person and the rest done virtually

-To examine the coverage of screening, assessment, management of infants at-risk of poor growth and development across the health system delivery platforms (community, primary health care) and to identify key barriers and facilitators for uptake of services (conduct a qualitative analysis including key informants’ interviews, etc. if needed).

3. 3. Data analysis of health & nutrition services coverage literature review provided by RO (Dakar)

-To map ongoing MAMI care pathways, and the scope of the pilot how it’s been/being implemented and its impact so far.

4. 4. At least 4 finalized country briefs submitted.

-To analyze national and regional secondary health and nutrition data for infants who are less than 6 months for a better assessment of coverage trends.

5. 5. Data analysis on mortality and morbidity related to health and nutrition for infants and challenges of service coverage for those infants.

-To review all final deliverables with RO specialists

6. 6. All 7 country briefs submitted 1 Power point presentation with key results from the report, 1 Regional (multi-country) synthesis report

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

• An advanced Medical or University degree (Master’s or higher) in nutrition, public health, pediatric health, child health, or other health related science is required.
• A minimum of 8 years of relevant professional experience in nutrition programming, including child survival, infant and young child nutrition, and/or maternal, neonatal and child health and nutrition programs including experience in developing countries.
• Fluency in English and French is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

Requirements:

• Completed profile in UNICEF's e-Recruitment system
• Upload copy of academic credentials
• Financial proposal that will include:
• Costs for each deliverable and total all-inclusive (lump sum) fees for the whole assignment.
• Travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR
• Any other estimated costs: visa, health insurance, and living costs as applicable.
• Indicate your availability
• At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.
• Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

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.