International Individual Contractor- Progress review of Sierra Leone Every Newborn Action Plan (SLENAP), Sierra Leone, 3 months (office 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, future!

How can you make a difference?

Please access UNICEF Sierra Leone information here and here

Purpose and objectives:

The purpose of the consultancy is two-fold:

1. To review implementation progress with the SLENAP (2017-2030), identify lessons learned, best practices, and challenges, as well as fine-tune/update the overall plan and define specific components and targets for the next 5 years.
2. To document the SCBU journey from initial establishment to scale up as well as the pathway to sustainability in phases over the next 5-10 years. The sustainability plan should cover description of and requirements for the complete package of ‘centre of excellence’ with cost implications as well as making SCBUs an integral part of nationally owned health system.

Methodology and Technical Approach:

The consultancy will generally consist of desk review and analysis of existing data, documents and reports; participatory workshops with MoHS and other key stakeholders; key informant interviews (KIIs) with MoHS officers, UNICEF staff, frontline healthcare workers including community health workers (CHWs) and other key stakeholders including WHO, UNFPA, FCDO, and civil society organisations (CSOs); focus group discussions (FGDs) with pregnant women, lactating mothers, caretakers and health service users, and targeted field visits to hospitals including SCBUs and periphery health units (PHUs).

Specific Tasks of the Consultant:

1. Prepare an inception report that should include but not be limited to interpretation of the Terms of Reference, a list of review questions in line with the broad objectives outlined above, detailed review methodology and tools, SCBU documentation outline, and a detailed work plan.
2. Formation of and an inception meeting with a lean technical committee with clear Terms of Reference to support in coordinating the SLENAP review and update. The technical committee shall comprise of key focal points from MoHS, UNICEF, WHO, UNFPA and other key members of RMNCAH Technical Working Group (TWG).
3. In close collaboration with the technical committee and based on agreed review methodology, facilitate a participatory process for SLENAP implementation progress review including through primary data collection in the field / key informant interviews as per the review tools followed by workshops with MoHS, UNICEF, WHO, UNFPA and other key stakeholders.
4. Collection and documentation of lessons learnt, best practices and gaps/challenges arising out of the primary data collection in the field / KIIs and workshops.
5. In close collaboration with the technical committee and based on outputs under deliverables 3 and 4 above, fine-tune the SLENAP and define specific components and targets for the next 5 years.
6. In close collaboration with the technical committee, organize stakeholder validation and official release of the revised SLENAP.
7. Document the process of establishment and scale-up of SCBUs
8. Identify and document the pathway to sustainability over the next 5-10 years and description of and requirements for the complete package of ‘centre of excellence’ with cost implications (Approach to execution of this task should be detailed under deliverable 1 above). The complete package should include the following elements: 1) Vision, political commitment, national plan; 2) Financing (adequate and sustainability); 3) Human Resources (availability and capacity building); 4) Infrastructure; 5) Equipment (including maintenance); 6) Robust data system and effective use of data; 7) Labour Care, childbirth care and maternal wellbeing; 8) Family involvement; 9) Developmentally supportive care (including responsive caregiving); and 10) Post discharge care (including early intervention). Assess and document the current status of each element, envision and document the expected status after 5 and 10 years, costing of the complete package, and required steps to achieve the expected status with responsible parties while strengthening sustainability.
9. Organize and hold a workshop bringing together MoHS, UNICEF and key stakeholders to disseminate key contents of the SCBU documentation with specific emphasis on the sustainability pathway.
10. Prepare a final report on the consultancy according to the following proposed format:

• Executive summary
• Introduction and background, including the objectives of the consultancy and the methodology and process followed
• Major findings (results achieved, constraints, lessons learned)
• Lessons and recommendations from implementing the consultancy, context and theories for achieving related results that can inform future strategy and programming
• Conclusions
• Annexes, incl. terms of reference, review questions and tools, documentations, list of stakeholders/partners, etc.

Please find attached the full ToR TOR - Review SLENAP and document SCBU_advertised.pdf

Management, Organization and timeframe

The consultant will be supervised by the Health Specialist (MNH), UNICEF Sierra Leone, under the overall guidance of Chief, Health & Nutrition Section. The consultant will operate from UNICEF Sierra Leone office in Freetown and will have regular interactions with Directorate of Reproductive and Child Health at MoHS, and other partners. Travel to the districts to sample SCBUs, PHUs and catchment communities is required. However, some of the tasks may be performed remotely (negotiable).

The duration of the consultancy is 60 days over the period of 3 months.

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

Advanced university degree in Public Health, Medicine, Social Sciences, Health Systems Management, or other relevant disciplines

Experience

• At least 8 years of progressively responsible professional work experience in the development, planning and management of reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health programmes (including Nutrition) in developing country contexts
• Experience in health data collection, analysis, assessment, monitoring, and evaluation.
• Experience in team working in culturally diverse contexts.
• Experience of working in West Africa, specifically Sierra Leone is a strong asset
• Familiarity with the UN system, including similar prior work in the UN system, is desirable
• Commitment and willingness for immediate start

Skills required

• Excellent analytical and organizational skills, including effective communication and people skills; ability to communicate and coordinate with various stakeholders and to express ideas and concepts concisely and clearly in written and oral form
• Language proficiency: Fluency in oral and written English is mandatory

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 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.

Consultants and Individual contractors are responsible for paying any taxes derived from the earnings received from UNICEF.

Application to include financial proposal that will detail your daily/monthly rate (in USD) to undertake the terms of reference.

Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory deliverables on monthly basis. 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.

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.

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.