RE-ADVERTISEMENT | Full-time Individual Contractor: Digital Health Consultancy (11.5 months; office-based) - ECARO O/P Istanbul, Türkiye

Consultant Medical & Health Programme & Policy Information Management IT & Telecom Innovation

Contract

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**This is a re-advertisement in order to expand the candidate pool. Previous applicants need not reapply as their original application will be duly considered.**

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

Background

UNICEF is committed to focusing on Primary Health Care (PHC) for the Strategic Plan 2022-2025 that has acknowledged that it is an effective approach to contribute to the global SDG3 targets, including 3.8.1 on Universal Health Coverage.

Advances in digital, mobile, and wireless technologies offer a unique opportunity to accelerate PHC efficiency, especially at community level and to reach underserved population. UNICEF’s Approach to Digital Health outlines a common vision for digital health at UNICEF, identify strategic priorities for investments in digital health and describe UNICEF’s comparative advantage in supporting governments and coordinating and aligning with other organizations, civil society, private sector, and communities to leverage digital technologies to accelerate achievement of health sector and strategic plan priorities.

While most countries now have some level of digitalization of their health system functions, there are challenges related to weak national governance and coordination, lack of alignment with national Digital Health strategies, gaps in foundational digital systems and infrastructure, missing health systems architecture and standards creating barriers for interoperability, limited human resource capacity, deployment of platforms that are not fit-for-purpose, and a lack of sustainable financial or technical support models to facilitate full government ownership. This has resulted in highly fragmented and uncoordinated implementation of small-scale pilots with many types of tools and software solutions (often targeting the same health workers), not feeding data into health management information systems (HMIS) and not addressing system problems or Ministry of Health needs.

Purpose of the Activity/Assignment

The overall purpose of this role is to provide technical leadership and assistance in the assessment, formulation and implementation of digital health strategies in/for low- and middle-income countries in the Europe and Central Region. The Individual contractor will provide guidance for digital health system strengthening to UNICEF Country Offices (COs) by supporting the expansion and integration of digital health components within existing UNICEF CO Health =programming; assessing country digital readiness and advising on strategic entry points for UNICEF CO’s; supporting engagement and operationalization of national digital health strategies, as well as development investment cases as needed; assisting in development and analysis of country requirements, analysis of available Health Digital Public Goods; and providing technical assistance to country deployments, including consortium building, partnerships and documentation / knowledge management. This may include the identification, assessment, planning, coordination, design, documentation, and deployment of digital health solutions, with a specific focus on solutions to address bottlenecks/challenges to health service delivery for women and children.

The Individual contractor will also provide recommendations and strategies to ensure integration of digital development and technology innovation into the health programme planning lifecycle and aim to build the capacity and knowledge within the health section on digital development, train UNICEF staff, partners, government counterparts and other end users in creating and maintaining high quality digital health systems.

Description of the Assignment

The individual contractor will provide technical support and guidance in assessing needs, strengthen government digital health programmes and UNICEF priority digital-enabled health interviews, build capacity, and create partnerships to address bottlenecks to health service delivery for children and women in the Europe and Central Asia Region. The individual contractor will also assist with the planning and coordination of the Digital Health flagship activities in the Region which include country coordination and support and resource mobilization.

The Individual contractor’s duties will include:

1. Provide Technical and Programmatic Support in Digital Health, in particular for RMNCAH+N and immunizatiopn services, but also COVID-19 pandemic response and Ukraine crisis response.
2. Support Policy and Strategy review and Development for Technology-enabled Health Programming.
3. Engage and facilitate partnerships and networks Capacity Building.
4. Facilitate Knowledge Management.
5. Advise on effective use of Digital Health Data

Work Assignment Overview

*Tasks / Milestone******Deliverables / Outputs******Timeline / Deadline*****1. Provide technical and programmatic support in Digital health

1.1. Support in assessing digital health landscape and readiness of countries 1.2. Support and assist in the conceptualization, procurement, design, implementation, and evaluation of digital health interventions 1.3 Review and advise on Country Office capacity on digital health

1.1. Conduct mapping and assessment of the digital health ecosystems of countries, including services and applications, governance, policies and regulations, infrastructure, human resources, interoperability and standards, and strategies and financing.

1.2. Provide support and technical assistance to the Country Offices in the identification, selection, concept design, deployment and sustainability of digital health interventions to address bottlenecks towards the achievement of programme results, in particular for health, nutrition and immunization services.

1.3. Provide input on Country Office structures, job descriptions, and capacities to meaningfully engage with governments and partners in digital health, and identify opportunities to mobilize external resources and funding opportunities

End Result(s): Improved health information systems as a result of UNICEF programming. Health Section data and information systems activities coordinated both across UNICEF and with global partners

Ongoing2. Support Policy and Strategic Development for Technology-enabled Health Programming

2.1. Digital Health Strategy

2.1. Provide leadership and technical guidance to country offices on strengthening digital health components of their digital health ecosystems in line with the UNICEF global digital health strategy, including assessment of health system bottlenecks, digital architecture and infrastructure gaps and opportunities, and support scale-up strategies and investment cases that support CO priorities.

End Result(s): Improved processes and compliance with best practices and principles for digital development and investment.

Ongoing3. Engage and facilitate partnerships and networks

3.1. Develop, engage in, maintain, and document partnerships and networks

3.1. Initiate and provide support to partnerships and networks with local solution providers, innovators, NGOs, and other multilateral organizations to strengthen digital health ecosystems at the country and regional levels, most notably WHO, UNDP, UNFPA, USAID, GIZ, and World Bank, including on key initiatives such as the Regional digital health action plan for the WHO European Region 2023–2030

End Result(s): Improved stakeholder engagement at country and regional levels with UNICEF partners, donors and governments via a coherent, integrated, national government-led approach/mechanisms/structures to promoting UNICEF goals for outcomes for children and women

Ongoing4. Facilitate Knowledge Management

4.1. Share lessons learned

4.1. Identify, capture, synthesize and share lessons learned from digital health initiatives and collaborate with the Global DICE knowledge management function to identify, capture, synthesize insights, use cases, and evidence across different regions, including keeping the DICE Country Demand Tracker up-to-date

End Result(s): Improved coordination and information sharing across ECAR countries

Ongoing5. Advise on effective use of Digital Health Data in line with the UNICEF Digital Health Approach

5.1. Scalable and sustainable technology solutions 5.2. Data solutions for improving programmatic outcomes

5.1. Work with UNICEF staff and partners to understand how digital technologies can be applied to key bottlenecks and what is necessary to scale and sustain technology solutions to address the needs of the most vulnerable children and their families.

5.2. Contributes to usability and acceptability of digital health data solutions to assure a systems-level approach for how technologies can improve health system performance and child health outcomes.

End Result(s): Improved capacity of UNICEF staff, partners, and governments to leverage data and digital health in designing and implementing evidence-based, equity-focused health systems, policies, and programmes.

OngoingEstimated Duration of the Contract

11.5 months (November 2022 until October 2023)

Individual Contractor's Work Place and Official Travel

The Individual Contractor will be office-based in the ECARO Istanbul Hub.

Estimated Cost of the Consultancy & Payment Schedule

Payment will be made on submission of an invoice and satisfactory completion of the above-mentioned deliverables. Please indicate an all inclusive monthly fee to undertake this assignment.

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

Minimum Qualifications required

• Advanced university degree (Master's) in health informatics, computer science, public health/medicine, development studies or related field is required.
• Candidates with a first University degree in computer science, public health or clinical health such as medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and 10 years of professional experience in digital health may also be considered for this position.

Required experience

• 8 years of work experience at the international and/or national level in digital health, from strategy/policy/governance to design/implementation of information systems and digital solutions.
• Experience in providing technical assistance and thought leadership surrounding the design and implementation of digital solutions and/or health system strengthening, including health information system architectures and standards.

Desirable experience and skills

• Experience advising on the development of digital health strategies, policies or related regulations.
• Experience with project management, design and development of digital solutions, and ability to translate complex ideas from various areas into unified, clear guidance.
• Experience with UNICEF, UN or other international NGOs in the areas of health (e.g. RMNCAH+N) and children/youth (e.g. early childhood development, adolescent mental health).
• Knowledge and experience working with Digital Public Goods (e.g. DHIS2, OpenMRS, OpenSRP, iHRIS, MoTECH, CommCare, RapidPro etc.) and related standards (e.g. OpenHIE).
• Knowledge and experience working with immunization information systems (including electronic immunization registries) and logistics management information systems, also geographic information systems (GIS).
• Clinical experience, particularly with children/youth/adolescents is an asset.

Language Requirements

• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge any other language(s) commonly used in European and Central Asian countries (e.g. Russian, Bosnian/Croatian/ Montenegrin / Serbian, Turkish or related languages) highly desirable.

Other skills and attributes:

The successful candidate is expected to demonstrate the following competencies that are necessary to this consultancy:

Core Competencies

• Excellent communication skills both verbally and in writing.
• Able to quickly understand instructions, to proactively seek clarification when needed.
• Able to work well in a team environment.
• Demonstrates communication and relationship-building skills.
• Works in a multi-cultural environment and establishes harmonious and effective working relationships.

Functional Competencies

• Enterprise architecture design and standards and interoperability in the area of digital health.
• Strong knowledge of digital health applications in health systems and public health.
• Ability to communicate and engage with experts and stakeholders from different fields, including policymakers, researchers, and the civil society.
• Works independently and is problem-solving oriented.
• Strong analytical, research and report writing skills.
• Effective project management skills.
• Ability to work comfortably in a fast-paced environment.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA), and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

View our competency framework at http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

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, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

Remarks:

Please include a full CV and Financial Proposal in your application by indicating your availability and monthly rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference above. Applications submitted without a monthly rate will not be considered. 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.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants 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.

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Added 1 year ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: unicef.org