Consultancy to provide Technical Support to the Maternal New-born Health (MNH) component of RMNCAH in Karamoja, Uganda

UNICEF Uganda is looking for a consultant to provide Technical Support to the Maternal New-born Health (MNH) component of RMNCAH in Karamoja, for a duration of 11 months.

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you.

For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.

Purpose of the Assignment

UNICEF's Child Survival and Development section focuses on supporting national effort to deliver evidence based RMNCAH interventions along the continuum of care as outlined in the RMNCAH sharpened plan 2014-2017, specifically for improving coverage, quality and sustainability of proven high impact maternal, neonatal and child health interventions. In order to systematically address implementation bottlenecks, strengthen accountability and promote sustainability of results, the programme focuses particularly on health systems strengthening through capacity building, evidence based decentralized monitoring and planning.

To provide technical assistance to UNICEF's CSD section at Moroto Zonal Office. Specifically to: 

1. Assist DHMTs and Health Facilities to institutionalize and use the national Maternal and Newborn Quality Improvement standards to monitor and improve the quality of maternal and newborn services being delivered across the seven Karamoja districts
2. Assess the feasibility of establishing a skills lab /Centre(s) of excellence for capacity building of health workers in maternal and newborn health in Karamoja
3. To support the districts to conduct a systematic analysis of Maternal and Newborn Health data from all health facilities prior to the health performance reviews and provide technical assistance to fill data gaps and support its use for planning and monitoring.
4. Provide guidance to DHMT on strengthening capacity and effectiveness of Health Unit Management Committees to monitor performance at all HCIIIs
5. Support the VHT focal person to ensure that VHTs conduct scheduled home visits for the newborns, pregnant women and mothers in the postpartum period and reports are captured through DHIS2.

Assignment Tasks and Expected Deliverables

Methodology : Support the Quarterly performance review meetings, perform field visits especially to operationalize the HUMC, and Skills Labs, Participation in office and district meetings, Reporting and documentation of lesson learnt to ensure sustainability

Qualifications of Successful Candidate

Education and experience:

• An advanced university degree required in Public Health, Pediatric Health, Global International Health, and other additional trainings in quality assurance, health system strengthening and management as an added advantage
• At least 5 years of professional experience working in public health and or related field, including the development of strategies, program management and QI approaches in clinical setting
• Experience in supporting and coordinating project activities across a large organization and with other international partner organizations.
• Experience in data collection, analysis, and monitoring and evaluation.
• Experience working with the national and district local governments in Uganda, and a strong understanding of the health system
• Proven ability to manage relationships with UNICEF partners, including UN organizations, NGOs and the private sector
• Proven skills in communication, networking, strategic thinking, advocacy and fundraising
• Proven ability to conceptualize, plan and execute ideas as well as to transfer knowledge and skills.
• Strong writing and communication skills and the aptitude to handle competing messages and priorities with multiple audiences
• Ability to travel and work in remote and sometimes insecure locations
• Fluency in written and verbal English is essential.

Competencies of Successful Candidate

Core Values

• Commitment
• Diversity and inclusion
• Integrity

Core competencies

• Communication 
• Working with people
• Drive for results

Functional Competencies:

• Planning and organizing
• Formulating Strategies and Concepts
• Analyzing
• Relating and networking
• Deciding and Initiating action
• Applying technical expertise

To view our competency framework, please click here. 

Please indicate your ability, availability and daily/monthly rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference above (including travel and daily subsistence allowance, if applicable).  Applications submitted without a daily/monthly rate will not be considered.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organisation.