Consultancy: Adolescent Health Specialist, Maternal, Newborn and Adolescent Health (MNAH) Unit, Health Section, PD - NYHQ, Requisition #514519

To coordinate the implementation of a shared learning agenda for the BMGF/UNICEF partnership around the goal of improving adolescent health and wellbeing. The consultant will assist the Head of the MNAH Unit in: (i) strengthening the collaboration and coordination on adolescent health and wellbeing between UNICEF and BMGF; (ii) gathering and synthesizing good practices from country level experiences promoting high impact adolescent health and wellbeing interventions; (iii) organizing and managing knowledge resources for adolescent health; (iv) developing joint UNICEF/BMGF messaging and action plan and (v) coordinating a joint workshop between UNICEF and BMGF to review country level experiences, tools and joint advocacy messaging.

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Background & Rationale

While adolescence is often seen as the healthiest time of life, mortality rates from road injuries, pregnancies, self-harm and violence, HIV/AIDS as well as intestinal infections are unacceptably high for this age group. Adolescence also represents a period of vulnerability for mental health and health related behaviors that persist throughout the life course, such as early pregnancy, tobacco, alcohol and illicit substance use and poor dietary choices. Focused interventions aimed at raising demand for and provision of adolescent-responsive services are urgently needed. Building on the accumulated experience in UNICEF and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) of strengthening health systems and building the capacity of communities and community health workers to address maternal and new-born health issues, it is time to apply this expertise to supporting greater efforts to improve services for adolescents. Health workers require support in providing adolescent-centered and gender-responsive care with an emphasis on respect, coordination of care, appropriate provision of information and engagement of their families. It is also important to explore and compile ongoing country-level experiences in implementing innovative approaches (including on-line platforms and peer-to peer mechanisms) to reaching adolescents with integrated services, referrals and health promotion interventions including mental health and nutrition supplementation and counselling and use this to inform public engagement, policy change, and financing/funding. Along with the increased attention to adolescents’ development and wellbeing in the SDGs, there has been progress in promoting indicators that measure different aspects of their lives. However, to date, there has been no way to synthesize these adolescent indicators across the range of areas that have an impact on their rights, opportunities and transitions. Further, a large portion of data on adolescents has been underutilized, and could better contribute to global knowledge on adolescent wellbeing if systematically analyzed and disseminated. Finally, there remain areas of adolescent wellbeing that are still understudied, leaving gaps in our understanding of adolescents’ lives.

UNICEF and the BMGF are developing a common partnership framework and learning agenda to advance the agenda for investment in health and wellbeing during the second decade of life to fulfil the potential of adolescents. The partnership seeks to support interventions which promote the health and well-being of adolescents by encouraging efforts to: prevent maternal mortality and morbidity (SDG 3.1), prevent HIV (SDG 3.3), address NCDs and mental ill-health (SDG 3.4), ensure universal access to SRH services (3.7) and reproductive rights (5.6), address the nutritional needs (SDG 2.2) of adolescents and provide equitable access to sanitation and hygiene (SDG 6.2).  The partnership will focus on promoting common objectives and learning questions by generating evidence, and articulating advocacy messages aimed at advancing the provision of services and information to adolescent girls and boys.

The Adolescent Health Specialist (consultant) reports to the Adolescent Health Specialist and Head of the MNAH unit, for general guidance and supervision.

Purpose

To coordinate the implementation of a shared learning agenda for the BMGF/UNICEF partnership around the goal of improving adolescent health and wellbeing.

The consultant will assist the Head of the MNAH Unit in: (i) strengthening the collaboration and coordination on adolescent health and wellbeing between UNICEF and BMGF;  (ii) gathering and synthesizing good practices from country level experiences promoting high impact adolescent health and wellbeing interventions;  (iii) organizing and managing knowledge resources for adolescent health; (iv) developing joint UNICEF/BMGF messaging and action plan and (v) coordinating a joint workshop between UNICEF and BMGF to review country level experiences, tools and joint advocacy messaging.   

Expected results:

A small reference group made up of the Head of the MNAH Unit, the MNAH Adolescent Health Specialist, as well as the Second Decade Results Manager will oversee and support the consultant in consulting with stakeholders, conducting the country level experience review and coordinating the joint UNICEF/BMGF workshop. Further inputs may be sought from an academic institution to support the evidence review.

Tasks:

• Prepare a Workplan for the consultancy period and prepare monthly plans.
• Act as the main liaison with BMGF in organizing calls, coordination meetings and regular communications. 
• Collect and synthesize country/ regional level experiences in: i) implementing innovative approaches (including digital platforms and peer-to peer mechanisms) for reaching adolescents with cost-effective service delivery mechanisms; ii) applying the AA-HA guidance at country level; and iii) the funding and human resources requirements for strengthening health (and community) systems coverage for adolescents.
• Organize and manage knowledge resources for adolescent health and wellbeing incl. webinars, an Adolescent Health and Wellbeing newsletter (quarterly), the adolescent health website and Yammer group.
• Follow and synthesize relevant published evidence related to adolescent health and wellbeing and share within the UNICEF Second Decade Network and the UNICEF/BMGF partnership groups.
• Provide input into documentation and publication efforts such as UNICEF country office documentation or guideline development (Adolescent Health, Nutrition and Wellbeing guidelines) and operational research in relation to adolescent health and wellbeing in both development and humanitarian settings.
• Coordinate a joint BMGF/UNICEF program experts workshop in East or West Africa with the aim to explore and capture lessons learned on:
  • What works in equitably reaching adolescent girls, boys and LGBTI-adolescents, particularly the most marginalized and vulnerable sub-groups through different platforms e.g., health facilities and Community Health Workers, schools and ICT/digital platforms?
  • Accelerating the use of the AA-HA guidance at country level.
  • Contextual factors that influence the provision of quality health and well-being interventions among adolescent girls and boys as well as LGBTI-adolescents.
• Consult with relevant key informants at UNICEF HQ and in regional offices on evidence review/collation and workshop planning.
• Support the Second Decade Results Manager in coordinating the development of indicators on measuring outcomes of adolescent participation and the Adolescent Country Tracker.

The deliverables associated with each of the tasks mentioned above will be reviewed by the Reference group and feedback will be provided to the consultant to revise products and workshop plans.

Duty Station: Based in UNICEF New York HQ with a regional mission for programme evidence review workshop.

Timeframe: 220 days; 11 months

Start date: 1 September 2018
End date: 31 July 2019

Payment will be made on a monthly basis, against the report on the monthly workplan, in line with the deliverables noted above.

Key competences, technical background, and experience required

• Advanced university degree (Master’s) in any of the following: Public Health, relevant Social Science, or Communications for Development with a focus on health.
• Five years of progressively responsible professional work experience at the national and/or international levels in public health preferably with a focus on adolescent health or well-being.  Development context experience would be highly beneficial.
• Proven analytical, research and communication skills in the fields of health and/or international development.
• Proven coordination and team-building skills working across sectoral teams.
• Strong organizational skills and drive for results and ensuring timely delivery of high quality products.
• Fluency in English (written & verbal) and excellent writing skills. Knowledge of French is desirable.
• Computer skills, including internet navigation and various office applications. 

Note : Please submit at least 2 products and/or writing samples related to relevant topic;

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.

Remarks

With the exception of the US Citizens, G4 Visa and Green Card holders, should the selected candidate and his/her household members reside in the United States under a different visa, the consultant and his/her household members are required to change their visa status to G4, and the consultant’s household members (spouse) will require an Employment Authorization Card (EAD) to be able to work, even if he/she was authorized to work under the visa held prior to switching to G4.  

At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

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.