International Consultancy - Nutrition Data Analyst, WCARO , Dakar, Senegal,

To fill a consultancy position

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, a fair chance

Background

In 2018, the nutritional situation of children 6-59 months in the Sahel countries remained high. It was estimated that approximately 6.7 million children would suffer from acute malnutrition in the Sahel countries alone. Based on nutritional surveys, using the SMART Methodology, acute malnutrition rates were considered as "serious" in Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Chad, where the national prevalence of global acute malnutrition (GAM) is between 10% and 14%. These national rates tend to hide disparities in the first and second level administrative areas, where the critical emergency threshold of 15% is often exceeded. To respond to these consistently high levels of acute malnutrition, innovations in service delivery are essential, to ensure more children have access to services in a timely manner.

With a view to improve coverage, cost effectiveness, quality and continuum of care, UNICEF & WFP together with other NWL members (ACF, ECHO, DFID, CIFF, IRC) and NGO partners (ALIMA), are supporting the piloting of a simplified protocol to manage acute malnutrition. The simplified protocol includes an optimisation in the dosage of treatment and a harmonisation of treatment package. This approach was born out of real operational complications in delivering SAM treatment due to stock outs of nutritional supplies in Myanmar in 2009³. Since then, multiple studies have been implemented to analyse energy needs and test an optimised dosage of nutritional products for SAM children. Table 1 summarises the research projects and evidence generated since 2009.

In optimising the dosage for SAM children, it is crucial to ensure that recovery rates are non-inferior to the standard protocol. Accepted rates of recovery, as defined by international standards, are >75% and death rates of <10%⁴. Whilst the results for the most recent research projects are not yet published, data collection has finished. A consolidation of the datasets across these studies would provide individualised growth records for over 3000 SAM children. A combined analysis of these datasets would provide valuable understanding on SAM children’s recovery trajectory based on an optimised dosage.

This combined analysis therefore seeks to determine whether SAM children who have received an optimised dosage of RUTF, in both research and operational contexts, gain weight and MUAC to an acceptable standard over the course of their time. This combined analysis will also determine if death rates for SAM children enrolled in treatment remain below accepted standard. SAM will be defined as MUAC <115cm and/or WFH <-3. 

How can you make a difference?

Objectives

• To compile clinical trial and operational datasets for SAM children who have received an optimised dosage of RUTF
• To analyse growth rates of SAM children who have received an optimised dosage and identify if these growth rates are acceptable vs. standards

Scope of work

Under the overall supervision of the Nutrition Specialist, the Nutrition Data Analyst will be responsible for the compilation and analysis of data related to growth rate of SAM children who have received an optimised dosage. The consultant will be expected to produced on harmonised dataset, to analyse this dataset and consolidate the findings in to one journal article and one presentation in English.

Deliverables and Schedules

Timing

Starting date: 01.03.2019

Ending date: 30.05.2019

The consultancy is 30 days over a 3 months period. The consultant is expected to assign their time appropriately according to the deliverables. A workplan should be developed in collaboration with the nutrition specialist.

Reporting Requirements

• One presentation of results
• One analysis report

• One journal article submitted

  Administrative Issues

• The consultant will be working from home with a week travels to the region and possibly countries.
•  The consultant will use own IT equipment Ongoing communications to support day to day activities, the supervisor will establish regular touch base meetings (weekly) to review progress and challenges.
• 50% of the payment will be made upon delivery of 1st deliverable, 50% of the payment will be made at the end of the assignment

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

     EDUCATION

At least a master’s degree in nutrition, epidemiology, public health or related field

WORK EXPERIENCE

At least 5 years of experience in nutrition programming and/or research posts related to nutrition programming. Experience in quantitative analysis required.

LANGUAGES

Fluency in English. French an asset.

COMPETENCIES

• Ability to express clearly and concisely ideas and concepts in written and oral form.
• Proven skills in writing for journal articles, especially for nutrition
• Work experience in sub-Saharan Africa; ideally in West and Central Africa,
• Strong quantitative analytical skills, and experience with relevant statistical software

For every Child, hope

UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

The technical competencies required for this post are….

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:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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