ACHIEVE Zambia Community Development and Social Services Systems Strengthening Consultant

At the heart of Pact is the promise of a better tomorrow. A nonprofit international development organization founded in 1971, Pact works on the ground in nearly 40 countries to improve the lives of those who are challenged by poverty and marginalization. We serve these communities because we envision a world where everyone owns their future. To do this, we build systemic solutions in partnership with local organizations, businesses, and governments that create sustainable and resilient communities where those we serve are heard, capable, and vibrant. Pact is a recognized global leader in international development. Our staff have a range of expertise in areas including public health, capacity development, governance and civil society, natural resource management, poverty, fragile states, monitoring and evaluation, small-scale and artisanal mining, microfinance and more. This expertise is combined in Pact’s unique integrated approach, which focuses on systemic changes needed to improve people’s lives.

Department

Program Delivery (PDEL) - Pact exists to help create a world where those who are poor and marginalized exercise their voice, build their own solutions, and take ownership of their future. The Program Delivery Team, contributes to realizing this purpose by: Forging smart partnerships and treating all people with dignity and respect; Applying organizational policies and regulatory compliance appropriately and consistently; Facilitating team spirit among colleagues and promoting the organization through communications; Influencing decision makers through focused, relevant communications; Continually striving to learn and share knowledge and find small ways to make the workplace more enjoyable for all; Cultivating and harvesting innovation; Contributing to the organization’s ability to think and act strategically at all times; Inspiring and spreading our desired organizational culture across the global enterprise.

Position Overview

Adolescents and Children HIV Incidence Reduction, Empowerment, and Virus Elimination (ACHIEVE) is a five-year, USAID-funded global cooperative agreement, which helps priority PEPFAR countries achieve and maintain HIV epidemic control among pregnant and breastfeeding women, infants, children, and youth. The two objectives of the project are to: i) attain and sustain HIV epidemic control among at-risk and hard to reach pregnant and breastfeeding (PBF) women, infants, children, and youth, as well as to mitigate the impact of HIV/AIDS and prevent HIV transmission among these populations; and ii) support the transition of prime funding and implementation to capable local partners in order to meet the PEPFAR goal of 70% of funding to local partners.

ACHIEVE is seeking a consultant to assist the ACHIEVE global team in researching and designing a new USAID/PEPFAR-funded community health and social welfare systems strengthening project focusing on orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in Zambia. The period of performance will begin on or around Oct 15, 2020, for a period of up to six weeks.

ACHIEVE will receive funding to improve outcomes and reduce the incidence of HIV among vulnerable children and adolescents (VCA) and their families in order to accelerate and maintain HIV epidemic control. The activity will focus on providing technical assistance to MCDSS to provide direct service delivery through their community structures (e.g. CDAs and CWACs) as well as support coordinating efforts of the various stakeholders that work to improve access to health and social protection services. This activity will build on the progress made and best practices of the Service Efficiency and Effectiveness for Vulnerable Children and Adolescents (SEEVCA) program.

Key tasks under the ACHIEVE Zambia project will include:

· 1 Improve ability of local community structures to manage and deliver high quality services to VCA

· 2 Support MCDSS to develop a VCA data management system and database

· 3 Improve fiscal accountability for the management of USG funds

· 4 Strengthen inter-sectoral integration and coordination between MCDSS and stakeholders and build a supportive multi-sectoral environment for vulnerable children led by MCDSS through systems strengthening at national, provincial and district levels

Key Responsibilities

Through remote and/or in-person meetings, key informant interviews, and documents review, the consultant will gather information on the following items and incorporate findings into a set of recommendations and plans responding to USAID’s priorities for the ACHIEVE Zambia project. The consultant’s information gathering will focus as needed at all levels of the social welfare system, including national, provincial, district, and community levels. In-person meetings will be conducted with due respect for coronavirus safety precautions.

· Determine the current status of community structures to deliver quality social services and comprehensive case management for beneficiaries.

· Compile information regarding the progress and gaps in strengthening the community-level social welfare workforce, strengthening community-level committees (DWACs, ACCs, and CWACs), and strengthening CBOs, as well as progress and gaps in rolling out a national database and other above-site initiatives;

· Conduct key informant interviews with other stakeholders engaged in work relevant to the ACHIEVE project, such as USAID Empowered Youth Program (SDVCA), and UNICEF (former SEEVCA) Stop GBV and prevention/KP programs, and DREAMS;

· Enumerate government ministries’ priorities relevant to the ACHIEVE project, including MCDSS, MoH and MoE, ;

· Preliminary fact finding on the status of the national MIS for VCA

Depending on the ability of ACHIEVE global staff to resume international travel, additional tasks may be assigned and period of performance extended.

Major activities to be undertaken by the consultant, timelines, and deliverables are as shown in the table below. The final output is a report with key findings, recommendations, and technical inputs which ACHIEVE will use to draft its annual work plan and budget to be submitted to USAID.

Activity

Due (weeks after signing consultant agreement)

Deliverables

Update ACHIEVE’s initial key informant list

1

Final initial list of key informants

Review key resource documentation provided by ACHIEVE, supplement with other relevant resources

1

Key background and resource documents identified and reviewed

Develop key informant interview (KII) and/or Focus Group Discussion (FGD) guides for each of the identified stakeholders/ informants

1

KII/FGD guides drafted, including key information needs

Draft schedule of initial round of KII / FGD meetings, all levels (national, regional, council, ward, community)

1

KII/FGD schedule, identified as remote/in-person depending on availability/ location of team members and key respondents

Conduct initial round of KII/FGD

2-3

Interview notes/reports

Identify, schedule, and conduct additional KII/FGD and/or documents review and data collection as needed

4

Completion of interview notes/reports

Participate in regular calls with ACHIEVE global team to provide updates

Weekly

Draft initial consultancy report, to include findings, recommendations, and technical inputs for ACHIEVE FY21 work plan

5

Draft report

Provide recommendations on operational considerations (staffing, office, budget, etc.) to optimize technical and program design recommendations

5

Operational recommendations (can be included in Draft report)

Finalize report based on feedback from ACHIEVE, Pact Zambia, and/or USAID

1 week after receiving feedback

Final report

Basic Requirements

• A minimum of Bachelor’s degree in Public Health, Health Administration, Social Work, or Business Administration with a focus on public health, social sciences, or related field
• A minimum of 10 years’ experience in health/HIV program implementation, technical assistance, and/or monitoring and evaluation
• Experience implementing USAID/PEPFAR programming, with extensive experience with PEPFAR VCA programs and/or relevant systems strengthening activities
• Understanding of the health and social services systems in Zambia, with first-hand experience working with MCDSS and/or MoH preferred

Pact is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in its selection and employment practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, citizenship status, genetic information, matriculation, family responsibilities, personal appearance, credit information, tobacco use (except in the workplace), membership in an employee organization, or other protected classifications or non-merit factors.

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