Consultancy - Health Data Collaborative country work (South Asia), Data & Analytics (D&A) Section, DAPM NYHQ (home based)

There currently exist several gaps in the way that healthcare data is collected and analyzed globally, regionally and nationally. For example, global health partners have developed several health facility survey tools collecting overlapping information and many donors have invested in digital health systems that are incompatible with software used by country health ministries. Moreover, it has been found that donors request reporting on health indicators that fall outside of priorities set by health ministries.

Consultancy Title: Health Data Collaborative country work (South Asia)

Section/Division/Duty Station: Data & Analytics (D&A) Section, DAPM, New York HQ (home based)

Duration: 07 June 2021 to 15 October 2021 (80 days)

 About UNICEF

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. UNICEF has over 12,000 staff in more than 145 countries.

BACKGROUND

There currently exist several gaps in the way that healthcare data is collected and analyzed globally, regionally and nationally.  For example, global health partners have developed several health facility survey tools collecting overlapping information and many donors have invested in digital health systems that are incompatible with software used by country health ministries.  Moreover, it has been found that donors request reporting on health indicators that fall outside of priorities set by health ministries.

Fragmented health data systems hamper effective use of data during disease outbreaks, which in turns weakens policy and resource allocation decisions in country.

The Health Data Collaborative (HDC) is a UHC2030 related initiative that gathers shared knowledge and expertise in order to align technical and financial investments in efforts to strengthen country Health Information Systems.  HDC’s mission is to provide a collaborative platform that leverages and aligns resources (at all levels) to country owned strategies and plans for collecting, storing, analysing and using data to improve health outcomes, with specific focus on SDG targets and communities that are left behind.

Over the next 3 years, between 2020 and 2023, the HDC operational workplan has evolved with a renewed focus on strengthening country capacity as well as focused collective action to support healthcare data initiatives and activities at global, regional and national levels.

This consultancy will support the achievement of the HDC workplan by carrying out a set of activities in up to 2 of the HDC and SDG GAP focus countries in the South Asia region that will promote greater alignment of partner activities with country health data priorities.

The consultant will undertake a desk review of alignment status of HDC partner technical and financial investments on health data and M&E plans in 1-2 countries of the HDC and SDG GAP focus countries; propose a method of measuring alignment of HDC partner technical and financial investments in country data and monitoring for future use; and identify priority issues and solutions that support country efforts to best coordinate and leverage partners for development, investment and implementation of the health data and M&E plans.

Terms of Reference / Deliverables

In close collaboration and working with the Senior Advisor, Health and HIV, the consultant will be responsible to support the Health Data Collaborative (HDC) in implementation of its workplan for 2020-2023.  The HDC 2020–2023 operational workplan is underpinned by a solid country level Theory of Change, aiming to align partner technical and financial investments with country driven plans.

Responsibilities include the following:

1. Improve efficiency and alignment of technical and financial investments in health data systems through collective actions.

• Mapping of current investment landscape in HIS in each South Asian country
• Desk review of methods and indicators for measuring progress of alignment of country partner financial and technical investments
• Review of options and proposed priority list for consideration by the HDC to measure alignment of technical and financial investments
• Select and apply method of analysis
• Present and finalize recommendations

2. Strengthen country capacity to plan, implement, monitor and review progress and standardized processes for data collection, availability, analysis and use to achieve national health related targets (and therefore eventual SDG health targets.

• Stakeholder mapping of country HDC partners
• Desk review of key available documents
• Desk review on health sector indicators being reported on within Government health plans, national institutions and key stakeholder plans
• Review of best practices of collecting and using community-generated data for tracking
• Review of best practices of electronic systems for health facilities
• Mapping of planning & budget cycles, strengths & challenges of HIS / M+E / CRVS in health
• Together with HDC in-country partners finalize and disseminate research

Qualifications

1) Education

● Advanced university degree (Master’s degree in Public Health in Health Economics, Health System Governance or a related field).

2) Work experience

● A minimum of 5 years' national and international relevant experience, including experience in public health programme management and international development.

3) Competencies

● Excellent, writing and editing skills in English, effective presentation and report-writing skills; with ability to provide concrete technical and other advisory support.

● Demonstrated ability to plan, manage, coordinate and monitor day to day workflow in timely fashion, efficiently and with attention to detail.

● Ability to work independently in multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural settings.

Requirements:

• Completed profile in UNICEF's e-Recruitment system and provide Personal History Form (P11) Upload copy of academic credentials
• Financial proposal that will include:
• your daily/monthly rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference (can be downloaded here: https://www.unicef.org/about/employ/index_consultancy_assignments.html 
  • travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR.
  • Any other estimated costs: visa, health insurance, and living costs as applicable.
  • Indicate your availability
• Any emergent / unforeseen duty travel and related expenses will be covered by UNICEF.
• At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.
• Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

U.S. Visa information:

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.  

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

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

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 be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

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

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.