Consultant at the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF)

United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (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.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Consultant to Support the Implementation of Multisectoral Action to Address Health with Nutrition and Associated WASH and Child Protection Needs in the States of Sokoto and Zamfara in Northwest Nigeria

Location: Sokoto
Job no: 574512
Job type: Contract
Duration: 11 Months
Level: Consultancy
Categories: Child Protection, Health, Nutrition, WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene), Health and Nutrition

Job Summary

• As approved in the BHA support project for humanitarian support in NW, The UNICEF Sokoto Field Office is seeking the support of one State MNCH Coordinator (based in Sokoto state) to support the implementation and coordination of the health intervention of the Multisectoral action to address Health in coordination with nutrition and associated WASH and child protection needs in the states of Sokoto and Zamfara in Northwest Nigeria.

Purpose of Activity / Assignment

• Armed violence has resulted in an increase in forced displacement in the three North Western States of Sokoto, Katsina, and Zamfara in 2022. As per the updated risk analysis by the Nigeria Emergency Management Authority (NEMA), armed violence now encompasses the entire state of Zamfara (14 Local Government Areas or LGAs), eastern Sokoto (14 LGAs) and western Katsina (22 LGAs), i.e., the areas adjacent to Zamfara State. The intensity of the violence has resulted in a crisis of a humanitarian nature affecting 50 of the 71 LGAs across the three states.
• Consequently, from December 2021 to December 2022, the number of IDPs in these three states rose from 369,064 to 474,077, with banditry and kidnapping being the main drivers of displacement as per IOM Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM). On average, 88 percent of IDPs in the three states live in host communities, ranging from 57 percent in Sokoto to almost 100 percent in Katsina.
• Overall, 54 percent of IDPs in the North Central and Northwest region of Nigeria are female, and 56 percent are children, with 26 percent of IDPs being children aged under five years. Some 89 percent of IDPs are displaced within the borders of their state. Although both IDPs and host communities encounter challenges, displaced families have more complex needs than non-displaced families, according to the 2022 Multi-Sector Needs Assessment (2022 MSNA) conducted by REACH in the three states.
• Violence-driven humanitarian needs in Northwest Nigeria exacerbate pre-existing challenges marked by poverty, population growth, and climate change. According to the Nigeria Population Projections and Demographics Indicators report (NPC July 2020), the population in the three states grew from 15 million in 2010 to 22 million in 2020. The Northwest also has the highest fertility rate, with 6.6 children per woman, compared to the national average of 5.3, according to the 2023 Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO). About the impact of climate change, 90 percent of Nigeria’s north is subject to deforestation. As part of the Sahel, the already arid region is further turning to desert or desert-like conditions at 0.6 km per year. This negatively affects farmer-herder dynamics, given the decreasing land available for grazing and farming.
• In line with the humanitarian needs outlined above, the proposed humanitarian response will focus on a multisectoral convergent approach focusing on vulnerable households in the First 1,000 Days of Life.
• The multisectoral convergent interventions will be delivered in line with humanitarian, equity, and gender transformative principles to achieve three key objectives that will improve access to life-saving services and enable households (particularly in the First 1,000 Days), community structures, and institutions to mitigate the impacts of conflict in a sustainable manner.

Key Responsibilities

• Strengthen delivery of life-saving nutrition, health, and WASH services at the facility level.
• Strengthen delivery of community-based nutrition, health, WASH, and child protection services.
• Strengthen partnerships, coordination structures, and data systems.

Task/Milestone:
Support PHCs:

• Deliver nutrition counseling and quality MNCH services.
• Introduce mentorships for effective QoC PHC service delivery.
• Develop Face-to-Face and on-the-job mentorship plans.
• Facilitate community identification for intervention benefits.
• Develop procurement plans and facilitate orientation meetings.

Deliverables/Outputs:

• QoC rollout report, facility assessment, mentorship plan, procurement plan.

Provide Emergency PHC Services:

• Train multi-skilled mobile PHC teams.
• Develop microplans and deploy HRH Surge in PHCs.
• Monitor essential medicines and referral systems.
• Support vaccination and enumerate children in inaccessible areas.

Deliverables/Outputs:

• Training reports, RMNCH+N service delivery progress, enumeration report.

Support Quarterly Program Reviews:

• Conduct quarterly routine program monitoring and supervision.
• Support data collection and use for targeted reviews.
• Facilitate performance review meetings and mentorship team reviews.

Deliverables/Outputs:

• QI assessment report, monthly RMNCAH+N progress report.

Strengthen Nutrition, Health, and WASH Services:

• Conduct service availability assessments in PHCs.
• Monitor mentors and analyze mentorship data.
• Facilitate QI committee meetings and community engagement.

Deliverables/Outputs:

• Monthly service delivery reports, QoC report, QI committee meeting notes.

Conduct Quarterly Evidence-Based Program Reviews:

• Facilitate routine program monitoring and targeted reviews.
• Support data-driven decision-making for PHC services.

Deliverables/Outputs:

• QI assessment report, RMNCAH+N progress report.

Phaseout Activities:

• Organize phaseout workshops and endline surveys.
• Develop project completion report and success stories.

Deliverables/Outputs:

• Project completion report, success stories.

Qualifications

• Master's degree or equivalent in MBBS, Public Health, Behavioral Health Sciences.
• 5+ years in health programming and management.
• Experience in multi-sectoral coordination, RBM, M&E, emergency settings.
• Priority given to those with experience in Quality Improvement in MNCAH settings.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English language and writing skills.

Application Closing Date
23rd August, 2024.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online