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UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built. We offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture., coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, the right to care. 

UNICEF, as a key partner in Zanzibar’s digital health efforts, is working with the Ministry of Health on initiatives such as Improvement of Zanzibar Electronic Medical Record (Zan EMR), the PHC digital client feedback platform, the DHIS-2 improvement, the Zanzibar digital Afya Supportive supervision platform, heath Interactive dashboards and the support on convening digital health technical working group for streamlining digital health interventions.   

The Ministry of Health (MoH) Zanzibar, in collaboration with UNICEF, recognizes the need to enhance healthcare service delivery by fostering better communication, collaboration, and knowledge sharing among healthcare providers. One significant step toward this goal is the development of a Peer-to- Peer collaborative System, which aims to connect healthcare professionals and facilities across Zanzibar’s health system

How can you make a difference? 

The primary objective of this consultancy is to design, develop, and implement the Care Connect System, enabling healthcare professionals at various levels to collaborate and share information efficiently. UNICEF requires specialized expertise in programming and system development tailored to digital health initiatives. Given the short timeframe and the technical complexity of the work, a full-time, dedicated consultant is essential to ensure timely and high-quality delivery. While some of these skills exist within the current health team, the specialist with the required expertise is already managing multiple critical tasks. To achieve the intended deliverables effectively, engaging an external consultant with the necessary technical proficiency is crucial for the successful implementation of the planned activities. Moreover, this support aligns with the commitment established between the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, the World Bank, and UNICEF during the signing of the Zanzibar Digital Health Improvement Output Agreement, which mandates UNICEF’s support to the Ministry of Health in designing, developing, and implementing the Peer-to-Peer system.

Specific objectives:

1. Assessing the needs and defining the technical requirements for the system.
2. Developing a secure, interoperable, and user-friendly peer-to-peer digital platform.
3. Ensuring the system integrates with existing digital health platforms, such as DHIS2, Zan EMR, and mHealth solutions (Zan Afya SS and Zan Afya Maoni).
4. Building the capacity of healthcare professionals and administrators to effectively use the system.
5. Develop all required and relevant documentations from the requirement gathering sessions to System Administration and Maintenance as per Software development life cycle (SDLC).

6. Conduct platform Maintenance for 3 months and handover over to the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar

 The Individual consultant will undertake the following activities:

1. Conduct requirement gathering to identify specific needs (Needs Assessment)
   1. Conduct consultations with key stakeholders, including MoH Zanzibar, healthcare providers, and technical teams, to identify system requirements.
   2. Map existing health system workflows to ensure the platform aligns with healthcare needs.
   3. Develop a Detailed System requirement specification (SRS) which includes both functional and non-functional requirements.
   4. Present SRS to both UNICEF and MoH Zanzibar fort for approval.
      
      
2. System design and development/coding
   Design and develop the Care Connect platform with key features, including:
   Real-time messaging and file sharing.

1. 1. Real-time messaging and file sharing.
   2. Peer consultation tools (e.g., case discussions and referrals).
   3. Integration with existing health systems (e.g., DHIS2, Zan EMR).
   4. Ensure data security and compliance with relevant regulations and follow these procedures in participatory manner with MoH staff. 
      1. Design architecture, schematics, prototypes of the proposed solution as per the expectations from the technical requirements identified.
      2. Coding and testing of a designed system.
      3. Deploy approved system after User acceptance test (UAT) to live environment for roll out.
      4. Produce relevant technical documentation.
         
         
2. Testing, Validation and Piloting report
   1. Conduct User Acceptance Testing (UAT) to ensure the platform meets the technical and functional requirements.
   2. Pilot the platform in selected facilities to gather feedback and address any issues.
      
      
3.  Capacity Building and Training for Zanzibar staffs
   1. Develop Training Plan, training materials tailored for healthcare providers, IT staff, and administrators.
   2. Conduct training sessions to ensure effective system use and management.
      
      
4.  Deployment of the platform, Support, Maintenance, and handover over to the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar
   1. Deployment of a piloted well-working platform to live environment and Support.
   2. Roll out the Care Connect system across targeted facilities in Zanzibar.
   3. Provide post-deployment support, including system monitoring and troubleshooting for 3 months.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:  TOR Peer Exchange.docx

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

• Advanced degree in a relevant field, including Information Systems, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Health Systems, and Information Technology
• At least eight years of experience in digital systems, software development, and system strengthening, particularly in digital health initiatives.
• A master’s degree in information systems, computer science, health informatics, or IT, with proven expertise in PostgreSQL, Java, Python, Angular, Linux, networking, and software design.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify challenges and propose effective solutions.
• A collaborative team player who can work efficiently with diverse stakeholders and transfer technical knowledge.
• Experience in mobile app development and working across multiple operating systems, including Linux (CentOS, Red Hat, Ubuntu), Mac OS X, and Windows.
• Familiarity with open-source solutions in research and project-based environments.
• Proven experience in working with Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and aggregators, including setting up and managing SMS gateways and their integration with MNOs.
• Expertise in software design, documentation, testing, and maintenance, as well as hardware requirements assessment.
• Demonstrated ability to develop digital health platforms, particularly peer-to-peer communication systems, while understanding health system workflows in resource-limited settings.
• Proficiency in interoperability standards such as HL7 and FHIR, ensuring integration with existing health information systems.
• Experience in capacity building and stakeholder engagement, preferably in Zanzibar or similar contexts.
• Strong background in software development and interoperability, particularly in RapidPro, DHIS2, and creating SMS-based application integrations between these platforms.
• A proven track record of working with the Ministry of Health (MoH) and/or President’s Office Regional Administration, Local Government, and Special Department (PORALGSD) in Zanzibar, including engagement at subnational levels.
• Fluency in English (both written and spoken) is required, while proficiency in Swahili is an added advantage.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others  

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:  

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

UNICEF shall not facilitate the issuance of a visa and working authorization for candidates.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advanced to the next stage of the selection process. 

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.