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For every child, quality health.
Health | UNICEF South Africa
We are committed to ensuring that every child survives and thrives. This consultancy will support UNICEF under the key intervention - support the evidence generation, policy, plan and guideline development, and program implementation to improve quality of adolescent health and triple elimination of vertical transmission Pediatric HIV.
Since 2019, UNICEF South Africa supported approximately 44000 young mothers through Young Mentor Mothers (YMM) programmes in three provinces (Kwa-Zulu Natal, Gauteng and Limpopo). For sustainability and scale-up, effective oversight and management are essential for the quality scale-up of the young mentor mother programme. This includes defining clear roles for YMM, providing tailored training and ensuring ongoing mentorship and supervision. Currently, the absence of standardised training materials for the YMM Programme compromises service quality and consistency.
This consultancy aims to develop a standardized package of training materials and job aids to address the identified gaps and to enhance the quality of support provided to YMM. By creating a cohesive package, the overall effectiveness of the programme will be improved and will ensure that all YMM receive the necessary guidance and resources to thrive. Advocacy with the National Department of
Health and stakeholders will further promote nationwide implementation and utilisation.
How can you make a difference?
Under the supervision of the HIV Officer in the Health and Nutrition section, the consultant will develop high-quality standardised package of training materials and job aids for the Young Mentor Mothers (YMM) programme. The package will include standard operating procedures, training material, job aids, data collection tools and referral tools to other services.
The objectives of this consultancy are to:
i. review existing training materials, capacity building sessions that were previously held including skills building that have been held to identify pertinent topics to be included in the training package,
ii. review the peer mentorship processes and interventions (during ANC, post-natal care, postnatal clubs) to identify capacity building and soft skills required to deliver quality and sensitive peer support,
iii. develop a training package that aligns to their scope of work, as well as supporting materials that is responsive the program needs, different sessions to be held by peer mentors, job aids that will support their efficiency and effectiveness,
iv. engage current peer providers, supervisors and programme managers through qualitative methods to gather feedback and inputs that will enhance the materials and improve services,
v. collaborate with Department of Health (DoH) and other stakeholders to co-create the standardised package, ensuring institutionalisation and scalable implementation of the YMM programme, and to
vi. pilot the training materials and validate them.
Activities:
- Attend an inception meeting with UNICEF and key partners to discuss and agree on the scope of the work, roles and responsibilities and revised timelines.
- Write and submit an inception report outlining the methodology, workplan, timeline and package materials to be developed.
- Review materials and documentation that is currently to informing the YMM programme package including;
a) training materials and various presentations
b) available materials, resources from DoH and other key stakeholders on adolescent mental health, nutrition, contraceptive, nutrition, HIV, SRH and maternal and child health service including government policies, SOP, training materials, framework, and job aids.
- Engage current peer providers, supervisors and programme managers pre and post drafting of materials to ensure that their needs are addressed.
Outputs/Deliverables:
- Prepare the first draft of the standardized package including: a) training manual, b) job aids, c) data collection tools
- Revise the standardised package to create a second draft, incorporating consolidated feedback from YMM, with DoH and other stakeholders.
- Create a PowerPoint training package (manual and presentations) of the draft package for validation by the peer mentors, DoH and other stakeholders.
- Submit the final package to UNICEF.
Stakeholder Engagement: The consultant will be responsible for engaging with relevant programme managers from NDoH to ensure that the service package meets the needs of the adolescent girls and aligns with the Department of Health programme’s objectives.
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
- An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Public Health
- A minimum of five years of relevant professional experience as a public health specialist
- Knowledge and understanding of adolescent girls’ health programs
- Young Mentor programme experience will be considered an advantage
- Experience and knowledge of HIV including vertical transmission, maternal health and SRH
- Experience in the development of training materials that are visual and simple to use, presentation and SOPs
- Desired skills
- Excellent communication skills including writing skills
- Empathy
- Proactive team player
- The individual must have demonstrated ability, understanding and experience in coordinating stakeholders and working with young people
- An understanding of the South African public health system, and experience in working with multiple stakeholders the different levels of health care service delivery
- Experience in working with the South African Departments of Health (national, province and district) and close partners is an asset
- Languages needed:
- 1st language English –spoken and written
- Another local language will be an asset
- Computer skills
- MS Word,PowerPoint, Excel
- Internet
- SharePoint
- Teams, Zoom
Application Guidance
Please indicate your ability and availability; and attach a technical proposal and financial proposal in ZAR to undertake the terms of reference above (including admin and travel costs if applicable). Proposals submitted without a detailed financial proposal aligned to the assignment will not be considered.
UNICEF does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.
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, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).
To view our competency framework, please visit here.
UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.
According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF.
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.
Remarks:
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.
The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.
