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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 quality health. 

UNICEF South Africa- committed to realising the rights of all children to help them build a strong foundation and have the best chance of fulfilling their potential.

Health | UNICEF South Africa
Health and Nutrition Outcome: Girls and boys, including the most deprived, receive an integrated package of quality and equitable maternal, neonatal and child health (MNCH), HIV/AIDS and nutrition care and services.

The Health and Nutrition section has 2 outputs:

1. National Government has enhanced capacities to develop, finance, implement and monitor policies and plans for equitable MNCH, HIV/AIDS and nutrition care and services for children
2. Families and communities in 14 high-burden districts are empowered and capacitated to provide and demand basic MNCH, HIV/AIDS and nutrition care and services for children.

This consultancy is supporting Output 1 and 2 -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 Mother (YMM) programmes in three provinces (Kwa-Zulu Natal, Gauteng, and Limpopo). For sustainability and scale-up, eeffective oversight and management are essential for the quality scale up of the young mentor mother programme. This includes defining clear roles for YMM’s, providing tailored training, and ensuring ongoing mentorship and supervision. Currently, the absence of standardized training materials for the YMM Programme compromises service quality and consistency.
This consultancy aims to develop a standardised package of training materials and job aids to address the identified gaps and to enhance the quality of support provided to YMM’s. By creating a cohesive package, the overall effectiveness of the programme will be improved and will ensure that all YMM’s 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 National Individual 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.

This is a readvertisement, candidates who had previously applied need not resubmit.
The consultancy is open to individuals who are nationals of South Africa.

Closing date: 24 August 2025

Objectives of this consultancy:

1. 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.
2. To review the peer mentorship processes and interventions (during ANC, post-natal care, post-natal clubs) to identify capacity building and soft skills required to deliver quality and sensitive peer support.
3. 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.
4. Engage current peer providers, supervisors, and programme managers through qualitative methods to gather feedback and inputs that will enhance the materials and improve services.
5. Collaborate with Department of Health (DoH) and other stakeholders to co-create the standardized package, ensuring institutionalization and scalable implementation of the YMM programme.
6. To pilot the training materials and validate them.

Activities:

1. 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.
2. Write and submit an inception report outlining the methodology, workplan, timeline and package materials to be developed.
3. 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.
4. Engage face-to-face with current peer providers from any two of the three provinces (KZN, Gauteng and EC) through FGDs (5-10 participants), supervisors, and programme managers pre- and post- drafting of materials to ensure that their needs are addressed.

Outputs/Deliverables:

1. Inception report (1 month, 10% of consultancy budget)
2. Review summary 1 month, 10% of consultancy budget) 
3. First draft of the standardised training package including: a) training manual, b) job aids, data collection tool (2 months, 30% of consultancy budget)
4. Second draft content, incorporating consolidated feedback from YMM’s, with DoH and other stakeholders (1.5 months, 20% of consultancy fee)
5. Final training package (1 month, 20% of consultancy fee)

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 adolescent girls and aligns with the Department of Health programme’s objectives.

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

Minimum requirements:

• Education: a Master's degree in Public Health
• Work Experience: At least 5 years of work 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.

• 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.

• Language Requirements: First language English –spoken and written
• Advanced Computer skills including MS Word and PowerPoint

Desirables:

• A minimum of 5 years' experience in writing or updating government documents/guidelines

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 cost if applicable). Proposals submitted without a detailed financial proposal aligned to the assignment will not be considered.

Closing date: 24 August 2025

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, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. 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.

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.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable candidates are encouraged to apply.

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 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.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.