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For every child, commitment 

In Nigeria, UNICEF works in a complex humanitarian and development setting to fulfill and protect children's rights in partnership with the government, civil society, children, and families.  UNICEF Nigeria is one of the largest UNICEF Country Offices globally - click the link to learn more about UNICEF in Nigeria: https://www.unicef.org/nigeria/

Click here to experience our country through the perspective of our colleagues by clicking on this Link

Background

UNICEF Nigeria is committed to supporting State Governments in strengthening governance and institutional capacity for evidence-based decision-making, planning, and accountability towards achieving results for children and women. Currently, Zamfara, Sokoto, and Kebbi States have fragmented Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) systems with limited policy direction, inconsistent data management practices, and inadequate tools for real-time monitoring of programmes. These gaps constrain the ability of government and development partners to track progress on key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Nigeria's national development agenda.

Moreover, while Social Health Insurance Schemes (SHIS) have been introduced to expand access to affordable and quality healthcare, there are limited systematic evaluations of their effectiveness, efficiency, equity, and sustainability. Lessons learned from these schemes are not fully documented or translated into policy actions, thereby limiting the achievement of universal health coverage (UHC).

How can you make a difference? 

Purpose of Activity/Assignment

To address these challenges, UNICEF Nigeria seeks to engage an individual consultant to support the three states in developing - State-specific M&E Policies and Frameworks aligned with national and global best practices, Interactive, digital dashboards for real-time monitoring and decision support, A robust evaluation of the SHIS across the three states and a harmonized policy document on SHIS to guide future reforms and implementation.

Scope of Work:

The consultant will carry out the following tasks over an 11-month period:

A. Inception Phase 

• Examine national M&E policy, state development plans, SHIS guidelines, and UNICEF programme documents.
• Conduct inception meetings with UNICEF, State Governments, and key development partners to confirm methodology, deliverables, and timelines.
• Develop and submit a detailed inception report outlining the work plan, methodology, data collection tools, and engagement approach.

B. M&E Policy and Framework Review 

1. Mapping and Gap Analysis:
   • Assess existing M&E structures, institutional arrangements, data flows, reporting tools, and coordination mechanisms in each state.
   • Identify bottlenecks, capacity gaps, and opportunities for harmonization.
2. Stakeholder Engagement:
   • Organize state-level workshops with multi-sectoral participation (Budget and Economic Planning, Health, Education, WASH, Social Protection, CSOs, and development partners).
   • Ensure alignment with Nigeria’s National M&E Policy, SDGs, and state development priorities.
3. Review M&E Policies and Frameworks:
   • Review the draft policy documents defining vision, principles, institutional arrangements, roles and responsibilities, data management, evaluation standards, and reporting processes.
   • Review the results-based M&E framework.
4. Validation:
   • Present draft M&E Policies and Frameworks for stakeholder review.
   • Finalize documents for state government approval and adoption.

C. Development of Interactive Dashboards 

1. Design Phase:
   • Identify priority indicators from the SDP.
   • Review data availability, sources, and existing digital tools used by state M&E units.
2. Development Phase:
   • Design and build user-friendly, interactive dashboards enabling data entry, aggregation, real-time visualization, and automated report generation.
   • Pilot dashboards in each state to test functionality.
3. Capacity Building:

• • Conduct hands-on training sessions for state M&E officers, ensuring skills transfer for dashboard operation, analysis, and maintenance.
  • Develop a user manual and sustainability plan for dashboard management.

D. Evaluation of Social Health Insurance Schemes 

1. Evaluation Framework:
   • Develop a framework with key evaluation questions, performance indicators, and mixed-methods approach (quantitative and qualitative).
2. Data Collection:
   • Review administrative data (enrollment records, financing data, claims data).
   • Conduct household surveys, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews with beneficiaries, health providers, and State Health Insurance Agencies.
3. Analysis:
   • Assess SHIS effectiveness, efficiency, equity, financial sustainability, and scalability.
   • Identify strengths, weaknesses, gaps, and recommendations for improvement.
4. Draft Evaluation Report:
   • Prepare a comprehensive evaluation report for each state, including evidence-based recommendations.
   • Facilitate validation workshops to present findings to government and partners for feedback.

E. Development of SHIS Policy Document 

1. Drafting Policy Document:
   • Based on evaluation findings, draft a comprehensive SHIS policy document aligned with national health financing strategies and global best practices.
   • Define policy objectives, guiding principles, governance arrangements, financing mechanisms, service coverage strategies, and accountability frameworks.
2. Consultation and Dialogue:
   • Conduct state-level policy dialogue sessions to refine recommendations and secure stakeholder buy-in.
   • Incorporate feedback from ministries, legislators, civil society, and development partners.
3. Finalization:
   • Produce a final SHIS policy document ready for state government approval and adoption.
   • Develop a roadmap for implementation and monitoring.

Work Assignment Overview

Tasks/Milestone:

1) Inception Report (methodology, work plan, tools)

Deliverables/Outputs:

Conduct literature review, meet with stakeholders, finalize methodology, develop detailed work plan and data collection tools.

2)  Mapping and Gap Analysis Report, Draft M&E Policies and Frameworks (3 states)

Deliverables/Outputs:

Assess current M&E systems, institutional arrangements, data flows, reporting tools, and SHIS structure in Zamfara, Sokoto, and Kebbi. Identify bottlenecks, capacity gaps, and opportunities. Prepare first draft of state-specific M&E policies and frameworks outlining vision, principles, roles, data management systems, evaluation standards, and reporting protocols.

3) Final validated M&E Policies and Frameworks (3 states)

Deliverables/Outputs:

Conduct stakeholder validation workshops, incorporate feedback, and finalize M&E policy and framework documents for adoption.

4)  Interactive Dashboards designed and piloted (3 states) with training manuals

Deliverables/Outputs:

Identify key indicators, design dashboards, pilot in selected LGAs, test functionality, and train government M&E officers. Deliver user manual and sustainability plan.

5)  Draft SHIS Evaluation Report (3 states)

Deliverables/Outputs:

Conduct data collection (household surveys, FGDs, KIIs, admin data review), analyze effectiveness, efficiency, equity, and sustainability of SHIS. Prepare draft report with recommendations.

6)  Final SHIS Evaluation Report validated

Deliverables/Outputs:

Facilitate validation workshops, integrate stakeholder inputs, and produce final SHIS evaluation report for Zamfara, Sokoto, and Kebbi.

7)  Draft SHIS Policy Document (3 states)

Deliverables/Outputs:

Develop evidence-based policy document defining objectives, guiding principles, governance structure, financing, coverage, and accountability mechanisms. Circulate for state-level consultations.

8)  Final validated SHIS Policy Document, consolidated final report, tools, training materials

Deliverables/Outputs:

Incorporate final feedback, submit final SHIS policy document, consolidated final report covering all deliverables, M&E tools, dashboards, and training materials for institutionalization.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here  VA_TOR ME Consultant_August 2025.pdf

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

Minimum requirements:

1. Advanced degree in M&E, Public Policy, Statistics, or related fields is required.
2. At least 8 years of experience in developing Dashboards, M&E policies and frameworks.
3. Expertise in designing interactive dashboards and data visualization tools.
4. Proven   experience  in    conducting  stakeholder engagement and facilitating workshops.
5. Strong knowledge of Nigeria’s governance and development context, particularly Zamfara State.
6. Excellent analytical, communication, and report- writing skills.
7. Experiences in working for UNICEF or UN agencies.
    

For every Child, you demonstrate...

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

UNICEF is also proud of a diverse workforce who are profoundly committed to supporting the full realization of children’s rights, and in uplifting a rights-based approach in all that we do.

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 

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

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.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

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 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:  

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

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.