UNICEF, guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, works together with partners in 190 countries and territories to promote and advocate for the protection of the rights of every child.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. 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 personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

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

For every child, a chance. 

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/

Background:

To provide high-level clinical and technical support to UNICEF Nigeria in strengthening the quality of care for maternal and newborn health services. The consultant will focus on ensuring high-quality implementation of clinical components across the maternal and newborn continuum of care, with particular emphasis on small and sick newborn care, functional referral linkages from primary to tertiary levels, and the scale-up of innovative approaches in maternal and newborn health. The consultant will also serve as a bridge between field implementation and federal policy/strategy development.

How can you make a difference? 

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

To provide high-level clinical and technical expertise to UNICEF Nigeria in support of strengthening the quality of care for maternal and newborn health services. The consultant will be engaged to support the implementation of defined clinical components across the maternal and newborn continuum of care. This includes a focus on small and sick newborn care, functional referral systems from primary to tertiary levels, and the scaling of innovative approaches in maternal and newborn health. The consultant will also contribute to aligning field-level implementation with national policy and strategy development, serving as a technical liaison between operational activities and federal-level frameworks.

Scope of Work

Under the supervision and guidance of the Health Manager MNCAH, this contract will be for 12 months to work on key deliverables that will ultimately result to increased access to quality high impact, cost effective interventions for mothers and newborns through various delivery platforms. Key areas of the assignment will include: 

1.Provide technical guidance to ensure quality implementation of maternal and newborn care interventions in UNICEF-supported facilities, particularly small and sick newborn care units (Level-2).

2.Strengthen linkages between maternal and newborn care, ensuring an integrated approach across the continuum of care.

3.Provide guidance for the establishment and strengthening of referral pathways between PHCs, secondary, and tertiary facilities for maternal and newborn emergencies.

4.Identify and pilot innovative approaches to improve the quality of maternal and newborn care, with a focus on scalability and sustainability.

5.Facilitate the use of quality-of-care standards and tools in supported states.

Work Assignments Overview

1. Technical guidance and capacity-building visits conducted in UNICEF-supported states.

Deliverables/Outputs

Documented mission reports and recommendations for implementation of improved MNH outcomes.

2. Functional referral linkage model developed and piloted between community, PHC, secondary, and tertiary care in at least 2 UNICEF supported states.

Deliverables/Outputs

Documented reports and recommendations to strengthen linkages across the health care system for improved MNH outcomes.

3.Documentation of at least two innovative approaches for improving MNH quality of care (piloted in facilities).

Deliverables/Outputs

Two briefs developed on initiatives implemented in facilities to improve the quality of care.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: Terms of Reference - Maternal and newborn health.pdf

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

• An Advanced degree in obstetrics, gynaecology, neonatology, medical sciences is required. Additional degree in Public Health or other relevant area is an advantage.

• At least 10 years of progressively responsible clinical and public health experience in maternal and newborn health.

• Demonstrated expertise in small and sick newborn care and in implementing/mentoring clinical quality improvement.

• Experience working with government health systems, referral systems, and MNH policies in Nigeria

• Strong analytic report writing, documentation, presentation skills.

• Ability to work with and coordinate a multisectoral team.

• Self-driven able to deliver under tight schedules and meeting tight deadlines

Attached is the All-Inclusive Financial Proposal All-Inclusive Financial Proposal Form UNICEF.docx

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.