Contract Duration – 8 months

Working arrangement: Home based + travel

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                                                         TERMS OF REFERENCE

The purpose of this assignment is to provide technical expertise and support for the development, revision, and validation of guidelines, job aids, and training materials related to the management of child wasting in emergencies and post-exit interventions, as well as monitoring and evaluation (M&E) components aligned with WHO 2023 guidelines.

In response to the national burden of acute malnutrition, the Ministry of Health (MISAU) restructured the Nutritional Rehabilitation Programme (PRN) in 2025 with the objective of improving access to treatment and reducing mortality, while ensuring aligned with 2023 World Health Organisation WHO Guidelines on the prevention and management of acute malnutrition and nutritional oedema (WHO 2023 guidelines).

Following the release of the WHO 2023 guidelines, the Government of Mozambique initiated a process to integrate these recommendations into national policies, including the updated PRN‑I protocol and its accompanying training and job‑aid materials. This transition requires comprehensive revision of clinical, training, and monitoring tools, as well as strengthened capacity among health professionals to ensure effective implementation.

Given the scope and technical complexity of these updates, a consultant is required to support MISAU, UNICEF, WFP, and partners in developing, revising, validating, and operationalizing the updated guidelines for emergency settings with relevant tools, and training packages. The consultant will play a critical role in ensuring alignment with global evidence, harmonization across national documents, and readiness of Mozambique’s health workforce to implement the revised protocol.

The consultant will ensure alignment with WHO 2023 guidelines and national standards, strengthen monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems, and build capacity through training and validation workshops. This work aims to improve the quality and consistency of child wasting prevention and treatment in emergencies, post-exit interventions, in line with the recently developed Nutritional Rehabilitation Protocol (PRN I).

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop technical guidelines and job aids for child wasting management in emergencies and post-exit interventions.
• Support the integration of updated M&E and logistics components into the PRN I protocol.
• Define new indicators and revise daily work job aids for PRN I.
• Support the development and testing of training materials and job aids.
• Facilitate workshops and Training of Trainers (ToT) sessions.
• Prepare a comprehensive final report summarizing all activities, outputs, and recommendations.

If you would like to know more about this consultancy, please review the complete Terms of Reference here: [ ToR TMC0001208.pdf]

Minimum Qualifications required:

Bachelors in clinical nutrition or public health and nutrition

Years of Experience/ Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required*:

• A minimum of 5 years' proven experience in the development or implementation of interventions for the prevention and management of child wasting in children under five years of age, in the context of Mozambique and other African countries.
• In-depth knowledge of national and international guiding documents and technical guidelines in the field of child health and nutrition, with recent training on the 2023 WHO Guidelines for Child Wasting.
• Experience in developing strategies, guidelines and/or protocols for Child Wasting.
• Experience in conducting training and in the prevention and management of child wasting in infants and children under five.
• In-depth knowledge of national health systems and primary health care
• Experience in nutrition programs in the African region.

Skills/Knowledge:

• Computer skills in basic software programs.
• Proven understanding of the existing and needed quality of public health nutrition and case management in Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) with medical complication practices at health facilities
• Excellent communication, writing, leadership and analytical skills.

Languages and level required:

Fluency in Portuguese and excellent knowledge of English.

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

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 reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. 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.

Qualified candidates are invited to submit the following documents via the online recruitment portal, TMS (Talent Management System):

• An up-to-date TMS profile and curriculum vitae (CV)
• Cover letter
• A separate financial proposal ( Financial proposal template TMC0001208.docx)

Remarks:  

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.

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

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.