UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up. –

For every child, a Trustable hand

https://www.unicef.org/where-we-work

How can you make a difference?

Background and Purpose:

For over a decade and with support from partners, the struggle to end AIDS among children in Uganda has remained relentless with a mix of innovative diagnostics, treatment options and differentiated service delivery models scaled up to 4,600 primary health care facilities. This has resulted in enormous gains recorded along the continuum of care from prevention of vertical transmission of HIV to prompt identification of children living with HIV, prompt treatment initiation and treatment continuity toward viral suppression. To address prevention of vertical HIV transmission, Uganda has robust policies and a dedicated national program; as a result, Uganda has nearly achieved universal maternal treatment coverage in antenatal care, labor, and delivery. Relatedly, solid policies exist to ensure that the infants exposed to HIV as well as children and adolescents LHIV are identified promptly and linked to optimal HIV treatment; between 2012 and 2022, Uganda recorded a 46% decline in new paediatric infections and 66 % drop in AIDS related deaths among children with an increase in treatment coverage to 72% from 27 %. Despite this progress, Uganda falls back on the ambition to eliminate AIDS as a public health problem for infants, children, and adolescents. Only two thirds of children and adolescents ages 0-14 years living with HIV (CALHIV) accessed antiretroviral therapy in 2022, far below the adult treatment coverage. While maternal treatment coverage is high, Uganda has sustained high breakthrough vertical transmission over the last 5 years largely arising from treatment interruptions, incident maternal HIV infection during pregnancy and breast feeding and from a lack of access to maternal HIV treatment for about 5-6% of pregnant and lactating women LHIV, perpetually missed. This has contributed to a crisis in pediatric HIV treatment as one-third of all CALHIV remain undiagnosed; with late identification, these children are at a heightened risk of developing AIDS and of death. Viral load monitoring coverage among CALHIV is worryingly suboptimal despite the readily available technologies and is recorded at 79%; this unfortunately increases the risk for undiagnosed HIV drug resistance and treatment failure, reducing the treatment options for these children and increasing the risk of advanced HIV disease (AIDS) and death.

To accelerate paediatric and adolescent HIV response toward the 2030 elimination goals, Uganda fully committed to the Global Alliance to end Paediatric AIDS by 2030, a 9-year global initiative co-convened by UNICEF, UNAIDS and WHO in collaboration with PEPFAR, Global Fund (GFTAM), CSOs and networks of PLHIV. Subsequently, a dedicated technical working group (TWG), was formed to provide technical oversight, coordination and monitoring of a comprehensive national action plan (GA NAP) intended to systematically plug the PMTCT and paediatric HIV response gaps hampering attainment of the elimination targets through data-driven, context-tailored, comprehensive, and integrated interventions delivered at scale.

Uganda’s GA NAP is premised on the 4 Global Alliance pillars, namely, 1). Early testing and comprehensive, high-quality treatment and care for HIV exposed infants, children and adolescents living with HIV; 2). Closing the treatment gap and optimizing continuity of treatment for pregnant and breastfeeding women living with HIV; 3). Preventing new HIV infections among pregnant and breastfeeding women, 4). Addressing rights, gender equality, and the social and structural barriers that hinder access. Notably and in keeping with the GA agenda, Uganda is implementing a PEPFAR initiative, the Accelerating Progress on PMTCT and Pediatric HIV (AP3) initiative within 80% of the high paediatric HIV burden districts in Uganda with a similar goal of ending AIDS in children; several other smaller scale catalytic initiatives exist.

In response to a recommendation by the GA TWG and request from the MoH- ACP, UNICEF Uganda’s Child Survival and Development (CSD) section hired a national monitoring and evaluation consultant to lead, coordinate, supervise, and quality control for Global Alliance NAP. As a result, substantial progress in establishing robust monitoring and evaluation frameworks, developing guidance materials, and leading data management processes, has been made. Key among other key deliverables, the regional dissemination of the GA NAP; produced the NAP M&E Matrix; completed national positive infant audits and compiled datasets for the 2023 Spectrum Estimates; developed catalytic data requirements for GA progress reviews, draft QA/QC data collection tools and completion of the national EMTCT service and data quality assessments. However, due to the delayed funding for subnational QA/QC Global Alliance activities along with the delayed national launch of the GA NAP, sub-national roll out, testing and utilisation of the above data analytics tools has not been conducted for frontline teams. There’s therefore urgent need for dedicated technical assistance to systematically disseminate the different data analytics tools for GA NAP QA/QC activities across all regions and to build capacities for their routine utilisation -with fidelity, to assist in more precise diagnosis of bottlenecks for accurate course correction.

Purpose: This technical assistance seeks to expand to 15 regions of Uganda, the implementation of data-driven design and needs assessment frameworks for the Global alliance NAP, initially developed, and successfully utilized at the national level.

Justification:

This technical assistance will strengthen monitoring and evaluation of the Global Alliance NAP toward increased demand for and adoption of data-driven innovations, enhanced data management fidelity including quality reporting and accountability mechanisms. These are critical pivots for acceleration of the Paediatric HIV response in keeping with the Global Alliance mandate and the national HIV elimination goals. With a focus on data-driven decision-making and quality assurance, it is anticipated that the gains realized in the first year of implementing the GA NAP to eliminate paediatric AIDS by 2030 will be consolidated to ensure that all levels of the healthcare system are equipped to effectively implement the last mile interventions across Uganda.

Objectives:

1. To finalize and disseminate the Global Alliance data tools and methods for granulated and differentiated routine monitoring and evaluation toward implementation fidelity of the Global Alliance National Action plan (GA NAP)
2. To systematically conduct responsive quality assurance and control activities for sub-national GA action plans toward progress course correction
3. To conduct dedicated capacity building for the GA TWG and sub national teams on selected catalytic interventions included in the GA NAP and the use of quality paediatric HIV and EMTCT data for programming precision, at scale.

Tasks/Responsibilities:

1. Finalize and disseminate Global Alliance NAP M&E data requirements package and conduct targeted training included in the GA NAP: Following pre-testing and consultation, standardize all Global Alliance data requirements into a package for use at sub national level by IPs, district teams and facility HIV teams including analytical excel workbooks, granulated cascade analytics, power point templates, dashboards, and descriptive glossary/aids. It is intended that these tools will be fully integrated and operational across all levels of the healthcare system.
2. Lead advanced Global Alliance data management initiatives and triangulation of large Paediatric HIV and EMTCT data sets. Extend the oversight of comprehensive data management processes, including routine data abstraction, triangulation, analysis, and synthesis of varied data sets for precision programming, including the generation of inputs for the annual spectrum estimates.
3. Lead the national roll-out of the National HIV positive Infant Clinical Audit: Finalize the design, roll-out and provide TA for quality implementation of the national Infant Clinical Audit.
4. Design and lead dedicated data-driven sub-national Quality Assurance and control (QA/QC) joint missions for implementation with fidelity of the GA NA. Finalize the Global Alliance QA/QC tools, dashboard [post-pretesting and stakeholder consultation] and design, coordinate the biannual sub-national GA QA/QC joint missions including report compilation and provide support for responsive subnational GA improvement plans.
5. Lead the development of strategic information (SI) related Global Alliance knowledge management products and provide support for al GA KM.
6. Compile Country Global Alliance reports for submission to the regional GA hub, UNAIDS HQ including the annual country GA report and the quarterly GA country updates to the regional GA hub as well as the 2024 GAM to UNAIDS HQ. Support UNICEF related MNH/HIV data management processes including for reporting.
7. Deliver strategic information technical assistance: Extend the provision of high-level technical assistance for national EMTCT strategic information. This includes supporting implementers with Data Quality Assessments (DQAs), and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) initiatives.
8. Support UNICEF Uganda’s related MNH, AH and HIV data management processes including for reporting, as well as any other program management support.

Deliverables:

1. Final Global Alliance Paed HIV/EMTCT data requirements package [post-pretesting]
2. Training report on GA Paed HIV/EMTCT data requirements package for 15 sub-national regions
3. EID/EPI TOT reports for 7 targeted regions
4. Triangulated Paediatric HIV and PMTCT data sets [2023 spectrum estimates, PMTCT SQA, DQA, DHIS2, EID & VL dash and GA supportive supervision findings]
5. 2024 Spectrum estimates: Paediatric HIV and PMTCT data sets, glossary
6. National HIV+ Infant Clinical Audit implementation plan and training decks [post pretesting
7. Training/dissemination report HIV+ Infant Clinical Audit for 15 sub regions
8. Final Global Alliance QA/QC tools, dashboard [post-pretesting]
9. Biannual sub-national GA QA/QC reports; CDC report; subnational GA improvement reports
10. 3 Global Alliance case studies on data-driven precision programming
11. The annual country GA report; 2024 GAM and quarterly GA country updates to the regional GA hub and UNAIDS HQ

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

• Advanced university degree in Medicine, Public Health, or other related academic fields
• At least five to eight years of relevant experience working in the areas of public health, HIV and /or development.
• Comprehensive technical knowledge and skills for HIV programming, with focus on EMTCT, Paediatric and adolescent HIV care and treatment, strategic information skills and health systems strengthening.
• National level public health programming
• Proven ability to manage complex partnerships.
• High level of initiative and ability to navigate challenges in prioritization to complete tasks and deliverables in a timely manner is essential.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English with strong interpersonal and presentation skills.
• Strong qualitative and quantitative analytic skills and report writing skill.

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 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 (8) Nurtures, leads and manages people.

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

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.

UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable are encouraged to apply.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments are also subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

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