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 champion

Please access UNICEF Sierra Leone information here and here

How can you make a difference?

The purpose of this consultancy is to support primary health care and CHW programme hub in implementation of planned activities to build strong community health system with well institutionalized national community health worker program.

Specific Tasks:

• Support DPHC/CHW hub in launching and dissemination of the revised Community Health Strategy and the national Community Health Program investment case.
• Support the DPHC/CHW hub in the finalization and dissemination of the national CHW program sustainability plan.
• Support in preparation and execution of national CHW program annual review and preparation of report
• Support coordination meetings (TWGs) Community Health workers, Partners, programs at all levels quarterly (national) and monthly at district and PHU levels (selected districts)
• Support in mapping, and gap analysis of national CHW and MSG workforce, mop up recruitment and training.
• Support to conduct mop-up preservice training of CHWs to fill the gap created by attrition, absence of recruited individuals during the 2022 training.
• Support in coordination and execution of continuous capacity building through mentoring and coaching (integrating linkages with MSG’s and other community structures to complement the work of CHWs in selected districts.
• Create a pool of competent national and district master trainers and mentors/coaches through competency-based training and follow up.
• Support with monitoring of quality improvement using the iCCM/IMNCI guidelines and QI standards.
• Support strengthening the CHW sensitive integrated supply chain with capacity building for quantification, prepacking, procurement, last mile distribution, and monitoring use and reporting through CHIS/DHIS2
• Pre-packing and procurement of essential ICCM, nutrition and IPTp/IPTi commodities, job aids to equip CHWs to deliver the interventions.
• Support in establishing linkages between CHWs and Mother support Groups or other community structures through training, supervision, and monitoring.
• Support the DPHC and selected districts to improve social accountability and community feedback mechanisms using the community scorecard involving CHWs and their supervising PHU.
• Support with program monitoring (PMVs) and quality assurance monitoring visits.

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

• A first university degree in Health Sciences, Public Health, Nutrition, Community Health and Health Management
• Higher diploma in Community Health is an asset.
• Advanced degree in Public Health is an added advantage.
• A minimum of five years of progressively years of progressively responsible field experience in child health with demonstrated skills in iCCM/IMNCI training, supervision, and mentoring.
• Experience in national and regional coordination and management of Child health and CHW program
• Experience in providing clinical services at primary health care facility level in the Sierra Leone’s context.
• Experience in health data collection, analysis, assessment, monitoring, and evaluation.
• Experience in team working in culturally diverse contexts.
• Familiarity with the UN system, including similar prior work in the UN system, is desirable.

Other required skills

• Excellent analytical and organizational skills, including effective communication and people skills; ability to communicate and coordinate with various stakeholders and to express ideas and concepts concisely and clearly in written and oral form.
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

If you would like to know more about this position, you are strongly encouraged to review the complete Job Description here:  VA TOR – CHW Programme Consultant .pdf

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).

To view our competency framework, please visit  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.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

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 also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. 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.

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 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.