UNICEF recruits 01 Community health monitoring and evaluation (National Consultancy)

Community health monitoring and evaluation (National Consultancy)

Job Number: 525824 | Vacancy Link

Locations: Africa: South Sudan

Work Type : Consultancy

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Title Community health monitoring and evaluation officer,

Type of Contract Individual Consultant

Supervision Health specialist (Health section)

Level Junior level

Location Juba (with field travel)

Duration 11 months, renewable

Start Date 16th September 2019

Background/Rationale for the Assignment

South Sudan launched a community health strategy called the Boma Health Initiative (BHI) in April 2017. The goal of this strategy is to develop strengthened health system that efficiently delivers components of the Basic Package of Health and Nutrition Services (BPHNS) at community level to contribute to the achievement of universal coverage. Part of this is to strengthen community health information management to ensure quality community health information is consistently available for situational and performance monitoring. Various levels of capacities in the management of health information exist in South Sudan. UNICEF is therefore seeking a mid-level professional to be embedded in the Ministry of Health to technically support the Ministry of Health to establish and operationalize its community health information system management.

Key responsibilities and expected results

Under the primary supervision of the Ministry of Health (MoH) Director of M&E and a subsidiary of BHI coordinator, the incumbent will provide technical support to the MoH, M&E department with managing and strengthening its Community Health Management Information System (CHMIS). The incumbent will provide technical assistance to the MoH in the monitoring and evaluation of BHI (community health) implementation, specifically to strengthen CHMIS data collection platforms in South Sudan in alignment with the ongoing national transition to DHIS 2. She/he will be embedded at the Ministry of Health, Department of M&E in liaison with the BHI secretariat and acts as the overall community health information management technical focal person at the MOH who will coordinate with the relevant sub-national technical focal persons.

Key Expected Results

1. Ministry of Health, M&E Department is supported with the coordination, review, planning, development and management of its community health information strategies and interventions

• Provide operational guidance and inputs to review and streamline existing draft data collection and reporting mechanisms and to formulate strategies to improve community health information management in the context of South Sudan.

• Liaise with other development and civil society agencies to enhance sub-national coordination in the execution of CHMIS strengthening.

• Manage data on CHMIS indicators concerning RMNCH, nutrition and quality of care indicators requiring regular reporting (e.g. quarterly) and establish a system to provide routine oversight

• Review and adapt the tools and SOPs for the community health information management system and test for timely data collection, reporting, analysis, and utilization.

• Supports the integration of community health indicators in the current DHIS 1.4, disaggregated from health facility data and support the on-going transition process to DHIS 2

2. Oversight of the scale-up and implementation of health information strategies and interventions

• Identify barriers and implement corrective actions for timely information collection, collation, analysis, reporting and utilization and work with County medical officers, State MOH officials and partners to develop appropriate supportive strategies, including for advocacy

• Provide technical support on the review and development of community health information strategies and interventions appropriate to different state contexts

• Capacity building of relevant health staff for decentralized community health information management and use, including the roll-out of DHIS 1.4 with integrated community information aspect and adoption of DHIS2 state-wide

• Maintain up to date knowledge and information and disseminate widely in the state and national levels

• Review and provide quality assurance related to consistency, technical quality and appropriateness of communication materials and reports that are developed, and disseminated to various stakeholders

3.Support to improve health information management for both emergency and development contexts in South Sudan

• Assess National level health information coordination mechanism with government and development partners and make recommendations

• Assist in collection and analysis of integrated data including health, nutrition and HIV, which is sex and age disaggregated where possible, to better inform tailored responses.

• Participate in national and sub-national information sharing/coordination as appropriate to ensure inter-sectoral inputs are consolidated and well reflected in activities and interventions

• Assist in strengthening partnerships with other UN and development agencies engaged in CHMIS strengthening in the Country.

• Provide inputs to UNICEF country office team to reinforce their line ministry departments and multi-sectoral emergency fora for planning and adaptation of policy guidelines related to CHMIS.

4. Capacity development support on CHMIS at National, State and county levels

• Assist in review of national capacity to monitor the health situation and report on it

• Assist in capacity development initiatives for State and County health department and partners’ staff and other UNICEF colleagues in integrated community health information management

• Organize as appropriate learning and knowledge exchange sessions on CHMIS technical issues to national and sub-national level staff

• Conduct field monitoring and provide technical support to government counterparts on establishing, strengthening and maintaining CHMIS.

5. Monitoring, evaluation and knowledge management for health information systems at sub-national level

• Develop a dashboard to enable monitoring on BHI programme (using data from the CHMIS) at national level

• Document, analyse and review data to ensure compliance and achievement of the national health department’s BHI/HMIS objectives

• In coordination with the M&E department, build capacities for data collection, reporting, collation, analysis, feedback and use of information.

• Recommend corrective actions and monitor improvement, when necessary, to achieve BHI/HMIS objectives

• Contribute to and ensure high quality of (automated) monitoring reports in accordance with the established guidelines, methods and procedures

• Support dissemination and ensure exchange and sharing of experiences, lessons learned, and promising practices using innovative methods.

6. Monitoring and reporting of BHI activities

• Work closely with the State Ministries and County departments of Health to monitor, analyse, and report progress on the implementation and scale-up of BHI services, the identification and reduction of bottlenecks, and the assessment of programme interventions to reach deprived population more effectively.

• Map out available resources from all partners and clearly identify funding gaps that partners can use for resource mobilization

• Support coordination and organize quarterly/midyear and end of year National BHI review meetings and support subnational MOH to organize mid/end of year BHI review meetings

7. Any other tasks, as required by the supervisor

Qualifications and Competencies

1. Education

A University Degree in epidemiology, public health, community health, global/international health, health management, health research, health policy and/or management, or other health related sciences is required.

2. Work Experience

At least 3 years of relevant work experience at national/sub-national level in community health/public health analysis, planning, programming, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of health and nutrition programmes.

Relevant experience in community health information management, monitoring and evaluation, health surveillance, health assessments/surveys at state and country level Background/familiarity with emergency response, preparedness and disaster risk reduction.

Familiarity and expertise with computer software applications, including word processing, spreadsheet and corporate software packages Advanced Degree and work experience with a Civil Society and UN system agency/organization is an asset.

3. Language Proficiency

Fluency in English (verbal and written) and Juba Arabic

Knowledge of the local languages in South Sudan an asset.

4. Competency Profile (For details on competencies please refer to UNICEF Professional Competency Profiles.)

i) Core Values (Required)

• Commitment • Diversity and Inclusion • Integrity

ii) Core Competencies (Required)

• Communication [II] • Working with People [I] • Drive for Results [I]

iii) Functional Competencies (Required)

• Formulating Strategies and Concepts [I] • Analyzing [II]

• Applying Technical Expertise [II] • Learning and Researching [II]

• Planning and Organizing [II]

iv) Technical Knowledge a) Common Technical Knowledge Required

Knowledge of theories and practices in:

• Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Care practices

• Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

• Emergency preparedness and Response

• Computer software application, including word processing, spreadsheet and corporate

software packages

• Gender equality and diversity awareness

Deliverables & Payment Schedule details

Deliverables (SMART)

Duration

(Estimated # of Days) Deadline

Monthly report, including

• Monthly National CHIMS data