Consultancy Job in Unicef Health Emergency - Lodwar, Kenya

United Nations Children’s Fund (unicef) Kenya Country Office

Health Emergency - Lodwar - NO-B

Consultant: Special Service Agreement (SSA)
Duration – 10 Months

Date of Issue: 09 March, 2012
Closing Date: 15 March, 2012

Applications are hereby invited from suitably qualified candidates to fill the above Consultancy in the Health Section, UNICEF Kenya Office.

Purpose of the Post: the SSA will dedicate 100% of the time on health emergency early recovery/DRR and health systems strengthening in in Turkana undertaking the following:

Scope of Work

Health emergency response

Due to the continued drought situation in the Turkana County and the sub-optimal health indicators, there is need for the Health section to continue supporting the coordination of health emergency based on comparative advantage.

Working under the supervision of Lodwar Head of office and Technical guidance from Health Emergency Officer in Nairobi, the SSA will dedicate 100% of the time on health emergency early recovery/DRR and health systems strengthening in in Turkana undertaking the following:

• Participate in County Health Coordination processes and share UNICEF support with the County Health Team and other sector partners.
• Support the coordination of the scale up of Community Strategy by undertaking further mapping of community health workers, identify the capacity gaps and support creation of Community Health Units and training of the TOTs for community health extension workers and community health workers and actual training of CHWs
• Undertake periodic analysis of the health emergency compare performance recorded against the response by the sector in emergency response and Disaster Risk Management across the county. The data set to be analyzed include routine immunization as well as outbreak data including measles and other epidemics;
• Undertake end user monitoring of selected health supplies- including antimalarial, indicating the number of people covered by the supplies on monthly basis to guide in further prepositioning;
• Provide regular situation reports, on bi-weekly and monthly basis that are required by the office for information sharing and also as part of the resource mobilization strategy
• Undertake field monitoring visits to evaluate the progress to emergency response and Disaster Risk Management
• Draft a final report on health emergency situation as part of the hand over report

Output and Deliverables

Program Coordination, Time: 20%

• Partners mapped by programme and region and resources
• Performance of essential health services in the County reviewed periodically (monthly/quarterly) by districts and partners
• Reports of County Stakeholders forum available and guides implementation of priority interventions
• Monthly health facility in-charges meetings

Prepositioning and utilization of emergency drugs, supplies and equipment, Time: 10%

• End user monitoring performed- utilization reports of stocks available
• Analytical reports comparing morbidity and utilization of the essential drugs on monthly basis

Delivery of outreach services, Time: 20%

• Bottleneck analysis conducted to reflect gaps in health systems support (access and utilization of essential health services (HIIs); cold chain, essential drugs and supplies, and staffing at health facilities, consolidated by district and county

Technical guidance, supervision, monitoring and evaluation, Time: 25%

• County contingency plan 2012 Review the Health component of the County and support the tailoring to the districts
• Availability of seed resources for outbreak response and joint monitoring visits
• Harmonized Annual plan for supervision, monitoring and evaluation visits available

Implementation of Community Health Strategy, time 25%

• Community health workers mapped by partners, capacity and interventions offered
• Partners briefed on the plan and status of Community Health Strategy roll out
• Twelve Community Health Units created, through training of District Health Management Teams, Community Health Extension Workers, Community Health Committees, and Community Health Workers trained on Community Strategy and implementation initiated in at least 12 of the units.

Desired background and experience

The SSA is required to have a degree in Medicine, Nursing or Public Health or a health related field. Holders of a Master of Public Health shall have added advantage. Demonstrated competency in health emergency coordination and response, and also knowledge in SPSS shall be useful.

Competencies:

• Flexibility
• Communication
• Group Facilitation

In addition, the incumbent should:

• Have the ability to communicate effectively in English with others to effectively convey information.
• Proven ability to conceptualize, develop, plan and manage maternal and emergency health programmes, as well as to impart knowledge and teach skills.
• Have a strong capacity to use logic and analysis to identify the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches.
• Operate with minimal support, takes good initiative and have the ability to apply technical knowledge creatively to ensure conflicts and disputes are resolved between consultants, contractors and beneficiaries.
• Good analytical, negotiating, communication and advocacy skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a multi-cultural environment and establish harmonious and effective working relationships both within and outside the organization.
• Computer skills, including internet navigation and various office applications, including knowledge of SPSS and EpiInfo.

Conditions (Important)

Consultant will be based in Lodwar, however when and if required to travel elsewhere consultant will be paid applicable DSA at the prevailing UN rates.

Interested and suitable candidates should ensure that they forward their applications along with their curricula vitae, (internal candidates should attach copies of their last two Performance Evaluation Reports), to;

The Human Resources Specialist
UNICEF Kenya Country Office
Email address: kenyahrvacancies@unicef.org

Please indicate Reference No. “KCO//SSA/PROG/HLTH/2012/001” in the email subject.

Interested candidates should also complete the Personal History (P11) form, which can be downloaded from the UNICEF Kenya website (http://www.unicef.org/kenya).

“Qualified female candidates are encouraged to apply”