UNICEF is a UN organization mandated by the UN General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children’s rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. In Lao PDR, UNICEF is working with its partners to support the Government to realize children’s rights on survival, development, protection and participation.

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, support

UNICEF in Vientiane, Lao PDR is looking for an Individual National Consultancy to support and build the capacity of Ministry of Health in planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting of preventive interventions implemented through health system. The duration of this assignment is 9.5 months starting as soon as possible and the consultant will be work at the UNICEF office in Vientiane, Lao PDR.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

a) Strengthening Breast Milk Substitute (BMS) Monitoring and Legislation Enforcement

The Consultant will provide technical support to UNICEF by coordinating with national and subnational government stakeholders, including the Department of Hygiene and Health Promotion, the Centre of Nutrition, and the Food and Drug Department, to expand BMS monitoring activities in the remaining provinces. They will assist in organizing Task Force Meetings to evaluate progress, address challenges, and find solutions related to breaches of the breast milk substitute decree. Additional support will involve coordinating between government stakeholders and technical agencies to develop an AI tool for detecting BMS violations on social platforms, ensuring timely completion of the task. The Consultant will provide support in organizing training for trainers (ToT) and implementing training on Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) in targeted provinces with high wasting rates and those with existing IMAM programs.

b)  Strengthening Micronutrient Supplementation Program

The Consultant will offer technical and operational support in assessing the implementation status of the Vitamin A program nationwide. This will involve reviewing existing operational guidance, supply chain systems, and monitoring and reporting mechanisms to identify challenges and propose solutions. The information gathered will be used to develop operational guidance, job aids, and IEC materials to enhance service uptake, coverage, quality, and reporting of the Vitamin A program in DHIS-2. The Consultant will also support salt producers and food inspectors in using a developed monitoring tool for ensuring quality assurance and control of national salt iodization legislation. Furthermore, they will coordinate and organize Task Force Meetings for the Universal Salt Iodization Program to discuss progress, challenges, and solutions related to salt iodization, including the effective functioning of the Potassium Iodate Revolving Fund (PIRF) committee.

c) Coordination support for development of Community Infant and Young Child Feeding (CIYCF) Counselling Package

The Consultant will provide technical support to the government in coordinating and adapting the recently revised global Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) counseling package for community workers to fit the country context. This will require close coordination and follow-up with various Ministry of Health departments.

More specifically, in consultation with the UNICEF Nutrition Team, the consultant shall:

• Support in organizing refresher training of Central Level Trainers and cascade trainings of provincial and district level stakeholders on BMS monitoring.
• Technical support in preparation and coordination of Technical and Task Force Meeting of BMS committee under National Committee on Food and Drug Control.
• Technical support in facilitating coordination meetings to develop new AI based monitoring tools to report violations of unethical promotion and marketing of BMS products in social media and platforms.
• Joint monitoring & supervision visits of salt factories to strengthen quality assurance and quality control process of salt iodization.
• Technical support in the preparation and coordination of Task Force Meeting of USI committee to review progress, challenges and way forward of salt iodization program
• Provide technical support in developing guidance on growth monitoring and for reviewing the DHIS-2 data (quarterly) for interpreting, deliberation and provide strategic recommendations to improve IYCF counselling services in target districts of 10 priority provinces.
• Enhance the capacity of LSPG and PIRF committee members in procurement and supply chain management of KIO3 to strengthen QA and QC in the salt iodization process.
• Coordinate and plan learning visit of government stakeholders to learn and adopt some good practices on efficient PIRF management system, govt tax exemption and allocation of funding for USI program etc.
• To provide technical support in organizing Training of Trainers (ToT) on IYCF and support cascading IYCF trainings for frontline workers and Village Health Volunteers in targeted districts.
• Support for coordination meetings with staffs of Center of Nutrition and Center for Health Statistic Institution (CHSI) to review and discuss the development of C- IYCF counselling package
• Coordinate and provide support for field testing of tools and the IYCF counseling package to integrate stakeholder feedback and operational assistance in organizing central-level Training of Trainers (ToT).

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

Qualification and experience:

• Master’s degree in medical doctor with preferably Public Health background or similar qualification.
• At least 10 years of proven experience of working with government health system and good understanding of nutrition specific interventions in the Lao context.

Knowledge and skills:

• Proven knowledge and experience of implementing nutrition preventive interventions through the health system.
• Good understanding on the global guidance of international code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitute act.
• Experience of implementation of nutrition specific programmes like Infant & Young Child Feeding, micronutrient supplementation and Universal Salt Iodization (USI) programme of Lao PDR
• In-depth understanding and knowledge of the government internal process and administrative procedures related to the nutrition programme
• Strong Lao language skills
• Excellent written and spoken English, an advantage.

Submission of applications:

Interested candidates are kindly requested to apply and upload the following documents:

• Letter of Interest (cover letter)
• CV or Resume
• Performance evaluation reports or references of similar consultancy assignments (if available)
• Financial proposal: All-inclusive lump-sum cost including medical insurance with medivac, travel and accommodation cost for this assignment as per work assignment.

Assessment Criteria:

1. Technical Evaluation (minimum 50 and maximum 80 Points) 75 points

The passing mark of the technical evaluation 60 points

1. Degree/ Education in ……… (15 points)

• Medical doctor with preferably Public Health background or similar qualification
• Strong interpersonal communication, persuasion, and training skills

2. Knowledge of …….. (20 points)

• Familiar with global guidance of international code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitute act.
• Good understanding of nutrition specific programmes like Infant & Young Child Feeding, micronutrient supplementation and Universal Salt Iodization (USI) programme of Lao PDR
• In-depth understanding and knowledge of the government internal process and administrative procedures related to the nutrition programme
• Strong Lao language skills
• Excellent written and spoken English, an advantage

3. Experience in…….. (20 points)

• At least 10 years of proven experience of working with government health system and good understanding of nutrition specific interventions in the Lao context.
  • Past experience of implementation of Breast Milk Substitute (BMS) monitoring and USI monitoring would be added advantage.
  • Familiar with innovative and technology-based applications to monitor nutrition programmes.

4. Quality of past work (e.g. understanding, methodology) (20 points)
   1. Assessment of previous work including good organization skills including advocacy and dialoging skills with the government officials at decision making levels
   2. Reference checks

B) Financial Proposal (maximum 50 and minimum 20 Points) 25 points

The maximum number of points shall be allotted to the lowest Financial Proposal that is opened /evaluated and compared among those technical qualified candidates who have attained a minimum 60 points score in the technical evaluation. Other Financial Proposals will receive points in inverse proportion to the lowest price.

The Contract shall be awarded to candidate obtaining the highest combined technical and financial scores, subject to the satisfactory result of the verification interview.

Please find the TOR here:  Terms of Reference – National Consultant_HR002 TMS.pdf

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

View our competency framework at here

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

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.