National Consultancy: Laboratory Coordinator for Malawi Demographic and Health Survey (MDHS) (Open to Malawian Nationals Only)

The overall objective of the consultancy is to coordinate the laboratory component of the 2024 Malawi Demographic Health Survey from training, samples collection, logistics and shipment for micronutrient analysis in collaboration with DHS Coordinator.

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 Future…

Malnutrition refers to an imbalance between a person’s nutritional intakes and his/her nutritional needs. Over nutrition occurs when the nutritional intake of an individual is higher than the nutritional need. Under nutrition occurs when nutritional intake is lower than the nutritional needs. Other forms of malnutrition are Protein Energy Malnutrition and micronutrient malnutrition. Protein energy malnutrition is broadly defined as a multi-deficiency state, which arises from inadequate energy, protein and micronutrient supply to cells in body to satisfy physiological requirements. Micronutrient malnutrition refers to deficiencies in specific micronutrients (vitamins or minerals).

Malnutrition is a major causal factor to human ill-health and a leading cause of infant and child mortality in Malawi. A series of Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) conducted in the country since 1992 have consistently shown high prevalence of stunting, underweight and wasting in children under the age of five years. Stunting rates of 48.7 per cent, 49 per cent, 53 per cent, 47 per cent and 37 per cent in children under the age of five have been recorded in 1992, 2000, 2004, 2010 and 2015-16 surveys, respectively. The prevalence of underweight has shown a decline from 27 per cent to 25 per cent to 22 per cent to 12.8 per cent and 11.7 per cent for the same period. The proportion of wasted children remains unchanged at 5 per cent i.e. 5.5 per cent, 5.4 per cent, 5.2 per cent for the three consecutive surveys and 3.6 per cent and 2.5 per cent for the 2010 and 2015-16 DHS.

Malnutrition is also common among women of childbearing age, especially among pregnant and lactating women contributing to the child under nutrition. Between 1992 and 2010, the percentage of women who are thin, which is indicative of undernutrition, was steady at 9 per cent and declined slightly (7 per cent) in 2015-16. However, the proportion of women who are overweight or obese (indicative of overnutrition) has increased steadily, from 10 per cent in 1992 to 2021 per cent in 2015-2016.

How can you make a difference? 

The Consultant will undertake the following activities:

1. Coordinate with the laboratories that will conduct analyses for nutritional biomarkers. Oversee inventory and shipment of survey samples, on dry ice and via selected Courier (e.g., World Courier), to selected international laboratories. Ensure each shipment includes an accurate electronic copy of the inventory of samples.
2. Confirm that laboratories under consideration for sample analysis (in-country or externally) are enrolled in and have a successful participation in any internal and external quality control programs (for example the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Vitamin A Laboratory – External Quality Assessment (VITAL-EQA) and Ensuring the Quality of Urinary Iodine Procedures (EQUIP) program)
3. Communicate with the laboratories conducting the analysis of survey specimens regarding specifications for, quantities needed, and acquisition of supplies.
4. Provide support to the implementing partners so ensure supplies can be safely kept in a secure and cool room both before and during data collection of the survey.
5. As shipments of supplies from ICF, UNICEF and CDC arrive in-country, ensure shipment(s) are cleared from customs in a timely manner and transported to an identified locked room for storage. Inspect shipments to confirm expected quantities are received and that equipment arrives in good condition. Be responsible for and take ownership of the supplies – confirm  access to the room is controlled as much as possible and make sure that any items needing to be refrigerated are put into the refrigerator upon receipt. Track each item received with corresponding information (including description of item, specifications, quantity and storage condition). Provide regular updates on status of supplies arriving in-country prior to the start of the survey.
6. Conduct assessments of potential field and PHIM laboratories that may be used for temporary storage of survey specimens during the survey, request documentation of freezer monitoring, and ensure that there is enough freezer space in the selected laboratories in order to properly and safely store survey specimens at the correct temperature.
7. Determine where venous blood samples can be processed daily in each cluster; a lab facility or make-shift lab (e.g. health center) must be identified, prior to the start of data collection, so that blood processing can take place throughout the survey.
8. Work with NSO to define proper qualifications of the field staff hired for the survey. Support training of the biomarker technicians who will be drawing venous blood, collecting food samples, testing water quality, and processing, storing and transporting survey specimens, of supervisors to facilitate hands-on experience with cold-chain, of drivers transporting survey specimens from the field to PHIM, and of staff at PHIM to receive and inventory survey specimens arriving from the field for storage.
9. Work with the trainer(s) to get all of the survey supplies inventoried, organized, accounted for and tracked. Ensure adequate supplies are available (including extras) for training, pretest and main survey.
10. Obtain the waste disposal protocol from the safety official associated with the host institution (i.e. PHIM) to ensure that biohazard waste is properly disposed of during the survey.

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

• Minimum of Bachelor’s Degree in laboratory science or relevant field

Work experience:

• Minimum of 7 years of field experience, specifically in field logistics/cold chain for biological specimens.
• Blood specimen handling and processing experience with previous population-based household survey experience.
• Experience coordinating teams, supplies and trainings.
• Demostrated experience supervising teams and personnel.

Technical skills, knowledge and strength areas:

• Knowledge of field logistics/cold chain for biological specimens  and one or more other relevant areas (micronutrients, health, laboratory).
• Knowledge of supplies, equipment, and services ordering and inventory control.
• Ability to supervise and train biomarkerlaboratory technicians including organizing, prioritizing, and scheduling work assignments.
• Must adhere to the UNICEF core values and able to work under tight conditions and deadlines.
• Comfortable traveling to field.

Languages:  

• Fluency in spoken and written English.
• Fluency in any of the local languages spoken across the work districts will be an added advantage.

Please refer to the attached full Terms of Reference  Terms of Reference_DHS Lab Coordinator.pdf for more details on the consultancy and requirements.

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. 

HOW TO APPLY…

Interested Individual Consultant should provide the following:

1. Curriculum Vitae
2. Academic certificates
3. Brief technical proposal (no longer than five pages) demonstrating the Individual Consultant’s understanding of the assignment and approach/methodology to the assignment
4. Financial proposal including a breakdown of their all-inclusive fees (including professional fees, stationery, communication, and other miscellaneous costs). Financial Proposal for Consultancy.xlsx Complete the attached form.
5. References details from three most recent supervisors.

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 visa (applicable) and 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.