JOB DESCRIPTION

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

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, an advocate.

In Nigeria, UNICEF works in a complex humanitarian and development setting to fulfill and protect children”s rights in partnership with the government, civil society, children, and families.  UNICEF Nigeria is one of the largest UNICEF Country Offices globally – click the link to learn more about UNICEF in Nigeria: https://www.unicef.org/nigeria/

Background:

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, leaving no one behind. In partnership with the government and other stakeholders, UNICEF aims to deliver good quality nutrition services at scale, to build resilience and protect the most vulnerable, particularly during the First 1000 Days of Life, from pregnancy to when a child is two years of age. Currently, Nigeria is off track to achieving the nutrition targets of the World Health Assembly 2025 and the Sustainable Development Goals 2030. The focus, in keeping with UNICEF Nigeria’s new Country Programme Strategy (2023-2027), is to (i) strengthen the enabling environment, including data, to inform policy and programming; (ii) strengthen systems, especially the health, food and social protection system to deliver high-quality services; and (iii) address social and behavioural practices that influence diets and practices.

The Child Nutrition and Development programme supports the government to implement high-impact nutrition interventions through the health, food and social protection systems in an integrated fashion and at scale in both emergency and development contexts. Over the years, coverage and scale of interventions such as micronutrient supplementation for children and pregnant women, treatment of acute malnutrition, and nutrition counselling have increased significantly. Currently, UNICEF is supporting the government to roll out the Nigeria Health Logistics Management Information System (NHLMIS) as well as the District Health Information Management System (DHIS 2) for routine data collection.

How can you make a difference?

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

UNICEF seeks to hire a systems strengthening consultant to support the implementation of key activities as part of the acceleration plan for 2025. This will ensure the implementation of key interventions under the systems strengthening output.

Under the overall guidance of the Nutrition Manager – System Strengthening Abuja, the consultant will,

• Provide sound technical support for the integration and delivery of nutrition services (prevention and treatment) at the national and sub-national levels.
• Strengthen national capacity for quantification, forecasting, delivery and reporting of nutrition commodities at the national and sub-national level.
• Provide support to the nutrition programme through efficient management of organizational resources and monitoring of results

Expected Results:

The consultant will contribute to the following system strengthening results;

 

1. Draft and finalize MNCHW Round 1 Report (including data validation)

 

2. Round 2 of Maternal Newborn and Child Health Week (MNCHW) conducted across all 36+1 states, with improved integration (bundling of services)

 

3. Multiple micronutrient supplements are incorporated into national and state-level implementation plans and state annual operational plans.

 

4. At least ten states have the capacity and use the Nigeria Health Logistics Management Information System to report on nutrition commodities.

 

5. DHIS-2 campaign module deployed at the national level and all 36 states + FCT.

 

Scope of work

 

The consultant will undertake key activities as outlined below (but not be limited by them).

 

Round 2 of Maternal Newborn and Child Health Week (MNCHW) conducted across all 36+1 states, with improved integration (bundling of services)

 

• Facilitate the delivery of Vitamin A Capsules (VAC) and Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS) commodities to all states of the federation.
• Facilitate the implementation of the 2025 round II bi-annual MNCHW.
• Initiate the procurement and freight of Vitamin A Capsules
• Track VAC/MMS commodities for round II MNCHW implementation.
• Review the overall monitoring plan and make recommendations for MNCHW round II.

Multiple micronutrient supplements are incorporated into national and state-level implementation plans and state annual operational plans.

 

• Support the finalization process of the national MMS scale-up road map development and costing of MMS.
• Facilitate state-level roadmap domestication and costing with a focus on states with existing resources.
• Support the capacity strengthening of health workers on MMS integration and service delivery.

 

At least ten states have the capacity and use the Nigeria Health Logistics Management Information System to report on nutrition commodities.

• Facilitate NHLIMS operational needs assessment and support addressing the gaps to enhance operationalization.
• Facilitate national forecasting and quantification exercise for nutrition commodities (Vitamin A capsule, MMS, Deworming, RUTF, etc) for the year 2026.

DHIS-2 campaign module deployed at the national level and all 36 states + FCT.

• Facilitate reporting of nutrition service delivery (Campaign and Routine) through DHIS-2
• Facilitate the finalization and dissemination of revised NHIMS tools to the sub-national level.
• Lead the coordination of partners to support the government in the printing and dissemination of the revised NHLIMS.

Deliverables

1.

• MNCHW round 1 data validation conducted.
• MMS costed roadmap finalized.
• At least five targeted states have developed their costed road map and implementation plans.
• Second round distribution of MMS and VACs completed.

Timeline:

August – September 2025

2.

• Third-party and federal monitors recruited, trained and deployed for MNCHW round 2.
• Monitoring of MNCHW conducted using the online platform and DHIS 2.
• NHLMIS rolled out in at least ten targeted states.

Timeline:

October-November 2025

3.

• Needs assessment for IT equipment conducted and equipment procured.
• National forecasting and quantification exercise for nutrition commodities done.
• Government staff trained on the NLMIS

Timeline:

December 2025 – January 2026

4.

• MNCHW round 2 data validation conducted.
• Ten states using the NLHMIS for supply monitoring.
• End of assignment report submitted.

Timeline:

February -March 2026

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

Minimum requirements:

Education:

• A bachelor’s degree in public health nutrition/public health or project management or any field relevant to global health

Experience:

• A minimum of five years’ progressively responsible professional work experience relevant to implementation of national/international development programmes.
• Experience working in public health/food security/nutrition-related activities.
• Experience identifying and defining nutrition issues/problems within a country.
• Experience in both development and humanitarian contexts is an added advantage.
• Experience in health/nutrition program/project development, especially within a UN system agency or organization, is an asset.
• Proficiency in MS Excel, PowerPoint and Word
• Experience in Nigeria’s Health System
• Experience in project management
• A master’s degree will be an advantage.

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.

Applicants must submit their financial and technical proposals along with this application. Applications without these will not be considered. Use this form to provide your financial proposal. 

 All-Inclusive Financial Proposal Form-Current.docx

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.

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements