UNICEF recrute un consultant pour l’évaluation de la situation nutritionnelle des enfants de moins de cinq ans (U5), des adolescents et des femmes en âge de procréer pendant la période de l’épidémie de Covid-19 en Sierra Leone à l’aide de SMART

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Please visit UNICEF Sierra Leone website here: www.unicef.org/sierraleone

How can you make a difference?

The nutrition situation in Sierra Leone has greatly improved in the last decade and a half with less children suffering from any forms of malnutrition. This is evidenced by the overall decreasing trends in malnutrition from various national surveys.

The National Nutrition Survey using the Standardized Monitoring and Assessment of Relief and Transitions (SMART) survey revealed positive trends in the past 15 years with a 14-percentage point reduction in childhood stunting from 40 per cent in 2005 to 26 per cent in 2017, and a 4-percentage point reduction in childhood wasting from 9 per cent in 2005 to 5 per cent in 2017.

With the onset of COVID-19 outbreak, national containment measures to prevent and control the spread of infection such as travel restrictions, curfew, community quarantine, and physical distancing have inadvertently affected economic and development activities leading to intermittent disruptions in delivery of essential services, poor access and utilization of basic social services, and retardation of economic and agricultural activities. This precarious situation has resulted to an increase in the proportion of food insecure Sierra Leoneans from 44 per cent in August 2019 to 63 per cent (approximately 5.1 million people) in June 2020 based on the findings of the June 2020 emergency food security monitoring system (E-FSMS). While efforts are being made to reduce the impact of COVID-19 to the health and nutrition of the Sierra Leonean population, it is assumed that the nutrition conditions of the most vulnerable population in the country especially children and women will deteriorate but the extent in which the outbreak has led to deterioration in nutritional status of children and women is unknown to date.

With the next DHS scheduled to happen in another four years combined with the absence of reliable nutrition surveillance system in the country to provide real-time data, planning, implementing and monitoring an effective humanitarian nutrition response during the period of the outbreak has been challenging. It is therefore, critical to organize a national nutrition survey following a SMART methodology to support evidence-based planning and response to the humanitarian crisis.

Purpose and objectives :

The purpose of the consultancy is to support evidence-based humanitarian response in planning, prioritization, and implementation. This will be achieved through collaboration of the consultant with the Ministry of Health and Sanitation and UNICEF to manage the design, conduct, validation, and completion of the National Nutrition Survey using the SMART methodology which will determine and evaluate the current nutrition status of children 0 – 59 months old, adolescents aged 10 – 14 years, and women of reproductive age (15 – 49 years of age) in the context of COVID-19 outbreak as well as major contextual factors contributing to malnutrition such as infant and young child feeding (IYCF), and maternal and child health situation.

Activities, purpose and Deliverables :

• Administrative planning of the survey with MoHS and UNICEF* (Remote work) Allow key stakeholders to process the administrative and logistics needs for the survey Deliverable 1: Survey plan specifying: (1) the roles and responsibilities of key team members from MoHS, UNICEF and consultant; (2) outline of survey events; (3) list of survey resources including supplies for international and local procurement, and; (4) budget ;
• Desk review, consultative meeting with National Nutrition Coordination Committee members, and formation of a technical working group, if needed* (Remote work Contextualize the survey design based on the situation and needs of the country. Deliverable 2: Approved copy of the survey protocol and tools including Certification of Approval from Sierra Leone Ethics and Scientific Review Committee) ;
• Development and finalisation of survey protocol, training materials and data collection tools* (Remote work) ;
• Logistics coordination, recruitment and training for enumerators and supervisors. Ensure competent survey field team members have sufficient knowledge and skills to support data collection according to survey standards. Deliverable 3: Training report describing: (1) initial recruitment procedures; (2) training proceedings; (3) knowledge and skills assessment including standardization test results; (4) list of recommended survey team members who qualified in assessments and their recommended roles, and; (5) pilot testing observations and recommendations ;
• Field data collection, monitoring and supervision. Collect survey data according to survey protocol and standards. Deliverable 4:Field report describing: (1) composition of survey team and logistics plan and arrangements; (2) team deployment plan; (3) supervision plan; (4)  continuous and daily check of collected data; (5) best practices observed based on feedback from supervisors and monitors; (6) challenges encountered and mitigation measures applied, if any; (7) recommendations.
• Data review, cleaning and analysis including preparation and coordination for technical validation. Process data collected Deliverable 5: Powerpoint presentation and excel sheet of the methodology and preliminary results ;
• Technical validation meeting with key stakeholders including report writing. Review preliminary results, discuss factors affecting results, and agree on recommended actions to support survey report finalization as well as overall nutrition programming. Deliverable 6: Validation report describing: (1) the technical review process; (2) key discussion points and feedback from meeting participants; (3) recommendations ;
• Survey report finalization including review of editorial draft and graphic design (Remote work). Describe in detail the survey methodology, events, and results. Deliverable 7: Powerpoint presentation of survey results to be used during launching of the report.
• Deliverable 8: The final draft of survey report approved by MoHS.

Please see attached ToR for detailed information. ToR – SMART.pdf

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

• Advanced university degree in Nutrition ;
• The consultant should have a Certificate on SMART Survey especially SMART Survey Manager Level Training Certificate ;
• Minimum 5 years experience in coordinating and managing SMART nutrition surveys is mandatory. Experience in having led a national SMART survey using mobile devices for data collection is a must ;
• Knowledge in open-source digital toolkit for field data collection (e.g., Kobo Toolbox) is needed ;
• Candidate must have proven managerial/team lead experience, knowledge of working in pandemic and experience in managing SMART surveys in fragile contexts will be considered a plus ;
• Fluency in English is required.

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.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

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 :

Consultants and Individual contractors are responsible for paying any taxes derived from the earnings received from UNICEF.

Application to include financial proposal that will detail your daily/monthly rate (in Leones) to undertake the terms of reference.

Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

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.