Terms of Reference for Individual SSA
Position Title: Consultant – Urban programs
Level:
SSA
Location:
Nairobi
Duration:
6 Months
Start Date:
February 15 2015
Reporting to: MNH Specialist
Budget Code/
Justification
UNICEF is implementing a large initiative funded by DFID to increase access to and uptake of skilled maternal and
newborn health services in Kenya. This initiative includes four major components: human resources for health,
health systems strengthening, demand generation and monitoring, evaluation and operational research. The overall
objective is to substantially increase the coverage of skilled delivery and postnatal services and the met need for
emergency obstetric and newborn care, and improve the quality of these services in five counties contributing
disproportionally to the national maternal and newborn mortality rates.
Five counties have been selected for intensive support. Nairobi County is among those selected; programmes will be
concentrated in Embakasi and Kamukunji sub-counties, with particular emphasis on Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital and
Pumwani Maternity Hospital and the lower-level facilities surrounding them. Our strategic approach for the urban
program will be to decongest the two referral hospitals and strengthening the lower facilities to provide quality
BEmONC services. The overall goals for the Nairobi program are to a) increase the availability of BEmONC services (4
BEmONC facilities in each sub-county); b) ensure that Mama Lucy and Pumwani hospitals area able to consistently
provide all CEmONC signal functions, plus essential newborn care services; c) improve referrals and communications
between lower-level health facilities and referral facilities regardless of public, private or faith-based ownership; d)
improve the quality of care at all facilities; e) improve measurement and monitoring practices, including maternal
and perinatal death audits and regular reporting on quality of care. Additionally, there will be parallel communitybased efforts to improve care and support for pregnant women and newborns and improve care-seeking behaviour.
Implementation will be principally through the County Health Department, with additional support from the NGO
Concern Worldwide, which has an established urban health program. A consultant is required to provide focused
support principally to the County Health Department and City Council to get the program off to a good start and
foster smooth and regular communications between government and private stakeholders.
Scope of Work for the Consultant
A consultant is required to oversee the Nairobi County maternal and newborn health program on behalf of UNICEF
during the first year of operationalization, focusing in particularly on technical aspects of hospital-based
interventions. The consultant will work under the supervision of the Maternal and Newborn Health Specialist who
oversees the MNH program. The consultant will be expected to divide his or her time between the County Health
Department offices and UNICEF on a weekly basis, according to his or her judgment.
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Specifically, the consultant will be responsible for the following activities:
 In order to accelerate implementation of the program, advocate strongly for maternal and newborn
healthcare issues in Nairobi County, at appropriate forums and with major stakeholders. This will be done
jointly with the UNICEF urban health specialist.
 Develop strong working relationships with the directors and key staff at Pumwani Maternity Hospital, Mama
Lucy Kibaki Hospital, plus an additional eight lower-level facilities that shall be supported to become
BEmONC-compliant health facilities. Visit these facilities in person frequently and ensure that the staff are
fully aware of the type of support being provided through the four-year project, key activities and
obligations.
 Work closely with health facilities, Concern Worldwide, and the Nairobi CHMT to develop regular workplans
and budgets, to submit these budgets to UNICEF, and to follow through on activities as planned. In the
beginning, the consultant may need to take a leadership role in these activities, but he or she will be
expected to build the skills and engagement of his or her CHMT colleagues and effect a clear handover at the
end of the consultancy.
 Foster relationships between public, private, and faith-based sector associations involved in healthcare in
Nairobi County, particularly in Embakasi and Kamukunji sub-counties, towards improved joint planning and
sharing of data and information.
 Support the assessment of medical supply needs, supervise distribution, and regularly check upon the status
and appropriate use of medical supplies and equipment provided by UNICEF to various health facilities.
 Coordinate closely with Concern Worldwide (on a weekly basis) to ensure excellent communication and
coordination of hospital-based initiatives (CHMT) and community and health center-based initiatives
(Concern).
 Support data collection and report generation.
 Participate in all key activities undertaken in the county under the Nairobi MNH program and provide timely
updates to the UNICEF team. Alert the UNICEF team to any problems or setbacks quickly and advise the
team on how to adjust the program and its strategies accordingly.
 Identify new strategies to decongest the two CEmONC hospitals and focussing normal deliveries to the newly
upgraded BEmONC facilities in the two sub-counties.
RWP Outcome and output areas covered
Outcome 7: By 2018, newborns, children, adolescents and women have increased access to and utilise quality,
equitable and affordable, integrated high-impact health services, especially in counties with high mortality burden
and vulnerable urban communities and in emergencies
Output 7.3 By 2018, vulnerable populations in selected counties with high maternal and newborn mortality rates will
have increased access to and use of quality, integrated maternal and new-born health services including e-MTCT.
Expected Deliverables and Results
1. Improved advocacy and partnerships: Stakeholder mapping report and advocacy plan (detailing key public,
private, and faith-based organizations, agencies and individuals playing leadership roles in maternal and
newborn health in Nairobi County and how the consultant proposes UNICEF engage them)
2. Improved capacity among CHMT members for work planning and budgeting: Quarterly workplans and
budgets (to be submitted by the CHMT but with substantial support from the consultant)
3. Successful program implementation and evidence of improvements in quality of care: Quarterly progress
reports, including data on key indicators and a narrative summary of progress, challenges and suggested
priorities for the following quarter with a deliberate focus on decongesting the two referral hospitals.
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4. Responsible distribution and use of medical supplies: Medical supply distribution lists and spot-check
reports (as needed)
5. Smooth handover of leadership to the CHMT: Final report and handover notes
Desired background and experience
The successful candidate should have a medical training with advanced degree in Gynaecology and Obstetrics and
Public Health with experience in management of large health facility.
The consultant should have at least eight years of experience in health program management and/or hospital
administration. Most importantly, the consultant must have excellent communication skills and the ability to
command respect and foster collaboration in the Nairobi medical and public health community.
In addition, the candidate should have the following attributes:
 Self-directed and self-motivated: the consultant will be expected to develop his or her own work plan and
achieve the results without substantial direction or supervision from others; at the same time, the
consultant will need to proactively seek inputs and approval from supervisors and other stakeholders when
this is advisable.
 Drive for results: The consultant will be expected to show commitment and diligence in ensuring the work is
accomplished on time and with a high level of quality;
 Cultural sensitivity: The consultant will be expected to have excellent culture and gender sensitivity, which
will enable him or her to communicate effectively and respectfully with the many stakeholders involved in
this program, particularly the intended beneficiaries (pregnant women and adolescent girls).
 Excellent verbal and written communications: The consultant must possess excellent verbal and written
communications skills. This consultancy includes the development of several reports and operational plans,
which must be well-written and require minimal editing from others; the consultant is also expected to
communicate regularly with UNICEF and MOH stakeholders and shall do this in a concise, effective, and
tactful fashion;
 Quantitative skills: This consultancy involves the development of budgets and budget reports, which will
include value-for-money indicators. The consultant should have strong quantitative skills to enable him or
her to develop these budgets and reports with minimal assistance.
 Mentoring skills: The consultant should have an established reputation as a mentor and advocate. He or she
should be able to coach various stakeholders in a neutral and respectful fashion, to help them to perform
their functions more effectively;
Conditions (Important)
The consultant will be based in Nairobi for the duration of the contract. A work space shall be provided at UNICEF in
Gigiri and also in the CHMT office at Nyayo House. He or she will be expected to cater for his or her own transport to
and from the two office locations. Standard UN consultancy conditions related to travel allowances, per diems,
insurance and security apply.
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