Public Health Midwifery Investment Specialist

Job Posting Organization:
The job posting organization is UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund), which is a leading global organization focused on reproductive health and rights. Established in 1969, UNFPA operates in over 150 countries, working to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled. The organization aims to promote gender equality and empower women and girls, contributing to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNFPA collaborates with various stakeholders, including governments, civil society, and other UN agencies, to implement programs that improve maternal and newborn health, family planning, and gender-based violence prevention. With a workforce of thousands of dedicated professionals, UNFPA is committed to advancing the health and rights of individuals worldwide, particularly in low-resource settings.

Job Overview:
The Public Health Midwifery Investment Specialist will play a crucial role in advancing midwifery as a key strategy to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG3), which focuses on ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages. This position is part of the Midwifery Accelerator initiative launched in April 2025, which aims to scale up the Midwifery Model of Care (MMoC) through evidence-based investment cases. The specialist will provide technical, epidemiological, health systems, and policy leadership to ensure that the investment case is tailored to the Nigerian context and aligns with national and global health priorities. The consultant will work closely with various stakeholders, including the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, to develop a comprehensive investment case that outlines the economic benefits of investing in midwifery services. The ultimate goal is to improve maternal and neonatal health outcomes in Nigeria by advocating for increased investments and policy support for midwifery services.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Public Health Midwifery Investment Specialist will be responsible for a range of tasks, including:

• Designing and co-facilitating a national induction workshop in collaboration with a Health Economist and key stakeholders to present the objectives of the investment case and establish a multi-sectoral Task Force.
• Planning and co-facilitating 3-4 national and subnational workshops to support the investment case for midwifery, including inception workshops, coordination meetings, and validation events.
• Leading a situational analysis of the national and subnational landscape for reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, adolescent, and elderly health (RMNCAEH+N) and midwifery in Nigeria, reviewing maternal and neonatal mortality rates and health system characteristics.
• Defining a Midwifery Intervention Package that aligns with national priorities and can be effectively delivered by midwives in Nigeria.
• Conducting a workforce analysis to estimate the requirements needed to deliver the modeled scale-up scenario and developing workforce development strategies.
• Analyzing the enabling environment for midwifery in Nigeria, including regulatory and professional status, gender equality, and system-level integration.
• Drafting comprehensive reports and deliverables, including the inception report, situational analysis report, and final investment case document, ensuring a cohesive and integrated approach.
• Leading the development of advocacy materials and contributing to policy briefs based on the investment case findings.
• Preparing presentation and dissemination materials for the investment case and ensuring effective communication with stakeholders throughout the consultancy.

Required Qualifications:
The ideal candidate for the Public Health Midwifery Investment Specialist position must possess a postgraduate degree in Public Health, Midwifery, Nursing, or a related field. Additionally, candidates should have at least 5 years of experience in reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, adolescent, and elderly health (RMNCAEH+N) programming, health systems strengthening, and/or health workforce planning. Demonstrated experience in conducting health situation and workforce analyses, as well as design" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">program design, is essential. Prior experience in developing investment cases and engaging in policy advocacy within low-resource settings is highly desirable. Candidates should also have a strong understanding of Nigeria's health system, policies, and socio-cultural context, along with excellent analytical, facilitation, and communication skills. Strong drafting and writing skills, attention to detail, and proficiency in Microsoft Office and digital collaboration tools are also required.

Educational Background:
Candidates must hold a postgraduate degree in Public Health, Midwifery, Nursing, or a related field. This educational background is essential to ensure that the consultant has the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively contribute to the development of the investment case and to provide technical leadership in midwifery and public health.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, adolescent, and elderly health (RMNCAEH+N) programming, health systems strengthening, and/or health workforce planning. Candidates should have a proven track record of conducting health situation and workforce analyses, as well as experience in program design and implementation. Experience in developing investment cases and engaging in policy advocacy in low-resource settings is considered an added advantage, as it demonstrates the candidate's ability to navigate complex health systems and advocate for necessary changes.

Languages:
The mandatory language requirement for this position is proficiency in English. Candidates must possess strong communication skills in English to effectively engage with stakeholders, draft reports, and present findings. While English is the primary language required, knowledge of additional languages may be considered an asset, particularly if it enhances communication with local stakeholders or communities.

Additional Notes:
This consultancy position is full-time and will be contracted for a duration of 40 days over a period of six months. The consultancy is specifically open to Nigerian nationals. The payment structure is milestone-based, with specific deliverables tied to payment tranches. The consultant will be supervised by the Technical Specialist for Reproductive and Maternal Health at the UNFPA country office, with technical guidance provided by designated UNFPA technical team members and regional experts. Regular review meetings will be held to assess progress and address any challenges. The consultant is expected to have minimal travel, primarily for meetings requested by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning. Domestic travel costs for activities outside Abuja will be covered by UNFPA according to its established rules and guidelines.