Individual Consultant for Baseline Study in Niassa Province

Job Posting Organization:
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is an agency dedicated to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). Established to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled, UNFPA operates globally, regionally, and nationally to prioritize effective programs for women and girls. The organization focuses on sexual and reproductive health, including HIV prevention, and advocates for the holistic development of young people. The UNFPA Mozambique office is currently implementing the 'Health Improvements for Mothers, Neonates, and Adolescents in Niassa Province (HIMNA)' project, funded by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), which aims to enhance access to essential sexual and reproductive health services for women and girls in Niassa province. This province, often referred to as 'Mozambique's forgotten province,' faces significant challenges in accessing healthcare services due to its remote location and low population density. The UNFPA's mission is to address these challenges and improve health outcomes for vulnerable populations in the region.

Job Overview:
The consultancy aims to establish baseline data for four districts in Niassa province as part of the HIMNA project. This data will be crucial for finalizing the design" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">program design and assessing its effectiveness. The consultant will collect data on key indicators related to maternal, neonatal, and adolescent health, including the percentage of pregnant women receiving adequate antenatal care, the number of trained community health activists, and the level of satisfaction with healthcare services. The methodology will involve a mixed-methods approach, utilizing both quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the health landscape in the target districts. The consultant will work closely with implementing partners and local communities to gather accurate and relevant data that reflects the current health situation and informs future interventions.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The consultant will be responsible for several key tasks, including:

• Submission of an inception report detailing the literature review, methodology, draft questionnaires, work plan, and timelines.
• Development of the final baseline study questionnaire, field visit plan, and training plan for data collectors.
• Conducting field visits to assess the situation in the target districts and gather baseline data.
• Training data collectors and managing their work, including payment.
• Conducting focus group discussions and key informant interviews to collect qualitative data.
• Compiling and analyzing data to produce a comprehensive baseline study report with recommended indicators and metadata.
• Presenting findings to UNFPA colleagues and ensuring that all deliverables are submitted in both English and Portuguese.
• Managing logistics for travel and data collection in the target districts, ensuring compliance with UNFPA policies and guidelines.

Required Qualifications:
The ideal candidate should possess a Master's degree in public health, international relations, social science, statistics, population studies, human rights, or gender studies, with a focus on sexual and reproductive health and gender-based violence. Additionally, the consultant should have at least two years of professional experience in SRH, maternal health, and gender-related research projects, including monitoring and evaluation of SRH and GBV projects. Knowledge of GBV data collection principles, attention to detail, and strong analytical skills are essential. The consultant should have completed at least three similar projects in various countries, particularly in East and Southern Africa, and must be fluent in both English and Portuguese.

Educational Background:
A Master's degree in relevant fields such as public health, international relations, social science, statistics, population studies, human rights, or gender studies is required. The focus should be on sexual and reproductive health and gender-based violence-related studies, ensuring that the consultant has a solid theoretical foundation to support their practical work in the field.

Experience:
The consultant should have a minimum of two years of professional working experience in areas related to sexual and reproductive health, maternal health, and gender-based violence. This experience should include involvement in research projects, monitoring and evaluation, and baseline studies. The consultant should also have a proven track record of developing result frameworks for SRH and GBV-related projects and should have completed at least three similar projects in different countries, particularly in East and Southern Africa.

Languages:
Fluency in English and Portuguese is mandatory for this position. The ability to communicate effectively in both languages is crucial for conducting interviews, training data collectors, and preparing reports. Knowledge of additional languages relevant to the local context may be considered an asset, but it is not a requirement.

Additional Notes:
The consultancy will last for a period of 60 working days, with services to be delivered primarily from the Maputo office. The consultant will be responsible for all travel-related costs, including per diem, flight tickets, and other logistical expenses incurred during data collection in the target districts. The consultant is expected to manage the recruitment and payment of local data collectors, ensuring that at least one data collector in each district is from the government system. All deliverables must be submitted in soft copy, and the final report should be presented to UNFPA colleagues. The consultant will work under the supervision of the SRH Team Leader and the SRH Program Specialist, with overall oversight from the Deputy Representative.