Posted on: Wed 13-01-2016

Save the Children is the leading independent organization creating lasting change in the lives of children in over 20 countries around the world. Recognized for our commitment to accountability, innovation and collaboration, our work takes us into the heart of communities, where we help children and families help themselves. 

We work with other organizations, governments, non-profits and a variety of local partners while maintaining our own independence without political agenda or religious orientation. Save the Children’s mission is to Inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives. 

We are recruiting to fill the position of:

Position: Lead Facilitator (Consultant) Trainings on Essential Newborn Care Course

Location: Kaduna, Gombe, Lagos

Background
Situation of the Newborns in Nigeria: The first 28 days of life referred to as the neonatal period is a critical period for the survival of the child.  In Nigeria, approximately a third of the estimated seven hundred children who die before the age of five years do so in this neonatal period. 

Hitherto, care of the newborn/neonate is an aspect of child survival that has received limited attention. The situation is tragic especially as most of these babies die due to mainly preventable treatable causes such as birth asphyxia, infections and prematurity.

The present situation informs that if we do not re strategize to arrest the trend and substantially reduce newborn mortality, Nigeria will not attain the SDG. Most of these young lives can be saved with existing cost effective and efficient interventions, possible even in hard to reach areas through the existing health system. However, coverage is extremely low, even much lower than in most other African countries.

In order to support Nigeria in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to maternal, new-born and child health in Northern Nigeria, a 3 year improving Health worker capacity programme is being implemented with support from GSK in 3 States in Nigeria. (Gombe Kaduna and Lagos). 

Proposed Approach:

• GSK’s support will enable Save the Children to improve access to life saving healthcare, by directly building the capacity of 5,000 frontline health workers.
• We will focus on improving skills in areas with the highest potential to positively impact maternal and child health outcomes, and which have been identified as gaps through observation at service delivery level and in consultation with Ministry of Health partners.
• In addition, by supporting activities to influence policy change, GSK’s support will contribute towards an overall goal of improving the quality of health services and reducing maternal, newborn and child mortality in Lagos, Gombe and Kaduna states in Nigeria.

Essential Newborn Care:

• An unacceptable number of babies around the world die in the first week of life with the highest number dying within the first 24 hours of birth. Many of these deaths occur to babies born too early and too small, or with infections, or to babies asphyxiated around the time of delivery.
• Studies have shown that many newborn lives can be saved by the use of simple low technological interventions.
• Interventions such as: supporting breastfeeding; providing adequate warmth; ensuring good hygiene and cord care; recognizing early signs of danger and providing prompt treatment and referral; giving extra care to small babies and having skilled health workers attend mothers and babies at delivery and in the immediate post-partum period - can all increase newborn babies’ chances of survival.
• The Essential Newborn Care Course aims to ensure health workers have the skills and knowledge to provide appropriate care at the most vulnerable period in a baby’s life.
• Health workers are taught to use the National Blended Essential Newborn Care Course to achieve this.

Purpose of Assignment:

• To improve care for new-born babies it is essential to improve quality of care available currently at the primary and secondary levels of care through training of medical doctors, midwives and community health extension workers on the Essential newborn care course.
• Three National consultants in -country will be engaged to direct the training (one per state) and ensure quality.
• S/He will be supported by four to six facilitators to ensure participants have adequate skills exposure.

Methodology:

• The lead Facilitator working with other facilitators (including a Clinical Instructor) would direct
• A Four (4) day training for Nurses, Midwives and doctors across select front line health facilities on the Full ENCC curriculum - HBB, ECEB, ECSB, Clinical sessions and Video
• A three (3) day training for CHEWs on the Modified ENCC - HBB, ECEB and ECSB
• The training would involve both lectures and skills training using adult learning methodologies.

The following activities will be undertaken:

• Lead a Planning meeting with other facilitators and guidance for site preparation
• Conduct the Training
• Discuss recommendations for post training and support with MNCH Advisor.
• Debriefing in the states with the State RH Coordinator
• Writing the report.

Expected Output:

• Training Report - draft and final within ten days of completion of each training.

Position: Consultants - Engagement of Consultant Conduct of on-the-Job Training of frontline Health Workers

Location: Kaduna, Gombe , Lagos  

Background

Nigeria accounts for nearly one-quarter of Africa’s maternal and newborn deaths. Despite investments made in maternal and child health services, Nigeria has the ninth worst child mortality rate in the world. One out of every eight children born in Nigeria will not reach their fifth birthday, often as a result of common and easily preventable diseases such as malaria, pneumonia and diarrhoea. While child mortality rates have significantly reduced in Nigeria, reductions in newborn mortality have been far less significant. Poor health outcomes for newborn babies and children under five are due largely to weaknesses in the supply and quality of health services delivered, as a result of limited human resources, a lack of lifesaving commodities and equipment, and inadequate infrastructure.

Save the Children has been working in Nigeria since 2001 and is a strong, recognised and respected voice for children’s rights. We work closely with the Nigerian national and local governments in order to develop sustainable, replicable and scalable projects that bring lasting change to children’s lives and help them to reach their potential. We are currently implementing some of the most innovative and large-scale health programmes in the country and will maximise synergies with these in order to leverage the impact of GSK-supported programmes as far as possible. 

GSK’s support will enable Save the Children to improve access to lifesaving healthcare, by directly building the capacity of 5,000 frontline health workers. We will focus on improving skills in areas with the highest potential to positively impact maternal and child health outcomes, and which have been identified as gaps through observation at service delivery level and in consultation with Ministry of Health partners. In addition, by supporting activities to influence policy change, GSK’s support will contribute towards an overall goal of improving the quality of health services and reducing maternal, newborn and child mortality in Lagos, Gombe and Kaduna states in Nigeria. 

Objectives

• To strengthen the knowledge and skills of trainees on identification of signs and symptoms of common childhood illnesses at the facility level.
• To improve the capacity of trainees to assess, classify and manage common childhood illnesses and malnutrition.
• To equip trainees with the skill to identify danger signs and  refer.

Activities
Two (2) consultants will:

• Train two hundred and forty (240) health workers in selected Primary Health Care facilities in each of the 3 states, thereafter to observe and provide guidance and direction on the management of common childhood illnesses.
• Observe HWs during Routine child welfare clinics using IMCI checklist to assess skills gaps in the management of sick children that present within the facilities.
• Use IMCI Chart booklets to train the HWs reflecting National Guidelines in the management of childhood illnesses.
• On-the-Job training will begin from 1st February to 30th April 2016.
• Monthly summaries of Training activities and report. First report due by 5th March 2015; Second report due by 5th April 2015 and third report due by 5th May 2015.

Requirements
Type of Consultants:

Resource persons should possess any of the following:

• A pediatrician with at least 5 years post qualification
• Health professional (doctor, nurse/midwife) with IMCI Training
• Past experience with delivery of trainings for INGOs.
• Participants should be resident in the state of assignment
• Familiarity with the SMOH or PHCDA an advantage.

Expected Outputs:

• Trainees acquire knowledge and skills to identify the signs and symptom of common childhood illnesses and manage them appropriately at Facility level.
• Trainees equipped with the skills to identify complications and danger signs as well as  demonstrate pre-referral management of the child where necessary  
• A final comprehensive report on the training.
• Report should include training list of participants, checklist; photos of training sessions (at least 6 photos for each training), challenges/lessons learned during the training and recommendations.

Position: Monitoring and Evaluation Director

Location: Kaduna

Job Description

• To assume a lead technical role in developing, implementing, and maintaining effective and appropriate Monitoring and Evaluation systems for all project activities.
• The post will involve coordination with project management and state teams, and will be responsible for reporting data to USAID in line with their requirements, and with SC guidelines and best practices. 

Key Areas of Accountability
Objective 1: Develop Project Monitoring and Evaluation Systems:

• Based on the project proposal, implementation plan, and donor reporting requirements, develop a system for capturing and documenting data and relevant information on project activities, beneficiaries, outputs, outcomes, and impact, which is feasible, practical, and “user friendly”, and will obtain valid and reliable information.
• Develop the projects Performance Monitoring Plan based on USAID reporting requirements and
• Ensure that systems developed capture both quantitative and qualitative information to measure results as detailed in the Project’s Results Framework.
• Ensure an effective roll-out of M&E collection and reporting systems to all staff and partners through training, site visits, manuals, and other technical support as needed.  Ensure systems are well understood and properly implemented by staff and partners.
• Ensure that systems developed capture appropriate cost and financial information to enable development and tracking of value for money indicators over the project, including benchmarking information to analyse programme effectiveness and cost effective inputs.
• Ensure that all tools are practical to use and accommodate different levels of expertise and computer literacy, from community groups, to partners, to project staff.

Objective 2: Implementation of Project Progress and Quality Monitoring Systems:

• Work with partners and state teams to establish reporting processes to ensure that all information and data is collected, documented, and collated in an accurate and timely manner.
• Conduct periodic supportive supervision and Data Quality Assessment visits to state teams, partners, and communities.
• Create a system for ensuring that information obtained is also shared with communities, children, and other stakeholders through a regular feedback mechanism.
• Ensure programming is aligned to targets and indicators contained in project proposal using the IPTT.
• Support Programme Management to ensure programming quality is constantly audited and is of acceptable quality.

Objective 3: Coordinate Project Evaluations, Assessments, Operations Research and Other Studies:

• Support overall project review and evaluation activities as required in partnership with the USAID partner for- evaluation. This includes coordinating mid-term and final evaluations, and supporting donor and external reviews as required.
• Design methodology and coordinate research activities for any project operations research and assessments (HEVA)

Objective 4: Manage Project Databases:

• Facilitate trainings on the use of project/USAID approved databases and software (DHIS2, NOMIS).
• Monitor roll out and functionality of databases across implementing CSOs.

Objective 5:  Institute Functional Reporting, Knowledge Management and Learning Platforms:

• Lead in the preparation of monthly reports for Save the Children Nigeria and other partners involved in the project (including the donor) ensuring utmost quality.
• Design and Develop appropriate information products to disseminate project progress (Programs Review Presentation, M&E Bulletin)
• Coordinate monthly project review and learning meetings with consortium partners and CSOs.
• Constantly update programme management and the Head of MEAL on activities progress and quality as well as recommendations for improvement.

Objective 6: Monitoring of Project Accountability Structures and Platforms:

• Facilitate accountability assessments (CRM, Child/Stakeholder Participation & Information Sharing)
• Design, implement and monitor project based Complaint and Response Mechanisms
• Manage project complaints and response mechanism central database

Objective 7:  M&E Capacity Strengthening:

• Provide on-going support to state teams, partners, and communities to maintain M&E systems; identify skill gaps that can be addressed in subsequent refresher trainings.
• Ensure regular reviews of the M&E system itself, making improvements as needed and recommended, in consultation with managers, staff, and partners.
• Work with the other Nigeria program managers and effective programs team to ensure that the project’s M&E system is well linked and/or integrated with overall M&E systems for the SC Nigeria Country Program.
• Identify the need for additional technical support to ensure effective programme delivery and coordinate the allocation of that support.

Qualifications & Experience
Essential:

• Advanced training in quantitative methodologies, including database management.
• 5 years of direct experience of monitoring and evaluation related to one or more of these fields: health, HIV, nutrition and/ or economics.
• Strong analytical skills and an understanding of a range of methods for monitoring, evaluation and assessment to promote evidence-based learning.  Demonstrated ability to design, commission, and manage assessment methodologies and evaluation.
• Experience of cost benefit analysis, economic appraisal or other value for money methodologies.
• Computer literate.
• Ability to build support from staff across teams and across members, and to build the capacity of others.
• Proven ability to coordinate effective resource allocation to ensure quality programmes.
• Sound strategic thinking and planning skills, including ability to think creatively and innovate and to set priorities, manageable workplans and evaluate progress.
• Strong communications skills (both written and verbal). The ability to analyse complex data and summarise it for a range of different audiences.
• Experience of working within budget constraints.
• Commitment to SC’s mission, values and approach (includes child protection, equal opportunities and health and safety).
• Commitment to support cross organisational initiatives.
• Commitment to team working and understanding of how to contribute.
• Ability to operate within a predominantly administratively self-servicing environment.

Desirable:

• Professional qualification at postgraduate level or equivalent in economics or related discipline
• Experience working with Systems Strengthening programs to support vulnerable children.
• Experience in qualitative research techniques
• Experience in international development

Method of Application

To apply for the position, visit Save The Children Career Page on Simplicant

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