Signature Programme Design Technical Consultancy

Background

Save the Children International is the leading independent organization creating lasting change in the lives of millions of children in need 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.

Our Vision is a world in which every child attains the right to survival, protection, development and participation. Our Mission is to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children, and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives.

Save the Children has supported children in Kenya since before its Independence in 1963 and has had a consistent operational presence in the country since 1984. We provide support to children through developmental and humanitarian relief programmes delivered both directly and through local partners. Current programming focuses on child protection, child rights governance, education, Health, HIV/AIDS, livelihoods, nutrition and WASH. Save the Children has an operational presence in Dadaab Refugee Camp, Habaswein, Mandera, Meru and Wajir. Currently, we have a staff complement of approximately 350 and a confirmed budget of approximately US$15 million this year.

Purpose of this ToR

Save the Children International, Kenya programme, seeks to procure the services of a consultant to take up the overall responsibility for planning and coordination of project design-related activities for a Signature Program (SP) for health, valued at at least £ 5 million over a period of five years.

The successful consultant will lead a consultative process culminating in the design of an innovative programme that will significantly contribute to achievement of Kenya’s MDG 4 and 5 targets. The programmatic model will actualize the continuum of care approach. It will also include integrated package of quick wins, a minimum community health care package and a strengthened health system approach to health and nutrition programming across Save the Children’s Theory of Change. The signature programme will work with the government of Kenya and communities to address the maternal, neonatal and child health (MNCH) challenges in the country in a way that would deliver significant impacts for children and women by the end of the 5 year period. It is anticipated that the programme design will incorporate rigorous and scientific operations research to generate plausible evidence that can inform scale-up and replication in similar contexts.

Tasks and Responsibilities

The consultant shall be responsible for:

1. Designing a world-class signature programme for Maternal, New-born and Child survival

·         Develop, coordinate and moderate a consultative process for designing a high-quality Signature Programme that is aligned to the country’s needs, Government of Kenya strategies and Save the Children’s strategic plan. Child and beneficiary participation will be emphasized.

·         Initiate broad-based partnerships with the Government of Kenya, UN agencies, other like-minded NGOs, research institutions, the private sector among other players so as to design a programme that will deliver high-impact interventions for children.

·         Analysis of the scoping study report and other key government and partner documents, including the Kenya demographic and health survey (KDHS) and the DHIS2 to inform the selection of programme sites.

·         Coordinate the analysis process for MNCH implementing partners resulting in the identification of potential local implementing partners (LIPs).

·         In consultation with the SC technical team, lead the proposal writing process.

·         Conduct baseline surveys to establish programme benchmarks in the selected counties.

·         Determine the staffing requirements for the SP programme with a proposed organogram and job profiles for the implementing staff.

2.      Representation

·         Establish and maintain active and regular working relationships and network with relevant private sector players, government, UN and other Non-Governmental Organizations during the SP design process.

·         Represent Save the Children in programme design forums including engaging with other organizations, policy makers and practitioners to share experiences, skills and knowledge relevant to the SP design.

3.      Monitoring, Learning and Reporting

·         In consultation with the Health and HIV/AIDS Advisor develop sound monitoring and evaluation systems for the SP capable of generating robust evidence.

·         Providing technical support in the designing of operational research, while appropriately establishing links with key academic and research institutions.

Expected Deliverables

The deliverables and milestones for this consultancy are as detailed in the table below:

Activity	No of days and deadline	Deliverable
Joint planning between consultant and Save the Children	1 day (by 10th May 2013)	Detailed Work plan
Review relevant literature and strategic documents including: ·         scoping study ·         Country strategy ·         KDHS and other national surveys ·         Government policies and strategies ·         Other relevant documents from other agencies (e.g. UNICEF equity mapping and business case).	20 days ( by May 31st )	Draft of the project concept note detailing and justifying the following: ·         Geographical focus ·         Technical scope (interventions package) ·         Potential cost-effectiveness and  impact of the proposed package ·         Potential partnerships ·         M&E framework ·         Potential research questions
Organize and moderate the 1st Consultative workshop to deliberate on the proposed design.	3 days (by 21st  June )	·         Workshop report ·         Revised concept note document
Organize and moderate  county level consultative forums in the selected counties	6 days (by 5th  July)	·         Revised project concept note ·         County workshop reports
Develop the full project proposal	15 days ( by 26th July)	·         Proposal document including narrative, budget, logframe, M&E framework and staffing plan
Undertake baseline survey	30 days ( by 30th August)	Baseline survey report
Revise project proposal based on baseline survey findings.	5 days ( by 6th September)	Final project proposal documents as above.

Support to be provided by Save the Children

Save the Children will provide the following support towards the successful execution of this consultancy:

1)     Avail relevant internal documents including thematic strategies and the scoping study report that the consultant might require

2)     A public health intern to assist in logistical assignments.

3)     Pay consultant’s fees

Timeframe

The consultancy will be for 80 days to be spread between May and September 2013.

Conditions of Work

The consultancy will be coordinated from Save the Children Nairobi office. Save the Children will facilitate the consultant’s travel from Nairobi to the field office and survey areas.  Save the Children will as well provide administrative and logistical support to ensure smooth implementation of the consultancy. The consultant will be required to abide by the organization’s applicable rules and regulations, including the code of conduct and child safeguarding policy.

Reporting and Supervision

Technical supervision of the consultant will be provided by the Country Health and HIV/AIDS Advisor.

Consultant’s Profile

As a requirement, Save the Children expects that this consultancy will be undertaken by a team composed of experts in the following technical areas: MNCH, Monitoring &Evaluation and Health economics. The lead consultant should be a Medical Doctor with postgraduate qualification in Public Health. A post-graduate qualification in pediatrics with hands on public health experience will also be considered.

The team together should bring the following skills and expertise:

·         Extensive experience in programming in the area of maternal, newborn and child health and nutrition preferably in a donor-funded programme context. Experience in managing a multi-year high-value grant is most desirable.

·         Minimum of 8 years of experience of managing the project cycle, including assessments, project design, proposal and report writing, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

·         Excellent planning, coordination, and reporting skills, with the ability to organize and manage substantial workload. Experience of working with and coordinating with multiple stakeholders including the government required.

·         Highly developed research, analytical, monitoring and evaluation, and report-writing abilities;

·         Strong, demonstrable skills in budgeting;

·         Strong communication, people management and interpersonal skills, with experience in leading multicultural, multi-location, values driven teams;

·         Computer literacy, particularly in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint;

·         Commitment to Save the Children’s Child Safeguarding and other global policies, and values.

·         Excellent understanding of child rights programming.

Expression of Interest

All interested consultants/firms are requested to write an expression of interest by:

1)     Explaining their competences to meet the requirements of the assignment.

2)     Provide a detailed budget in Kenya Shillings indicating daily professional rates.

3)     Provide evidence of similar work undertaken in the recent past (not more than 3 years)

How to Apply

Please send your application by email to: Kenya.jobapplications@savethechildren.org with a copy to jack.onyando@savethechildren.org

Please indicate ‘SIGNATURE PROGRAMME TECHNICAL CONSULTANT’’ as the subject heading.

Application deadline: Monday 3rd May  2013, 5.00pm.

Any canvassing will lead to automatic disqualification.