Mozambique External Consultant, USAID Enhancing Nutrition Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning in the Health Sector (NuMERAL) Activity

Job Description

Objective:

• To provide technical assistance to USAID Mozambique to strengthen nutrition-related monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning by conducting an analysis on how nutrition indicators are monitored, collected, analyzed, and used within USAID Mozambique integrated health activities.

Period of Performance:

• June 2024 through September 2024

The USAID Enhancing Nutrition Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning in the Health Sector (NuMERAL) Activity is designed to fill evidence gaps to improve nutrition and early childhood development outcomes for activities implemented through health systems and ensure that local entities are strategically engaged to design, implement, disseminate, and use such evidence to strengthen nutrition policies and programs.

NuMERAL supports local research, monitoring, and evaluation, and its translation to inform country-level and cross-national learning, collaboration, and action across three focus areas: (1) mainstreaming nutrition in reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health (RMNCAH) policies and services; (2) integrating responsive caregiving and opportunities for early learning into nutrition policies and programs; and (3) improving assessment and prevention of micronutrient deficiencies and anemia. The activity is underpinned by four Intermediate Results (IRs): IR 1 - Increased local partners’ leadership and strategic partnerships; IR 2 - Strengthened and expanded evidence base for implementation; IR 3 - Evidence translated for learning, cross-country sharing, and utilization; and IR 4 - Optimized monitoring, evaluation, and information systems in nutrition and early childhood development.

In support of IR 4, NuMERAL has set aside PY1 core-funding to provide MEL technical assistance to select USAID Missions. USAID Washington and Missions have often noted that nutrition interventions in USAID integrated health activities are not measured or monitored in ways that make understanding the program’s nutrition outcomes very straightforward. It is important for USAID to better understand nutrition-related investments, particularly in integrated health activities. Therefore, USAID Washington has put aside core funds to help Missions explore this further with NuMERAL.

USAID Mozambique has expressed interest in an analysis of how nutrition indicators are monitored, reported, and used within the Mission’s integrated health activities. In addition to USAID Mozambique, this analysis will also be conducted for USAID Malawi. While USAID Mozambique will receive country-specific deliverables from this analysis (please see below), findings from all countries will be consolidated, summarized, and shared with USAID Washington. Upon finalization, a final joint webinar may also be conducted in PY2 (October 2024-September 2025) with all participating USAID Missions (or all Nutrition Priority and Strategic Support countries) to facilitate cross-learning.

The Consultant will work with the NuMERAL team and conduct an analysis of how nutrition indicators are monitored, collected, analyzed, and used within two current USAID Mozambique integrated health activities: Transform Nutrition and Alcançar. This activity will include virtual and in-country engagement.

The analysis will include how USAID Mozambique collects, analyzes, and uses nutrition-related data that are prioritized by the Government of Mozambique at various levels of the health system. Key questions that this analysis will address include:

1. How can USAID Mozambique ensure that nutrition interventions within integrated health activities are effectively measured, collected, analyzed, and used to support an enhanced understanding of the activities’ nutrition outcomes?
2. What nutrition [and possibly ECD, TBC by USAID Mozambique] indicators are of mutual interest to USAID Mozambique and the Government of Mozambique, and are prioritized in national nutrition polices and plans? Based on this, what indicators should USAID Mozambique prioritize for inclusion in future health programming?
3. How do the various health system levels check for data quality? How do community-level data systems play a role, given that many nutrition interventions are implemented at this level with limited standard tools and reporting systems? (Note: Facility level data is collected and collated at the district level and then sent to the province, who uploads into SISMA. Facilities report all data by the 20^th of each month. There are limited community level data systems. UpSCALE, an app-based platform for use by community health workers, is in the process of being launched and includes nutrition. Data from UpSCALE is being integrated into SISMA, but this is not yet complete.)

Proposed tasks for this analysis include:

1. o/a June 14: Conduct a comprehensive review of existing documents (inclusive of Transform Nutrition and Alcançar documentation, such as work plans, AMELPs, and other resources as relevant), reports, national policies, and strategies, national monitoring and evaluation plans and frameworks to understand current practices and challenges with nutrition monitoring and reporting.
2. o/a June 20: Develop a list of stakeholders from USAID Mozambique Implementing Partners (IPs) and Government of Mozambique stakeholders to engage.
3. o/a June 24: Develop protocol that includes data collection plan, data collection guides and tools that will assess how nutrition-related data are collected, analyzed, and used in Mozambique.
4. July 2: Incorporate USAID feedback in the protocol and tools if needed
5. o/a July 15-26 Conduct Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) with USAID Mozambique IPs and Government Stakeholders at National and Sub-National levels to gather information on the collection, analysis, reporting and use of nutrition indicators along with local consultant.
6. o/a August 7: Analyze data from comprehensive review and KIIs
7. o/a August 15: Develop presentation on findings; present to USAID Mozambique for discussion, reaction, and feedback.
8. If applicable, revise and finalize presentation.
9. o/a August 28: Develop written brief (maximum 10 pages with an executive summary and an appendix on the list of indicators), incorporating initial feedback from USAID Mozambique, that summarizes the findings, highlights good practices, gaps, and recommendations, inclusive of a list of prioritized indicators for USAID Mozambique to consider including in future investments.
10. o/a September 27: Finalize written brief based on input from key stakeholders.

Total LOE:

• Approximately 25 days (TBC)

Deliverables:

• A final presentation for USAID Mozambique; August 19, 2024
• Brief that summarizes the findings, highlights good practices, gaps, and recommendations; August 31, 2024

Education:

• Essential: A university degree in a nutrition, public health or social science, international relations, public administration, or a related field from a recognized institution.
• Desirable: A master’s degree/PHD in public health, a political or social science, international relations, public administration or a related field from a recognized university would be an asset.

Experience:

• Essential: Seven years of combined international experience working in nutrition monitoring, evaluation and research. Experience working with health information systems at national and community level in LMIC. Familiarity with DHIS 2 and other HIS platforms. Knowledgeable about health and nutrition indicators collected at national and sub-national levels. professional experience working in multisectoral settings.
• Desirable: Experience working with a USAID, local government stakeholders, or other international public organizations would be an asset

Language:

• Very good working level of English
• Knowledge of Portuguese would be an asset.

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