Individual consultant to design men and youth engagement strategies and approaches in health

JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc. is a global non-profit dedicated to improving the health of individuals and communities worldwide. Founded in 1978, JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc.  collaborates with government agencies, the private sector, and local non-profit and civil society organizations to identify and implement solutions to the most pressing public health and education challenges.

In Ethiopia, JSI, Research and Training, Inc. has been working to improve health outcomes for more than 30 years, implementing more than 60 projects and working in every region. JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc. has historically managed a large portfolio of projects focusing on the quality, and equity in access to, RMNCH, primary health care (PHC) including community health programs, digital health, health information systems (HIS), supply chain management, public health emergency responses, and social and behavior change.

JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc. is actively seeking a highly skilled consultant to join our team and contribute to the success of two projects: The USAID Empowered Communities Activity (ECA) and the Improve Primary Health Care Service Delivery (IPHCSD) project. The USAID ECA project, primed by Project HOPE in collaboration with JSI, Research and Training, Inc. and local implementing partners, aims to enhance health and nutrition outcomes by strengthening community systems. This involves bolstering health literacy at the community level, capacity building of non-state actors, and fostering accountability across health sector actors and systems. The project also focuses on improving service delivery skills and addressing the broader determinants of health to create sustainable solutions for better health outcomes.

On the other hand, the IPHCSD project, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and implemented in partnership with Amref Health Africa, seeks to expand high-quality health services through evidence-based primary health care system strengthening. The project’s ultimate goal is to improve the efficiency of and linkage between primary healthcare delivery platforms, thereby enhancing reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health, and nutrition outcomes across Ethiopia. As part of USAID ECA’s and IPHCSD’s projects efforts to strengthen community structures and platforms, JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc.  in collaboration with the Ministry of Health intends to design and implement men and youth engagement structures and strategies.

Therefore, JSI, Research & Training, Inc. would like to hire an individual HCD consultant to employ HCD techniques and approaches to design men and youth engagement strategies. The consultant’s role will be pivotal in driving forward the objectives of these projects, leveraging their expertise to facilitate the development of strategies and tools for the engagement of men and youths. The consultant/firm will work closely with MOH, USAID ECA, and IPHCSD project teams.

Scope of the consultancy work

The consultant will work closely with USAID ECA, IPHCSD and MOH teams to generate insights on the aspirations, desires, needs, and barriers of men, youth, and other community groups to inform the design of men and youth engagement structures and strategies in health activities. Besides, the individual consultant will provide technical guidance to apply HCD mindsets, approach and techniques in the co-creation, testing, and iteration of a context-tailored men and youth engagement structures and strategies. This activity will be carried out in three woredas of three regions, viz., Central Ethiopia, Oromia, and Afar regions. 

Objectives

• This consultancy work sets out to achieve the following objectives
• Generate insights on the aspirations, desires, needs, and barriers of men, youth, and other community groups to inform the design of men and youth engagement structures and strategies in health activities
• Co-create context-tailored men and youth engagement structures and strategies for Agrarian and Afar contexts  

Key activities and tasks

• The HCD individual consultant will undertake the following key activities and tasks to achieve the intended objectives:

Desk review of existing evidence: The consultant will carry out review and synthesis of existing evidence, literature, and national documents to explore and understand existing men and youth engagement structures and strategies. 

Insights generation: The consultant/firm will apply HCD approach and techniques to generate insights and perspectives on the aspirations, desires, needs, and barriers of men, youth, and other community groups to inform the co-creation of context-tailored men and youth engagement structures and strategies.

Co-create context-tailored men and youth engagement strategies and tools: The consultant will provide technical guidance to apply HCD mindsets, approach and techniques in the co-creation, testing, and iteration of a context-tailored men and youth engagement structures and strategies.

Work closely with MoH and USAID ECA, JSI’s IPHCSD team in the development of immersion guides, insight generation, and co-creation workshops  

Key deliverables

• The consultant will provide technical guidance to enable JSI to achieve the following key deliverables.
• Inception report which shows how the HCD technique and approaches will be applied in the design of men and youth engagement structures and strategies
• A summary of desk review report on existing men and youth engagement structures and strategies produced
• A report on insights of men and youth engagement structures and strategies produced
• Context-tailored men and youth engagement structures and strategies, and tools co-created for Agrarian and Afar context   

• Advanced degree in design management innovation, social science, health science, and other related degree with HCD savvy
• Have at least 10 years of experience
• Working experience and have a good understanding of the Ethiopian community health system and primary health care
• Experience in conducting HCD, anthropological study
• Previous experience of applying human-centered design technique to design health interventions is an additional asset 
• Provide proof of previous experience of HCD techniques and approaches
• Ability to effectively coordinate with government, NGO, and local stakeholders’ essential
• Analytical and conceptual ability, demonstrated understanding of social research methods
• High quality English report writing and strategy development.
• knowledge of additional local language is an asset.

Evaluation Criteria

Applicants are expected to submit a concept note on their approach and implementation plan and consultancy fee expectation. The selection of the consultant will be made in accordance with the quality of the concept note, past performance and experience, and economic essence of the proposed consultancy fee. The evaluation weight is 70% for the concept note and 30% for the proposed consultancy fee. Only consultants scoring a minimum of 70% out of 100 % in the Technical Evaluation will be considered for financial evaluation. Please be informed that any costs incurred including workshops, travels, data collection, etc. will be covered by JSI, research & training, Inc.  

Criteria

1 Technical approach and implementation plan - 40 Points

?    Comprehensiveness, clarity and appropriateness of proposed activity

?    Implementation plan and proposed timeline are realistic and include all proposed elements of activity

?    Responsiveness to Terms of Reference

2 Capabilities and Past Performance - 30 Points

?    Previous successful past experience implementing similar activities

3 Financial proposal - 30 Points

?    Reasonableness of proposed consultancy fee based on scope of activities proposed

?    Comparative and reasonable lowest price

JSI is a child-safe organization, and the safety and well-being of children is a priority of our organization. We have robust recruitment procedures to ensure that all staff are suited to work with the children served by our programs.

JSI is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer committed to workplace diversity. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all qualified applicants and employees without regard to age, race, color, national origin, ancestry, creed, religion, gender, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, sexual preference, genetic information, political affiliation, or military status (special disabled veterans or veteran status) in any employment decisions. M/F/V/D.

Interested applicants who met the above minimum requirements should send and apply at WWW.Ethiojobs.net.