Senior National Consultant (Finance) at Malaria Consortium

Background

• Malaria is an urgent health priority in Nigeria, the leading cause of under-five (U5) deaths, the second leading cause of all-age mortality, and a leading cause of maternal mortality.
• Furthermore, reported cases, which are already the highest in the world, are on the rise, suggesting that beyond an expansion of testing and reporting, the malaria burden might be getting worse.
• A new approach is urgently needed to address this health emergency. Achieving further reductions in malaria will require a more nuanced approach that better responds to the considerable sub-national heterogeneity of malaria in Nigeria to target and tailor available resources to where they can have the greatest impact.
• A careful operational planning step will be required to convert states’ strategic visions into a detailed workplan, while improved monitoring and evaluation (M&E) plans and enhanced data visibility will be required to ensure high fidelity implementation and accountability against it.
• Malaria Consortium is a sub-recipient of a new grant of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation with the overarching goal of reduction of malaria burden in Nigeria by supporting and building capacity for sub-national data-driven planning and tailored implementation of malaria programs, through a structured and health systems approach while building out stronger state malaria programs that are positioned to adopt and adapt new malaria tools and create a model for scale-up elsewhere in the country.

Purpose of the Assignment (15 days)

• The purpose of this terms of reference (TOR) is to support the generation of subnational health systems evidence to inform planning for malaria in Kano state to strengthen the tailoring of specific malaria interventions and optimize their implementation in the specific health systems context in Kano.

Scope of the Assignment

• The scope of the technical assistance involves the development of the malaria operational planning capacity-building modules and training plan which will be used in training stakeholders and support them in the development of malaria operational plan based on evidence of different high value malaria intervention mixes recommended for different LGAs in Kano state.
• The TA will also support the stakeholders on incorporating statewide “campaign-like interventions e.g. ITN campaign, SMC etc” into the LGA consolidated plan. In addition, the TA will also support biannual review of LGA malaria operational plan and the integration of LGA consolidated plans into the state malaria operational plan.

Specific Tasks

• The development of malaria planning capacity-building modules, training plan and training of state facilitators will be led by a Regional Planning Consultant and supported by a Senior National Consultant (Finance).
• The training exercise, LGA malaria operational plan development and review will be led by the Senior National Consultants (planning) but supported by LGA facilitators.
• Development of malaria operational planning capacity-building modules
• Development of training plan and checklist for requirements for rolling out training on malaria operational planning including TA report
• Training of state facilitators
• Cascade roll-out of trainings to LGAs and development of operational plans.
• Validation and consultation of LGAs malaria operational plans
• Integration of consolidated LGAs into state malaria operational plan including use of stratification information to inform campaign-like activities.
• Finalize operational planning development including training reports.
• Training of facilitators on malaria operational plan review
• Support biannual review of LGA malaria operational plan.
• Finalize operational planning review including training reports.

Deliverables

• Malaria operational planning capacity-building modules
• Training curriculum
• Training modules
• Malaria Operational planning Training plan and checklists

The following tools:

• Planning & budgeting
• Plan Review
• Resource list
• Guidance on use of Evidence
• Training Reports and finalized operational planning development
• LGA Malaria Operational plans
• Coordination Framework
• Training reports and finalized operational planning review
• Consultancy report

Qualifications and Experience
Essential:

• PhD or equivalent experience in Public/Global Health, Health Systems, Health Policy and Planning or related field is required.
• Have at least 10 years’ experience in health financing, health budgeting, health policy and health system strengthening in public health-related projects
• Demonstrate extensive experience of working with Ministries of Health, SMEP, SPHCDA and/or other government sectors and partners.
• Excellent knowledge and experience in the development of data-driven quality operational plan
• Excellent knowledge of malaria prevention and control in endemic settings and National malaria elimination strategies.
• Must be familiar with Microsoft Office suite (especially Word and PowerPoint) and have excellent report writing skills.
• Availability for the period of this assignment.
• Ability to give attention to details.
• Self-motivated, team player but also able to work independently.
• Meets tight deadlines and able to work under pressure.

Desirable:

• Have at least 5 years’ work experience in malaria-based interventions in northern Nigeria is desirable.
• Substantial experience in the application of financial planning strategies in donor-funded public health-related projects is an added advantage.
• Excellent experience in the development of capacity-building modules (finance)
• Excellent organizational, analytical, oral, and written communication skills in English language is required