Local Consultant For Developing and supporting implementation at IMA World Health

 

Local Consultant For Developing and supporting implementation of targeted NTD Advocacy Strategy

I. Background 

The U.S. Agency for International Development Act to End Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) | East Program supports national NTD programs in reaching World Health Organization goals for NTD control and elimination through proven, cost-effective public health interventions. The Act to End NTDs | East (Act | East) Program also provides critical support to countries on their journey to self-reliance, helping them create sustainable programming for NTD control within robust and resilient health systems. The Act | East Program is being implemented by a consortium of partners, led by RTI International and including The Carter Center; Fred Hollows Foundation; IMA World Health; Light for the World; Results for Development (R4D); Save the Children; Sight savers; and Women Influencing Health, Education, and Rule of Law (WI-HER). 

In Tanzania, the Neglected Tropical Diseases Control Program (NTDCP) leads implementation of Act | East Program activities with support from IMA World Health (IMA). IMA is a member of Corus International, a family of faith-based organizations working together to deliver holistic, lasting solutions for the interconnected challenges of poverty, health care access, and climate change.  

Act | East works with the NTDCP to adopt existing advocacy tools and approaches for identifying NTD advocacy requests, targets, and benchmarks for success. The overarching goals will be to increase domestic resources for NTDs and integrate NTD functions into the health system at the National, Regional and district levels and Act | East will facilitate two planning workshops and one pause and reflect session. The first workshop will orient the facilitators to the advocacy approach and determine the workshop structure (participants from TZNTDCP, IMA, RTI, and a local consultant will attend).The second workshop will be held with selected participants sitting on the Advocacy committee from the key ministries including Ministry of Finance (MOF), President’s Office, Regional Administration and Local Government (PORALG), Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children (MOHCDGEC). This meeting will support developing an advocacy strategy by creating objectives, developing the work plan, and reviewing the implementation budget. A Pause and Reflect meeting will follow implementation of the work plan and will be held with the same individuals who participated in the second planning meeting. In addition, two high-level and one regional/district meetings are planned for Advocacy strategy implementation. 

II. Objective

The consultant will provide technical support to the NTDCP to advance advocacy activities around NTDs in Tanzania through development of Advocacy strategy, advocacy committee, development of advocacy materials, and the facilitation of advocacy workshops and meetings

III. Tasks to be performed

Provide technical assistance to the NTDCP to develop an advocacy strategy, advocacy structure, either as a standing item on an existing committee or as a standalone group/committee based on the needs of NTDCP, depending on further discussions with NTDCP. This assistance could include, but is not limited to:

• Develop a draft Scope of Work for the advocacy committee.
• Provide technical assistance to the MOHCDGEC in the identification of group/committee members, contacting them and inviting them to join the committee.
• Review context around current advocacy efforts, including identifying target audience (decision makers and their incentives/needs) and appraise the current NTD advocacy situation, understand challenges and gaps in current NTD interventions, supporting review and editing of the Scope of Work for the advocacy committee.

1. Develop clear objectives, activities, and tracking mechanisms, for the advocacy group/Committee. These would be updated annually.
2. Identify influential and experienced stakeholders for the group/committee to engage with, as well as identifying partnership opportunities with other relevant sectors e.g. education.

Strengthen the capacity of the group/committee to implement the advocacy strategy, including, but not limited to:

• Create SMART objectives for the advocacy strategy.
• Create clear “asks” about the key messages of the advocacy strategy.
• Analyze, package, and disseminate NTD data, as well as case studies and stories, to support those asks.
• Hold meetings with National, Regional and Council levels to advocate for the specified asks related to advocacy messages.
• Influence national policies and priorities.
• Draft policy and advocacy briefs related to NTD interventions.

Develop an agenda and facilitation materials for:

• Advocacy facilitators’ meeting (1st planning meeting).
• A workshop to develop a draft advocacy strategy with a wider group of stakeholders while adopting the approach (2nd planning workshop).
• Pause and reflect meeting with the advocacy group/team.
• Facilitation of Advocacy strategy implementation meetings at National, regional and district levels.

Facilitate, with RTI support, both workshops identified with wider stakeholder’s secretariat support.

 IV. Expected deliverables

1. Inception report with the Scope of Work for the advocacy strategy, which will include objectives and activities
2. Advocacy workshop reports:

• Facilitators planning workshop
• Advocacy strategy development workshop
• Advocacy materials development workshop
• Pause and reflect meeting
• 2 high level and 
• Regional/district advocacy meeting)

3. Final Advocacy Strategy, which will include contextual analysis of current NTD advocacy efforts in Tanzania

4. Final policy and advocacy briefs/materials related to NTD interventions.

 V. Qualifications

• Masters’ degree in public health or a similar field. 
• A minimum of 5 years of health sector advocacy experience, preferably working at both national, regional and local government levels. Experience with NTDs or other infectious diseases preferable.
• Experience designing, leading, and facilitating training workshops.
• Training or experience in lobbying, advocacy, and strategic development will be an added advantage.
• Experience providing technical assistance to the government at national level.
• Ability to work independently and move activities forward while collaborating with a larger project team.
• Strong written and communication skills.
• Fluency in English.

VI. Implementation Arrangements

The consultant will work under the guidance and direct supervision of the IMA Tanzania Country Director and will be expected to routinely engage with the IMA Act | East country team in Tanzania, particularly the HSS Advisor. The consultant will also routinely engage with NTDCP through the Program Manager (PM). The consultant will be based in Dar es Salaam and may require regional traveling accordance with IMA World Health travel and safety precautions.

VII. Timeline

The duration of the consultancy will be 30 days, to be implemented not in a consecutive manner from Feb 2021 - Sept 2021.

VIII. Terms for each activity:

1. The payment terms for the activities are itemized below. 
2. Developing Scope of Work for the advocacy committee, which will include objectives and activities and write inception report – 3 days
3. Facilitation and writing Advocacy workshop reports – 10 days

• Facilitators planning workshop
• Advocacy committee strategy development workshop
• Pause and reflect meeting
• 2 high level and 
• Regional/district advocacy meeting

4. Final Advocacy Strategy, which will include contextual analysis of current NTD advocacy efforts in Tanzania – 5 days

5. Final policy and advocacy briefs/materials related to NTD interventions – 12 days

Total consultancy days = 30 days. 

Kindly note that each day is valued at 580,000 TZS. Therefore, the total payment is as seen below.

Total amount for developing NTD targeted Advocacy strategy – 17,400,000TZS/ (income tax inclusive as per country laws)

The payment will be made in two installments: 25% at the start of the assignment after submission of an inception report and the remaining 75% at the end of the assignment and upon submission of the NTD Advocacy strategy to NTDCP and final policy and advocacy briefs.

How to apply; To apply please send your cover letter and CV indicating the preferred working station to tzrecruitment@imaworldhealth.org by no later than 31st March 2021. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. We are committed to ensuring diversity and gender equality within our organization.