National Consultant - Maternal and Newborn Health at United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF)

United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: National Consultant - Maternal and Newborn Health

Job no: 585449
Location: Abuja (FCT)
Contract type: Consultant
Duration: 12 Months
Level: Consultancy
Categories: Education

Background

• To provide high-level clinical and technical support to UNICEF Nigeria in strengthening the quality of care for maternal and newborn health services.
• The consultant will focus on ensuring high-quality implementation of clinical components across the maternal and newborn continuum of care, with particular emphasis on small and sick newborn care, functional referral linkages from primary to tertiary levels, and the scale-up of innovative approaches in maternal and newborn health.
• The consultant will also serve as a bridge between field implementation and federal policy/strategy development.

How can you make a difference? 
Purpose Of the Assignment:

• To provide high-level clinical and technical expertise to UNICEF Nigeria in support of strengthening the quality of care for maternal and newborn health services.
• The consultant will be engaged to support the implementation of defined clinical components across the maternal and newborn continuum of care.
• This includes a focus on small and sick newborn care, functional referral systems from primary to tertiary levels, and the scaling of innovative approaches in maternal and newborn health.
• The consultant will also contribute to aligning field-level implementation with national policy and strategy development, serving as a technical liaison between operational activities and federal-level frameworks.

Scope of Work

• Under the supervision and guidance of the Health Manager MNCAH, this contract will be for 12 months to work on key deliverables that will ultimately result to increased access to quality high impact, cost effective interventions for mothers and newborns through various delivery platforms. Key areas of the assignment will include: 
  • Provide technical guidance to ensure quality implementation of maternal and newborn care interventions in UNICEF-supported facilities, particularly small and sick newborn care units (Level-2).
  • Strengthen linkages between maternal and newborn care, ensuring an integrated approach across the continuum of care.
  • Provide guidance for the establishment and strengthening of referral pathways between PHCs, secondary, and tertiary facilities for maternal and newborn emergencies.
  • Identify and pilot innovative approaches to improve the quality of maternal and newborn care, with a focus on scalability and sustainability.
  • Facilitate the use of quality-of-care standards and tools in supported states.

Work Assignments Overview:

• Technical guidance and capacity-building visits conducted in UNICEF-supported states.
• Deliverables / Outputs:
  • Documented mission reports and recommendations for implementation of improved MNH outcomes.
• Functional referral linkage model developed and piloted between community, PHC, secondary, and tertiary care in at least 2 UNICEF supported states.
• Deliverables / Outputs:
  • Documented reports and recommendations to strengthen linkages across the health care system for improved MNH outcomes.
• Documentation of at least two innovative approaches for improving MNH quality of care (piloted in facilities).
• Deliverables / Outputs:
  • Two briefs developed on initiatives implemented in facilities to improve the quality of care.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

• An Advanced degree in obstetrics, gynaecology, neonatology, medical sciences is required. Additional degree in Public Health or other relevant area is an advantage.
• At least 10 years of progressively responsible clinical and public health experience in maternal and newborn health.
• Demonstrated expertise in small and sick newborn care and in implementing/mentoring clinical quality improvement.
• Experience working with government health systems, referral systems, and MNH policies in Nigeria
• Strong analytic report writing, documentation, presentation skills.
• Ability to work with and coordinate a multisectoral team.
• Self-driven able to deliver under tight schedules and meeting tight deadlines.

Application Closing Date
5th November, 2025; 11:55 PM West Central Africa Standard Time.