Consultant – HIV , Care and Treatment at mothers2mothers 150 views0 applications

mothers2mothers (m2m) is an Africa-based global health not-for-profit organisation committed to eliminating the transmission of HIV from mothers to babies, and creating healthy futures for mothers, their families, and communities. m2m’s peer-based Mentor Mother model has proven effective in improving the health of women and their children, reducing mother-to-child HIV transmission rates, and generating significant savings on HIV treatment costs, while empowering HIV-positive women through training and employment. Since its founding almost 15 years ago, Mentor Mothers have reached more than 1.3 million HIV-positive mothers in nine countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The m2m model has been identified as a key strategy in the United Nations Global Plan to eliminate pediatric AIDS and promote healthy motherhood.

Consultant: HIV, Care and Treatment 

Scope of Work
This Scope of Work outlines a request for the services of a consultant to support mothers2mothers’ Department of Programmes & Technical Support (DPTS) in research, conceptualisation, design and roll out of innovative and evidence-based HIV care and treatment programmes, interventions and approaches.

Background
mothers2mothers (m2m) is an Africa-based, global NGO that unlocks the potential of mothers and their families through scalable, high-impact interventions to women and children, their families and communities. m2m’s peer-based Mentor Mother Model has proven effective in improving the health of women and their children, reducing mother-to-child HIV transmission rates, and generating significant savings on HIV treatment costs, while empowering HIV-positive women through training and employment. mothers2mothers programme scope has recently been enhanced to also include universal HIV treatment, comprehensive reproductive maternal neonatal and child health (RMNCH), early childhood development, adolescent health & youth development with particular focus on orphans and vulnerable children; capacity building/technical assistance to local partners for quality programme service delivery.

The consultant will be required to work collaboratively with Head Office and country-based staff, to catalyze and foster innovative and evidence-based HIV Care and Treatment interventions/approaches in the organization and provide technical oversight on HIV Care and Treatment issues especially during the start-up/roll out phase. She/He will be responsible for the design and development of m2m’s comprehensive HIV care and treatment programme framework with specific focus on ‘Test and Treat for All’.

Work to be accomplished

Formative research and landscape analysis
The consultant will conduct a formative research and landscape analysis as a key first step to program development. The following key issues will be explored during the formative research and landscape analysis: What HIV care & treatment and related  adherence/differentiated models of care guidelines exist in South Africa and other m2m focus countries, what MoH/DoH recommendations exist with regards to use of frontline workers and peers in scaling up HIV care and treatment programmes, what HIV care and treatment peer mentorship programmes and implementation approaches and best practices currently exist globally and in specific countries, what services and intervention are provided, who are the key players in HIV care and treatment programming with specific focus  on peer mentor/expert client models? What is their approach and how do they position themselves? What are gaps in current programming and what are the potential partnership opportunities? The formative research and landscape analysis must not only be limited to these highlighted focus areas with the understanding that the ultimate outcome is to inform programme design and facilitate the development and implementation  of an evidence based, highly responsive and impactful programme.

Programme conceptualization and design
Building on the above formative research, the consultant will work with m2m Head Office staff and country office staff to lead the HIV care and treatment for All programme conceptualization and design. Key activities will include:

• Develop a programme design toolkit for HIV care and treatment for All  (including conceptual framework, results framework, programme strategy, essential services package, client algorithms, programme standards and practices)
• Develop  a programme implementation toolkit for HIV care and treatment for All (including training curriculum and materials, standard operating procedures, client management tools, M&E tools)
• Provide technical guidance during the development of m2m’s  Test and Treat module to be incorporated as part of m2m’s electronic client appointment diary (App1) and the community based electronic client management system (App2)
• Provide technical assistance to countries and head office in development and implementation of HIV care and treatment for All interventions and approaches including input into funding proposals

Schedule of Deliverables

• Formative research and landscape analysis  report by August 31^st 2017
• Programme design toolkit (including conceptual framework, results framework, programme strategy, essential services package, client algorithms, standards and practices) by October 31^st 2017
• Test and Treat App module programmatic content and on-going related technical assistance September 1- December 31^st 2017
• Programme Implementation Toolkit including (training curriculum and materials, standard operating procedures, client management tools, M&E tools) by December 31^st 2017

On-going Technical Assistance to countries and head office in HIV care and treatment programme development and implementation In-country experience in Africa, highly preferred December 31^st 2017

Qualifications and Experience:

• Masters in relevant field, including Public Health or other social science field.

• Minimum ten (10) years’ of progressively responsible, professional-level experience on HIV , Care and Treatment issues with at least three to five years’ experience in international or resource-challenged settings.
• Demonstrated technical experience in planning, managing, monitoring and advising HIV , Care and Treatment or general health programmes with HIV , Care and Treatment being a significant focus or component. In-country experience in Africa, highly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to transfer technical knowledge and skills and transform attitudes to improve the quality of HIV , Care and Treatment health services.
• Ability to write detailed technical reports, policy briefs and other documents of substantial length and complexity with minimal errors.
• Strong initiative, self-motivated, self-starter, and an innovative thinker who is intellectually curious and has demonstrated “outside-the-box” thinking.
• Ability to work independently and in collaboration and coordination with a diverse group of stakeholders in a dynamic, complex and rapidly changing environment.
• Excellent communication skills.

Requirements

Travel: Occasional travel to m2m implementing countries. All travel costs will be reimbursed or paid directly by m2m.
Level of effort: 100% LoE
Location: Flexible. Cape Town, South Africa preferred
Duration: 5 months with possible extension