Equity-based Approaches Consultant

Period of engagement: Consultant will work 20 days between October 1 and November 30.

Project Description/Background:

Save the Children’s Department of Global Health (DGH) is working to strengthen its focus on health equity during the current strategy period (2022-2024). This consultancy will support Save the Children US’s (SCUS) global health equity portfolio, by supporting documentation of programs and learning related to equity; selection of monitoring and evaluation approaches; and equity-focused program design.

With a 2021 annual budget of $831.2 million, SC oversees a portfolio of approximately 700 awards in more than 117 countries, financed by corporations, foundations, and major multi-lateral and bi-lateral institutions, including the U.S. Government. Our network of over 5,000 health professionals offers expertise in reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health (RMNCH), nutrition, WASH, adolescent and youth health, family planning (FP), community capacity strengthening, social and behavior change (SBC), health systems strengthening (HSS), and monitoring and evaluation (M&E). Our theory of change reflects our mission in action: test, innovate, and contribute to global evidence, and use this evidence to drive changes in policy and practice, together with partners, to support high-impact, life-saving interventions at scale—especially where the magnitude of mortality and morbidity are highest.

Description of Services:

The consultant will be responsible for developing case studies (see below) on Department of Global Health programs with an equity focus; identifying tools and gaps that exist for monitoring and evaluating equity in the context of global health programs; and making related recommendations re: measurement that will help guide Save the Children’s work on global health equity over the next three years. She/he/they will work closely with Save the Children DGH colleagues to complete expected deliverables, building on already completed / identified resources and team consultations.

• Monitoring and evaluation: Identify approaches and tools that DGH can use to a) assess the extent to which DGH programs are reaching those most affected by health inequities, and b) hold itself accountable for meeting its overall goals on equity.Package and communicate these so that they can be easily used by a range of technical teams within DGH. Determine what gaps there may be among the available resources and tools, and make recommendations on what we may need to develop within the agency.
• Case studies: In consultation with DGH technical teams, develop three case studies on DGH programs with a significant equity component. These case studies should cover how the program team applied an equity lens both in their program strategies and ways of working, as well as any results related to reduction in health inequities. The outline of the case studies will be developed in consultation with supervisor/ core team, should be approximately 5 pages each, and will rely on written project documentation and/ or interviews with project team members.

Deliverables and Timeline

1. Report on monitoring and evaluation tools and approaches, with descriptions and links, discussion, and recommendations.
2. Presentation on monitoring and evaluation tools for an internal Save the Children audience.
3. Three case studies (to be selected with DGH technical teams) – separate narrative for each, and one presentation covering all three
4. Up to two rounds of feedback by SCUS staff before finalizing each deliverable

Management of Consultancy

The consultant’s main point of contact will be Lani Crane, Senior Advisor, Urban Health, working in conjunction with the equity core team including Winnie Mwebesa, AVP, Technical; Carolyn Boyce, Senior Advisor, MERL; Danny Sweeny, Senior Administrator, Program Operations, Global Health; and Shannon Pryor, Senior Advisor, Family Planning; will be the point of contact on the contract and billing issues.

Desired qualifications and experience

• Experience working in equity for health (may include RMNCAH, HIV and AIDS, WASH, nutrition, SBC and community health, and/ or HSS)
• Familiarity with tools and approaches for monitoring and evaluation of health equity
• Experience developing case studies or similar knowledge product
• Expertise using Microsoft Word and PowerPoint for submission of deliverables