International Consultancy for Development of Human Milk Bank, 4 months, remote with travel to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

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. 

And we never give up. 

For every child, protection…

The Mongolia Country Office Country Programme is committed to protecting children’s rights in line with international obligations. The programme priorities were selected based on consultations with national counterparts, United Nations agencies, and development partners to focus on areas that need action to achieve child-related national priorities and reduce equity gaps. The programme priorities, which include Health, Education, WASH and CC, Child Protection, and Social Policy, aims to promote funding, policies, and address geographic disparities across the country. 

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Breastfeeding is the optimal form of nutrition for newborns and infants under 6 months of age, and remains crucial for infant and young child feeding thereafter. During this period, breastmilk provides all of the nutrients infants need to grow, and reduces the risk of infection and malnutrition. It also protects against several non-communicable diseases1.

However, sick and vulnerable newborns including preterm and low birthweight newborns do not have access to their mother’s own milk for a range of reasons, including baby’s illness or inability to suckle, or delay in milk production, resulting in increased rates of morbidity and mortality. Infants with low birth weight (LBW), and very low birth weight (VLBW) account for more than 70 per cent of total newborn mortality cases. and breastfeeding is of particular important for them due to their higher risk of infections, long term consequences and death. In these special cases, the World Health Organization recommends the use of donor human milk.

Since 1992, Mongolia has been implementing policies to support breastfeeding, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the International Code of Breast Milk Substitutes. The 2017 Infants and Young Child Food Act defines the establishment of mother`s milk banks to meet the nutritional needs of sick and preterm infants. Establishing donor milk banks is crucial given the increasing number of premature births, perinatal mortality in Mongolia.

1. Purpose of Assignment:

The purpose of the assignment is to provide technical support to the Government of Mongolia in establishing the first Human Milk Bank to supply life-saving human milk for at-risk babies who do not have access to their mother’s milk. The consultant will provide technical guidance and support in setting up and operationalizing the human milk bank.

1. Scope of Work:

The consultant will provide expert guidance and support in the establishment and operationalization of the Human Milk Bank (HMB) at Amgalan Maternity Home, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The scope of work includes the following tasks:

Specific tasks:

• Development of Detailed Work Plan: Create a comprehensive schedule of activities with timelines.
• Design of Milk Bank Layout: Ensure the layout complies with health and safety standards.
• Drafting Policies and SOPs: Develop standard operating procedures for all HMB operations including donor screening, milk collection, storage, pasteurization, and distribution.
• Development of procurement list of essential equipment and supplies with technical specifications: Recommend a procurement list of necessary equipment and supplies with technical specifications for the Human Milk Bank (HMB).
• Capacity Building and Training: Develop training materials and conduct training sessions for health workers and milk bank staff on the operationalization and importance of HMB, including donor recruitment and community engagement.
• Monitoring and Reporting: Develop a framework for data collection and reporting to track the impact of the HMB on neonatal health outcomes.
• Facilitation of Technical Meetings: Provide technical advice in discussions with government departments and relevant stakeholders to support HMB implementation.
• Technical guidance on smooth operationalization of HMB: Once the HMB is set-up at the Amgalan Maternity Home, provide technical guidance on smooth operationalization of HMB and on implementation of SOPs to ensure the highest standards of milk safety.

1. Contract duration (start and end date): 4 months (tentatively starting from 15 October 2024)
2. Type of engagement: Deliverable based consultant
3. Travel plan: The consultant is expected to travel to Ulaanbaatar at least 2-3 times for approximately 2-4 weeks during the contract period to set up the HMB, develop SOPs, train health personnel, and observe the implementation. The consultant should submit all inclusive lump sum fee.
4. Direct Supervisor: Nutrition Officer, UNICEF Mongolia
5. Frequency of Performance Review: Review monthly progress report
6. UNICEF’s Role in Review and Approval:

• The UNICEF technical team will periodically review each deliverable in coordination with relevant government departments. Feedback and suggestions will be provided, and the consultant must incorporate these before finalizing each product.
• Office will provide consecutive oral translation support during his/her visit for the official purposes.
• Consultant is not expected to travel outside Ulaanbaatar. And s/he will not be provided with UNICEF email address, nor ICT equipment.

1. Contractor Responsibilities:
2. Communication: Maintain open communication with UNICEF, providing timely updates on project progress and any potential issues, challenges.
3. Coordination: Ensure close coordination with UNICEF and attend all required meetings and appointments on time.
4. Reporting: Provide timely reporting and updates.
5. Performance Progress Reports:

• A performance progress report will be required at each stage of contract payment (refer to Payment Schedule and Deliverables).

For additional details, please review the Terms of Reference 

TOR international consultancy for Development of HMB_VA.docx

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

• Educational Qualifications: Advanced degree in medicine, public health, nutrition, or a related field.
• Relevant working experience: At least five years of extensive experience in establishing and managing Human Milk Bank.
• Knowledge/expertise/ skills required:
• In-depth knowledge of national and international guidelines and standards for Human Milk Banks. Strong training and capacity-building skills.
• Fluency in English (verbal and written).

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

To view our competency framework, please visit here. 

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check. 

Remarks: 

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts. 

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