National Consultant for Childhood Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), Health section, 18 months, New Delhi, India, (Open for Indian nationals only), Req#592866

Working arrangement: Office based 

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

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Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

How can you make a difference?  

India’s health system is undergoing an epidemiological transition, with childhood non-communicable diseases (NCDs)—including Type 1 Diabetes, Rheumatic and Congenital Heart Disease, Sickle Cell Disease, and Asthma—emerging as an important but under-integrated priority within child health systems.

Existing national platforms such as the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD), Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK), and Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) provide critical entry points for prevention, screening, and management. However, fragmentation across these platforms, variable state capacities, and gaps in referral systems, quality of care, and long-term follow-up continue to limit effective service delivery.

There are also persistent challenges related to:

• Integration of childhood NCDs within primary health care systems
• Standardization of care pathways and referral mechanisms
• Availability of trained human resources and clinical protocols
• Data systems, monitoring frameworks, and use of evidence for decision-making
• Community awareness and caregiver engagement for chronic disease management

UNICEF, in partnership with the Government of India, plays a critical role in supporting health systems strengthening through technical assistance, evidence generation, and multi-stakeholder coordination. This includes facilitating convergence across national programs, supporting state-level implementation, and catalyzing scalable models that can be institutionalized within government systems.

In this context, there is a need for sustained, systems-oriented technical support to advance a coherent national and state-level approach to childhood NCDs—ensuring integration across platforms, strengthening quality and continuity of care, and enabling scale-up of effective models.

Key Objectives of the Assignment:

The overall objective of this consultancy is to provide high-level strategic and technical support to the MoHFW, and key stakeholders to strengthen national and state health systems for integrated prevention, early identification, management, and monitoring of childhood NCDs in India.

Specific objectives include:

1. Support operationalization and convergence of national policies and programme frameworks for childhood NCDs.
2. Strengthen integration of childhood NCD services within primary health care systems, RBSK, and referral pathways.
3. Improve quality and continuum of care for priority childhood NCD conditions.
4. Strengthen data systems, monitoring frameworks, and data use for decision making.
5. Support state-level implementation and scale-up through context-responsive technical assistance.
6. Facilitate multi-sectoral coordination and partnerships across governments, professional bodies, and other stakeholders.
7. Support documentation, knowledge management, and evidence generation to inform policy and scale-up.
8. Strengthen social and behavior change approaches (SBCC) for prevention and long-term management of childhood NCD

If you would like to know more about this consultancy, please review the complete Terms of Reference here:  Terms of Reference TMC0002079.pdf

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

Minimum requirements:

• Education:

MBBS / BDS / BAMS with a university degree in Community Medicine or Public Health or Pediatrics

• Work Experience:

Minimum of 6 years’ experience in implementing NCDs interventions at the state/national level.

• Skills:

Proven familiarity with RBSK and NP-NCD programs 

Demonstrated experience in data analysis, report writing, and preparation of evidence-based documentation for donor reporting, as demonstrated through sample of previous documentation/donor report

• Language Requirements:

Fluency in English and Hindi, with excellent written and verbal communication skills

• Desirables:

Experience working with government health departments, UN agencies, or development partners will be an advantage.

For every Child, you demonstrate Care

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility jobs-near-me.org UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

Qualified candidates are invited to submit the following documents via the online recruitment portal, TMS (Talent Management System):

• An up-to-date TMS profile and curriculum vitae (CV)
• Cover letter
• A separate financial proposal Financial proposal templateTMC0002079.docx
• A detailed technical proposal – Sample of previous documentation or donor report.

Remarks:  If the TOR or financial proposal documents are not visible on certain recruitment platforms, please visit our official page Vacancies jobs-near-me.org UNICEF Careers.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.