🇸🇱 Job Vacancy @ Helen Keller International (HKI) – Program Design Advisor

Request for Proposal for Consulting Services: Program Design Advisor

NATURE OF SERVICES: Program Design Advisor to lead the design and the development of the technical components of a proposal for an anticipated USAID-funded activity in Sierra Leone: Strengthening Integrated Health Services Activity (SIHSA). The successful candidate will have strong experience and expertise in areas that include, but are not limited to: health system strengthening; family planning; maternal, newborn and child health; and malaria.

CONTRACTING ENTITY: Helen Keller International. Guided by the remarkable legacy of its co-founder, Helen Keller, Helen Keller Intl partners with communities striving to overcome longstanding cycles of poverty. By delivering the essential building blocks of good health, sound nutrition and clear vision, we help millions of people create lasting change in their own lives. Working in more than 20 countries – across Africa, Asia, Europe and the United States – and together with a global community of supporters, we are ensuring every person has the opportunity – as Helen did – to reach their true potential.

BACKGROUND

Helen Keller plans to pursue an upcoming USAID-funded opportunity in Sierra Leone entitled Strengthening Integrated Health Services Activity (SIHSA). This activity’s estimated cost is valued at $25 – $49.9M over a five-year period. The anticipated release date for this solicitation is to be determined, but it is expected in the winter of 2024. The goal of SIHSA is to improve the quality of Family Planning and Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent health (FP/RMNCAH), and malaria services and to increase the adoption of selected key optimal behaviors in order to obtain better health outcomes in selected districts of Sierra Leone.

PLACE of PERFORMANCE: Flexible Vendor must be available to overlap with standard business hours in both the US and Sierra Leone on a flexible basis.

Vendor may be asked to travel internationally to Sierra Leone to support the development of the proposal in close collaboration with Helen Keller’s Sierra Leone office. Helen Keller will advance certain expenses associated with travel for Helen Keller in accordance with the procedures set forth in Helen Keller Intl’s Travel Guidelines and Expense and Reimbursement Policies.

DURATION and TIMEFRAME

Total duration of engagement has been estimated to be 35 (thirty-five) days between October 2023 and March 2024; however, this is indicative in nature and subject to change as the assignment may demand higher or reduced involvement.

SCOPE OF WORK

The scope of work will include, but is not limited to:

 Lead the program design, including identifying and selecting evidence-based approaches for improved services in areas that include FP/RMNCAH and malaria.

 Facilitate design sessions aimed at engaging all the consortium partners to identify the best strategies to improve health outcomes in FP/RMNCAH and malaria.

 Lead the development of the technical content, ensuring integration of Helen Keller’s expertise and up-to-date guidelines and methodologies that meet international standards.

 Ensure the technical response aligns with key priorities, guidelines and policies set by USAID and the Government of Sierra Leone in FP/RMNCAH and malaria services.

 Support the M&E team in the development of the proposal M&E section, including developing narratives, indicators, and PMEP.

 Review drafts of the proposal and ensure reviewers’ inputs are taken into account in revised versions as appropriate.

 Gather key resource documents and reference materials for the proposal development and synthesize relevant information for the proposal.

 Analyze available assessments and secondary literature concerning context/problem analysis and guide the proposal development team on gaps in the available data so that all required data is readily available for populating different sections of the proposal.

 Participate in regular virtual/in-person checkpoint meetings with proposal team aimed at ensuring adherence to proposal calendar, checking quality and compliance of response and solving problems early.

 Research and synthesize all available documentation from USAID related to SIHSA.

DELIVERABLES

The final deliverable will be a technical narrative and annexes for the proposal with key milestones and intermediate deliverables to be defined throughout the process.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS and EXPERIENCE

 Specific technical expertise and training experience in an area relevant to the proposal as represented by:

o Master's degree in public health or other field directly related to the program and o at least 8 to 10 years of relevant operational experience in the development field, with emphasis on program design and implementation in Sub-Saharan Africa in one or more areas of the program; or

o equivalent combination of education and experience.

 In-depth technical understanding of areas that include FP/RMNCAH, malaria services, health information, including strengthening integrated health services at the regional, national, clinical and community-level.

 Senior technical or management positions managing complex programs, particularly with community-based health programming, within a large international non-profit.

 Experience in program design methodologies, such as logical frameworks, results frameworks, theories of change, or problem trees.

 Demonstrated ability to lead virtual and in-person high level technical design workshops with a wide variety of stakeholders to gather the information required to develop compelling proposals.

 Excellent interpersonal skills, with a keen ability to interact with a wide range of individuals from diverse backgrounds at all levels of an organization.

 Proven ability to actively engage a large consortium of partners on tight deadlines.  Willingness to travel internationally and engage with people of multiple cultures.

 Comfortable working independently while also engaging with large cross-country proposal teams.  Experience with US government proposal preparation and regulations

SPECIFIC REQUESTS for INFORMATION

Please describe the nature of your education and experience and why it is well suited to the nature of the work described above. Please be sure to address the qualifications and experience listed above and comparable project work.

In addition, please provide:

• Your CV

• Sample work product

• Three references who may be contacted by Helen Keller Intl. These references should be clients or employers for whom you have provided similar services.

• Pricing/Price Sheet: a pricing list for the services that you/your company is interested and able to offer based on the activities listed above.

Please submit your proposal to consultants.recruitment@hki.org, noting the title “SIHSA Program Design Advisor” in the subject line. Submissions will be accepted until October 31, 2023.

EVALUATION and AWARD PROCESS

This RFP is open to all persons or entities that are deemed capable of implementing the scope of work, with a solid record of integrity and business ethics. The award will be made to the Seller representing the best value to the project and to Helen Keller.

For this RFP, price, delivery, technical and past performance are of equal importance for the purposes of evaluating and selecting the “best value” awardee. In the spirit of our founder and namesake, Helen Keller places diversity and partnership at the core of our work.

encourage small minority, women, or veteran-owned businesses to submit proposals.