Short-Term Technical Assistance (STTA)

ASSIGNMENT TITLE: Short-Term Technical Assistance (STTA) to Strengthen Local Government Health Authority (LGHA) Capacity to implement the Redesigned NPHCDA Community-Based Health Worker Program

LOCATION: 11 States, Nigeria (Anambra, Borno, Ebonyi, FCT, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Niger, Plateau and Yobe). 4 Consultants are need per state.

LEVEL OF EFFORT (LOE): 10 days per month (6-month initial duration)

1. BACKGROUND & RATIONALE

Nigeria’s community health system is essential to achieving universal health coverage and improving primary health care (PHC) outcomes. In line with the National Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative and the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) Strategic Blueprint, the national community-based health worker model has been redesigned to resolve historical operational challenges—including weak subnational ownership, fragmented funding, commodity stockouts, and role misalignments between CHIPS Agents and Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWs).

To ensure successful implementation, Local Government Health Authorities (LGHAs) require institutional capacity building to manage, supervise, and sustain this restructured workforce. This assignment which is under the Programme for Equitable Expansion of Community-Based Health Workers (PEECH), a partnership between Mastercard Foundation and Management Sciences for Health (MSH) Nigeria, provides targeted Technical Assistance (TA) to build LGHA institutional capacity across key operational domains of the CBHW Programme.

2. OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The primary objective of the STTA is to build the operational, technical, and management capacity of LGHA leadership and PHC management teams to effectively deploy, supervise, finance, and monitor the newly redesigned community-based health worker program.

3. SCOPE OF WORK & CORE TECHNICAL DOMAINS

Under the supervision of the MSH State-based staff, the TA providers will deliver hands-on technical guidance, system setup, and capacity-building that enhance the capacity of the LGHAs to meet the expectations of the CBHW programme across the following ten (10) functional pillars:

Governance & Leadership: Strengthen LGHA leadership structures, foster local political ownership, and formalize coordination mechanisms between LGHAs, Ward Development Committees (WDCs), and State Primary Health Care Development Agencies (SPHCDAs).

Safeguarding & Inclusion: Institutionalize Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) principles and Protection from Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment (PSEAH) protocols across all local community health worker operations.

Workforce Planning & Management: Assist LGHAs in conducting local health workforce gap analyses, mapping CHEW/community health worker deployments, and establishing clear career progression pathways.

Training & Capacity Development: Establish structured, local cascade-training plans and competency assessments aligned with the updated NPHCDA curriculum.

Supervision & Performance Management: Operationalize supportive supervision frameworks, setting up routine performance review metrics and feedback loops between PHC facility supervisors and community health workers. Financing & Incentives: Support LGHAs in tracking local co-financing budgets, streamlining timely stipend/incentive disbursement mechanisms, and integrating community health line items into LGA health budgets.

Service Delivery Tools & Logistics: Optimize last-mile supply chain management to prevent commodity stockouts, ensuring community workers are consistently equipped with standardized service delivery kits, job aids, and tools.

Data Management & Reporting: Establish routine data capture and verification protocols to integrate community-level data into the National Health Management Information System (NHMIS/DHIS2).

Community Engagement: Strengthen partnerships with traditional leaders, WDCs, and civil society actors to drive community-level demand, accountability, and program ownership.

Digital Health & Technology: Support the rollout, troubleshooting, and routine use of mobile tools and digital health platforms deployed for community-based reporting and patient tracking.

4. EXPECTED DELIVERABLES & MILESTONES

• Deliverable 1 (Month 1): Inception Report and LGHA Capacity Assessment Report detailing baseline gaps across the 10 technical domains that will feed into the State Annual Operational Plan (AOP) and a tailored 6-month mentorship roadmap.

• Deliverable 2 (Months 2–5): Standardized LGHA Management Toolkits, including customized supportive supervision tools, logistics tracking templates, data-quality audit protocols, and GESI/PSEAH reporting guidelines.

• Deliverable 3 (Monthly): Monthly TA Activity & Milestone Reports detailing completed technical assistance days (10 days/month), training conducted, mentorship sessions held, and verified progress against LGHA capacity indicators.

• Deliverable 4 (Month 6): Final Capacity Evaluation & Handover Report documenting institutionalized systems, measured LGHA management improvements, and an exit strategy for sustainable local ownership.

5. LOGISTICS & OPERATIONAL MODALITY

• Deployment Model: All STTAs are expected to be based in the state of their preference, where they will combine direct embedded technical mentoring at target LGHA offices/PHC facilities with remote technical analytical support.

• Reporting: The TA provider will report functionally to the PEECH Technical Director and work in day-to-day coordination with key state actors.

Please indicate your state of choice in your CV or Cover Letter.

QUALIFICATIONS

QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES

Education

• Advanced degree (Master’s preferred) in Public Health, Health Management, Health Policy, Development Studies, or related disciplines.

Experience

• Minimum of 5 – 10years of hands-on technical experience in health workforce development, human resources for health (HRH), or health systems strengthening at subnational levels in Nigeria.

• Demonstrated track record of working directly with Local Government Health Authorities (LGHAs), SPHCDAs, and primary healthcare centers.

• Specific expertise in designing or implementing community-based health worker frameworks, supportive supervision models, and last-mile commodity integration.

Core Technical Skills

• Proven expertise in health governance, GESI/PSEAH integration, and community-led health structures (WDCs/LGHAs).

• Strong technical background in routine health data systems (DHIS2), digital health tools, and health workforce planning.

• Demonstrated facilitation, institutional coaching, and stakeholder coordination skills.

MSH is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other protected category under applicable federal, state, and local laws. MSH complies with Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act, Section 4212 of the Vietnam Era Readjustment Assistance Act, as amended, and all related applicable regulations.

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