Consultant at Nutrition International (formerly the Micronutrient Initiative)

Terms of Reference (ToR)

Background

Technical Assistance for Nutrition (TAN) is a project supported by UK aid from the UK government, which seeks to improve the capacity of SUN countries to design, deliver, and track the progress of nutrition programs and to generate, learn from and adopt knowledge of what works. Nutrition International is contributing to TAN by coordinating the provision of technical assistance to help national SUN focal points in select countries to overcome gaps in capacity for the design and delivery of multi-sectoral national nutrition plans, tapping into its global hub to source and deploy the expertise needed.

Significant strides have been made in reducing malnutrition prevalence over the last five years. According to the 2008 and 2014 Kenya Demographic and Health Surveys (KDHS) stunting levels decreased from 35% to 26%; wasting rates declined from 7% to 4%, and the proportion of underweight children dropped from 16% to 11%, between these surveys. Kenya is one of three countries currently making progress at the rate required to meet five out of the six World Health Assembly (WHA) targets for 2025, including a reduction of anaemia prevalence for women.

The Government of Kenya has demonstrated commitment to address the nutrition situation by putting in place policies, strategies and legislation aimed at reducing malnutrition. These include, 2012-2017 National Nutrition Action Plan (NNAP), Kenya National Food and Nutrition Security Policy 2012, East Africa Fortification Standards, Breastmilk substitute Act 2012 among others. While these have contributed to positive changes, there is recognition that in order to build on this progress and eradicate malnutrition, there is need for enhanced collaboration with other nutrition actors (e.g. education, WASH, social protection and agriculture). The private sector also needs to be brought on board if further and sustainable achievements are to be realized. Business has a significant role to play in Kenya achieving its ‘Vision 2030’ which clearly articulates that good health and nutrition play an essential role in boosting economic growth, poverty reduction and in the realization of its overarching goals. The 2012-2017 NNAP recognizes the value of partnerships in combating malnutrition under its eleventh objective “to strengthen coordination and partnerships among the key nutrition actors including the private sector.”

Kenya joined the SUN Movement in 2012, this signaling its commitment to undertaking coordinated actions to improve nutrition status in the country. Key achievements since the launch of SUN in Kenya include, adoption 2012-2017 NNAP and enhanced government leadership of the nutrition sector, which has resulted in improved coordination of actors and a more harmonized approach to implementation and monitoring of nutrition programmes. This is evidenced by inclusion of the nutrition indicators in the County Health Information System (CHIS), Annual Operational Plans (AOPs), and Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF). The existence of coordination mechanisms with overall leadership from Nutrition Interagency Coordination Committee (NICC) have enhanced sector wide approach which has been instrumental in overseeing and guiding the implementation of the NNAP since 2012.

At the core of the SUN Movement is the need for cross-functional engagement in the fight against malnutrition. The establishment of six networks with the SUN Movement (Government network, Civil Society, UN System, Donor Network, Research/academia and Private Sector Network) highlights the critical role of each of the different sectors play in support nutrition. The SUN Business Network (SBN) was ‘established to mobilize and intensify business efforts in support of the SUN Movement and to ensure that all people realize their right to good food and nutrition’. It aims to find solutions to end malnutrition through business, markets and people.

In 2013, a meeting with Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of major companies producing food products and the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) embraced the concept of a SUN Nutrition Private Sector Network in Kenya. In January 2015, 10 business representatives met with a view to steer engagement of the private sector in scaling up nutrition in Kenya and an interim Nutrition Private Sector Steering Committee, comprising of INSTA Foods (Chair), Unilever and Phillips (co-chairs) and the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (Secretariat), was established. Furthermore, business representatives under the umbrella of SNPSN Kenya have participated in SUN meetings. Currently the Steering Committee is the sole representation of Nutrition Private Sector Network and is responsible for identifying opportunities for business to support the National Nutrition Action Plan, for advocacy on business engagement in scaling up nutrition and for representing the Network in various meetings and sharing feedback with the broader Network membership. Members of the Steering Committee act in their capacity as committee members in addition to their day-to-day job within industry and as a result the potential impact of the Network is currently not as great as it could be.

SNPSN undertook a situation analysis of the network and business engagement opportunities on nutrition, in alignment with the national strategy, in order to better mobilize business to help realize national nutrition objectives. Given the existing level of interest of the private sector in scaling up nutrition in Kenya and the Government’s recognition of the role that the private sector has to play in improving nutrition, there is a need to further strengthen the SUN Nutrition Private Sector Network in Kenya to encourage further private sector engagement and scale up impact.

It is in this context that the SUN FP requested for TA support from the TAN project to develop SUN Private Sector/Business Network Strategy and support the initial SBN coordination efforts. The TA (National SBN Coordinator) will facilitate the private sector platform, facilitate the development of the network’s three-year strategy and undertake a membership drive to collate and track a set of business commitments.

Objectives

Overall objective

The overall purpose of this consultancy is to support effective coordination of the SUN Business Network in Kenya in order to maximize its contribution to scaling up nutrition in the country.

Specific objectives

• Facilitate development of a costed 3 year strategy and resource mobilization plan for the SUN Private Sector Network (SNPSN)
• Enhance private sector engagement and participation in the nutrition sector in line with the National Nutrition Action Plan
• Enhance continuous learning and mainstreaming private sector efforts in multi-sectoral nutrition environment

Expectations

This TA is expected to contribute significantly to private sector involvement in nutrition actions. It is expected that this consultancy will lead to the following results:

• Validation of a clear SNPSN strategy with link to other stakeholders and sectors
• Partnerships fostered between business and other nutrition stakeholders such as government, civil society, donors and the UN
• Increased commitment of the SNPSN members to nutrition sector efforts to address nutrition challenges
• Challenges and opportunities facing businesses in scaling up nutrition are identified, documented and addressed
• Enhanced tracking and reporting of private sector contribution to the nutrition sector’s efforts in tackling malnutrition

Scope of Work

The consultant is expected to undertake the following activities and produce the listed deliverables.

Phase 1: Inception – During the first 4 weeks of the project, the Consultant will carry out the following activities:

• Participate in and contribute to the kick off meeting with key stakeholders
• Review background material on the SUN movement and the SBN in particular
• Elaborate the proposed methodology and develop work plan for the assignment

Deliverables:

Methodology and work plan approved by the SNPSN convener and SUN FP;

Under objective 1: Facilitate development of a costed 3 year strategy and resource mobilization plan

Activities

• Review key policy documents including national nutrition plans to identify issues/areas within relevant government strategy documents and action plans where the private sector could play an instrumental delivery role, through their core business operations
• Conduct a literature review of existing SBN country strategies in sub-Saharan Africa for best practices and guidelines for Kenya
• Conduct discussions and interviews with key stakeholders (government and private sector);
• To better understand the role of the NPSN
• Identify the major challenges within the enabling environment for business and food market systems that are preventing or could prevent private sector companies from investing in products and services which advance nutrition
• Based on discussions and findings of the above activities,
• Develop, in collaboration with NPSN steering committee an outline of the draft strategic plan
• Develop draft costed strategic plan and submit to key stakeholders for validation. The plan will take gender considerations into account (see gender section below for suggestions)
• Submit a revised costed draft strategic plan, based on feedback received from stakeholders
• Develop an implementation plan to support operationalization of the strategy
• Identify development partners’ priorities for private sector work with a focus on the major nutrition donors, foundations and other actors working in Kenya
• Develop concept notes and proposals to potential funders including businesses for the sustainability of the NPSN Kenya
• Propose how the NPSN Kenya mobilizes companies within sectors/industries which have been identified as having potential for high impact in advancing nutrition
• Deliverables:
• 3 year costed NPSN strategy with an implementation plan
• Resource mobilization plan
• NSPSN toolkit developed and disseminated
• Progress reports towards business commitments to improve nutrition
• Proposals developed and submitted to secure funding to sustainably support the network
• Under objective 2: Enhance private sector engagement and participation in the nutrition sector

Activities

• Identify opportunities to improve the enabling environment for business to increase action and investments in nutrition (in line with the strategic plan)
• Map and assess business presence and capabilities in country to determine the current nutrition-related participation, challenges in delivery and potential gaps which merit additional entry points for the private sector
• Support development of annual NPSN work plan aligned to the strategic plan objectives
• Support periodic performance review to ensure planned results are achieved on time
• Outline potential work streams that could support the NPSN Kenya strategic plan.
• Develop a database of NPSN members (current and potential) to identify areas of support required by business to take action or invest in nutrition.
• Identify new partnerships to address the challenges and opportunities facing business in scaling up the specific nutrition strategies outlined through the activities of objective 1 above
• Organize and facilitate in meetings of the NPSN Kenya quarterly steering committee to review progress and garner support for the strategic plan.

Deliverables:

Detailed stakeholder mapping report that includes;

• NPSN profile
• Database of private sector members using the 4W methodology
• Annual work plan for the NPSN Network
• Quarterly reports on the participation of the network in nutrition related events
• Under objective 3: Enhance continuous learning and mainstreaming private sector efforts in multi-sectoral nutrition environment.

Activities

• Facilitate and participate in joint multi-sectoral periodic planning and review meetings of nutrition specific and nutrition sensitive platforms respectively
• Document successes, challenges, lessons learned and best practices in coordination of the private sector
• Represent the NPSN in SUN Movement meetings and other relevant national and international meetings to build visibility, inform SUN Movement members on initiatives and goals of the SBN
• Continuously share feedback from meetings with NPSN membership

Deliverables:

• NPSN briefs and other Knowledge management products developed
• Lessons learned and best practices shared with the nutrition sector at national and international level.
• Other relevant tasks needed by the NDU/ NSPSN Kenya to support the advancements of the stated objectives and agreed to by NI may be incorporated in the due course of the assignment.

Duty Station/Location

This is a full-time consultancy for a period of 15 months. The consultant will be embedded with the Nutrition and Dietetics Unit for the duration of the assignment.

The consultant is expected to undertake some domestic travel within the country. All travels required under this consultancy will be provided for by NI and/or the Nutrition and Dietetics Unit (NDU).

Timeline

This support will be for a period of 15 months from May 2018 to August 2019.

Management and Reporting/Coordination mechanism

• The consultant will directly report to the SUN Focal Person. The consultant will also work closely with other members of the NSPSN steering committee and NI team members.
• The NDU will facilitate the operational linkages with all the other relevant sectors and stakeholders under this TA.
• NI will provide the funding for the assignment, and payment will be subject to performance and reaching deliverables as agreed upon at the moment of contract signing.
• NI will provide technical input into the assignment and is responsible for assuring the quality of the work being delivered by the consultant.

Profile/qualifications of consultant

• Post graduate degree or equivalent in health, nutrition; business or public administration; international relations; development studies; social sciences or humanities.
• At least 10 years’ experience in international development or private sector development or public-private partnerships
• Demonstrate understanding of the food security and nutrition landscape
• Experience in project management and administration.
• Experience in working with government institutions, public service or equivalent.
• Knowledge and experience in developing strategic plans
• Excellent organizational and time management skills
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, both oral and writing
• Strong analytical thinking and excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to work confidently across a variety of stakeholders and levels
• Experience in Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting will be a strong added advantage
• Prior engagement working with the SUN movement an added advantage
• Strong communication, facilitation and negotiation skills
• Fluency in oral and written English is required

Nutrition International is committed to gender equality. Consultants are required to indicate how they will ensure that gender equality considerations are included in the provision of TA including deliverables. Examples of integration of consideration for gender equality could include but are not limited to; ensuring government departments responsible for women are included wherever possible, gender sensitive indicators are included, emerging data is sex disaggregated, relevant documentation related to gender is reviewed. To this end, NI has developed the following tools in order to help.