National Database development (NIS) consultant, Kabul, Afghanistan, 7.5 months (Home Based)

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The purpose of this assignment is to strengthen the Nutrition Information System (NIS) in Afghanistan by integrating key nutrition indicators into the District Health Information Software 2 (DHIS2) platform and vice versa, ensuring widespread accessibility for national and international nutrition implementing partners. The assignment involves documenting NIS data standards, workflow process, and access protocols, as well as developing guidelines for data use and analysis to support nutrition managers at national and sub-national levels. Additionally, it aims to clarify roles, and accountabilities, review existing data sources to eliminate duplication, and integrate a plausibility component of community-based surveillance to improve data quality. Furthermore, it aims to revise the current IMAM reporting module as per the new WHO IMAM guideline and modification of field monitoring tools/modules. The assignment includes expanding the monitoring and supply features of nutrition dashboard, enhancing the online nutrition database, and developing modules to integrate data from various sources, such as HMIS and health facility registries. The consultant will be responsible for creating, testing, and maintaining databases to ensure efficient data retrieval and usability.

Below are the proposed deliverables aimed to transform the NIS into a centralized, user-friendly, and interoperable platform that empowers nutrition partners to analyze and interpret data from multiple sources seamlessly. Key action areas include:

1. Nutrition Information System is upgraded:

2. Nutrition Data Integrated and Automated

3. Interactive Nutrition Dashboard Developed:

4. Capacity of the implementing partners and field staff developed

Scope of Work:

High-quality nutrition data is the cornerstone of evidence-based decision-making, empowering UNICEF and its partners to design, implement, monitor, and coordinate impactful nutrition programs. To this end, UNICEF has championed the development of an online Nutrition Information System (NIS), a dynamic platform that provides real-time access to programmatic, surveillance, and field monitoring data. Over the years, UNICEF has invested in building the capacity of implementing partners to utilize this system for reporting, monitoring and supply chain management, laying a strong foundation for data-driven interventions.

However, as the Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (IMAM) guidelines undergo revision, there is an urgent need to align the NIS’s IMAM module and field monitoring components with these updates. Furthermore, the absence of a plausibility check mechanism within the sentinel-based surveillance system limits the field teams’ ability to ensure the quality of household-level sentinel sites’ data. This gap underscores the need to embed a robust quality assurance component (using SMARY methodology) into the surveillance system, enabling field teams to independently and efficiently verify data accuracy.

Additionally, the current system lacks semi-automated tools for causal analysis and data synthesis, which are critical for informed decision-making. The supply component of the system also requires simplification and better documentation to enhance usability and efficiency.

Impact:

By enhancing data accessibility, quality, and interoperability, these interventions will enable UNICEF to:

This transformative approach will not only address existing limitations but also position UNICEF as a leader in leveraging technology and data to drive nutrition outcomes.

Work Assignments Overview

Deliverables/Outputs

Delivery deadline

1. Embed a Plausibility check as part of the Community sentinel sites module:

1.1.  Embed a Plausibility check as part of the community-based surveillance module. 

1.1. The IPC quality assurance tool including plausibility and prevalence estimation components are embedded into community surveillance module 

May - 2025

(25 Working days)

1.2. Develop a mobile app for data collection at sentinel sites. 

1.2.  The mobile app is successfully tested in at least in 5 provinces (one province per zone). *

2. Data Integration Feature Development:

2.1.  A list of Identified nutrition indicators in particular surveillance metrics to be feed to DHIS2.

2. Facility-based surveillance indicators (DHIS2/HMIS) are linked to NIS. *

Jun - 2025

(20 Working days)

2.2. A custom ETL pipeline for extracting key indicators from NIS to DHIS2.

2.3. Modified and expanded ETL for transforming and integrating nutrition master data from external tools (DHIS2) 

3. Simplify and improve different features of online SCM including reporting and visualization aspect.

3.1. Consolidate requesting and distribution part of the SCM to be performed from a single window/Page as summarized below:

3.1. The unified SCM System Interface is deployed including quantification, requisition, and distribution at all levels including health facility level.

3.2.  Real-Time Analytics and Alerts: tracking with alerts to prevent stock issues and enhance supply chain visibility.

3.3. User Training and Support Materials

3.4. Cloud Access and Stakeholder Engagement

Aug - 2025

(42 Working days)

Configure and Customize: Customize the online system to fit specific business specific processes and requirements based on user feedback.t Combine the requesting and distribution processes/tabs into a single window/Page. This allows users to create requisition, track shipments, and manage UNICEF and HFs level distributions from one centralized platform.

3.2.  Analytics, Reporting: Generate reports with a few clicks. Improve and use interactive dashboards and visualizations to gain insights into supply chain performance. Real-time tracking and alerts to prevent overstocking or stockouts and expiration, track inventory, shipments, and orders in real-time using a user-friendly dashboard.

Engage Stakeholders: Consult with key stakeholders from different departments to ensure their needs are considered and to gain their support

3.3. User Friendly Guide: Develop a step-by-step guide and technical information for the users to fix the issues if needed

Training and Testing: Provide comprehensive training to all users to ensure they are comfortable with the new system. Conduct thorough testing to identify and resolve any issues before going live.

3.4. Regular update and maintenance: Access issues: Utilize cloud-based SCM systems ensures that all stakeholders can access the system from anywhere, at any time, continuously monitor the system’s performance and gather feedback from users to make necessary adjustments. Technical issues and system downtime disrupt operations, and it is important that the system has reliable technical support and maintenance service.

4. Revise Field monitoring module of NIS:

4. The revised field monitoring module (Health Facility and Health Post) is tested and successfully launched

Sep - 2025

(20 Working days)

5. Optimized Data Analysis and Visualization:

5.1. Performance-optimized NIS interactive dashboards and reports including but not limited to surveillance, supply, field visits, and routine statistics

5.1. The nutrition interactive dashboard is linked to UNICEF Nutrition’s ECM page

5.2. ECD-relevant metrics including the routine reporting component is integrated into preventive module of NIS *

5.3. In addition of UNICEF the other partners can access to general nutrition interactive dashboard

Nov - 2025

(34 Working days)

5.2. Identification and definition of new metrics including early development statistics. Additional dashboards and reports.

5.3. Visualization of impact and other dashboards for internal and external use.

6. Enhanced NIS Data Standards:

6.1.   Revised standards for the flow, access, and use of nutrition data.

6. Nutrition Data Use and Analysis Guide (including guidelines, flows, responsibility matrix)

Jan - 2026

(28 working days)

6.2.   Guide outlining roles and accountabilities at national and subnational levels.

6.3.   Guidelines for the use and analysis of key indicators for nutrition managers.

7. Revised IMAM component of NIS:

7.1. Revised IMAM database revised according to the new IMAM guidelines confirmed by AIM WG 

7.1. The revised IMAM reporting module is tested and successfully launched. The module includes step-to-step guide for both data entry staff and managers. 

Feb - 2026

(28 working days)

8. User Support and System Maintenance: 

8.1. Assistance with solution designs, evaluations, benchmarks, system configurations, and installations.

8. Ongoing uninterrupted system configuration and maintenance of the NIS for entire duration of the contract.

April 2025 to March 2026

(26 working days)

8.2. Implement a request tracker for tracking supply distribution progress.

8.3. Maintenance and troubleshooting support for the nutrition database on the cloud.

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According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF.

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.

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.