Terms of Reference for Lead Consultant in Lesotho

The Maximizing Options to Advance Informed Choice for HIV Prevention (MOSAIC) project is a five-year (2021-2026) global project funded by PEPFAR through USAID to help individuals, especially women, prevent HIV by accelerating introduction and scale-up of new and emerging biomedical prevention products. MOSAIC strives to generate, synthesize, and promote evidence needed by decision-makers to strengthen existing pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) service delivery platforms and facilitate introduction of new PrEP products aligned with the needs and preferences of women, adolescent girls and young women (AGYW), transgender people, pregnant and breastfeeding populations (PBFP), and female sex workers (FSWs).

One way the MOSAIC project will generate evidence is through an implementation study of an enhanced service delivery package for informed PrEP choice—the CATALYST study, which aims to provide real-world data on PrEP uptake and use in the context of informed choice. As part of the overall CATALYST study, a costing component will be used to determine the average and incremental unit costs of providing three different PrEP modalities: oral PrEP, the PrEP ring, and injectable cabotegravir (CAB) for individuals seeking health services in Lesotho, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. The results of this study will be used to inform program planning for PrEP choice.

Basotho nationals strongly encouraged to apply.

Scope of Work

The role of the Lead Consultant on the PrEP costing study is two-fold. First, the consultant will be tasked with collecting site-level costing data via interviews with site managers and financing staff to complete a costing form obtaining information on salaries, utilities, and other facility-based costs. Second, the consultant will oversee the collection and data entry of data on time-motion observations of clients receiving PrEP services, which will be used to measure the amount of staff time and resources needed for different PrEP modalities and different types of visits (eg., initiation and refill).

The Lead Consultant will be engaged for approximately 35-45 days through the end of project with a tentative start date in August.

MOSAIC Costing Team will:

• Train the Lead Consultant on the data collection procedures.
• Provide oversight and guidance on the costing study protocol and procedures.
• Coordinate engagement with CATALYST sites, site staff, and other stakeholders.

Lead Consultant will:

• Work with the PI and in-country CATALYST team to review the data collection strategy, pilot test the existing costing forms, and advise on potential revisions to the costing forms based on the pilot test results.
• Participate in a multi-day training with data collectors, who will assist with the time-motion data collection.
• Complete the costing forms on site-level costs based on interviews with site staff and analysis of reported expenditures.
• In consultation with the in-country CATALYST team, develop a travel timetable to visit each of the three sites, arrange to meet with program managers at each site, and interview all relevant staff about the costs required to provide the different PrEP modalities.
• Manage the logistics for the time-motion data collection, including managing the team of data collectors.
• Be responsible for data entry related to the costing of the three forms of PrEP. This will include entry into the agreed-upon software program (ODK). The consultant will review and validate all data, correct any errors, and assure that the data have been fully cleaned.  While Avenir Health will lead on the analysis and report writing, the consultant will review and provide input on drafts and contribute revisions for any peer-review publications.
• Engage in weekly phone calls with the PI and in-country team to address any issues that arise from the data collection and data cleaning process.

Deliverables

The Lead Consultant will be required to submit each deliverable as it is achieved and will provide a final submission of all deliverables at the time of the final invoice.  S/He will be responsible for submitting an invoice no later than the end of the project  that outlines the activities performed.

The deliverables include:

1. All financial records, including expenditure reports, vouchers, original receipts, etc. required for reimbursement of the Lead Consultant and data collectors.
2. Copies of all completed records, including site-level data collection instrument data, time-motion data, and other data relevant to the cost of service delivery for the three PrEP modalities.
3. Fully validated and cleaned data files, available in selected software format (ODK).
4. Reviewed manuscript addressing both co-author and/or journal questions or comments.

• Minimum of a master’s degree in economics, health finance, and/or public health.
• At least five years of documented experience and demonstrable success in Lesotho conducting health-related costing studies. Research experience with PrEP costing a bonus.
• At least seven years’ experience with managing field research related to health services including overseeing multiple data collection teams, scheduling, maintaining protocol procedures and ensuring study-related deadlines are met.
• Excellent English writing, oral communication, and reporting skills.
• Strong quantitative skills, including data analysis and interpretation.

Jhpiego offers competitive salaries and a comprehensive employee benefits package including: medical and dental plans; paid vacation, holidays and sick leave; personal accident insurance; 403(b) retirement plan; life and disability insurance; travel insurance; education assistance plan and more.

Please apply at www.jobs-jhpiego.icims.com

For further information about Jhpiego, visit our website at www.jhpiego.org

Note: The successful consultants selected for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background investigation.

JHU is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer

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