Consultant – Costed National Community Health Strategy (2027‑2031)

About the role

UNICEF is seeking an experienced consultant to support the Ministry of Health in finalising the National Community Health Strategy (2027‑2031) and its five‑year costed operational plan. The role is office‑based in Lusaka and will run for approximately 3.5 months, providing strategic, technical and advisory input throughout the design and formulation process.

Key responsibilities

• Lead a participatory process with government, partners and stakeholders to ensure the strategy is evidence‑based, results‑oriented and fully costed.
• Develop and validate the five‑year operational plan, including detailed budgeting and investment cases.
• Produce high‑quality policy documents, SOPs and protocols aligned with national health priorities.
• Facilitate extensive consultations and workshops to secure national ownership of the strategy.
• Provide technical guidance on health system optimisation and community health service delivery in Zambia.

Required profile

• Master’s degree or higher in Public Health, Community Health, Health Systems, Health Policy or a related field.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in health system design, strategy development and costing of national health programmes.
• Proven experience producing government‑level health documents and operational plans.
• Demonstrated ability to work with a wide range of stakeholders in government, private sector and civil society.
• Fluency in English; knowledge of the Zambian community health landscape is an advantage.

Required skills

• Costing and budgeting of large‑scale health strategies.
• Development of health policies, SOPs and operational plans.
• Strong analytical and evidence‑synthesis capabilities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication in English.