Individual External Consultancy Service for Universal Salt Iodisation (USI) Regulatory Assessment and Sub-National Iodine Status Survey

With 75 years of experience, our focus is on helping the most vulnerable children overcome poverty and experience fullness of life. We help children of all backgrounds, even in the most dangerous places, inspired by our Christian faith.

Come join our 31,000+ staff working in nearly 100 countries and share the joy of transforming vulnerable children’s life stories!

Key Responsibilities:

1. Background

This assignment seeks to engage a high-caliber Individual Consultant to support UNICEF Kenya Country Office (KCO), World Vision Kenya and the Ministry of Health (MoH) in executing a dual-pronged technical initiative:

1) Evaluating the structural effectiveness and operational coherence of national and county-level regulatory systems for Universal Salt Iodization (USI) within a devolved governance context, and

2) Leading a rigorous national biological survey to measure Urinary Iodine Concentration (UIC) in Kenya.

The consultancy is expected to be concluded in 7 months. The overarching goal is to generate robust, policy-relevant empirical evidence to identify geographic and population gaps, generate evidence-based recommendations to help resolve post-devolution institutional alignment challenges and secure long-term sustainability of salt iodization gains to safeguard early childhood brain development.

Objectives

• Assess Regulatory Effectiveness: To evaluate the legislative frameworks, institutional capacities, and enforcement bottlenecks of national and county-level regulatory systems for Universal Salt Iodization (USI) within Kenya's devolved governance structure.
• Determine Population Iodine Status: To design and execute a cross-sectional sub national biological survey measuring Urinary Iodine Concentration (UIC) among pregnant women across approximately 10 selected counties to identify localized areas of deficiency or excess.
• Calibrate Household Salt Quality: To determine the coverage and quality of adequately iodized salt at the consumer level through quantitative iodometric titration of concurrent household salt samples.
• Formulate Evidence-Based Policy Action: To synthesize empirical scientific data into data-driven policy briefs, and actionable recommendations that bridge institutional enforcement gaps.

10. Required Qualifications and Experience

10.1 Academic Qualifications (Mandatory) Minimum requirement: • Advanced degree in Human Nutrition, Public Health, Epidemiology, or a closely related biomedical field.

• Availability to support the execution of the work in the next 8 months.
• Competence in coordinating with the MoH Division of Nutrition and managing complex institutional matrices to secure formal policy and roadmap adoption.
• Proven experience designing and executing cross-sectional epidemiological surveys.
• Deep technical understanding of Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDDs), WHO thresholds and laboratory protocols.
• Proven ability to navigate regulatory boards to secure human-tissue ethical clearance and official research authorization from NACOSTI. World Vision Kenya | Nourish to Thrive for Mothers and Children Project | USI & Sub-National Iodine Status Survey Page 8 of 10
• Expertise in mixed-methods analysis, including legislative reviews of national frameworks and conducting resource/workflow capacity audits.
• Demonstrated capacity to manage strict temperature-controlled logistics for biological samples from remote counties.
• Experience in the timely procurement and distribution of critical field commodities.
• Advanced capability in translating raw epidemiological data into high-level assessment and synthesis reports and data-driven visual policy briefs. Demonstrated experience of working in Kenya and familiarity with the 47 counties within Kenya, Kiswahili national language and English official language, as well as:
• National and County Government systems.
• Devolved governance structures. • Education, Nutrition, health, and social protection sectors.

For details, refer to the ToR using the link:

https://wvi.box.com/s/cdxmv7tup5mp3446esonhrl8avqjgqn3

Applicant Types Accepted:

Local Applicants Only

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organisation with a mission centred on following Jesus Christ in service to the world´s most vulnerable children. Therefore, in all locations to the fullest extent legally permissible, the successful applicant will affirm our core documents, observe conduct compatible with Christian principles, serve at a high level of professional ethics and strive to act in accordance with cultural sensitivities. Furthermore, regular attendance with team and office devotions, chapel and prayer gatherings are expected in line with policies in the World Vision host location and its departments.