About The Position
This consultancy focuses on developing a Direct Entry Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Midwifery Curriculum for Sierra Leone. The goal is to upgrade the current midwifery education to a university-level standard to address the critical challenge of maternal and newborn mortality. By implementing a rigorous, competency-based curriculum aligned with international standards (ICM), the initiative aims to build a competent, safe, and autonomous midwifery workforce capable of providing essential sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn, and adolescent health (SRMNAH) services. This effort is supported by the Ministry of Health of Sierra Leone and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), utilizing the ICM-UNFPA Global Sample Curriculum as a blueprint.
Requirements
- Advanced university degree (Master's or Ph.D.) in Midwifery, Maternal Health, Nursing Education, or a directly related health/education science field.
- At least ten years of experience in midwifery education and curriculum development.
- Demonstrated experience developing competency-based health professional education programmes.
- Deep technical familiarity with the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) Global Standards, Professional Frameworks, and Competency guidelines.
- Demonstrated understanding of Competency-Based Education (CBE), applied learning methodologies, and Miller’s Pyramid of Clinical Competence.
- Excellent facilitation, communication, and multi-stakeholder management skills, with specific experience collaborating with United Nations agencies (such as UNFPA or WHO) and Ministries of Health.
- Strong commitment to human rights, gender transformative leadership, social justice, and woman-centered maternity models of care.
- Fluency in written and spoken English is mandatory.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to work in a team.
- Must undertake mandatory courses by UNFPA / or demonstrate certification of the same – eg. PSEA, BSAFE, etc.
Responsibilities
- Conduct a situational analysis of existing midwifery education programmes and identify gaps.
- Review national policies, regulatory frameworks, and existing curricula relevant to midwifery education.
- Develop a competency-based Bachelor of Science in Midwifery curriculum.
- Facilitate stakeholder consultations and curriculum validation workshops.
- Ensure alignment with national accreditation and quality assurance requirements.
- Strengthen institutional capacity through technical guidance during curriculum development.
- Conduct a baseline situational analysis of the country’s SRMNAH population needs, national health infrastructures, and institutional capacities.
- Review existing national scopes of practice, curricula, codes of conduct, and health policies to identify regulatory or legal alignment gaps with international standards.
- Facilitate multi-stakeholder consultations involving representatives from regulatory authorities, higher education institutions, clinical placement facilities, and the national midwives’ association.
- Collaboratively define the programme’s overarching vision, mission statement, and core educational philosophy, ensuring they center on rights-based, gender-equitable, and woman-centered care.
- Establish clear Programme Learning Outcomes (PLOs) explicitly mapped against the ICM Essential Competencies.
- Design a three-year minimum curriculum structure encompassing a total of 4,600 hours of study, adhering to the mandated global theory-practice balance (Minimum 40% Theory Hours, 10% Simulation and Skills Laboratory Practice Hours, Minimum 50% Midwifery Practice Placement Hours).
- Utilize a spiral curriculum approach organized using the four levels of Miller’s Pyramid of Clinical Competence.
- Draft detailed module descriptors using a framework of constructive alignment.
- Integrate innovative, scaffolded Student Assessment Frameworks combining formative and summative strategies.
- Develop standardized clinical evaluation tools, objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs), viva rubrics, and a comprehensive Practice Portfolio / Clinical Logbook.
- Incorporate mechanisms for continuous program evaluation, including faculty review protocols and formal student feedback systems.
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What This Job Offers
Career Level
Senior
